DeleteMePlease

Yeah on the other hand I may not be the most competitive person that got into Cornell so I could image that ones with better qualifications or ones that applied to even higher ranked schools might get more money.

Well, Nyctophile I get the same amount as you so I don't think it has much to do with field. Maybe he/she is including the some summer stipend as well?

Woa wasn't aware that there are such big differences between stipends. Maybe they pay you already more because they know you are coming with family?

If you have the money and time, yeah. But I think there is much better things to do to boost your application like taking more time to write your SoP or working on a publication.

Haha thanks but it kind of makes me feel like they addressed it to the wrong person.

Just wondering if stuff like this is contained in every letter. "The overall quality of our applicant pool this year was extremely strong. Your remarkable academic accomplishments put you at the top of this applicant pool, and I want to congratulate you on behalf of the entire department." My gut says me "yes".

Mh the housing situation is rather unfortunate. Either I wait until I will be in Ithaca and get a cheap place off-campus (don't want to rent something without visiting). Or I apply for on-campus housing now. Think I figured out why most of the international students are living on campus

If you apply for Fall there is still a lot of time... I have received a reply from 1 out of 9 schools so far...

Same here. Realized that I already had my last day of class at my institution and that made me feel kind of sad. Still I couldn't be more happy

I watched the German version of the Big Bang Theory on a local TV channel today. On it they said "Caltech University". I giggled

Well you got into UIUC pearcema. So, who cares

Just curious and really don't want to be mean or anything. But I wonder how people without research experience just decide to go to graduate school... It took me a long time in college to realise that I love research. I spend weeks working on projects and endless seession discussing topics with my adviser until I realized I want to do this for the rest of my life. I can only advise to work at least on one project before making such a decision. On your topic: Would it be an option to work part-time and be a research intern at the same time? Without research experience you will have as small chances getting into a research related job as into a Ph.D. program. Alternatively, if you can afford the debt. Maybe really consider pursuing a research focused Masters degree. Maybe even at one of the institutions you want to go to? If you have personal contact with a POI and already collaborated with her/him in a project, it would be a huge plus on your application.

Apply to the schools you want to go to and forget about rankings (at least for one or two ). I have the feeling that if you are really interested in a program that your SoP for that school will be much stronger. And that adcoms look for people who know what they are applying to and do not only apply because of prestige. But this is just my personal opinion!

Yeah that is what I thought. However, I assumed that there were only a few nation-wide ones. Well I was looking at DAAD (german reserach institute) and Fulbright. But they only seem to cover exchanges or a full year abroad. However, I am already accepted and would like to apply for assistance in the second year. :/ Maybe somebody can enlighten me at least on Fulbright for foreign students that are already attending?

3 years of research experience is a lot. This should make you a good candidate (assuming that the SoP from you research advisers are good too). I had the same feeling as you as I haven't heard back from ANY of the 9 schools i applied to until this week. Tuesday I got my first acceptance at my top choice

Hi, is there are list of possible scholarships I can apply to on this forum? I am especially interested in ones that are for foreign students coming to the US. If not. Maybe we could turn this thread into one that collects all the information. Thanks!

Haven't heard from UIUC either. I am applying for Ph.D. though.

Yeah the link above also gives some infos about summer stipends. I was too busy with studying for the GRE that I missed the deadlines for other stipends (Fulbright etc), but I will definitly do that for the following year. How does Zipcar work? Do I have to pay per mile? Would be awesome not having to buy a car. I want to use a bike when possible anyways. Will be a good workout with all those hills Is anybody of you a vegeterian/vegan? I am a "part-time vegan", which means I prefer to eat without any dairy products and meat but it is often not possible in the town I am currently living in. I wonder if it is easy to buy different kinds of tofu and seitan in Itahaca and if there are any vegetarian restaurants.

Yeah alcohol is wicked expensive in scandinavia. The living wage calculator of MIT says I need 21000 a year. The Cornell stipend seems to be way above that so I am fine with that. Money is not that important to me but it should be enough to cover a normal live and paying a flight back home once in a while.

Thanks ohgoodness. That seems like...enough

Did anybody hear about funding yet? My email just said that I will receive full support. However, I am still waiting for the offical acceptance via mail that will hopefully give me the amount of support I will receive.

That should tell you a lot about the institution. Seems like they see Ph.D. as cheap labour and/or don't have the skills/reputation to collect money.

Word.

Yeah I wonder that too. Would I need a J-1 visa besides my F-1?

yes it is enough