mmzee

Thanks for the credit union suggestion, I'll see with if there is one affiliated with my university. It is expired, but according to the DMV website of the state I will live, I don't need to retake the test because it expired less than 2 years ago. But that depends on the state where you will get your new license.

Thank you very much, I'll follow your advice and go to the bank first!

Hello, I have to open a bank account, get a cell phone plan, and get a driver's license once I arrive in the US. Should I go to the bank first? Will I need a phone number to open an account, in which case should I buy a cell phone first? Can I show my passport as ID or do I need to get a license (I have a US license, so I only need to renew it according to the DMV website) before doing anything else? Also, my university says that I have to report to the international service office once I arrive in the US. Do I have to do it in the same day I arrive or can I get a bank account, cell phone... first and then report to the university the next day? Thank you!

Hello, I have a question about purchasing a phone from some place other than a phone carrier. For instance, I've seen that Target has cheaper options than the carriers themselves. They are plan cell phones, and I would have to sign a two year contract, which I don't mind since I'm staying in the US for a while. But my question is how do I buy those phones from Target? Do I need to go to Verizon and sign a contract and later get the phone from the store or do I go directly to Target, buy the phone and sign the contract there? Could someone, please, explain it to me? Thank you!

I also would like to know if it's ok to put unemployed. I've been tutoring from home and some of it I do it for free, so can I write unemployed and specify that I'm preparing for grad school and also volunteering? Would I have any problems with it? Thanks!

I've also accepted Syracuse's offer. Biology PhD program!

I'm trying to see how much I will pay for taxes and how much I will actually get paid each month. Do I need to add the federal tax to the state and city tax and take that from my stipend each month? It says that the federal tax for $9,076 to $36,900 is 15%. The state tax for $3,001 and $100,000 is 4.75% and the city tax is 3.2%. So I take out 22.95% of my stipend each month if it's withheld at the source? Thanks for helping me!

I'm very confused about taxes and I really need to know how much I will actually get from stipend every month. Let's say I get $26600 for 12 months, them it's aprox. $2216 every month minus 15% of taxes, which gives aprox. $1884. So, I will take home $1884? Is that it? Also, this amount of taxes is fixed for the whole US or it differs depending on the state? Thank you!

I also couldn't login into spire yesterday, but today everything was normal.

To all my offers, I've sent a brief email saying thank you for the offer and that I would be in touch as soon as possible with a decision.

Thank you!

I was absolutely sure that I wouldn't get in anywhere, now I have 3 offers and 2 other possible offers. Although I am extremely grateful to being sucessful this application cycle, I'm also freaking out about making the wrong decision

Oh God, can you believe it that I got an acceptance after all?? I'm so shocked!! Sorry, I just had to share this, I'm smiling like an idiot here.

As an uptade, I emailed her and she thanked me for my prompt response and honesty. Thank you all for the advice!

I'm an international student with only a bachelor's degree in Biology (however, I did study for 2 years in the US in a community college prior to getting my bachelor's). All my classes for the duration of my program was science related (in my school everyone takes the same classes, you cannot choose), for example, I had 4 different microbiology classes. My GRE sucks: V159, Q153, W4.0. TOEFL: 118/120 I have 3 strong LOR from my program director (I was the first in my class of about 100+ students), my senior thesis advisor and my internship mentor at a Global research company. 4 months at a lab of cancer genetics and 2 years at the global company (working in 2 different labs). 2a, 1w, 2r, still waiting on 4 programs (2 of which I interviewed) That's about it, I'm definitely not the strongest applicant, but I also don't think I'm the worst. Good luck!

This programs does have 3 rotations, but I'm pretty sure I'll only be accepted if I say I would like to join her lab (she did mention having a great deal of influence in the process). However, I can't really say that I'm interested in her research. It would feel really dishonest. I'll follow the advice given here and reiterate my interest in the program but in another area of research, and just see how it goes. Thanks!

I've applied to Umass Amherst and interviewed on Jan 2. I was told I would get an answer in two weeks. When that didn't happen, I've email the person I interviewed with and he told me they were having a hard time deciding since there was limited space. He said they would get back to me in a few weeks. That was 4 weeks ago. So I'm just waiting... Hope that helps

I received an email from a professor in a university that I interviewed and hoped to attend. She said that they are only taking 2 internationals from 100 applicants and that I'm among the top 10 and it would be really good if I was interested in her research so that she could strongly advocate on my behalf. The thing is that I'm REALLY not interested in her research, not at all (it was something I worked in the past, that's why she wants me, but I would really hate it if I had to work on it again). I wanted to go to this school because the program is really good, and they have a lot of faculty that I could work with, but it is definitely not worth attending it if it meant I would be working in something I dislike. Although it is one of my top choices, I would be ok with not being accepted since I've already been accepted into another really good program. So how can I tell her I'm not interested in her research, without sounding rude, after all she was willing to fight for me? Any advice?? Thank you!

This school is not my first choice (but I still would be really happy to attend their program), so that's why I'm still waiting before I accept their offer. And it is a fairly easy process to go from the MS program to the Ph.D., which is definitely a relief! Thank you all for the help.

You could be accepted before April 15. I was waitlisted and after only a week my acceptance came (they did mention I was on the top of the waiting list, so you're position on the list definitely plays a part here). Just have faith, a lot of people are already talking about declining offers on the results page.

26, will turn 27 in July

I think so too and will happily accept their offer if I don't receive a better one.

I had an interview on Jan 6th and was told I would be notified in about two weeks, that didn't happen so I sent them an email and was told I was very near the top of the list, but they still needed a few more weeks to decide. Still waiting... The interview I had on Feb 2nd was horrible and I'm not really holding my breath on that one, but they said they would be getting back to me in a couple of weeks. Had another interview on Feb 9th, which went awesome and the professor said he would really push for my acceptance and wished I could attend their program, but they will only reach a decision in about a month. ... and I received an offer yesterday from a school I didn't even interview. Well, those were my experiences, hope it helps and good luck!

I'll definitly ask them. That's true! Thank you

I applied to a program that I really wanted to attend. But, they rejected my PhD application and accepted me into their masters program instead. The MS program is fully funded (same stipend and tuition scholarship as the PhD program). They said that I could ask to enter the PhD program after the first year if everything goes well. Does that really happen? Do you think it would really be possible to enter the PhD program later on or are they just saying that? I currently do not have a maters, I applied straight out of undergrad. I'm still waiting on some other universities that I interviewed, but if I do not get any other offers, I will accept the one for the MS program. So I would just like to know if it is, in fact, possible to enter a PhD program when already enrolled in the MS. Thank you!