VanillaChaiTeaTime

Nope, haven't heard anything yet.

To you as well! Glad I'm not the only one in the dark lol

Hey Everyone, Haven't found a recent thread for NSF DDIG applicants yet so I thought I would start one. I applied for a Political Science DDIG, due date was June 15, 2017, and, according to the website, decisions are usually made within 6 months of submitting the application. Just over 7 months now and application is still pending in Fastlane. Applications were sent out for external review on October 26, I believe the panel review for my division was held in early December at the latest. I've been checking the recent awards list regularly to see what's been released (https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/servlet/A6RecentWeeks), but other than that idk how to judge a timeline for notification. Anyone heard anything back yet or have any experience with this process?

The graduate student senate organizes events for graduate students of all departments (grad prom, mohegan sun trips, ted nights/nathan hale nights, Thanksgiving luncheon, etc), at various points throughout the semester. Haha..free time lol. I know a few people who live in Vernon and they really like it. I don't know about housing prices, but I've heard there are a ton of strip malls, so you would have easy access to a lot of places.

The parking situation is terrible. I don't have a car, but I have heard horror stories from my office-mates, roommates, and even from faculty. There are two parking garages on campus, so you could pay by the hour if you won't be on campus every day, but the price adds up quickly. It's especially rough in the winter when the snow starts crowding out the parking spaces when it gets plowed. Generally, the university is a nice place to be. The campus is especially gorgeous in the fall when the leaves start to change colors, and the lakes on campus are very beautiful. There's something like 22,000 students here, so its usually pretty busy in common areas such as the co-op and student union. There are a few bars on campus, but they are usually overrun by undergrads so go at your own risk . We also have an awesome Dairy Bar that makes amazing ice cream. As Starsandsound said, the surrounding area is very beautiful. The view from Horsebarn Hill is amazing, and its right next to the Dairy Bar, so you can have awesome ice cream while enjoying the view. Some things I wish I knew before I moved here...hmm. Pack warm weather clothes. I was told how cold it could get up here, but I was still unprepared for this past winter. Invest in a quality pair of snow boots and be prepared to layer. This may be a non-issue if your already living in a cold climate, but its still good to know. They don't always do a great job of shoveling/scraping the ice, just a heads up! You can reserve a private study space in the library at the beginning of the semester if you find it difficult to get work done at home/in your office. The area is very rural, which makes getting around difficult/expensive. If you like going to different restaurants regularly/having easy access to various social activities not related to campus, then you should definitely consider moving to a more urban area like Hartford. Starsandsound is right about some of the less than desireable parts of Willimantic. If you end up moving to Willi, I would second starsandsounds recommendation of looking for places outside of the inner-city. The place I mentioned before (Colonial Townhouse Apartments) is on the outskirts of Willimantic, and there are a few other apartment complexes surrounding that one as well. I've also heard positive things about 560 on Main, but have no personal experience to draw from. Even if you don't move to Willi, I highly recommend checking out the Willimantic Brewing Company on Main St. They have awesome beer and the food is really good too (make sure to try the beer butter). Sorry if this seems biased in Willimantic's favor, its just the only place I'm really familiar with. Hope this is helpful! Again, let me know if you have any other questions and I would be happy to answer them.

No need to thank me, I remember how difficult it was to figure out the details of the move. For the off-campus housing finder, I believe you can sign up for the site as an incoming student, you just choose "guest" rather than "UConn Student" under the sign up options. Something to be aware of in terms of how quickly places fill up, the university announced a few weeks ago that they would no longer be providing on campus housing for graduate students. Not a lot of graduate students choose to live on campus, but removing the ones who otherwise would choose to do so will make the housing market a little more competitive. In my experience, most incoming students won't start moving to the area until closer to the end of the summer. Moving out a little bit sooner (if possible) would help you beat the rush. Also, another potential housing option is The Oaks on the Square (http://www.theoaksonthesquare.com/index.php/prop/home). These units are very close to campus (walking distance close), in Storrs Center where all the construction is currently going on. I personally think they are too expensive, but I thought I would let you know just in case you were interested. Again, feel free to ask me any questions. I had a lot of help from various graduate students and professors that made my move out here a lot easier than it would have been otherwise, so I really try to help out other students whenever I can.

Yay! Welcome to UConn! What's your program? It sounds like you have a car, so you have more options than you would otherwise. I know some students live in Vernon, Manchester, Stafford Springs, and Hartford as well as Willington. Hartford tends to be pricier because its the city, and its a bit of a drive. I've heard good things about Vernon as well, but I don't have any personal experiences to draw from. A lot of students live in Willimantic, myself included, because there is a bus line to campus. Even though you have a car, you should be aware that parking is a nightmare here, so having the option to take the bus sometimes could be an advantage. However, Willimantic is a lower income area, I'm sure you are aware with some of the issues that go along with that. Overall I like Willimantic, but there is not a ton of stuff to do. There is a nice legitimate non-Starbucks coffee shop/cafe and an awesome microbrewery (great food and beer). Willimantic is also only about 5 miles from campus as well, so the commute's pretty good. You might want to check out Colonial Townhouse Apartments (Its in Willimantic/Mansfield). I only suggest this place because I know they do allow pets (with deposit) and the rent is pretty reasonable (750 for 1bd). You've probably already found this, but I found my apartment using the uconn off campus housing finder (http://www.offcampushousing.uconn.edu/). I would recommend starting there to see the most commonly populated areas/available places to rent. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hello, I'm finishing up my first year at UConn (PhD Program). If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability (if you haven't already decided to go elsewhere =] ).