hikarizx

I second this.

Hi everyone, I'm just wondering if you can provide any insight on TA/GA positions. It appears that many of those positions don't open up until after you've accepted an offer from a school. Is that correct? I just don't understand how you can make a decision about where you want to go without knowing that information.. is it just me?

I would be concerned about not knowing about funding, personally. It sounds like they are both really good schools. I'm not sure what other factors are important to you so I can't really give an opinion based on what you have here. Congrats on both acceptances, though.

Is there someone else at school A you can talk to about it? (Or C, if you're still considering it.) Maybe a dept. chair or something? That might ease your concerns about the new prof as well as funding..

I haven't personally done this myself since this is my first time applying as well. My opinion is if your program has already released funding decisions, then you should try working with the program coordinator as soon as possible in case any funding does open up. But if they specifically told you the decisions will be released in April, I wouldn't ask before that date. dinnerdate...I think 3 is a low enough number to try asking. I don't think the school would hold a grudge.. but would it matter if they did if you're not going there?

It sounds like you want to be at the first one so I don't really understand the problem. Are you saying that you would have full funding at the second but not the first?

I hope so. Where did you decide to go?

It's not unethical to ask. However I think normally when people try to get more funding, they usually use a larger offer at another school to justify a more competitive offer from the school they really want to go to.

It's the only US school left for me too... I'm hoping we hear by Monday!

If I were you I would contact the fellowship coordinator and ask her. I've also heard of people leveraging their awards at schools to ask for larger awards from other schools, so if you received more funding elsewhere, maybe try that as well. I think most if not all of the people who did not receive any funding at all will also be looking for funding, so I don't know if you have any more or less of a chance than others.

Also rejected. I wasn't expecting to get in but I thought I'd share with you all anyway!

I've only heard from 3/10 so far so I guess I'm not expecting them at any particular time?

I'm thinking we'll hear by the end of this week.

It seems strange though... other departments at Berkeley don't seem to be going in any kind of order and are showing both acceptances and rejections.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just think the school has the right to notify people on their own schedule. Especially since at this point it's only been a couple of days. Just my opinion. Good luck!

I'm not sure there are any benefits of being a US/CA resident. You would get in-state tuition as a CA resident but that's it. What are you looking for information about?

I don't think it's mean. The only reason we know some people were accepted was because of this forum. They weren't forcing the information on you.

I am not applying for a PhD, but at one point I was considering a PhD in History. I was told by my adviser not to do it without full funding.

I went back and looked. I guess I didn't realize "Foreign Country" was an option for state. Thanks!

UCL and LSE.

In order, I'd choose B first, then A, then C. But that is just me. Mostly because if you're deciding somewhere you're going to live for the next 4 years I would choose somewhere you really want to be over a higher ranked school. Not sure if others agree..

Hi everyone, Does anyone know how filling out the FAFSA works if you are applying to UK (or I suppose other foreign) schools? When I completed it a month or so ago it seemed like you could only add schools in the US. I'm applying to two schools in the UK so I'm not sure how to secure loans if I end up going there. Thanks!

Thanks for the responses everyone. I still haven't heard from any more schools so I'm still deciding about visiting!

Mine still says submitted as well. No idea if that is good or bad!

I was just wondering if anyone had thoughts on whether it's important to visit grad schools. Most of the schools I'm applying to would require a flight and hotel to visit, which I'm sure would be $500+ for a weekend. Is it worth the cost to visit the schools? I applied to 6 schools that would require traveling to visit, so it's kind of a lot if you add it all up. I was thinking I should probably wait until I hear about funding before I decided where to visit, but I'd still have to do that before April 15. Any thoughts?