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GeoDUDE!

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Posts posted by GeoDUDE!

  1. On 4/19/2016 at 0:57 PM, Slutha said:

    I signed with a school that offered a TA spot. Was waiting to hear back from UL-Lafayette about funding, but am I right in assuming it's too late now that I've signed and accepted a TA spot at another school? Even if UL offered funding, say in 3 days, what would be my options?

    I'm pretty satisfied with the school I signed with, just curious

     

    2 hours ago, zerozircon said:

    If you've signed, then you have to go. Best of luck!

     

    This isn't true. You can ask the school to release you. It's a bit bad taste, but no school wants a student who would rather (and can) go somewhere else. They will likely release you, however, it will probably burn some bridges. Sometimes its worth it: say your dream school/advisor randomly gets funding late into season and offers you a spot, you should try and go. 

    While these are "legal" documents, they'd be hard pressed to claim any damages if you decided not to go. However, the other department would likely not accept you without you being released. 

  2. 9 hours ago, GeoMasters2016 said:

    Hey Y'all :D

    One school offering me to do Masters in hydrogeology with no funding.....and possibly instruct classes

    Or... stay at my current university with the geography program to do Masters in fluvial and arid geomorphology with a high chance to teach physical geography courses and some funding.

    Ultimately, I want a PhD in geology after to be a professor.... but I think I would be okay with a physical geography/geomorphology.

    Any ideas what I should do :)?

    If you want to go into a phd program you should apply to those?

    I would not go into any program without funding. 

  3. 2 hours ago, sjoh197 said:

    What is you opinion on ability to find funding after self funding for one year?

    At my masters institution, i had a friend who did this. But this was for a masters, and his advisor and he worked very hard to find funding on  campus, and he ended up doing waste management. He worked very hard to find a job, and worked very hard to stay on top. I think he is the exception to the rule. His job was also much harder than being a RA/TA.

    At happy hours you will hear students complain about their jobs ect, and it will be harder to relate. Most people will be fine with this though, its just extra difficulties that don't make things ideal.

    To keep it straight, if you weren't able to procure funding twice in a row, what chances when your there? This is something I would ask your POI. My bet is not much changes, other than the fact that you can write NSF grants with your POI directly. That could help, but acceptance rates for NSF grants are pretty low... not something I'd want to gamble thousands of dollars on. 

    I suppose, though, if you are getting instate tuition, and you and your family can make do without you having an income (this is a personal matter), It could work out.  People spend 5k on jewelry and other things, so spending 25k for a PhD isn't such a bad thing I guess. The thing is, I wouldn't take a part time job. TAing helps you learn how to teach, so its important if you want to be an academic. RAing, well you do research. An assistantship is part of the training to become a scholar. Doing a partime job as something else seems like it would be too distracting for me. 

  4. 4 hours ago, gelologist said:

    it's awful, but could you self fund for a year, max? then either teach or work on the side for a bit to defray things. you mentioned an SO, too? that could help and because you're a TX resident, tuition wouldn't even be much. GSA grants etc could help support any research you do otherwise and while you'd accomplish less, it still gets you going on dissertation work?

    UH is a private school.

    Self funding for a year is a nice way to waste tens of thousands of dollars, be alienated from your graduate peers, and not get enough done. 

  5. 1 minute ago, TakeruK said:

    I thought that if you get a tuition waiver or if you get paid money that is then used to pay for tuition, then that income is exempt from taxes? (i.e. if it's the latter, then they may still withhold taxes, but you can deduct money spent on tuition (and other mandatory fees) from your taxable income.

    My tax guy has always taken my stipend + tuition waiver and combined that for taxable income. Then he took the tuition and put it against my income.  So it is essentially untaxable but it still required to be part of your income. 

  6. 3 hours ago, surfgirl87 said:

    So more or less forever.  Great. The lack of funding in my program and school of choice is going to kill me / my dreams.  Thanks GeoDude!

    Yeah... it's rough.

    Grant acceptance rates for NSF programs tend to be around 15% or less too, if I remember correctly.  Better to apply to people who have already secured funding,if thats possible.

  7. 12 hours ago, hakandoga said:

    something that can be done legally?

    What would you like to accomplish legally ? Say the court forces acceptance, then your friend has to go to a program in which no one wanted her to be in.

    What damages can you likely prove beyond an application fee and a few hours of time ? Could she not get refunds on her plane tickets ect ? If she can't I suppose those could cost some money.

    A lawyer would laugh at this case, imo.  Small claims might work. 

    I think going through the university is really the only way to resolve this. 

     

  8. 3 minutes ago, cars12345 said:

    Hi guys, I have been accepted to UH, Tulane, and Vermont and waiting to hear back from Boulder and Rice. I've received a TA offer at Tulane and Vermont but haven't heard anything from UH regarding funding yet. Does anyone have any info about UH's funding this year?

    thanks!

     

    UH sure does have info about UH's funding. Perhaps ask them ?

  9. 28 minutes ago, TuffSchist said:

    I am heavily leaning this way. Cornell threw a wrench in my decision because.. well its Cornell. 

    STL may be a meh city, but the biggest draw is that it's insanely livable compared to Ithaca. 

    There is good bbq there. I did my masters a few hours away from there, and was also very interested in there dept (I was going to work with slava). I don't think "Cornell" should have any weight, imo, as both departments are pretty comparable. I'm friends with one of the grad students working with them, hes a super cool guy too. Hopefully you can visit both before making your decisions. 

  10. If your interests have chanced in the time you apply... how do you know your interests wont change while in graduate school?  Mine sure have. If your research interests don't change, you probably aren't doing graduate school right. Pick a department that you really like, and work around that.  Don't go to a school thinking you will transfer: Those are much less successful than you think. 

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