Elephas

So are you saying limit the access to higher education? The reason for increased bachelors degrees has been an increase in access for students whose families previously could not afford to go to school or didn't know that was an option. To me this seems like it would have the largest effect on members of underrepresented communities many of whom are still the first in their families to ever pursue a college education.

The general consensus I've seen is do not accept school B if you will have regrets if accepted to schools C/D. If you see yourself being happier at either institutions then I'd try a follow up email. If you really like school B then yes accept, and you can send a withdrawal emails to the schools though I'm not necessarily certain based on lack of response if they'll see it.

I would say it depends on what your research interests are. At either institution you can do great research and then have an internship in silicon valley over a summer. I'd reach out to students and faculty at both institutions and ask about track records for where students go post graduation. I can't say whether or not that should help shape your decision in a positive or negative way as that proximity will likely raise the cost of living there but you will have an opportunity to attend silicon valley networking events. I am biased though you should come to NW :).

Where you are to School A: School A School A to School B: School B School B to School C: School C School C to School D: School D School D to Home: School D. At least that's what makes sense to me. So the school visiting next with the exception of the last school.

Since you're interested in pursuing a PhD after your masters UWaterloo seems appealing to me because it's funded and you'll also be creating a thesis paper (and seems like it will be more research based) during your time there which would help prepare you for a PhD program. UWisconsin is nice also because with a fellowship your 1st year you'll be able to adjust and not worry about TAing or RAing. I would also look at the research at each school and professor options. It's good to have at least 2 professors you could see yourself working with and find their research interesting so if personality doesn't mesh with one there is still another option. There are a couple of posts on securing funding so you could search that up top they have helpful email templates etc.

Seems like the best method for decision making.

I talked on the phone with one PI for only about 10 minutes and I was accepted so I think that there's still a chance you'll be accepted!

@rising_star that's what I thought thanks

I thought I was doing a dual major and graduate with one degree but I just found out that I likely have enough credits to graduate with two separate degrees. How would I report this to a graduate school or is this something that doesn't really matter now that I've accepted?

Hey everybody I accepted my offer to attend Northwestern this fall for a CS PhD! Looking for others starting masters/PhD programs there to chat.

In my experience the decision portal is whatever you applied to the school with unless the school had you create a different account post submitting the application. In that case the decision will be rendered there.

*AAHH* I accepted a school! I emailed my PIs at other schools to tell them such and now I never want to open my email again.

I'm not in the field but I will say you don't have to apply to one type of program. I applied to 3 different majors in graduate school, and picked the major at the school based on the research being done in that department that best matched my interested.

One school that I was accepted to kept my status in under review post acceptance. I'm not sure these systems are as together as they should be.

The email says per semester so it would make sense that the total award is 40,000 in year one. It also does not hurt to look up the financial aid website for the program as they'll have additional details on how fellowships and funding are handled.

Typically they will provide you with a schedule of events closer to the open house but things that have been shared across visits: networking time with graduate students, networking time with professors, more info on the program, tours. This is not only a chance for the department to get to know you better but for you to get to know the program better so ask questions that will help you make a decision / you want answers to.

In my opinion that sounds like it would bother the people if you're constantly emailing them. I think every 2 weeks is an appropriate window to follow up. Since you replied and accepted the waitlist they're aware you're still interested in the program(especially since you attached things that sound like they weren't necessarily looking for). In addition probability of being admitted off of a waitlist varies school to school as well as year to year depending on how many people accept the offer.

General vibes and observations. One question that is important was finding out their mentorship style. I don't need someone to literally hold my hand but I would appreciate consistent meetings and some general guidance and direction on my research at least in the beginning to help with clarifying thoughts and such but not every advisor was interested in doing that so I didn't see that setting me up to successfully graduate.

For me on paper I really liked a program before but interactions in person made me think that it wouldn't be an environment I could thrive in for 5+ years so if I hadn't visited I likely would have just gone with that program semi-blindly. I visited another university and was blown away like wow there are all these resources and things I didn't know about and am now discovering and liked my interactions more. So for me I think thus far my visits have been a major factor in deciding school.

I can't say anything in regards to why you should pick one over academically but based on research I've done about those cities I have a few cents. Cost of Living: Purdue > BU, you're more likely to be able to afford a 1 bedroom apartment in Indiana but will definitely need a roommate in Boston to live comfortably to any extent Social activities: BU > Purdue, there are a lot of universities near BU and you're near a major city as opposed to a college town so there is more opportunity to do different things Research: Something you'd have to rate Professor: Something you'd have to rate Opportunities: Something you'd have to look at based on school & professors you're interested in working with (see where past PhD students have gone) I think it's up to you whether you want an environment where you'll really be able to study / less distraction like Purdue which is drivable distance to other metropolitan cities though it is several hours to them or a very busy city where you're likely to need to strictly budget but will have opportunities to do more things.

I don't know exactly what research you're going for, degree you're going for or any information like this from the post that you just submitted. If funding is a concern for you I would take another year and apply for Fall 19 as I'm not sure how much will be available by the time you finish your applications. There is always the chance to apply Spring 19 but that also has limited funding options. I would look up "colleges with graduate rolling admissions in ____" to get some ideas. Also "good" is a very debatable term so I think it's more a matter of fit for your research interests and budget.

I will say I've been in the same situation with deciding a PhD program and advisor but one thing I would suggest is talking to those professors and seeing how open they are to alternative research. For example: you work on their project, but while you're getting adjusted to that program you define a project and pitch it to the professor. In this scenario you'd want to know if the professor is open to the research, if there is any overlap with their current research(i.e. it would benefit them if you published a paper that is based on some of their research), or if you could write a proposal for a grant etc etc. I can't find the proper words but the "if i can finish it" worries me as you still want to go into teaching/research. If you complete the MPH you'll still need to pursue a PhD which externally from your current institution is likely to be another 3-6 years so i'd be thinking about how time commitment could be a dealbreaker if I were you.

I emailed a GEM school rep recently and they said they'd be willing to support me but can't do anything in the system until I officially commit and indicate that in the portal, however another school just changed my status without me selecting them as the institution I will be attending so I think emailing the specific school(s) of interest is always a good idea so they have a heads up that you may be submitting for them in the upcoming weeks.

On a non explicit visit day you wouldn't likely be able to view as much of the research/work generally going on in the department, will meet less people, and will likely have to work around the schedules of potential advisors. You would have the chance to visit the campus and see it in person, get a vibe of the deparment as well as the students (undergrad & grad) on a regular day and see how they are enjoying their time. Since it's not an explicit visit day you'll likely have to visit on a week day, which is preferable as more people will be around, but can be inconvenient in terms of your current schedule. Budget wise I think that's a personal decision on how much you're willing to spend, funding offers at the PhD programs vs masters program and things like that. If you're able to visit I think it's always a good choice.

It can take a few weeks after acceptance to get a funding offer so if it is approaching april and you haven't heard anything that would be a good time to try emailing again about that.