waldorf1975

Getting a roommate will save you so much money. You'll pool your furniture and split utilities. The key is to get a good roommate who understands your grad-student hours and study schedule. Your department probably has a roommate exchange, and they can hook you up with a fellow grad student. A few other tips: Cable: So much video streams on the Internets now that, with hulu.com and all that, you really don't even need it. Even paying for a show's season on iTunes is cheaper than paying your cable bill. Of course, as a grad student, you'll probably be too busy for TV. Food: Get a rice cooker or learn to make it. You can "stretch" Chinese food like you would not believe with a few cups of rice, and then you won't feel bad getting take-out. Whatever you do, fight the temptation to put purchases on the credit card, unless you have the discipline to pay it off every month. Otherwise, those rates will bite you in the butt. Good luck!

I don't, although it will be on a case-by-case basis. If they really want to know, they'll ask. Most interviewers and HR departments are interested in your job experience and if it fits what they are looking for, anyway. Perhaps it is more of an issue if you are applying to an entry-level gig and you have less direct experience to show off.

I can't speak for the sciences, but I can speak for the humanities, and it is often considered good to do your grad work at a different school from your undergrad precisely because you'll be working with different people and demonstrating flexibility. You'll expand your network, and it will serve you well when you are on the job market. In the end, funding is everything, and the funding package from school 2 looks too tempting. If the school is nearby, and it sounds like it is, just make it a point to stay in touch with your undergrad mentor.

Living in grad student housing will make it loads easier to meet other grad students. This way, you still have a lot in common, but you won't feel like you are completely immersed in your department. I don't know if you are of a political bent or if your school has a union, but I met a bunch of interesting people while canvassing for the TA's union. You make friends quickly when your marching for hours in a picket line! That said, whether you are political or not, grad school is actually one of the best places to make friends, and you'll have fun.

I think that part of the issue is whether or not schools are admitting more applicants than they can actually place and whether or not they are treating grad students as cheap labor instead of hiring more assistant profs. Also, even though there's always a story behind the numbers, it is a program's responsibility to let students know where students went after earning their degrees. That can be divided fairly easily into tenure-track, post-doc, law school, what have you. Any other backstory can be in footnotes. Much of the burden falls on the grad student choosing among programs. You need to ask a lot of questions of potential advisors and fellow grad students to get the true story. Whether you wind up at a high-ranked school or a barely ranked school, you need to know your chances of getting a job afterwards so you can pay off your loans.

Agreed with the above. They're using that wording to remind you that you shouldn't expect a paycheck over the summer, and you should budget accordingly and either set aside something for the summer (not likely given how low stipends are) or prepare to work over the summer.

You just need to decide how much debt you're willing to take on regarding the full- versus part-time job situation. Also, this might be an off-topic question, depending on your field, but will working full-time cut into the time you need for coursework/research? School 1 sounds like the better deal on a financial level, but School 2 might allow you to accomplish more high-quality work.

Time to start going over apartmentratings.com. You also might want to ask your department if they can put you in touch with other grad students in the program so you can talk about housing or get additional inside scoop. Showing up informed will help you later on.

City or country, east or west, it's not going to matter as much this year with the bum economy. Many college grads are going to duck into grad school to hide out, period, so chances seem good that applications will be up even in schools in less fancy locales. Michigan, given its current economy, doesn't seem like a great place to live, but they aren't lacking for applicants to their programs. What's really going to count is how many people apply for open tenure-track positions. That's when things get scary. For example, there was one position in contemporary lit open at Dickinson College, and it received over 650 applicants.

Your field might be the big issue. The more recent the field, the more crowded it gets. Don't get down about your writing. You are applying in one of the most competitive times out there. Regarding eating and living, have you considered teaching elsewhere? Like high school or ESL education? That might not be the solution if your true passion is literature and research, not teaching, but it's possible. A degree in library science might also be a good fit if you're more into research. The thought of a career change is scary, especially since you've clearly put so much effort into getting in, but think of the skills you've developed along the way and how you might be able to transfer them into something better. Clearly, this is your passion, so I would never advise against applying for a third time, but this is also the time to put together a Plan B. Good luck!

Take the money and run with School A! What School B offers isn't terrible, especially since so many schools don't offer squat, but the fact that you already have student loans makes the call easy. Piling on loans is extremely dangerous when you're entering a profession that comes with no guarantees. The fact that a faculty member is e-mailing you is crucial. The key to doing well in a program is to have a good advisor. Your trusted professor is right.

Personal happiness and emotional support are important for graduate school. If you really want to do this, your boyfriend will understand. And it won't be the end of the world if you lose a boyfriend while pursuing your career goals. Boyfriend matters aside, you don't sound excited about the program, which is reason enough to wait until next year. The economy might improve by then, which will mean fewer competitors when you re-apply. You're obviously a good candidate; otherwise, your safety school wouldn't have offered you such a good package to begin with. If you can sit tight for a year, do it--just make sure you're waiting for yourself and not for romance reasons.

Congratulations on your acceptance. Initially, I thought that School B was a better bet. In general, you should go where the money is. However, two classes a semester is too much. Can you talk them down to one for the same amount of money? Also, don't worry too much about looking well-rounded. Being in rhet/comp will already help you when you are in the job market. I'm still not liking the sound of school A because of how much it will cost for you to get your MA, unless it is so close that you can live at home, which can cut down your debt. Also, it will cost money to move if School B is so far away. Sit down, do the math, and follow the money. What will really count is where you get your PhD, but you don't want to burden yourself with debt, either.

The funding, the funding, the funding. You will be able to concentrate on your studies instead of stressing about the money ... and the money will be an overwhelming stress by the time you're done. You could try to tell Georgetown that you have a full ride, but I wouldn't be surprised if they advised you to go to GW! And look on the bright side. Very, very few people get full funding offers anywhere, so you've clearly done something right.

Conventional wisdom is right. Set that limit. Also don't forget to look at the interest rates on your loans, especially if you need to take out a private loan. Sometimes it's the interest, not the principal, that can bite you in the rear.

It sounds like you've already chosen option A. You should be commended on not having any debt before you go into grad school. If you were already carrying debt, I'd recommend going with the better funding option. That said, before you make your final call, you should grill Options A and B about how much people can be expected to make after leaving the program. Then you'll need to look at your loan options and figure out how long it will take you to pay off the grad school leans. If Option A will lead to a better job, then your risk isn't as high, as long as you don't mind a few more years or Ramen while paying off the loans. Good luck!