narcisso

Blake Transit Center and Central Campus Transit Center are very close (5 min ride).

Take a look at this: http://www.housing.umich.edu/policies-procedures/early-arrivals, it might be of interest to you. For used-furniture shops look here http://northwoodfocus.housing.umich.edu/content/used-furniture-stores. There is also an IKEA in Canton, which is not very far. In Northwood Community Center, I've been told you can find inflatable beds. Also, in April and August there are a lot of yard sales so maybe you can find some stuff there. I'll be staying in Northwood IV myself.

My only advice would be to retake the GRE. Everything else looks perfect!

I had the same problem with ssk2 (return ticket was cheaper than one-way). The only solution I could find after many searches was a "cheap" ticket from studentuniverse. It was cheaper than the return ticket, but of course more expensive than the one-way leg of a return ticket.

Here's a list of what I think will be your costs: 1) Preparation for GRE + TOEFL: depending on your level of English, you might need courses 2) GRE + TOEFL: check the cost at the ETS representative in your country 3) Sending GRE + TOEFL scores: Before the exam you mention 4 institutions where your scores will be sent. If you pick them correctly, you will only have to pay for any extra university (I think its 25 $ for the TOEFL and 17 for the GRE or vice versa) 4) Transcripts + translations: You will need some copies of your transcript and/or diploma, as well as translations if they're not in English 5) Applications: In most universities you pay a fee. Mine were 50 - 125 $ 6) Sending documents with traditional mail: Some universities require some documents in hard copies, so you have to mail them 7) Interviews: Usually international applicants are interviewed by phone or Skype. In the rare case that they need to have an interview in person, they will cover some of the expenses 8) Passport + Visa: To travel to the US you will need a valid passport and a student visa. You also have to pay for the cost of mailing/receiving the required documentation from the university 9) Ticket 10) Housing: Depending on your contract, you might have a make a deposit. 11) Initial expenses to get settled until your first paycheck: This varies greatly, depending on whether your apartment is furnished/unfurnished and the area you'll be living in. There are sites that compare the cost of living in different places in the US that you can check out for this.

From what I've gathered, North Campus is quieter than Central Campus because it has less undergrads and it's more spread out.

Applications for university housing begin tomorrow. Does anyone know approximately when answers are given out? For single graduate students they say: "If we have an apartment to offer you, you will be notified by email, fax or telephone. Our goal is to notify you a minimum of 30 days prior to your requested occupancy date. If you have not received an offer within 30 days of your requested occupancy date, please contact Northwood Community Apartments Advisor." [source: http://www.housing.umich.edu/applications/single-graduate]

It's just that for international students it's not very easy to come to Ann Arbor and look for a place in late August, so I think that apartment housing is the only option (at least for the first year). What I can't figure out it whether the leasing can start in September and if there is the possibility for temporary housing (last week of August) or one has to stay in a hotel.

Good to have someone experienced in this topic! What are the housing options for apartments near the North Campus? I've heard of Northwood, Huron, Willowtree, Broadview and Courtyards. Are there any other complexes?

Depends on what your interests are I suppose. If you're interested in fluids, mechanics etc. you'd go to a ME program, whereas if you're interested in electronics, electromagnetics etc. you'd go to an EE program.

What I realized after applying to grad school is that it is really important that POI have available funding when you will be enrolling and are willing to recruit new grad students. So if you can find out that before applying, you can increase your chances by targeting groups and laboratories that have Ph.D. openings.

Is anyone living or has recently lived in Northwood IV or V? Need some info on them, as I might be heading there this Fall.

My advice would be to finish your thesis the best way you can. As you won't be seeking a Ph.D. aftwerwards, it doesn't have to be the best thesis that was ever produced. What many engineering graduates do in my country is look for a job in finance, banking or consulting. Such companies appreciate the way of thought that engineers have acquired during their studies and prefer recruiting them over people who have studied economics, management or marketing.

Rejected by Stanford too

My application page now states: "Attention: Your file has been forwarded to the Graduate Committee for review. Each individual graduate program sets its own schedule for reviewing application files. You should consult the graduate coordinator in the program to which you have applied to determine when decisions will be made. As soon as a decision is made on your application, it will be posted on this page, and you will be notified by email." Do you think I should mail the graduate coordinator on not?