gsams

When I go to check my GW application status, I get nothing. I am told my application is not complete? Yet, I know I submitted it (and have a confirmation to prove it). Anyone else seeing this?

No problem. If academia isn't a problem and getting a job in the US with a less-notable name doesn't bother you (unless it is Oxbridge/LSE), then go for it! There is a big difference between a taught and researched PhD and Masters, but it is far less of an issue outside of academia.

I have been taken out to coffee and breakfast by potential schools and it was all paid for by the department.

Hey all, You have been so helpful in the past, so I thought I would post. I am nominated for a pretty big fellowship and have a generous TA-ship currently. If I get the fellowship, loan money won't be an issue at all. If I don't, I will be taking out a couple thousand a year to cover the extra expenses. My problem is not taking out the loans. The placement rate in the program is very good and I am confident after a visit that I can finish in 5 years and get a good job. My potential advisors just placed two students in top-ten TT positions and in this economy - that is a LOT to do! I only have $20,000 in undergrad debt and it is deferred (federal). However, I don't know about getting loans from the Fed? My school covers everything tuition wise but $900.00 in student fees (including out of state for the first year which is really good). Does this mean I cannot get any money to cover tuition? Also, when would loans be disbursed to me? The point is that to move and have a place, I may need some money up front (as in July or so). Thanks in advance!

If you are talking in comparison to their American counterparts, they are two separate worlds. If you want to get a job in the UK or transfer into a US PhD program, I would caution you against anything but LSE/Oxbridge. Those are notable. However, even with those, I feel you will be at a disadvantage just because the way courses are taught and the way curricula are structured doesn't transfer well to America. I lived in the UK a year and studied at a reputable British uni and found that the master's students especially were not learning all that much in poli sci above what I was doing at the undergrad level in the US. That was just my experience, but after considering doing a master's at LSE, I decided against it because of the US job market.

Urban chic, May I ask why you don't have a credit card? Yes you need a credit card for credit history - for an apartment, loans, etc. 6 months will not build up a good history, but it is a start. I have had a card since I was 16 and have EXCELLENT credit. Just pay off your balance in FULL. My Dad is a banker and this is what he recommends. Never put rent on a debit card. If you can do direct deposit (if that is an option with your landlord) that would work, too, but don't put it on a debit card because of hold situations that can bring you into the red. If you have a financial services organization on campus, I encourage you to talk to them about your options because you will need to arm yourself with this stuff. I know people will tell you credit cards are evil and blah, blah, blah, but mine haven't hurt me one bit. Because of it, I can get loans sans-cosigner and have no problem being approved. It also saved my butt when I was abroad for a year and literally EVERYTHING had to go on the card. Imagine the danger and headache with putting that on a debit card! As for the OP, Are there any lower-income housing options (not specifically just low income, but some that allow a certain number of tenants to be low income so they get a tax break) where you are going? I would call the housing office at your uni and ask about it. Can't hurt! LOL. I found many of these while not looking. With a fellowship, I don't think I would qualify, but some places are nice, nice buildings that would cut you a break with your history. If you aren't making much, then you should be able to manage it and qualify as "needy" enough to get an apartment. This seems common in mid-size cities. Other than that, try and find a landlord that will WORK with you. It sounds like you have been overtaxed with the financial situation,so you might want to sit down and decide how to make your CC debt and that medical debt (which makes me so, so angry because my area of research is politics and health care) go away. You might call your company and negotiate an APR change. Just keep paying and don't let it happen again. School debt is not a huge deal. I have about 20k myself at this point. That is manageable and differable until you graduate, so just focus on getting a better financial picture in the meanwhile. In reality, if you don't rack up any more CC debt or medical debt, you an pay that down EASILY in a couple of years and be debt free if you make it a priority. I, personally, would rather take out more in a private student loan with no penalty to pay back quick and a low rate and pay off that CC debt than let it keep eating you alive, but I know that probably is not an option at this time.

I keep getting these for IR - which is about my LEAST favorite thing in the world to do. After two Int. Relations courses last year while abroad, I can say I have NO desire to do a PhD or Masters in it. Please and thank you. One school in particular sends me things once a week. They are definitely wasting their money and time. Not to mention that their program isn't even ranked and I have already been accepted into several better programs with FULL FUNDING.

Keller, I have to admit, I laughed too. But only because I have received a couple of awkward responses over this process and understand where you are coming from! It seems like an ESL person wrote it. Probably didn't understand that "discarded" wasn't an appropriate way to address the situation.

Thanks for the support everyone. I actually just finished my thesis draft today. It was really distressing to me last week and I had SO MUCH going on. Today was my first day off in a month from work and school. Every day has been a responsibility with school, work, or student government, so today I finally got a break. I am now really, really sick because I ran myself down, but I feel better. I now have a second great acceptance, so it complicates things, but makes me feel a ton better! The thing with the living situation finally panned out. The RA threatened to get the cops involved and the guy jumped ship - most likely because he has a prior record and is on probation. He hasn't been around in about 5 days, which was good. I am finally getting sleep again. A food schedule has been helping, too. I just feel pretty relieved now.

Sorry Grissom

To those of you concerned, I received a response from UNL in a very personalized email from a potential advisor today welcoming me to the program with a fellowship! Official letter to follow. Good luck to the rest!

I was told by advisors that in my discipline this is unusual. However, it is an easy tax-write off.

Good luck everyone for the next two days. I am still waiting for my fellowship feedback and my Nebraska and GWU status, but I have to leave for a conference in half an hour I'll be back on Sunday most likely after I present some ideas on health care.

Hey all, I was accepted into a top choice a couple of weeks ago. I was notified that I got a TAship and also was nominated for a fellowship. After talking to other accepted into this program (here and elsewhere), I realized that I have been nominated, but they have not. Is it safe to say that this is good news for me and that the department is very interested in me? As soon as they sent me unofficial notice, I sent them information about visiting and the like. My advisors said this was to my benefit in two ways. 1. I want to be sure this is a good program "fit" for me. And 2, I want to show that I really am serious and this should impress the people looking at giving out fellowships - they want to give out money to serious applicants, I guess. However, I don't know yet about anything. My official acceptance and funding letter says that the fellowship should be announced by the first week of March - this week. Should I then expect it by the end of this week? Do you think I have a good shot at it? Based on the criteria listed on the fellowship programs website, I am a top contender. There are many fellowships available. I am just nervous because I will need this money to survive and am very, very nervous. Can anyone put my mind at ease.

Okay, now I WANT to know. That's the way it works. I hope no one was hurt, though. That is never anything to joke over.

Huh? Car accident? Decisions? I am very confused.

Hey everyone. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice. In the last 4 or so weeks, my migraines got exponentially worse. I was also accepted into an AMAZING PhD program with funding and have won every undergraduate research award and scholarship under the sun. It's been a mixed bag for me, that's for sure. I am physically and mentally run down and I know why. I am trying to write my thesis (I am half way there and it is going well), but the library has a wireless connection on the fritz. I am forced to leave my room (I live in an honors floor where I manage a co-op of chores and scheduling) because the girl next door is either fighting with her boyfriend, screaming at him or about him on the phone, or having very loud sex with him. Every night, I try to have a quiet time for me. This allows me to relax and breathe. I can focus on me. I can't have that with this going on. I fall asleep in a horrible mood and wake up in the same mood because this is still going on. I have talked to my counter-part (the RA), who kicks the guy out, but above that, we can't do anything. I battle clinical depression and it is running me down. I have been doing really, really well until recently and my therapist worries that it isn't going to get better if I don't get past the negativity in my space. So, I have tried to leave the room. I am finding safe spaces on campus other than the library where I can work on my netbook. It had been going well. However, the medication that is stopping my migraines (topomax) is also stopping me from eating. Nothing tastes right and I fill up after three bites. I am never hungry. I use to be a person who loved to eat! Now, I have dropped 10 pounds in a week. I know I need to eat, but I feel so ill after doing so. The neurologist and my sister (who also is on this drug) say this is normal and that it will get better. It won't totally go away, but it will get better. Today, I played a scrimmage in basketball (my 1-credit elective). Normally, I am peppy and enjoy it. Today, I almost passed out. I am about to go teach a student and I don't even care. I am exhausted. I know that if I can just start eating again and finding a safe, comfortable space away from this negativity to retreat to, I will feel better, but I really, really can't do that until I get more than 800 calories in my stomach. I would honestly be surprised if I was even getting that. Any tips/tricks? Any ideas to deal with the neighbor problem? I have a feeling that my appetite will not pick up at all until I maybe manage that issue. When stressed, I don't eat, which makes everything more difficult, I guess. Thanks for listening. I just needed to get it out!

In the past, I have worn business casual to these sorts of meetings. A sweater and khakis or dress slacks is really all you need. A button down or even polo would probably be just fine, too! As a woman, I have worn both slacks and skirts and a nice blouse.

Um. No. I work really closely with many male profs (I am female and straight) and have thankfully never felt that. I have also never felt that from a female prof, either. That would be very, very wrong and uncomfortable. Very unprofessional, as I am still an undergrad and they would either be teaching me or overseeing my thesis. My one advisor is old enough to be my grandfather. He's a mentor and would never cross that line - ever, ever, ever. If you are feeling this and don't know what to do, I would consider confiding in a superior that you DO trust - perhaps the head of your program if that person will listen. This is not acceptable.

Mizzou over my Spring Break! (next Friday through the following Tuesday!)

Punkybugsy, Why do you show/ride? I grew up an hour west (LaPorte), but showed in the SB area a lot. I unfortunately showed stock horses, though, so if you event or do hunter/jumper or dressage, I can't be of much help!

rising star, Thanks for the tip! We get the Big Ten network on campus. We used to not when it first came out (my Sophomore year). In fact, my father was so irate that he emailed and called our university president DAILY until we got it in the dorms. He then got a personal call back notifying him that yes, we now have the BTN. When I say I come from a basketball family, I mean obsession runs in my blood. President McRobbie probably thinks my father is insane.

I will be sad in Missouri or anywhere out of Big Ten Country. I won't be able to get my games Sadness... I grew up on Indiana basketball. My father is a fanatic. Our house shuts down when there is a game on.

I recently had a problem with a student I was tutoring for a theory class. I am actually a comp pol person, but I am have a soft spot for theory - particularly constitutional theory, which her class is based on. For the past weeks, I have been dealing with bad migraines. This student thought the world revolved around her. She called her advisor and said she needed help with the class, so they found me. I tutor almost every day of the week and have a FULL schedule, but this doesn't mean anything to her. I am writing a thesis, working two jobs, and taking classes, but she doesn't care. One afternoon, our session would not be covered by athletics (budget cuts) and she put me in a very bad position. I didn't want to meet without knowing that meeting "off the books" wouldn't be illegal and cost me a job I really, really love. She was pissed off at me for "procrastinating". Eventually, the session was cleared and we proceeded, but she complained to her advisor and my supervisor about me being unprofessional. I thought that was funny, as she is the one who came into a session once and said, "Being here with you is so boring. I hate this class and looking at you depresses me because you aren't tan." Um... okay. So, I was scared. I have a shining reputation up there and have met most of the coaches because they are so pleased with my performance. I get students with learning disabilities and poor study skills and build their confidence. It is what I love to do. However, this student (who simply refused to read the Constitution) was trash talking me. I let it roll off. You have to. You know what happened? Nothing. My supervisor and her advisor backed ME up and sat HER down to talk to her about it. Last week, we were waiting for an outline to be posted on the online system for their paper (we were brainstorming ideas) and talking and I think I got through to her. Suddenly, we now see eye to eye. She gets why it was disrespectful and is experiencing some tough times and now gets why what she did was ten times as difficult for me. I wish your lecturer would have had your back, but sometimes your boss is spineless. I have had several. Thankfully, in this job, I work with pretty amazing people and have never been happier. God I love teaching... probably as much as research. It's a toss up. Just move on. It's all you can do. Don't let it bother you. I got a major kudos from a huge coach a couple of days ago. As a basketball fan, I will tell you I about screamed like a little girl. It's nice to feel needed. I am sure there are people in your department who really, really value who you do. Think of things they have said and look back to those recommendations. Don't look at the bad. It will tear you apart and wear you down. Life hands you the cards, it's what you do with 'em that matters. If you feel like anything can be gained by helping the student, do it. I don't know if anything can be. I have been in classes with people that I feel can't be helped. 99% can be, but that 1% is just permanently always right! Look to the students that are bright. This is what came from my advisor. He's emeritus and has seen it all. You should see what he gets in his essay books from HONORS students! Wow. He says when he was young it used to bother him until he finally just realized that you can't save them all. If you baby them, the real world won't be so nice and you are doing them a disservice, so he focused his energy on the bright kids. I guess I was one of those kids. What the lecturer did wasn't great because he is babying them, too, but he is still learning! Give him the benefit of the doubt there, too.

That's cool. I figure I will try and get a group of people together. Who knows? Maybe the people at my dept. like basketball? I am basketball obsessed. I guess I will find out in two weeks when I visit.