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Megs80

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    MA/Liberal Arts

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  1. Megs80

    Chicago, IL

    Hi everyone, I have a very nice studio apartment I'm trying to sublet to a responsible and clean person (no smoking indoors) for August, since I'm moving out of state. I feel a little uncomfortable posting the deets for everyone to see on here, so PM me if you're interested. If you're just moving to Chicago, it would be a great way to settle in and check out other apartments/opportunities with no commitment. Or, if you decided you liked my place, you could sign your own lease in Sept. Just let me know!
  2. @jmg023, I would make it polite, but perhaps vague. You could say something like, "I greatly appreciate the offer from __ but due to unexpected circumstances, I will no longer be able to attend your institution." Try to be as courteous as possible but, seriously, do not feel bad! It's your life and you worked hard for this opportunity. Go to your top choice. I would wait until you get your official acceptance letter from that school though (if you haven't already) before you decline the previous offer. Good luck!
  3. Hey, I want to help you, but I'm just confused as to why you referred to School A as your dream school initially. Did you just mean it would be more convenient to attend that university (in terms of location), provided they had actually provided funding? I was in a very similar situation a few years ago. I went with the school of a lesser caliber, partly because I had already accepted the offer and was also afraid of burning bridges due to rescinding. I have now burned professional bridges by choosing the wrong program (and being too honest about it). Believe me, you could do so much more damage by choosing a program that isn't right for you--or is beneath you. I strongly think you should go with School B, especially since it is more highly regarded and your peers would be on the same playing field. It sounds like you'd make some impressive and lasting connections there. Who cares what School A thinks? It's your life and your money, and you've tried to act with consideration. I don't think A would go out of their way to professionally harm you. Go for B!
  4. Hi everyone, I probably shouldn't have posted my above comment because I'm not involved with the program mentioned here, nor do I know much about it to be honest. (I'm in a totally unrelated program.) Also, I realize people weren't asking about the overall atmosphere at the university. I was just searching to see if anyone else had anything to say about the school. I don't mean to deter people if they really like what their potential program has to offer. I stand by my feelings about DePaul in general, but I was also having a really bad day! Thanks.
  5. Other people reading this thread besides Nietz..., I am attending another program besides the philosophy PhD. I was just curious to see what other people were posting about DePaul. I stand by my statements about the overall atmosphere at the Lincoln Park campus and am entitled to my opinion, but, true, maybe I shouldn't deter people from attending this particular program that is highly regarded. I'll send people private messages from now on to avoid being attacked!
  6. ^Okay, well I actually just wrote you a nice message apologizing before reading your above comment, Nietxsche, so you can just totally disregard my civility in the PM due to your extreme rudeness! You also totally seem like a typical native Chicagoan with your insecurity and defensiveness (the bloviating Second City Syndrome strikes again, folks). Maybe I overreacted in my initial comment and shouldn't have posted in this section, but my intention was not negative. Are you immune to bad days? Yes, I have heard this program is renowned and I admit I shouldn't have posted my above comment, but your response totally crossed the line. I am allowed to my opinion that the general DePaul culture is lame and, quite frankly, if you're already attending the university, I don't know how you couldn't see or admit to that! I'm talking about the general overall atmosphere--not your program.
  7. Megs80

    Chicago, IL

    I guess it somewhat depends on your age, whether you have lived in a large city, and if you are a sensitive person. (I am not being facetious here.) If you live in one of the dangerous areas, such as Uptown, South Side, or Western Chicago (some areas of Humboldt Park and anywhere west of that border), the daily grind could really affect your mental wellbeing. I moved from out of state and I am now on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to the extreme poverty/misery, and degenerates I'm surrounded by every day. Sorry! To (try to) answer your question: I am not super familiar with the UIC area, but I just did some research and it seems Pilsen is close to that area. I have heard it's hip there, and I'm not aware of it being too dangerous. I would also recommend Edgewater and Rogers Park for very affordable rent, but those two areas are about an hour away by CTA to your school. (However, such a commute is relatively common here.) I'm sorry. I'm probably not being very helpful. I guess it would be best to hear from a UIC student. Feel free to PM about specific questions. I don't mean to sound like a downer. I know UIC is an excellent school, so the move here would be worth it to attend that U. However, no one should ever move to Chicago to attend just a medicore university, in my opion.
  8. I don't know about this specific program, but I can tell you all about the general culture at DePaul. Do NOT go here if you are in any way an unconventional or artsy person. You will be miserable, believe me. Please consider what the atmosphere here will be like, no matter how great the program may be. It is the largest Catholic school in the nation. True, it is a progressive Catholic school (they even have a LGBTQ studies program) and I have never found their religious philosophy to interfere with my academics. However, its Catholic mission--forgive me for generalizing--means that it overall attracts an extremely lame and mainstream student body. Lots of sorority/frat-like people who you will run into, even if you're in a grad program--if you're based in Lincoln Park, that is. I might consider your program only if it was based in the Loop (downtown) and if you received excellent funding. DePaul may have once been a reputable school, but it is now gaining notoriety as a veritable degree factory. If you are moving from out of state, you will not know this info that Chicagoans are privy to. All of the a-hole wealthy local kids are known to attend this U. Believe me, the culture will begin to affect you, no matter how much you try to focus on your studies.
  9. Please do NOT consider DePaul. I say this because you seem like an intelligent and possibly unconventional person. It may have once been a reputable school, but it is now becoming a veritable degree factory. I wasn't aware this school offered PhDs (I guess you would know more about your specific program than me), but it won't even matter if your program is excellent: The culture here is the lamest and most mainstream that you could find anywhere in the U.S. If you are in any way unconventional or artsy, DO NOT consider DePaul as an option. You will be suicidal. I would say the only exception to attending this U is if someone was attending the theatre school. However, I even know people who disliked their time in that program mainly due to the lame overall culture at DePaul. Lots of sorority/frat-type people. I hope to deter anyone from reading from attending this university. I would argue that the typical DePaul student wouldn't think critically enough to even go on this site, so I don't really fear any backlash. Feel free to PM me with more info.
  10. Also, if you wrote a letter along with your SOP, if you do apply to other schools, explaining that your current program isn't the right fit (maybe stress something like it's not challenging enough for you/you don't feel inspired by others students), I don't think the other school would look upon this fact negatively. Actually, they might view your initiative as a strong character point. These things probably happen more often than you realize. I would advise anyone in this situation to act on your gut before it's too late. Take it from someone who didn't... I am beyond devastated.
  11. I realize your post is several months old, but I am in a very similar situation, as well. Unfortunately, it's too late for me to transfer without wasting thousands of dollars. However, if you're still in this program and still feel the same way, please DO transfer to somewhere you would be happier and have a better academic fit. It's your life and your money. Don't worry what your profs./others will think. I know it's easier said than done... I too also moved very far away--to a very violent city, as a matter of fact--and immediately felt it was not the right choice for me on pretty much every level. I also had other choices, great schools, closer to home that I could've gone to. I worried that if I took a leave of absence/transferred, that I would look like a failure in some way. I WISH I had just acted on my first impressions and got the hell out of here as a soon as I had these thoughts. You're not a failure for realizing something's not for you. Just remember: (most) people are willing to screw others over in a heartbeat. It's good to be conscientious, but don't be so worried about others that you forget that being true to yourself/your dreams is the most important thing. You're too good to settle for less than you deserve. Best of luck to you!
  12. Hi. I don't know if you've already made your decision, but I'd like to offer another point to consider: What are the other students at PSU (the lower-ranked school) like? This is very important concern. I am in a totally different field than you, but I was in a similar position a few years ago. I went with the less prestigious school and--it was a terrible decision (for me). I have no idea how my classmates got accepted to ANY grad program and the fact that I need to collaborate with these people has severely depressed me. If the overall motivation/intelligence of the PSU students in your program is comparable to that of the U of Florida, I wouldn't worry about official rankings too much. I know you said you like the professors/classes at PSU, but please also consider the other students in your program (because they are also supposed to inspire/motivate you, in addition to professors). Can you go visit and sit in on a class, if you haven't done so already?
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