ArcticKind

Also, if it's on grad cafe it must be real, right??

Nope. It's definitely still a thing.... unless this is all a cruel, extensive prank being played on me. https://us.fulbrightonline.org/

I've just deferred my offer of a spot in the MA in Literature program this year until the fall of 2014, (because today I found out that I've received a Fulbright full-research grant for 2013-2014.) I hope this will open a spot for this year's incoming MA class for someone on grad cafe!

Thanks! I'm not sure where I'll be based actually. For the graduating senior award, we were instructed NOT to contact people in Japan, but to create projects that could be carried out in a range of locations and then we would be placed by Fulbright. What about you?

Graduating senior, full grant to Japan! Good luck to everyone else out there!

Hi all! Fulbright full grant, graduating senior, recommended candidate here. I'm sorry if this question has already been asked and answered, but those of you receiving news, have your e-mails been coming directly from your countries or from IIE or Fulbright? Thanks!

Thank you very much, ComeBackZinc! I might end up shooting you a few more questions after my campus visit in a couple weeks, if that's okay...

Thanks, ComeBackZinc! I really appreciate your willingness to answer my questions! From your posts on here, it seems that your experience at Purdue has been quite good, which is encouraging of course. The camaraderie within the department and the potential to take a variety of courses are especially appealing to me. It's too bad to hear about the lack of summer funding. Do you have a sense of what students who are not able to receive funding or find teaching positions in the area do during the summers? Do they stay in town and pursue their own research, work other non-academic jobs to save up, leave town, or something else? You mentioned that housing is inexpensive in the area-- a definite plus! Do you have any recommendations about where ideal, but cheap housing might be found? Are there any particular areas of town or apartment complexes where graduate students have tended to have good luck? Or, on the other hand, any places to stay away from? I'm a pretty frugal person generally; I don't spend money indulgently (except on coffee). I'm curious, though, did you find that you had any sort of major unexpected costs as a graduate student? Also, the Purdue website says that the city has an efficient bus system. Is that true? Or do you find that it's best to have a car to get places? (I will be bringing a car wherever I end up attending, but I'd prefer not to have to drive often if possible.) Finally: Is there anything particular that you would recommend I make sure to do/see when I visit campus in a couple weeks? Or in Lafayette generally? Thank you, again, for your honest and advice! I'm very grateful.

ComeBackZinc, Thanks so much for the information about 2013 fall classes at Purdue! If found out several weeks ago that I've been accepted to the M.A. program in Literature, and I'm planning to visit campus in a couple weeks to get a feel for the department. I know that your field is rhetoric and comp, but do you have any friends who specialize in literary theory and/or cultural studies? If I decide to attend Purdue and stay on for the PhD (assuming I can maintain good standing), I'd want my focus to be in the theory and cultural studies program. Do you know anyone in that field? If so, has he/she had a good experience? I've been offered funding in the form of a TAship, and it seems that most grad students begin with teaching freshman comp. Have you done any TAing at Purdue? If so, what's your experience been like? Has the workload still allowed you enough time to focus on your own studies? Is it possible to live off $13,000 a year in West Lafayette/ Lafayette? What do most M.A. and PhD students do during the summer months? Is there summer funding available, and, if so, how easy is it to receive? I know that I'll be able to ask current students these sort of questions when I visit campus, but I'd love to hear your honest opinion about any of these issues, if you have the time to respond. Thanks!