fancyfeast

I had to check because I couldn't remember but it looks like this year it's gone down to 32K, which is comparable to what Northwestern offers. Still not too bad!

I'm debating between UChicago IME, Northwestern MSE, and Harvard Materials/Mechanical Engineering. I'm very curious about UChicago's program since it's so new. I've been combing old threads for information, but I think I'll really only be able to decide after visiting What is everyone considering when making a decision? For me, I'm looking mostly at PI/research fit and student placement after graduation. I know I want to leave academia, so it's really important to me that there are flexible and numerous exit options.

Yeah for taxes using this tax table from Berkeley that I might have not understood correctly - I've never had to pay taxes myself haha. So the total stipend for the year is $31,000. For the first 5 months I'm paid as a GSI and get a little over $1800. Next 5 months I'm paid as a GSR by my PI and get $2,900 per month. And then for 2 months in the summer I'll be making bank at $3,300 per month. I'm jus bothered by the $1800 for the first five months since it further limits where I can live haha. This is all before taxes and I know in the summer on top of income tax I lose 7.5% to a "pre-retirement tax" and 1.45% Medicare reduction. I don't know if I'll be charged for like health fees etc by the university or if they'll be waived.

Soooo I just got how the stipend is going to work from month to month.... For the first 5 months is $1800 before taxes... Which, if I just calculated how much will be taken out of that correctly, I'll be left with $1500? Honestly not sure how to survive on that O_O

I was looking at grad housing - it looks like it's like $1000 per month for a studio... To be honest it seems on par with what I found on craigslist. In fact other studios that close to campus seem up be much more expensive. Maybe I'm searching wrong, but I haven't found much housing less than $1000.

Does anyone ever live in El Cerritto? It looks commutable by BART but idk how nice it is to live there.

Not scared by that at all - sounds about like what I had heard, which is why I'm trying to research as much as possible! I would love rent <$1000 but I'm not sure how feasible that is. The more money I have to spend on food the better really haha. I like to cook quite a bit and I think food is generally more expensive in California as well.

Thanks for your reply! Super helpful! So when you split that one bedroom with your friend, were you each paying $1400/month or $700/month? My stipend this year is $31,000, which, before taxes, equates to roughly $2500/month, so ideally I don't think I would want to spend more than $1000-1500 on housing (with $1500 being the absolute maximum). I heard that the North side is pretty nice for grad students, so I am leaning more towards finding a place there - I'm guessing that's possible on a grad student budget? I'm not bringing my car and will probably get a bike to get around/the public transportation system. Is there any place you would absolutely avoid?

I think that's pretty affordable for the location.. Is it a single? If so, then definitely cheaper than places downtown or closer to campus. Downside is relying on the 6 bus. There's also apartments off of Covenanter that are pretty nice I hear.

I committed right on April 15 so maybe that's why I haven't heard anything but has anyone gotten like an email from the program with info on how to set up an account/find housing/etc?

Bumping this thread as well! I feel like I need to start looking for housing ASAP and plan to take off work for a few days to check out apartments. Will be going to Berkeley and am looking for a relatively nice, quiet area to live. I'm female, so safety is a bit more important to me. If anyone knows anything about the grad student dorms let me know!

Will be moving to California from the Midwest this summer! How many of you have started looking for housing yet? I don't remember grad student housing really being advertised and I'd rather live in an apartment anyway. For people familiar with the Berkeley area- how much do you pay for rent? Where are the best places to live?

We are in similar positions. I never applied to med school, but I want to. I totally get liking research but ultimately wanting to practice medicine. Looking at your situation it's easy to tell you do not do a PhD if medicine is the end goal. I find it hard to take my own advice though, so I understand why you're still debating this. Let us know what you decide!

Considering rejecting all my offers and doing I don't know what for a year. I looked at MIT and Berkeley for chemistry and I think I like Berkeley better but even then, I am not sure I want to do this. I was interested in med school for a long time and did well in my classes (I even took the MCAT and got a good score), volunteered etc. I work a ton in my lab and find that fulfilling too but 5 years is a long time and in the end I think a career as a doctor sounds more appealing to me. It's a tough call to make. MIT is more prestigious to the average person, but for whatever reason I just didn't feel this "connection" like I did with Berkeley, but Berkeley is huge and far away from my family and SO. I feel like the decision shouldn't be this hard and since it is I should just say no to all my offers and find scribe/RA job somewhere (I feel like I'm letting down my letter writers, my PI, my lab, etc - all my friends think in going to grad school so I would have a lot of explaining to do haha). Any input on MIT or Berkeley or the attitude I would need to survive grad school (because right now I am not sure why I am going other than I like doing research) would be great

Weird! I was at the earlier weekend. I didn't get a PI phone call though... I don't get what they're doing haha.