Interzone

Hello! I have just been accepted to study at SFU and I couldn't be more excited about moving to Vancouver! I should have at least $20,000 to live on throughout the year after I've paid for tuition and various fees—possibly $25,000 if a summer TAship comes through. Will that be enough? Does anyone have any recommendations for a good area to live in? I'm looking for somewhere pretty much equal distance between downtown and the Burnaby campus (I can bear anything up to a 40-minute commute to school) and am very happy to live with housemates. Ideally I'm looking for an area with a couple of decent (decent is flexible) bars, a few reasonably priced grocery stores and a relatively large student population. Any advice will be gratefully received. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for your response, Lons, but I'm going for the MA!

Anyone heard anything from SFU, York, Toronto, UBC or McMaster? Or have any information on their typical decision-making process?

Just received my first reply and it is an acceptance from UVic! It feels fantastic to be able to say that I have a school interested in me. No offer of funding though. My interpretation is that I am lower down their list than other applicants and they are waiting to see who accepts and rejects their offers before then reallocating the funding. Does that sound about right? More positive spins would obviously be appreciated.. "I write to offer you admission into the MA program in the Department of English at the University of Victoria. Congratulations! As with all preliminary offers, this acceptance into our MA program is conditional upon approval of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. We are delighted that you applied to our program and look forward to working with you in the Fall. Although we are not able to offer any funding at this date, there may be opportunities for fellowships and other financial support later in the admissions process. We ask that you respond to our offer by 22 March, 2013. Once you accept our offer and our Graduate Admissions office verifies your transcripts, it will send out an official invitation."