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Debating

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  1. Debating

    Umass

    Hey guys! First time I've visited the website since May I think--I had an awesome summer though . Is everyone at UMass? I got here almost a month ago and wanted to check how everyone else is doing...
  2. You should be able to open a bank account without an SSN and give them that later (you'll need to go to a branch, can't do it online without an SSN). As far as bringing money--I'd go with the money order or a traveler's check, wire transfers are really hard to do to/from personal accounts here. Getting an SSN may take anywhere from a couple of days to several months. Although it's rare, one of my friends had to wait for over two months, which caused her severe problems as she couldn't start working before getting the SSN and she ran out of money. Good credit cards are almost impossible to get without an established credit history, but as mentioned, student ones are a good option. After you've proven you're reliable (usually 6-12 mo later), you can apply for a regular card. To get one with benefits and a good APR, you may have to wait a couple of years. Good luck!
  3. I still haven't heard from one school as well.... I accepted somewhere else a while ago but I didn't tell them because I wanna know if I'll get in or not and since they were very rude and unorganized throughout the whole process....
  4. Debating

    Life After Taxes

    Internationals get a much lower standard deduction (3200 instead of 8000 for federal) so expect to pay higher taxes, unless your country has a tax treaty with the U.S. You may get a refund regardless of your citizenship status if you get more money withheld on your checks for taxes than you owe. Also, expect to fill out a lot of forms (I totalled 4 for federal only this year). Some of them are fairly complicated (one came with 67 pg of instructions) so talking to a tax expert is a must. The workshop on campus may help but only if they have experience with foreign nationals...
  5. Debating

    Life After Taxes

    That is generally true (that you pay tax on the lump sum), but through my undergrad experience, scholarships for tuition and fees are non-taxable. That leaves the stipend plus any board/room/insurance waivers you might get as taxable income. Again, this is from personal experience.
  6. I don't want to sound pessimistic but I only know of one LDR that has worked for anyone that tried it among the people I know and in their case he was sent off to Iraq for a year and they got married before he left. I have tried it twice--the first one made me miserable because we kept talking, but it was like we were just friends. We broke up after 8 mo. The second time it was for only 4 mo. but it almost broke up our relationship because we had almost no time to talk at all. I'm glad my boyfriend worked so hard at it (I had given up) so we're still together... I guess what I'm trying to say is that you both have to want it very very much in order for it to work. It sounds like he doesn't want that because he's had bad experience. My advice is, though, either stay together and give LDR a try, or break up. If you keep talking like friends, it will just hold you back because you won't want to let go of the idea that maybe you'll get back togeher some day. Best of luck, I really hope it works out for you!
  7. Debating

    Umass

    I'm in the States, and I think the shots are required for everyone according to Mass state law. Meningitis is REQUIRED starting this Fall and you can not get it only if your doctor signs a form saying it's contraindicative to your health, you can't just sign a waiver. It's only one shot, not three, and it costs $70 after the student discount at my school; Hep B is three shots.
  8. I come from a small state college that no one has heard of and it's good for nothing except wrestling and phys ed, and will be going to a big research university in the fall. When I mentioned last year I'd be applying to grad school this one guy in one my classes said: "You'll never get into a good school with a degree from here. Besides, you're a girl!". I haven't talked to him since. Even some professors in my department are not very supportive and one of them is actually jealous and tried to put my grad school down because he went to a much worse one. What the heck, shouldn't these people be happy for me and be proud that one of their students is doing well?? So, I try to ignore them. Soon I will be going to a FAR better school and they're stuck here so I understand they're bitter...
  9. Debating

    Umass

    No I-20 yet here... Have you guys taken care of you immunizations yet? I just coughed out $80 for 3 shots :roll:
  10. Debating

    Umass

    I'll be getting a new computer as well and have been arguing with myself... I'd really like to finally get a Mac but don't know if I'll be able to afford it quite yet. If you're looking for a PC, Dell, Gateway, Compaq, etc offer amazing deals around and right after New Years (if you can wait) and around major holidays. My sister got an extremely good laptop with a printer for under 900 in January. Many of these also have educational discounts of an addl 5%...
  11. Do research first and find out what kind of car you want in terms of reliability, gas mileage, looks, etc (check out consumerreports.org. Decide on how much you want to spend and how you'll be paying (getting a loan will be very hard w/o credit history). Once you have narrowed it down, you can start looking for dealers in your area, or classifieds in the paper if you're willing to buy from a person. If you'll be going to a city with good public transportation, I'd recommend waiting a bit before you buy to better acclimate yourself and get to talk to locals who may be able to tell you what dealers to avoid, etc.
  12. Ida, from the article you posted: I'm in Computer Science, where the average salary of a Ph.D. is twice that of a B.S.... I made the wrong assumption that applies to other disciplines as well. For me personally, a Ph.D. is a very sound economic investment AND we get paid much better as TA's anyway. Even if it weren't so, I'd still get a Ph.D. because I know I want to work in academia. So serisly rethinking, just think about what you see yourself doing with the degree. Is it going to be worth it and make you happy in the long run? A couple of students in my program had babies, took a semester off, then continued with their studies. It must be hard for them but it's doable and you can also just finish your residency requirement and then do your dissertation remotely. Best of luck!
  13. Debating

    Umass

    actually more stress since i'm not planning on spending the summer anywhere in particular, just traveling all over europe . i hope i'll get it this coming week... where's the website to check on you i-20 you mentioned in another thread btw?
  14. You say you don't want to be poor for the next four years, but you seem not to be considering the fact that a Ph.D. will increase your earning potential tremendously in the long run. I think it's worth it, but it's ultimately a decision you have to make.
  15. with an f-1, you can only work off-campus with special permission. you get a year of curricular practicum training (cpt), which is kinda hard to get, and a year of optional " " (opt). once you get your opt it's only valid for a year, so if you only use it for three months in the summer too bad, it's gone. so in short, working off-campus is really hard.
  16. Debating

    Umass

    damn... with no summer address i'm at a loss as to what to have them do w/info materials. hope i get my i-20 before i move out because otherwise i won't be able to get back into the u.s. funny, eh?
  17. Debating

    Umass

    Nadine: glad life's good again . As far as immunizations go, a heads-up, UMass requires a meningitis shot (which is so dar expensive!!!). I still don't know about the registration packets or whether they sent the same immunization forms to US citizens as they do to intl students. About the I-20: they told me their processing time is about 4 days, whether it's true or not... they got my paperwork today so I can let you know next week :roll:
  18. Debating

    Umass

    No packet either, I expect it will take them a couple of weeks to process my response. However, you should have gotten the immunization forms in the admission packet, which I got back in February.
  19. I spent my whole undergrad with a laptop because I had to move at least twice a year. I don't think having a laptop will be necessary in grad school and I think I'll end up buying a desktop (mini Mac, here I come ). I like having the laptop on the side though.
  20. I strongly agree with meridionale on that. As far as renting a place you haven't seen and whether the landlord would be willing to do that--I assume you don't have any U.S. credit histpry, which would make this very hard. However, what you can do is find a place, call the landlord and see if they will accept your admission offer (assuming you're getting an assistantship of some sort) as a guarantee you'll be making enough money. They might also want to talk to the graduate department to confirm this info, but it should be enough for them to agree to rent to you. You can take care of the document exchange over fax.
  21. Getting the new I-20 usually involves twol steps--telling your current intl adviser to transfer you over on SEVIS (you will need to fill out and submit a form), and asking your graduate school for a new I-20 (another form, giving them a valid summer address). If your school has not awarded you enough money, you will also need to submit documentation proving you have the money necessary to pay for at least the first year of school I believe. If you have an F-1 valid until a year after you graduate you can choose not to get a new visa until the old one expires, but my school recommended I get a new one anyway...
  22. Debating

    Umass

    Hey Nadine, cheer up, I'm sure something will turn up. Are the people from your dept willing to help you find a place? I feel that it would be easier for you to look if you have someone local to talk to (like current grad students). I don't think everyone is moving with a significant other. I was very lucky that my bf and I got accepted to the same program, only a couple of months ago I was freaking out and trying to figure out what will happen (looming unknown future sucks). At least you know you'll be going to UMass and the area is truly beautiful and full of fun things to do both indoors and outdoors! lds, good point, I guess I'll be looking around for yard sales in August . I really look forward to finally having my own place and furnishing it the way I want to, but at the same time I wish it was all free... don't we all
  23. Hey, Rhode Island is great!!!! :evil: Providence does suck though, but the area around Brown is nice.
  24. It's different for different people. I notice that people who like to stick to other people from their homeland tend to be so much worse in English than the more social ones. If you will be living with somebody, it would be beneficial for you if that person doesn't speak your own language (at least in the beginning). When I first came to the States, there wasn't anyone around me who spoke my language so I had no choice but to speak English, which really helped. In college, I see people from my country who try to speak as little English as they can, and it shows (thick accents, bad grammar, etc.). I will have lots of trouble this summer because I'm not used to speaking my native language anymore. :oops:
  25. Debating

    Scared?

    I'm cracking up!
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