UndeclaredStudies

Hello, So I recently completed a master's in sustainability-related topic and would like to continue on to a PhD. However, I am very confused as to how to go about gaining faculty sponsorship. I have gotten some good feedback from email outreach, but most of the responses just tell me that the programs do not have enough funding to take in new students. I am just wondering though how the students in these PhD students got their sponsorship. Is it really just a matter of who you know? Or if your college advisor knew the right people? I have found it quite difficult to get my foot in the door and was wondering if folks here might be able to share how they managed to get into their respective PhD programs. I am just wondering how to politely, yet directly, ask if they would consider taking me. But then I have to see things from their perspective of course. Why would they take me if they don't know me? How might I even respond to an email about the program only taking 1 or 2 new PhD students? Thank you all!

Oh congrats on getting into Duke! I am actually attending their visiting weekend coming up. I was offered a couple thousand from SNRE (incoming student award or something like that) and a bit more from Duke, but nothing significant. I am kind of freaking out seeing that most scholarship deadlines have already passed, some passed before I even knew I got into any program?? I guess I just didn't see the point in applying to scholarships if I wasn't even sure I was going to be accepted into anything. So SNRE is still accepting students? I see that the final application deadline for MS/MLA is April 30th, which seems kinda late! I am thinking about a PhD, but at this point, I want to kind of stop thinking about it. I don't want my whole life to be centered around getting into a PhD program. I spent so much to dedicating my life to getting into ERG at Berkeley for grad school, and in the end, rejected. Whether I decide to attend Michigan or Duke, I just want to live in the moment and just focus on the masters for now (well of course still getting some solid research experience just in case!). I must say that the environment and focus as SNRE seems a little more appealing to me, I don't know why, but the the more professional/networking/career-building vibe I get from Nicholas and Bren is sort of not what I am looking for. I really like the more research/academic focus of SNRE. But I am just going off of what I have read online. I am hoping that visiting these schools really does change my perspective on what a professional degree will really mean!

Hello, so I have been accepted to environmental masters programs at U Michigan and Duke and am wondering what the vibes of the towns are like. I grew up on the left coast so I am guessing the South will be a culture shock, but I am open to new environments! How do the two towns compare? How does diversity compare? Is Duke really as conservative as I would imagine it would be? Is Ann Arbor really liberal? All I have to go on are what I have heard from other sources, so I would really appreciate if some people who have lived in either town to fill me in on what it's actually like! I don't want my impression to just be based on what I "think" it is probably like there

Wow Berkeley, impressive! I was really disappointed when I found out I got rejected. I have wanted to go there since I was 10... But congrats to you, the MDP program sounds really good! Also some ivies? Wow! Also I am looking at the SNRE website and the final deadline for MS/MLA is April 30th so it looks like you can still apply. I am going to craft a very professional email for SNRE about financial assistance, thanks!

Hmm ok well then I think I will try then! I am just wondering if I should actually ask the question or try to just imply the big question. Have you decided on a program yet? Were you considering SNRE?

Hello, has anyone here had success in asking their program for more financial assistance once admitted? I received a 3k award from U Michigan SNRE, but as grateful as I am for this, it is simply not enough for me, given that tuition is about 40k. Has anyone else had success with asking for more? I have heard that sometimes you just need to ask and show how serious you are about attending.

Yeah I saw that 50% acceptance report and was like whattt. I thought this was a selective program seeing how hard UCSB can be to get into as an undergrad. As for what I want to get out of these programs, well basically all that they offer! I really do like these programs and love how they blend scientific research with practical skills. Since I am not completely sold on the idea of dedicating my life to academia, these programs are very appealing to me. To be honest, what I really did want out of a graduate degree, was an interdisciplinary science education, with practical skills as well. In fact I was even worried at first about actually being able to USE a purely academic grad degree, hearing that they are meant for those interested in pursuing being a professor, which is not something I am really interested in pursuing right now. I know I shouldn't be gettinf caught up in the name of a degree, but I would still like to be able to proudly write MS on my resume and proudly say that I am a graduate student in graduate school!

Hello, so I was accepted into Duke Nicholas school, U-Michigan SNRE, and UCSB Bren for their master's programs, and wow are these programs expensive. Out of state for U-Michigan, my first choice, is 40 grand?? I was offered a 3k award, but that really isn't enough. Yes, I am very appreciative of getting this award, but in all honesty I will need more than that. Is there a way of possibly asking for more? I am guessing no, but maybe if I demonstrate that I am serious about attending? Also, does anyone know of any scholarships for programs like these? I will be studying sustainability as a means of improving low-income communities in urban areas, so maybe I can qualify for some specialty scholarships? Also I am Latino if that helps. All I have found is the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. So many scholarships I have found seem to have deadlines that passed before I even knew I was admitted! With everything I here about it not being worth it to go in debt over a master's degree I feel it might be dangerous to shell out full tuition, but if I can get it down to half or so, then I should be good. Just need a little advice here on how i can secure some funding for school!

Thank you everyone for weighing in with your opinions! I will try not to get caught up too much in the name of the degree, as SNRE and Duke do seem like really great programs. Hearing from other students, these programs can provide you with substantial research experience as they are all flexible. My top dream program this year was ERG at Berkeley, but I was rejected. As for what i want to do with graduate school, well, yes, being a professional in the workforce. As far as being a professor and staying for years doing research at a university, well, I want to pursue a career outside of school. I am still thinking about pursuing a PhD, but if I end up really liking my master's research experience, then I might choose to go on. As far as I know, I still would want to apply to the PhD program at ERG. If I did turn down SNRE, it really would just be for that one word "professional". Everything else about the program seems incredible from what I have seen, and perhaps I'll be even more sold on the idea after admitted students weekend. I will be visiting Duke as well. I gotta say though, are these programs actually hard to get into? From what I have seen Yale FES is very selective, but what about Nicholas, SNRE, and Bren? From what I have seen just about everyone gets into these master's programs. I should also add that I was also unofficially accepted to University of Wisconsin-Madison for an MS in Environment and Resources, which is not a professional degree. Oh man this is a hard decision...

So I am really confused here. For the past four or so years I have been trying so hard to get into graduate school and basing my whole life around graduate school applications, and now that I've been accepted to some great programs I'm seeing that they are actualy professional programs?? I don't get it. I thought professional school meant business, public health, social work, law, medical, etc., but interdisciplinary environmental? That's considered professional? The programs I got into place great emphasis on academics and research yet they are considered professional? The three programs I got into are Duke Nicholas Master's of Environmental Managent, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources MS, and UCSB Bren Master of Environmental Science and Management. Ok maybe the managent programs could be considered professional, but an MS can be considered professional? My main choice is SNRE but I just feel a little discouraged now that I see it's techincally a "professional" degree and that it's a "professional" school. It just doesn't make sense to me though, SNRE places a huge emphasis on research and academics. I thought professional meant there wasn't an emphasis on these? Please understand that I am not trying to talk down to or undermine professional programs, but it is just not what I was looking for/expecting. Still, these programs seem fantastic and cover the very topics I want to work in. Like SNRE is just about the ideal program for me and will let me study the specific subfields I want to become involved in. Like I am really excited about the program, just the degree name is confusing me. I evenually want to try for PhD programs, and am just wondering if programs will look down on the fact that I have a "professional" MS. Is this not a "real" MS? Also what do I even tell people? That I am not going to graduate school, but instead professional school? That I'm not going to be a graduate student, but instead anprofessional student? I seriously thought anyone who is persuing a master's is therefore a graduate student. When I think professional student I think more about networking and business, and less on science and research, which is what I am more interested in. As for what I want to do with the degree, well I want to be a scientist/research/consultant/environemntal advocate at nonprofits or some environmental organizations. I know some will say that is what a professional degree is for, but at the same time if I am going to be putting in all this effort to earn an MS I would like it to be the real deal. Sorry for the long post, I just really need some perspective here. I don't want want to end up turning down some great programs because of the simple name of a degree! thanks