rising_star

Georgia's a great place. CUNY anthro could be better though depending on your interests.

Even with the campus shuttle to Princeton Junction, you'd still need a monthly NJ Transit pass if you want to get to NYC...

You won't get taxed on the tuition and fee waiver. The amount you pay for tuition is deductible and some of the fees are deductible but not all. You receive a tax statement from the University at the end of the year that specifies this. Honestly, if you're making $18K and have a tuition waiver, the amount deductible is likely less than the standard deduction so itemizing may not be to your benefit. Scholarships/fellowships work differently. If it's a scholarship and you receive more than the money needed for tuition, then the rest is taxable income. For instance, you receive a $20K scholarship and your tuition is $10K. The other $10K that you use for living expenses and whatever else is considered taxable income. Since most scholarships don't withhold taxes, you actually owe money to the IRS at the end of the year.

I think you're maybe thinking too far ahead. No advice on interviews but if you have a LJ account, check the tags in the academics_anon community. They probably have some advice there. Second, there's no guarantee that an academic job would help you get into a higher-ranked PhD program. If anything, see if you could defer your acceptance if you got the job. Plus, I think it'd actually raise more questions about why you want a PhD if you're already teaching in an academic position. I doubt you could use this job, if you got it, to get the job you want in another department. That's generally not how these things work, at least as far as I understand it.

It's different because puppies need to be let out far more often and you have to have the time to properly train and socialize them. A puppy 2 months old shouldn't go more than 2-2.5 hours without a potty break. Plus, they need to be on a very regular schedule... eat/drink then outside 30 min later to do their business. I think if you really want a puppy, get a slightly older one from a rescue group or SPCA, particularly one that fosters the dogs in homes so that someone has already started housebreaking the dog/housebroken it and crate-trained it. As someone who fostered an 8 month old, not housebroken puppy for a month, I have to say that if we didn't take her out every 2 hours, she'd pee in the house. Plus she wasn't used to being left alone so she was destructive when alone and not crated and tried to destroy her crate (and managed to while on a home visit with a potential adopter).

I'm looking for a gig with a summer program so hopefully I'll work 6-7 weeks and come out with a bunch of money. A visit to wherever I'm moving to secure housing. And lots and lots of trashy novel reading at the beach house. I love the beach and it doesn't look like I'll be near a decent beach in my PhD.

I've never heard of Fiddler's Green. Don't do Raintree/Fairfax. Dearing Garden is probably full by now. Arbor Creek is fine and Athens Highland is ok (plus their manager lives onsite). Laurel Pointe can be hit or miss. Definitely stay far away from Tara. At your price point, you could actually get a 2bedroom and use the second room as an office. I say this because spending over $450 for a one bedroom seems excessive to me and at $550-600 you are at the price of 2 bedrooms in Athens. There are plenty more complexes and deals out there. Your best bet is to spend maybe 2-3 days in Athens driving around and looking at places. Esp since so many places are small and don't have big websites for you to find. The Bluffs comes to mind in that regard. Def check Craig's List too.

I'll admit, it was a backup school for me as an undergrad.

I'm just kicking myself in the a** for not applying for the Ford. I wish I could have guaranteed money because then I could wave it in the face of some schools and get myself an acceptance...

idanceliketaffy, what's your first MA in? Have you tried contacting programs to ask how you might strengthen your application?

A lot of the information posted in the past is still valid. A lot depends on how close you want to live to campus. Avoid the Riverbend Rd mega-complexes, and most of the stuff right off North Ave (The Lodge, stuff on Berlin St) and you should be fine. Athens is pretty hit or miss with crime.

You could try contacting the school and asking them why they rejected you.

What about CGS?

Washington has terrible funding. It actually stopped me from applying.

The visits I've done have typically been Thursday-Saturday. On lodging, you really should ask. I've stayed at hotels, a bed and breakfast, and will be staying with current graduate students on a couple of upcoming visits. You will definitely be shown the campus. You should try and visit the city (maybe ask the current grad students if they'll show you around). You may be able to attend classes but, I almost think it's a waste of time unless it's a grad course with a prof you'd take courses from. Definitely don't waste time sitting in on undergrad classes. You need to meet with faculty to see if you want to be there. Meet with as many faculty as you need to. Make sure you could form a committee when you go there. Ask questions about exam structure, course requirements, dissertation/thesis, etc. Get all the info that's not on the website. Talk to the current students of whomever you're looking to work with. No, you won't present a paper or pass an exam! You've already been admitted! No suit and tie. Business casual please. If it's a Friday, nice jeans. If you're going out with grad students, be comfortable. And yes, they'll address you by your first name. As for addressing others, I'm Southern so I address all professors as Dr. X until specifically instructed to do otherwise. First-name basis with students (your peers) has always worked for me. Hope this helps!

If you ultimately want a PhD, why not enter the PhD program now? What career are you going to have? Will it pay you enough that you can pay off the $60K+ in debt you'll accumulate while at Teacher's College?

1) a 3.6 is better than an "ok" GPA. It's quite good! Grad school grades tend to be inflated. Do not get anything less than a B in your grad program (B+ if you can help it). Otherwise, it'll stick out like a sore thumb. 2) Can't say without knowing what your other GRE scores are. 3) I think 1-2 conferences is fine. It's difficult to secure fellowships or a publication during the short duration of a MA program. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Networking and presenting at a regional conference and a national conference should be your goal. 4) You start by talking to your professors about something that you would like to turn into a publication/presentation. For instance, I'm presenting on my master's thesis at the upcoming national conference. I have no plans to publish that though. It's a lot of work to publish... it can take 6-9 months just to hear back from the editors. 5) End of the first year/beginning of the second

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=13125 there's a thread on MAPSS

Not all schools do interviews.

Seriously, the silence is killing me. I'm still waiting to hear from one last school but I'm convincing myself that it's a rejection.

I guess it all depends on how you cook. Also, I think every grad student should own a slow cooker. 20 min in the morning (in my case, while watching the news and/or eating breakfast) and dinner is ready when you get home. It's amazing. Don't knock it until you try it. Personally, I eat out usually once a week and that's with people from my dept to be social. Otherwise, I bring a lunch from home and cook dinner (or, when crunched for time eat a Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones frozen meal or can of soup with bread).

I think even with $5K more offered by NYU, you'll find Michigan to be more affordable. What are the graduate students like at each place? What kind of office space would you get? These are intangibles that I definitely am considering when I look at programs. See if you can get specifics on publications and placements of the students of your potential advisors at each place and maybe let those guide you a bit.

Best start figuring out how now.

I sent one to the guy who coordinated everything for my visit. Handwritten and everything.

This isn't universally true. My department reviews both at the same time and releases decisions on both at the same time.