Bumblebee

Hi again! Last year I called by mid-April or end of April to get an appointment the first week of June, so I guess a month and a half before should do the trick. I was able to choose the date and time, so a month before might work as well. As for the funding info, it was already stated in my DS-2019 that the college would be paying me a stipend, so I didn't have to bring any bank statement with me. Your Dutch scholarship should be enough, too, as long as it clearly states the amount you would be receiving. And I don't think you would need a certified translation for it. At least in Madrid, most of the people working there are Spaniards. And those who aren't speak Spanish, so I guess that if you bring your scholarship paperwork in Dutch they will accept it.

Hi, I'm a Spaniard currently with a J1 visa, so I hope I can help you out. The college where I'm working at processed my DS-2019, which is the J1 equivalent for the F1's I20. It just took them a couple of weeks to send me the document, but it's a small Liberal Arts College, so I guess in a larger university it might take longer. Once you have the paper, it is a piece of cake (well, sort of). First, you pay the Sevis fee ($200). You can do so online. Once you've paid, you fill in three forms (D-156, DS-157 and DS-158) and pay the visa fee. I've seen you're located in Amsterdam, so you should go to the webpage of the US consulate in Amsterdam for the information on which bank deals with the visa payments. In the bank they will tell you the exact amount of money in euros that you need to pay. Once you have paid both the Sevis fee and the visa fee, and have filled in the forms, you're ready to go to the embassy. I don't know how it works in Amsterdam, but in Madrid you can only take with you the basics (keys, a couple of coins, and the documents). Check the consulate's site for this info. When I arrived in the embassy, I got a number. I went to a first window to give my papers. After a few minutes, I went to a second window so that they could take my fingerprints. Then, after a few minutes, I went to the last window for the interview. It takes a couple of minutes and they basically ask you why you go to the US, and who's paying for everything (they just want to make sure you're not going to depend on the government's money). I usually spend 2-3 hours in the embassy because it's really crowded, so bring a magazine/small book with you to kill the time. I don't think you need to pay the Sevis fee well in advance, since you can do it online. A few days before the interview should suffice, but you should check that out (my college paid for my Sevis fee, so I have never done it myself). However, you should call to make the appointment for the interview a few weeks in advance because it's crowded, specially in the summer. Plus, if you call in advance you might even get to choose the date and the time (I've been able to do that, myself). I hope I didn't bore you out with all this information.

¡Muchas gracias! Lo mismo digo.

¡Enhorabuena! Yo finalmente fui aceptada en el programa de lingüística hispánica en Georgetown, pero tuve que rechazar la oferta porque no me ofrecieron ninguna ayuda. Y la última vez que miré mi cuenta bancaria no tenía varios miles de dólares para poder pagar los estudios. Tengo prácticamente decidido ir a Indiana, salvo sorpresa de última hora.

It really is a tough decision. I would wait until after the campus visit to make it. I went on a campus visit for one of the programs that accepted me and it was worth it. I met some students and some of the professors and I could see the atmosphere in the department, which I consider very important. On the other hand, it seems that California is a better fit for you and you already know the professor you would be working with. I know a brand name can be a decisive factor in your decision, job-wise, but I talked to one professor yesterday and he told me that, although it is something to take into consideration, when looking for jobs what really matters is your dissertation/research. But, as I said, it's a tough decision and only you can make it.

I had a similar problem with one school. In the site where I can check the status, it didn't say anything was missing. However, last Tuesday, when I asked about when decisions will be made, they replied that on February 5th they had sent me an e-mail saying that they didn't have my sample paper. I never received that e-mail and it was already the end of March. I sent my sample paper that very day. Today, I contacted the school to ask if they were going to consider my application and their answer was that they are revising it this week. So, apparently, I'm still in the game. You should contact the school and let them know about it. Maybe they haven't made any decisions on the application and they're willing to accept the letters you're missing. Good luck!

Thank you very much for your advice. I contacted the school and my application is still being considered. Apparently they will make a decision this week, but I think I'll take the offer I already have unless they give me a super-TAship.

Hi, I need a little bit of advice here. I have a really good offer on the table from a good program. Tuition waiver, 15k/year, summer fellowship and possibility of teaching summer courses in my home country. I went on a campus visit and liked it very much. The professors are very nice, the atmosphere in the department seems very good and there are a couple of professors that seem a really good fit for me. They also have a program in Second Language Studies which is one of my intended areas of specialization. However, I'm still waiting to hear from three other schools. I know I won't go to two of them, even if they accept me. But I have doubts about the other one I'm waiting for. The department itself is not as good a fit for me as the other one, and I would have to take two courses in Literature, which (no offense here for the people in Literature) I don't really want to do, unless necessary. However, I would be able to take courses in the department of Linguistics, which is one of the strongest ones in the country. One little problem with this other school is that I sent them an e-mail last week asking about my status and they told me that early in February they had sent me an e-mail (which I never saw) telling me that they hadn't received my sample paper (really?) and that, therefore, my application was not complete. I sent it to them, but now I don't know whether I'm still in the game for that school. What do you think? Should I accept the offer I already have on the table or should I wait to hear from his other school just in case? Thank you!!!

LOL! I'm definitely doing it. I received an e-mail from my dream school saying there will be no funding for me. I'm really happy with the other school anyway (and not only because of the funding), so it's not a big Greek tragedy.

If it weren't a Thursday and had to work, I would spend the day sleeping. I haven't had a good night sleep for such a long time (since January), first obsessing about admissions, and now obsessing about the decision. I've been accepted to my dream school (no word on funding yet) and another school that has turned out to be a very strong competitor and where I've received guaranteed funding for 7 years (2 of MA and 5 of PhD) plus a summer fellowship. However, I have the impression this won't stop, even after accepting an offer. Then, I will start obsessing about whether I made the right choice and how I'm going to organize my moving there. I'm doomed.

Don't worry about your parents. I'm sure they will understand. My case is the same as yours, but in the other direction. I'm from Spain, I came to the US for one year to teach, I'm in my third year and have just been accepted to Grad School. I was worried about how my parents would react when I told them that I was applying to Grad School. What was supposed to be one year, has turned into 10+ years (three working, two of MA, minimum 5 of PhD, etc.). They told me they were really sad, but that they knew this is what I want to do, so if it made me happy, I should pursue my dreams. They have been really supportive, and they are already making plans for their 3rd trip to the US.

Mmmm..., people I would like to thank: VIPs: The three professors who wrote my LORs; the three professors who read my SOP (one also wrote one of the LORs); the woman at the career center who helped me with my SOP and my resume (coming from Europe, I wasn't sure about the American format); my friend who graduated from IUB (same university that has accepted me) for helping me with the process (she was also international, so she had gone through the same process: TOEFL, GRE, Financial Statements, ...); my family, for supporting me even when that would mean having me thousands of miles away from home for the next X years; my friends/colleagues, for bearing with me during these weeks of anguish without yelling at me or kicking me in the ... (I guess I'll have to invite them for dinner to compensate for my constant moaning) I'm pretty sure I'm leaving people out, I just hope they don't take it personally

Well, if they did that, I'm pretty sure they would be left with no students. We're all obsessed over checking our application status!!!

I'll start my MA this fall a few days before turning 30, and hopefully, the PhD shortly before turning 32. I graduated from college 8 years ago, but I've been working in four different countries during this time, gaining experience in my area of interest. I'm almost 30 but, while most of my friends have stable relationships and secured jobs, I have no stability in my life and I depend on financial aids to pay for Grad School. However, I've travelled to many countries, met people from even more countries and have had experiences that I wouldn't change for anything. When I graduated from college one of my professors suggested me to get my PhD. At that time I thought of it as something totally unreachable (I couldn't see myself doing research at all), but now, I know I'm ready for it. It's finally the time. These years wondering around have been what I needed to get ready and discover what I really wanted to do with my life. It took me a while, but I'm finally here!

After I got admitted in IUB I contacted the department asking them whether I could visit the campus (they didn't invite me to any visiting day). The professor I talked to was really happy to hear of my intention of going and told me it was very normal for students to visit the campus. I'm leaving on Wednesday for Indiana and I should receive my final visit schedule by mail today or tomorrow. I will meet with the Graduate Studies director and two professors I asked to meet with. I will also attend one lesson, have lunch with current graduate students and have a campus tour. So, no, I would say they shouldn't have any issue with that. I would even assume that it would actually make them happy, since it shows that you're still considering them as an option.

Good to know I'm not the only one feeling like that. I have my mother constantly telling me: Honey, you can do it!! But it's my mum, so she doesn't really count. I have to remind myself that if I've been accepted, it's for a reason. There are plenty of people out there that went through the same as us, and they made it through. So, why can't we? Good luck!

I had the same problem. I hold a BA degree from a program already extinct in my own country (they changed it completely due to the Bologna thingy). So it was even harder for me to calculate my GPA (I found no information whatsoever as to how to do it). I also had the problem of the overall GPA and the major GPA. In Europe all your GPA is you major GPA!!! There is no way you can take courses in several disciplines for two years before you actually concentrate in something, and nobody would concentrate in Quantic Physics and Theater at the same time. You have to decide your "major" before going to college and attend the appropriate school (at least in my country, universities have different "schools" for the different "majors": nursing school, philology school, med school, engineering school, economics school, geography school, and so on). My grades were also an issue. I'm currently working at a US college and I've had the opportunity to take some undergrad courses. Now I can proudly say I'm a straight-A student! Never in my live had I received an A in college. It was almost unthinkable in my university. Passing was already an achievement and it was normal failing some courses and taking them again in September. Or having them for a second year/third year (depending on the professor and the course). Having said all this, I'm pretty sure US universities are aware of this fact. They receive a lot of international students every year so they should know of these differences. Plus, education across Europe tends to be similar, specially now with the new changes, so it doesn't really matter whether your school is internationally known for grade purposes, since the system is. I didn't have any problem with my grades in the end. The translator translated the grades into As, Bs, Cs, and so on and the schools I applied to accepted them (in fact I've already received an offer). The fact that I'm applying for a program in a Spanish department and I'm from Spain might have helped, but the school has the last word and nobody complained. I hope you don't have trouble either. Good luck with your applications!!

I've recently rented a car in NY state with my International Driving License (I've been here since August) and had no trouble with it. I thought of getting a NY's license, but I was discouraged by the fact that I had to give in my national driving license (even when they can give it back to you when you return to your country if you ask them to). I know it doesn't work like that in other states. Some people told me that you can just hide the fact that you already own a driving license and pretend that it's the first one for you. But I'm not sure how legal that is. My best advice is that you call the DMV and explain your personal situation. Nobody better than them to inform you of this.

Gracias!

En Georgetown, ¿has solicitado para Literatura o Lingüística? Estoy pendiente de su decisión y no sé cuándo voy a recibir noticias.

I've been accepted at IUB (for Hispanic Linguistics) with a good offer from the school, but haven't made a decision yet (I'm still waiting to hear from 4 other schools). However, and unless I receive a really attractive offer from somewhere else, I'll probably end up there. I'm going on a campus visit in a couple of weeks and I have a friend who graduated from there. She really liked it.

Location is definitely an important thing to take into consideration. I have been living in a rural area for the last three years without a car, and my social life at this point is totally inexistent. Apart from undergrads (too young for me), there are only deer and squirrels where I live. And without car, well, my life is basically work, and getting bored at home the weekends. So, definitely, location is going to be a key factor when choosing my destination.

No sé si hay alguien que haya mandado solicitud para el programa de Lingüística Hispánica de Penn State, pero por si acaso que quede constancia. Acabo de recibir un e-mail diciendo que aún están revisando las solicitudes y que habrá noticias a finales de mes. Así que nada... toca esperar.

Ok, here I go: - Two scholarships by the Spanish government to be a foreign language assistant (one year in England, one in France) - 1 tiny publication - 3 years as Teaching Fellow at a US Liberal Arts College (the first one as a Fulbright FLTA) - Took courses while a TF at the College (GPA 4.0) - Native speaker of Spanish - Fluent in English and French - 3 years of Latin - 2 years of Classical Greek and Mandarin Chinese - 1 year of Japanese, Italian, German and Arabic - Many years of Basque (nobody needs to know that I already forgot almost everything I learned ) - Super GRE of 1250 (not native speaker of English, not US-educated)

Hola a todos. Yo estoy desesperada. Mandé solicitud a 6 universidades y aún no he recibido notificación de ninguna. Lo único que recibí fue un e-mail de IUB hace tiempo diciendo que antes de que terminara febrero sabría algo. Si eso es cierto, hoy o mañana sabré algo. Pero lo dudo mucho. ¿Alguien sabe algo de cómo andan los programas de lingüística del español en el tema decisiones? La espera me está matando.