rising_star

Does it? You just described a bunch of your future colleagues as "stragglers"...

It's definitely possible. You might also see if there are GA positions in student affairs, residential life, etc.

Does more reputable equal more opportunities after graduation? If so, that's what I'd go for.

Honestly, what you need is to work with your advisor and students in your department. They're the ones who will know the most about the preferred/ideal format for a poster in your field.

Are you looking at the potential course (that is, the course catalogue) or the online schedule of classes? I ask because these are often quite different things and the schedule of what's offered may help determine some of what you'll be taking. FWIW, I would do a mix of broad and topical courses because you'll need a mix of both for your comps/quals.

Wait, people get GA positions related to their research in the social sciences? That's news to me! (Just kidding. Sorta.) FWIW, I was a TA or sole instructor for three different courses as a grad student that were completely unrelated to my interests. Only one of those times included being a TA for my advisor. It's part of doing what you do to get paid. Think of it as similar to all the work-study jobs you might've had as an undergrad. Were they related to your interests? Maybe not. Did they give you valuable experience that you could list on a future job application? Yep.

@3dender just posted a longer, better phrased version of what I was going to say while I was in the midst of typing my reply. Interviewing for a new job =/ having a new job, right? So there's no guarantees that he will have a new job in DC that he'd have to quit. There's also the question of whether you two are willing to do long distance for a while. DC-Boston is an Acela train ride where you could get work done along the way and potentially see each other on the weekends. Just another thing to consider. P.S. If the stipends are the same, then why do you keep referring to living in Boston as being forced to live on a "small stipend" but don't say this about DC?

If you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend Locke et al.'s Proposals That Work for valuable insight on the process of writing a proposal. But, realistically, if people aren't replying in a timely fashion, stop trying to work with them. For both my MA and PhD, I worked primarily with my advisor on my proposal, only roping in other committee members as it was relevant and for the committee meeting where the proposal was shared and discussed. Otherwise I worked independently, which is what fuzzy is suggesting you do. As for horror stories, I prefer not to remember the two separate dissertation grants were my application got rejected at the first stage of screening because, despite my nagging efforts, committee members never submitted the required rec letters. I got funding from other sources so it worked out but I was livid at the time.

That question is going to be nearly impossible for anyone to answer. It's impossible to predict what will happen to a department in five years as there could be faculty who retire, get poached away, or change the direction of their research. The better questions to ask are ones that focus on your specific area within the field of economics. It doesn't matter if NYU improves its faculty in development economics if that's not at all related to what you're doing, you know? At this point, it sounds like you're trying to game the system and figure out where things will be in five years. Without a crystal ball and/or a time machine, no one can tell you this for sure. Go with your gut and accept at the place that feels right to you.

As much as you need to feel secure in the offer and like the school isn't going to try to wiggle out of anything. Out of curiosity though, is the funding at School B renewable? Because four years of funding vs. two years is a big difference...

Take the full-ride, without a doubt. Stay in touch with your NYC nonprofit network and see about the possibility of a paid summer internship there, assuming your program allows that. I wouldn't bother with Germany because you wouldn't actually be able to work legally on a student visa.

You don't actually need to publish at all as a master's student, @Adelaide9216, particularly if you're pursuing a professional degree.

Without knowing exactly where School 1 is, I'd go for School 1. You could probably find less expensive housing if you're willing to consider a commute to School 1. (Alternately, you can get your dog certified as a service dog...) Take advantage of the internet to find as much information as you can for the area of School 1 to see if you can find whether there's anything there that you might be interested in.

At some point, there are diminishing returns on teaching. YMMV, obviously. For me, the funding (which is to say that I earned significantly more on fellowship than I did as a TA/RA) was crucial because it allowed me the freedom needed to tie up loose ends for my research. I enjoy teaching (and work in a teaching-focused institution now) but I also knew that in order to write the best possible dissertation and publish it, I needed to not be teaching new preps while trying to finish up. What worked for me may not be what works for you. Anyway, to get back to the OP's question, depending on the field and what freedoms the internal fellowship gives you, they may be worth having and listing on your CV. Especially early in your career, it's helpful to show that you have some ability to get funded by others. More money and the chance to focus on getting your research up and running is crucial when you're starting a PhD program.

Advisor matters a lot when it comes to the PhD, even more so if you're planning to remain in academia. What are your career plans? What is the placement record of the department and the lab you're considering joining?

Hmmm... how long would you be volunteering with this particular faculty member? Are you able to afford volunteering? Could you combine the volunteering and the master's program in some way? If your concern is your GPA, then the master's would make more sense. Or, if not a master's, then taking a graduate course or two on the side while continuing to work and gain experience.

That's a matter of perspective I guess. Having the external funding meant getting to focus solely on my research and writing my dissertation, without the distraction of grading papers, preparing lectures, reading for class, etc. Applying for dissertation writing fellowships was also great practice for the academic job market because there are lots of similarities between the two applications.

It's difficult to say. I'd contact the school directly to ask when you might get a decision on your application.

I would pick one of the free ones, personally.

This might be field-specific. In my field, I was applying for funding on a regular basis throughout my PhD to support my fieldwork and research in the summers and, ultimately, for an entire year. I also applied for writing fellowships which would allow me to have the time to write without having to work for someone as a TA or RA. So I wouldn't make the blanket statement that the next time people seriously apply for something is after the PhD. I couldn't have completed my research without external funding during the degree.

Are you sure the stipend is for 12 months and not 9? Have you asked about whether there are opportunities to teach or do research in the summer for additional money?

You should definitely NOT attend UNC if they aren't offering you any funding. You'll be $30+K in debt after the first year given tuition, housing, food, and other costs. It's also a sign that the department isn't actually invested in you but would rather invest that money in other graduate students. I don't know much about biostats but both Pitt and OSU are good schools in general. Pittsburgh and Columbus are both fun cities with a lot to do and good airport access to other places. Maybe look at the CVs of current students and recent grads to get a sense of what the opportunities are in each department.

I'm a fan of Zotero personally. I'm guessing that in one of those posts linked to above I expound on why.

Flip a coin and use that to decide. Then sit on it for a day and think about how the decision makes you feel. But, honestly, it's fine to prioritize general opportunities for growth personally and professionally.

People can and do negotiate funding. Search for it in "The Bank" if you want more specific advice.