Inka dreams

Is that really that bad?? Wow.. An annual interest rate of close to 25%?? Thats insane!! I was told its usually around 7-9%!!! How is this rate even possible???

Thanks... Will wait. Extremely nervous though... Congrats again!

Well, I cannot say for others, but all my personal statements were tailor made for each school. Yes, the field I applied to was the same and so were my reasons to apply. BUT, each school focuses on certain aspects. For example, in my field Rutgers focused on purely human resources management, while Cornell had a lot more emphasis on labor relations, conflicts, policy etc... Also when I helped a friend with her statements, I realized each school asked different questions. While all the schools wanted answers to "why this program and why this school?", many also wanted to know "how will your studies help society or how will you help bring diversity to the school etc etc" I have acceptances from all schools (bar one) I applied for and so did my friend. We indeed tweaked and modified significant portions of the statement for each school - horrendous effort but in my opinion a necessity.

Thank you!! Well I am someone who loves to write. And I guess I can understand what you say. So well, I'll go about choosing a topic that I can write passionately and critically about. Thanks again!

@ArcherSterling, Thanks. I have not decided on the school as without funding it would be impossible for me to attend. I would think Cornell and Minnesota are my top 1,2. Cornell has no funding for me. Minnesota I don't know yet. If Minnesota throws a few dollars my way I will definitely take it! How did funding info come to you?? Did the dept send you a separate mail? Or did the director or the grad school say anything about it? And Congrats on you joining Minnesota. I am envious No:2 in the world in my opinion.

Hi folks, I have been asked to write an informative essay for a scholarship application - 2 to 4 pages long. I need help choosing topics. I dont know how to choose good topics or what good topics can be that can engage. "Write an original essay about a specific topic that interests you. This essay can be informative, but its primary purpose is to demonstrate how you can critically engage with a topic." Any help will be much appreciated.

From Chennai (Madras is how the oldies know it), India! Human Resources & Labor Relations Masters. Will decide based on funding results.

Wow, I have just been offered a spot in the MA-HRIR program at Carlson. They did not say anything about funding/aid yet. Just received the email from the Director, and no official mail from the department. Though the decision has been uploaded in the applyweb system. Lovely school, hope I can attend. What about the 29th March program? I was not told about it at all! Not that it makes a difference. I cant attend it without a Visa. LOL

Well, I am angry and sad. Actually more sad than angry, considering the situation. I applied to the top 5 schools (including an Ivy) in my field for the masters program. I have been accepted to all 5 - minus any funding. Now in my SOP I did mention that I would not be able to take up the program without funding. I went so far as to write in the SOP that it would rather be better for them to choose someone else than me if they cant give me funding. And yet, here I am with 5 acceptances and no funding. Why did they do this to me?? Now I am happy that they think I am a good fit for the program, but what use sending me an acceptance that I cannot accept??? And even if they say there may be TA/GA/RA positions available, none of them are helping me with a list of courses or profs who would need a TA or RA, except one school. Gaaahhhhh..... My crib apart, what else can I do to figure out funding? I am open to ideas... These are some real top class schools and I feel very very sad not to be able to attend. Especially that Ivy.

True, it is indeed more competitive for International students. Ideally for the same stats and identical background, a domestic student will be preferred over international student. Atleast thats what I am told. And honestly, that IS the RIGHT thing to do. After all, US universities should primarily be focused on their population... not others. Still, almost every international student I knew had a lot of good to say about the unis and its students - apart from the nightmare of visas ofc You guys have a good education system going. Expensive and not perfect, but still very very good.

Yup 5 here too... couldnt afford more at all

Well, I dont think more internationals apply for grad school than domestic students. But as someone else pointed out, Gradcafe helped me understand the application issues, assess my chances etc... maybe even learn about more options and programs... Domestic students may not need a forum to understand this. As for the "really good stats", considering that for most applicants grad school is uber expensive in the US (esp for students for developing countries), it is a necessity to have great scores to have a look in for schols, fellowships and such... That said, I wouldnt really post bad scores I have on grad cafe... so maybe that also shows in the good stats spike...

Thank you! Now I am much clearer in the head.... I was so confused as to what to do... I think I will accept for now and try to grab one of those TA/RA offers. If not I will rescind by April 15 and let someone deserving take my place. Though I sincerely hope they offer me something... This is like the best school in the world for my field... I'd be heartbroken not to attend there

Its a rather peculiar problem I have. I have been admitted to a masters program in an Ivy league school, basically the best in my field, but with no funding. I have been asked to accept the offer by April 15 and to pay a nominal deposit by April 22nd to confirm my place. Now quite simply, I cant afford the school. But during conversations with the programs contact, she informed me that TAs/RAs are indeed available but they are usually given to students at least a semester old. But that said, some of the students got a TA/RA offer even before they joined by contacting profs. She also mentioned that a few profs are looking for TAs currently and that the list will be available for me to see, IF I accept the admission offer. Now off course I think I can simply click "Accept" and get to see the list and contact the profs for the TA/RA. But if I do so and still am not able to get any TA/RA and hence will not attend, does that mean I wasted someone's chance in the waitlist? Or should I accept ONLY if I have full funding available? Personally I think I need to take the chance and ask for TA/RA through submitting my acceptance but I don't want to f*** it up for someone just cuz im selfish. Help me make a choice please...

I think you should. There is nothing that you would lose if you did. In fact I emailed on similar lines only to find they didnt even receive my official GRE scores! So you are better of emailing than not!

Wow Thanks guys! I did indeed write on similar lines just now... Though I didn't mention or attach my resume... The professor (who is also the asst. dean of the program) teaches courses that I have worked on for close to 4 years... Hoping this works. Though I have another question... I saw 2 more professors having similar interests to mine... should I mail them too??? Would it be wrong to mail say 3 professors in the same school??

The program is not Phd focused i think. Their flagship program is the masters. But I havent seen or heard anyone getting an RA or TA... But guess I should indeed ask around until I am sure its a no.

So here is the case... I have an admit for a masters program from a top uni - no funding. No funding = I cant attend. So I decided to reject the offer so someone in the waitlist can get an acceptance. But a few of my friends insist that I should not give up easily and that I should mail professors/faculty interested in my field and offer them my services as an RA or TA. While this sounds OK, I am still highly skeptical whether I should do it at all. My question is, if the ad comm thought I was RA/TA material, wouldnt they have already offered me such a position???

I never thought I would need to vent but this happened... My application was submitted on 2nd Feb. And GRE posted that my official scores were received by the school on 7th Feb. I interviewed with my top choice on the 17th of Feb. Everything went fine and was picture perfect with me expecting a favourable decision this week. And so I emailed the director of admissions about decisions and she throws the bomb that they havent received the official GRE scores yet and so they have not processed my application. Meanwhile with a rolling admissions schedule, they have already sent out quite a few admits with FUNDING!! And come to think of it... the school did not bother to even inform me that they missed something, even when I interviewed with them!! But here's the twist... I was furious at GRE and wrote to them and they replied back in 15 minutes with the electronic file number through which they had sent my scores to the school. The school now acknowledges its receipt on 7th Feb, but says will now take 2 more week to take a decision on me!! I feel sad and angry that I missed out on an amazing chance... I have a very strong application and I feel this is so very unfair!!

Thats a brilliant QA score! Btw my TOEFL is 114 - 30®+29(S)+28(W)+27(L).

@ Archer VA 165, QA 159, AWA 4.5, International Student, Engineer + MBA from top schools in my country. 6 yrs of work ex, 4 as strategy manager for a leading firm. Whats yours Archer, Easy Joy?

@Archer, I am hoping not to worry!

I hope so... I have an acceptance from Rutgers MHRM program - without funding. But I like MAHRIR at carlson better... hoping I get through. Btw was ur acceptance with or without funding?

Congrats on the acceptances!! When did you receive the emails from Carlson?? I applied for the HRIR program too, haven't received any word. My application still shows awaiting decision