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SocialHermit1

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Everything posted by SocialHermit1

  1. I figured I may as well start the GWU thread, as I haven't seen a current one for this year. I accepted my offer into the Sociology MA program for fall of this year. I will be moving from my home state of Ohio around the end of July-beginning of August. Anyone else attending the university in the fall? Looking for roommates? Any current/alumni willing to give more insight? Anyone want to meet around the start of fall term?
  2. Really? In regards to rooming with someone? I should actually put that in my post. I'm not saying living alone in any of these areas. I'm more along the lines of rooming with 1-2 other people. There's no way anyone can afford places in DC proper without a roommate. And Tyson's actually isn't that bad. Actually, its best to live near Dunn-Lorring/Merrifield as there is a metro stop near the area. I also agree that the bus system makes it incredibly easy to get to the metro. But again, you really cannot live alone unless you have a very stable and highly paid income coming in. I'm sure there are people who can do that, but most cannot.
  3. I will also be making the move to the D.C. area for the fall. I was recently admitted into GWU for Sociology and I plan to accept relatively soon. I just got back from visiting the area over the weekend and I think it will be a great experience. I'm coming from Ohio, so its a pretty big move as well. Like many others have stated, be prepared to pay a rather large amount of money for housing. You will get a lot more for your money if you live farther away from the district (NOVA - Arlington, Alexandria, Tysons or MD - Bethesda, College Park, Sliver Spring). If you do live in DC Proper, then I've been told that Chinatown, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, U St, Noma and H St are good places to look. But, you will not be able to get a 1-2 bedroom without paying a high price. Shared spaces are the best for cheaper rent and I completely agree that living near a metro would be great, as I plan to be carless as well. The Orange, Blue and Silver lines are all on the Foggy Bottom Metro, which lets you off right in front of GWU. GWU also has an off-campus housing site for students to find housing, roommates, etc. as well. I've signed up already and created a profile just to get a head start. I'm hoping to find a place by Mid-Late July, as I plan to move at the beginning of August. I took the graduate tour during my visit as well and the tour guide, who is a current grad student, stated that the best time to look for housing is late summer (Late June/July), as the turnover for student housing happens during that period. It also happens relatively quick, so as soon as you find something within your price range in an area with a great commute, take it ASAP because it will not last long. Congrats on the acceptance! Maybe we can do a meet and greet for GW on these forums as well? It would be nice to meet other grads who will be attending GWU in the fall. I would love to meet others and maybe even find potential roommates from this site too!
  4. Really? Congrats on your offer! Was it PhD or MA? I'm on the MA side, so that could be why its taking a bit longer?
  5. Thank so much for the input, guys. Even if I decide on not attending GW (I'm still on the decision process, as I'm waiting to hear back from two schools), its still good information to know. I mean, I could easily decide to attend GMU (George Mason), if they accept me and I'll still come across the same problems, especially in Fairfax. I know for a fact that place is not cheap at all. Either way, I'm going to have to be proactive on the housing front in that area.
  6. Don't get me wrong, you're bringing up valid points! It's just I've contemplated these things for several years and they have held me back from even wanting to attend grad school for so long. So, the fear of having to give up because I'm not getting enough free money is depressing and discouraging. I may not have the best credentials on paper in comparison to my peers, but I still consider myself a liable candidate. I'm just poor
  7. A school I applied for mentioned that the lowest GPA they accepted for graduate admissions was a 2.8. My GPA is below that threshold. I also took the GRE and the scores were subpar in my opinion (I couldn't afford to take that test again). Hence, the decision to apply based on requirements. I'm sure there are plenty of schools with funding offers, and I looked into the options of them, but they sometimes carry a "catch" with them (High GPA, Above Average GRE, research, LoR, etc.). It's not the same for all, but some schools. I also did research to which areas within the country offer the most opportunities for jobs in my field for individuals with an advanced degree, and the areas I applied to have the highest concentrations for it. While DC is the most expensive, it has the highest concentration of Sociology jobs in the nation besides California, with the starting salaries being the highest in DC. I do hope that whatever area I end up in for my MA will provide that net income to counteract the debt I take on. Granted, I do not plan to take out the maximum amount of loans offered to me for any school I accept and if I can work to lower the costs, I plan to do so. I'd rather not, but if that's what it takes to achieve this goal, then I will. I come from a low income background and I'm a minority. The cost of education is high regardless. I had grants, scholarships and awards to keep the cost of undergrad down and keep my loan amounts minimal. I plan to keep looking at other sources for funding while I wait to hear from these other schools and hope that they do offer me something as well. If not, then I may have to look at other options.
  8. Oh, I completely agree. The D.C./VA/MD area is incredibly expensive and I expected it to be for graduate programs, especially since I'm out of state. Doing the MPNs for the Direct Stafford helped me calculate just how much it would cost for me to attend any of the schools I applied to, in-state and out. As for being underfunded, I think that's going to be the case for the majority of the programs I applied to out of state. My undergraduate career was not the most solid (Personal reasons that I'd rather not disclose), so my GPA is not high in comparison to admission standards. I had to boost my application with my 5-year work history, volunteer work and research from undergrad. But, if they are strictly going on merits for funding sources like fellowships and assistantships, then that option is pretty much dry across the board for me. The programs I choose were strictly based on the admission requirements and the department's credibility. I still have two more schools to hear back from, and if they offer me solid funding, the I'm going to choose one of them over any other school I was accepted to. But, if all of them deny me any form of aid besides loans, then I may not have another option. I'm already applying for grants and scholarships as well, but those are few and far between. While going into debt for a masters my not be a wise choice for some, it may be the only option for others.
  9. That may be the case for some schools, but according to GWU's website for financial aid and assistance, there is an application that can be completed to be considered for Federal Work-Study for graduates: http://financialaid.gwu.edu/work-study(Under Graduate tab). While I may not even get it, I plan to at least try. I'd rather exhaust all of my options before I turn to loans.
  10. They were very confusing when it came to funding overall in the graduate admissions area. I asked just what exactly my awarded amount was from filling out the FASFA and for some reason, they told me that they were not going to send me a letter stating that information. Granted, this was a representative in their office. According to them, I needed to complete an application/questionnaire before that happened. I guess its to give me all of my options beforehand? It sounds quite difficult, really. I plan to apply for work-study and look for some internships, preferably paid if possible. As for the RA positions, they are closed until 2017, which baffled me. They must go rather quickly. I'll keep my options open in that regard. But thank you so much for replying and giving your input! It really does help me in making my decision
  11. Thanks so much for the information, ajcafe! I've only visited D.C. a few times in the past couple of years and I only know of certain areas (Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Georgetown and Fairfax, VA mostly), so the mentioning of a few other areas will really help me in the near future! I think I'd be comfortable commuting from the Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant, U Street, Shaw areas. I'm very familiar with the metro system in the city, so as long as there's a metro stop nearby, I'll be comfortable with just about any area that will be a good 30 minute ride tops. Your info about the housing cost is fantastic! Thank you so much for that. I'm pretty worried about the housing situation, but I'm sure if I get a head start on it, I'll find something before I move down. I had a feeling it was going to cost me well over $700 to even share a place. I'm not sure if you'd be comfortable answering this question here (If not, feel free to shoot me a PM), but did you work while you were at GWU? Did you do work-study, internships, jobs on campus, etc? The funding aspect has me incredibly worried about attending the school. I really do think the area/partnerships/connections that GW has will aid any active student who's looking to make the experience and cost worthwhile, but it sounds like a struggle without the proper funding.
  12. This is exactly what I remember reading on that blog/article! I must have gotten my thoughts mixed up about it, but I specifically remember it stating that some universities do maintain a copy of a LoR for a student and can send them out.
  13. I'm very interested in the Sociology program here. I was incredibly shocked when I was accepted, considering it has a pretty decent ranking nationally (Tied 54th with Ohio State University in National Ranking according to US News), and its private. Let's just say that my undergraduate experience was rough. But, I have a great work history, research with professors and volunteer experience to make up for that. I've heard very positive things about the university considering its location. But, I want to hear specifically about the Sociology department. I've gone through their website and was surprised that they didn't have much of a section for their alumni or current graduates. I may have missed it, but it would be wonderful to hear from people who are either in the program or have finished it. I plan to visit the campus and take a tour in late April. I plan to speak with Professor Ivy Ken before I travel to arrange a brief meet and greet with her and the department, if possible. I applied because of their demonstrated research in social inequality and urban sociology. Hiromi Ishizawa and Antwan Jones are two professors, besides Ken, that stick out to me the most in these areas. Besides the department, I would love to hear more about campus life. Is it diverse? Are there plenty of events or places to go in the area? I know that D.C. is a great city, as I've been there a few times myself. But, from a student's perspective, what can you do? How are the communities? What's the living situation like? Is it easy to find roommates near campus? I was also not given funding (No assistantships or fellowships) and this is a major factor in my decision process. I understand that I may have to take out loans, as I had no choice but to do so in undergrad. But, is it indeed as expensive as many people have stated? I don't expect to live on campus, so that knocks some cost out of the way. But, what other options do you have for funding at GWU? If you've completed the program, how easy was it for you to transition into the field? Was it a smooth transition from grad school to a job or was it a horrible process? If you have any other information to share, please feel free! Of course, if anyone else is in the same boat, comment as well. Any insight and help would be greatly appreciated!
  14. More so referring to a blog/article (I really cannot recall what the source was. Apologizes) that having a personal copy for your own records was not an issue. Granted, I can see how it can be, but at the same time if you can possibly access it through the school at a future date, why not have a personal copy? But, I do understand your reasoning for it.
  15. Thanks for the input! I wouldn't think any of my professors would feel too offended by it or anything. But, it was mostly to have a personal copy. Maybe after I make my choice and give them "thank you" letters and gifts, I'll talk to them about it then.
  16. I've begun to move into the deciding stage of my graduate school process. I have 2 acceptances under my belt and I'm waiting to hear from 2 more. I hope they send out information within the next few weeks, as I plan to make my final decision well before the end of April. I'm a 1st gen graduate student. One other person in my immediate family has attended grad school and finished, and it was for mathematics. However, my mother is currently in graduate school pursing her masters, so I'm getting some insider experience from that. I'm a bit lost on what things I should consider between schools, what to look out for during visitations, funding, etc. I was a bit surprised that I didn't see a thread in the forums for something like this. Not everyone has family members or friends that have attended graduate school. Some people are completely left in the dark when it comes to this stuff. But, I digress... I'm very interested in the Sociology program at George Washington University. I was incredibly shocked when I was accepted, considering it has a pretty decent ranking nationally (Tied 54th with Ohio State University in National Ranking according to US News), and its private. Let's just say that my undergraduate experience was rough. But, I have a great work history, research with professors and volunteer experience to make up for that. I've heard very positive things about the university considering its location. But, I want to hear specifically about the Sociology department. I've gone through their website and was surprised that they didn't have much of a section for their alumni or current graduates. I may have missed it, but it would be wonderful to hear from people who are either in the program or have finished it. I plan to visit the campus and take a tour in late April. I plan to speak with Professor Ivy Ken before I travel to arrange a brief meet and greet with her and the department, if possible. I applied because of their demonstrated research in social inequality and urban sociology. Hiromi Ishizawa and Antwan Jones are two professors, besides Ken, that stick out to me the most in these areas. Besides the department, I would love to hear more about campus life. Is it diverse? Are there plenty of events or places to go in the area? I know that D.C. is a great city, as I've been there a few times myself. But, from a student's perspective, what can you do? How are the communities? What's the living situation like? Is it easy to find roommates near campus? I was also not given funding (No assistantships or fellowships) and this is a major factor in my decision process. I understand that I may have to take out loans, as I had no choice but to do so in undergrad. But, is it indeed as expensive as many people have stated? I don't expect to live on campus, so that knocks some cost out of the way. But, what other options do you have for funding at GWU? If you've completed the program, how easy was it for you to transition into the field? Was it a smooth transition from grad school to a job or was it a horrible process? If you have any other information to share, please feel free! Of course, if anyone else is in the same boat, comment as well. Any insight and help would be greatly appreciated!
  17. Do you mean the PhD program, or Masters? I'm waiting to hear back for the MA program, so if anyone has any news on both, please let us know!
  18. GMU (George Mason, if I'm correct) is most likely not going to send out notification until the end of this month, beginning of April. I'm waiting to hear back from them as well.
  19. WOW, your girlfriend is lucky. I can see why she's not worried anymore. But, I feel you. I got accepted into 1 school earlier this week, but I'm still stressed because I haven't heard from the remaining 4. I don't want to make a decision just yet, so I'm still in the waiting period. I actually called the departments and asked for an update or if there was anything wrong with my application in regards to why it was taking so long/delayed. So, maybe that reassurance from talking to a person would help? I also emailed graduate advisors, but they were pretty silent.
  20. I actually contacted the specific department and that's what they told me. I had no idea this was their spring break, so they may be trying to push everything out while most of the students are away. Good luck to you as well!
  21. I had just called two departments of two different universities that have yet to notify me of anything. One of them had been incredibly close to hitting the 2 month mark. After getting the standard replies of "Soon" or "Sometime this week," I finally decided to just give it a rest for the week and try not to think about this stuff anymore. Seeing as how I had to be at one of my 2 jobs later in the afternoon, I decided to take a quick nap to revitalize myself. As soon as I laid down to take a nap, my phone vibrated letting me know I got an email. I wanted to ignore it at first, but something told me to look anyway. I reached over in an annoyed manner to my nightstand, taking my phone into my hand to see the screen illuminating with a notification from Gmail, the subject line reading, "Good News" from a professor I had been in contact with at the university. I never swiped a smartphone screen so fast in my life. I fully opened the email to see that I had been accepted into the program, with official letter attached. I instantly screamed after I caught my breath. I'm sure my neighbors officially hate me. Good news for them: I won't be in this place much longer!
  22. Not sure if this goes here or possibly somewhere else, but I just contacted NYU Steinhardt for the Sociology of Education department asking when we may hear of results and I was told, "Emails should be going out at the end of this week." Its possible that anyone else who has applied for this school maybe getting their results this week as well. Figured I would post an update for others who may also be waiting to hear back from not only this program, but also Steinhardt.
  23. I'm in the same boat, granted I'm an MA applicant so I can only imagine what PhD applicants are feeling right now. But, I applied to 7 programs, all by their priority deadlines, and have only heard back from 2 (rejected). One in February and the other the first week of March. The remaining 5 have been incredibly silent. When I look up the status, its just telling me "Submitted" or "Under Review." When you're trying to plan the next 6 months of your life around possibly having to move, working the jobs your currently have and a relationship, it becomes very stressful. You can't think or do anything else.
  24. I've been wondering this as well. I contacted one school via email and she informed me that they had just finished up Ph.D applicants and will be moving on to masters in another week. That was almost... a week ago. So, I think it just takes time. I'm in the same boat as you. I applied for "priority" deadlines and I have only heard back from 2 of the 7 I applied to.
  25. Thanks for the feedback, guys. I figured that was the case, but just wanted to clarify.
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