StudyMom

Hi t_ruth and Linden, I don't know about rolling admissions but I was notified pretty soon after the application deadline from most schools. Unfortunately, information about funding came much later, like two months, and I had to lobby for it. I am also an older student and did my applications while running a company and I know how hard it is but you can do it! Be warned that the application process is way way easier than the first semester of a PhD program, especially if you have been out of school for a long time (in my case 20 years). I have three young children, the youngest just turned 3 and it has been a huge adjustment for the family to have Mommy working all the hours in the day into the night all the time, including weekends, except when I am doing laundry or cooking or grocery shopping. I am really happy to have applied, been accepted and funded and be in the program but I was pretty unprepared for how it totally takes over your life. Good luck! StudyMom

A lot of schools just finished exams and have commencement this weekend so the people you need may be kind of busy. I expect they will understand about your situation but I would be super anxious if I were you, too!

dafelker I was in a similar position from early Feb. to the beginning of April. I didn't want to commit without funding but it was to my first choice school so I was very nervous. Finally I called my advisor and she called me back and we had a great conversation and she stressed that they are really looking for people to be teachers once they get their PhD. Happily, that's what I wanted to do so I was able to honestly say that that was my future goal. This was about 2 weeks before the funding decisions were going to be made. A few days after funding decisions were supposed to be announced I still had not heard anything so I called the person in charge of assistantships and and said that it was my first choice and if I had funding support I would definitely be attending etc. etc. She happened to have my file on her desk and I had an offer the next day. They were late making decisions because of a a severe lack of money available this year and in the end I was one of 2 offered support. I think my personal calls and enthusiasm for their program probably pushed my file to the top and I am pleased. Your situation sounds a bit different but I would make sure they know that you would go there if you had the support. Best of Luck, StudyMom

We've got a 4 bedroom house and 3 kids. We've been getting rid of stuff since before Halloween when I decided to apply to grad school. We've moved two times in the past 5 years and this will be the third. Up to now they've been local moves but very expensive ($1,000 to move stuff into storage and then $1,000 to move it out and into the house -- a real drag). We have some nice stuff that we want to keep because it would cost more to replace than move it but we have had to sell and give away a lot of books. Two book addicts in one house plus all our children's books that we've handed down plus all the beautiful kids books they've received as gifts has caused a major headache. Books are friends! It is so hard to let them go but it costs too much to ship them all. Our basic rule has been 50% -- If we have 20 cookbooks then we will end up with 10 or less. If we have two boxes of videos we cut it down to one box. If the kids have 150 matchbox cars they get to keep around 75 (not exaggerating!). This has worked pretty well. Also, we are moving to the south from New England so we get to get rid of snow gear, except for one good coat, hat, scarf, gloves per person. Good bye shovels! If we move to the north again we can get new shovels and sleds etc. We've cut down on everything we own using the 50% rule and it feels great. Now we have to decide what furniture to keep and what to give/toss. It is going to cost us about $5,000 to $6,000 to move 1,800 miles but it will include loading the truck on this end and unloading it on the other end. It's a lot of money but furnishing for a large family costs a lot, too. We could not replace all our furniture and the toys and books for that amount so we have to bite the bullet - (that tax refund thing is going to come in handy for moving). Luckily my husband will have job where we move and we won't have to subsist on my stipend! Best of luck all. I'm going to check out PODS but I found that posting my moving request online got me some good discounts from long-distance movers -- 50% or more off the regular price. We figured out it turns out to cost about 50 cents per pound.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking of 3, 3 credit classes and a mandatory 1 credit class for the two semesters which sounds about right. I don't think the 1 credit course is particularly difficult. Best, StudyMom

Hi, I wondered if anyone knew what the usual number of credits per semester is for PhD study while TA-ing? I'm sure it varies but I was curious. I was thinking of taking 10 - 12. StudyMom

Hi smellie, Thanks so much for starting this thread -- it was great to read about other people's fears and know that I am not alone! As so many have said, I expect we will be fine once we start. I also know that it isn't just us newbies who feel the butterflies -- I have a friend (much older than me!) who has been teaching Romance Languages for 38 years at a small, private college. He says that even after all these years his stomach hurts right before he teaches a class! Best of luck, StudyMom

palla, You seem very focused and capable with good reasoning for staying where you are. I am moving my family 1800 miles away to do my degree because there was no-where nearby that offered the program and I wanted to go to a school in the top 10 for my field (and I got in!) However, I will be paying for some credits because they offered only partial tuition and I want to finish in a reasonable time-frame. I don't think it will hurt my chances of getting a job because I paid for some of my credits -- the university is having a financial problem, as so many are, and I am grateful for the stipend and partial tuition. I am in a different field but surely there will be a place for you in the teaching world once you have your degree, as long as you do well at it and have a strong dissertation? Best, StudyMom

Thanks guys, We're not super over protective but we do live in a village (pop. 1,000<) and we have taught the kids about "stranger danger" and crossing safely etc. They are fairly reasonable children for being 9 and 10 and boys! We thought the Suburban Heights area looked like it would fit us, too. We have issues about neighborhoods with lots of rules about whether people can see your laundry on the line or your kids playthings in the drive!! Gainesville sounded really nice but then we started hearing it wasn't so nice and now you've made me feel like we did originally -- it will be a nice place to spend three or four years, study, get a fantastic degree, see some football, and visit "The Mouse" sometimes Can't wait to get down there and see it for real -- though spring has hit Maine and it is very, very beautiful right now... Thanks again, StudyMom

palla, It appears to me that the school thinks you are worthwhile -- they are paying you to teach there as an adjunct. It sounds like it would work for your family for you to attend this school, you can manage the finances and you have the enthusiasm -- all of which are important. You might want to find out from the school what kind of funding opportunities would be open to you in the second and on-going semesters. Good luck! StudyMom

Dear lizblizz, THANKS so much for your help! I'm older, too, and looking forward to re-entering the academic universe though, honestly, I ran screaming from it about 20 years ago after a horrible MA experience! My husband and I think it will be a fun experience for the kids to be around the university and good exposure for them to be in a different part of the world. We've been a little concerned about moving to a place where there is more crime and danger for them but we don't think it's healthy for them to spend their whole lives in a small seaside village in Maine, either, no matter how absolutely lovely and safe it is. They are quite excited by the prospect of being 2 hours from Orlando though we have explained the realities of cash-flow and time availability to them! There are a quite a few houses in your neighborhood that are for sale and we hope to get down there by the end of May to check it out. We are hoping to get our under contract by then but it has been a long, snowy winter and the tourists are just starting to reappear. thanks again, StudyMom

I was put on a waitlist at the University of Miami (Florida) in early Feb. and rejected a few days ago. Not surpised because my sub-area is a very small component of their program. I'm going to my 1st choice -- UF.

I have never heard of this type of insurance but perhaps you could look for a personal insurance rather than a medical plan that would cover these types of expenses? Or, possibly your parents could get some kind of umbrella policy in Australia that would cover you in such an eventuality? Hope it works out and hope you never need the insurance! Best, StudyMom

Hi lizblizz, Thanks for the info. We have talked to realtors and don't think we are really the Haile area or strict neighborhood association type people -- too Yankee independent for that! What do you think about the SW 40th Terrace area? It looks close to UF and though there will be traffic it doesn't look very far from 75 for my husband to get to work if he needs the highway. Also considering the neighborhoods on either side of NW 43rd Street -- any thoughts?

I'm headed to my first choice for program and faculty - University of Florida (Gainesville), PhD Mass Communications. Wait listed: University of Miami (Florida) No: UGA, Syracuse

Hi happens, Thanks for the info. We had seen a couple of houses in Haile that looked nice, also directly west of campus and northwest but we aren't sure about traffic. Something a mile or so away can take longer than something 6 miles away depending on traffic lights... Do you know of any roads that are bad for lights/traffic that make getting around difficult?

One night a week shouldn't be a problem, unless the school forbids it. Some of us are parents with children (I have three!) and we will manage the study and family commitments. I should think you can handle the one night a week, plus it sounds fun and you'll make money! I would definitely make sure it is okay with the school though... Best of luck.

Hi EngrGirl, I'm assuming you're in engineering? I'm in Mass Communications. Congrats to you! Now the logistics start ... We're trying to sell a house here and look for a place there and register the kids in daycare and in school (one place we contacted needed to have applications in October! Geez -- I hadn't even decided to do a PhD until late October...). When are you going to FL? StudyMom

Thanks for the support! I'm going to keep lurking to see how you all do -- there is still a week... Best of luck, StudyMom

I'm heading to Gainesville -- anyone else?

I got funding! Finally! Woohoo! I'm going to Gainesville! Good luck to you all. StudyMom

whentostop: I have been waiting for funding from my first choice school since the first week in Feb. I finally called the person in charge of assistantships and support earlier this week because they said we should know by the end of March. It turns out there is a very big budget problem for many schools and they are trying how to fund the people they have accepted as well as the people already in the program. I think you should call and be polite and ask when they expect to notify you about assistantships and whether it will be e-mail or regular mail. They should be fine with it -- after all the deadline to accept etc. is less than two weeks away! Best, StudyMom

keepcalm, The way I understand it is that some schools allow you to defer admittance to the next year. That way you don't have to reapply but it means you may not get funding. You can use that year to establish residency and save money. I am thinking of deferring only if I do not receive funding. Then I would move to the state my 1st choice school is in and establish residency and settle my family there. I would only do this if the Associate Dean thought it was a good idea and would increase my odds of financing in the next year. HOWEVER, I think the budget crunches are only going to get worse so, who knows? Still, I am hoping that the funding comes through and I won't give up until I have to!

olliecromwell: I called the person in charge of assistantships today and they are having huge budget issues but they said I should know by the end of the week. It's my 1st choice school but I am also on the waiting list for my 3rd choice so if the 1st doesn't work out perhaps the 3rd will...who knows? I also thought of deferring and moving to get a job and establish residency which could possibly help in getting assistantships next year. Again, who knows?! Best of luck. StudyMom

Still waiting for funding.... Anyone else out there still waiting? I'm getting nervous now that it is so close to April 15th...