psychsquirrel

Hello! I just finished my second year of grad school at ASU and I absolutely love it! I personally live in a suburb about 30 minutes away from campus because I REALLY did not want to be near the undergrad scene, but friends that do live in Tempe suggest the west side of campus because it has more of a neighborhood feel. It also seems that south Tempe (near the Chandler border) is a nice area - you get the suburb feel but it's also quick to campus. With that being said, most people drive, and a good parking permit will run you $720 (SO WORTH IT to avoid the heat). Some use the lightrail system but it can be sketchy, especially for females. I personally have never heard of anyone experiencing anything on the lightrail, but there are a lot of homeless people that use it so people do feel a bit uncomfortable. The Tempe/Phoenix area is definitely not the coolest (ha) city that exists, but it's actually very up-and-coming so we get the benefit of cheaper cost of living AND fun restaurants and bars. I hope this is helpful - let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!

Congratulations! I am in a PhD program at ASU Tempe (also from Colorado!) and I DEFINITELY rely on my car a lot living in Phoenix. A lot of other grad students use the light rail or bike to campus (I have heard the bus can be a little sketchy).

I am from Colorado and 100% agree with Square49. Good luck!

I say don't email them--when I was applying last year, a big shot professor told me that emailing typically doesn't sway their decision either way. And I agree with you that it would seem like an afterthought. Good luck!

No, there's no benefit in putting your parent's information, since you are considered independent on the FAFSA. If you fill out the FAFSA early and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is low enough, you might be eligible for some federal or state grant funding (depending on the school).

Boulder is really pricey, but it is a fun and beautiful place to live! What questions do you have in particular?

Thank you! I actually will not be accepting since I have received a PhD offer

I received an acceptance to Villanova a couple weeks ago, but funding info won't come until mid-March.

Boulder is an amazing place to live--it's beautiful and fun! BUT, that does mean it comes at a cost. It's really expensive to live here. However, I think it can be manageable if you have roommates and live a little further out from campus (the bus system here is incredible). In terms of parking, it is tough to find free parking in this town! Parking permits for campus cost around $70 a month. Let me know if you have any other questions and congrats!

School Name: Indiana University BloomingtonDate Interview Invite Received: 1/7/16Degree: PhDType: ClinicalNotified via: PhoneFrom: POIInterview Date: 2/5 School Name: Arizona State UniversityDate Interview Invite Received: 1/21/16Degree: PhD Type: DevelopmentalNotified via: PhoneFrom: POIInterview Date: 2/19

Sona Dimidjian at the University of Colorado Boulder

Admissions committees just want to see that you are fully capable of conducting research. It sounds like you have great research experience

The only question that caught me off guard was, "What questions do you want us to ask you?"...this was after we had spoken for a while

Good luck! And congrats on your acceptances

Wow you are in a pickle! How much debt are we talkin' about with the first school?