toear5

If you want a basic example of categories, the budget templates in Excel might be helpful.
@Adelaide9216, the easiest/ best way to save is to pay yourself first. I have an automatic monthly transfer from my checking account (where my paycheck is direct deposited) to my savings account. Once the money is in savings, I try not to touch it other than to invest it into my retirement account once I have a sufficient emergency fund (the amount I deem sufficient has gone up as I've made more money and had more expenses). The automatic transfer is basically what all financial advisors recommend. 

Hi all!  I'm coming this fall for Counseling Psych PhD  
 

I am doing Hispanic Literatures MA. I am hoping to continue onto the PhD and the Gender Studies PhD minor is one of the reasons I decided on IUB. 

Just in time for the deadline! 
The thought of a decision spreadsheet makes my tummy glow. That's normal, right? 

I'm a big proponent of gathering all the information before making a decision (especially one that's going to significantly impact your life for the next 4, 5, 6 years). I feel like every time I get back from a visit or talk to a current grad student, I think of three more things to add to my decision spreadsheet! I think in about three weeks, I'm going to get tired of thinking about everything and just make a decision. 

I unexpectedly got accepted to the University of Nevada, Reno! They told me application decisions would be given out in late-April, two weeks after the program's deadline. I got an email this afternoon informing me of my acceptance and being considered for funding. I'm still in shock. 

I kept getting emails from a highly sought after programs starting with "Dear Prospective Grad Student..." My friend and I kept replying "Dear Prospective Grad School" they stopped emailing us.... There are programs that auto-fill your name into their letters it shouldn't be that hard to put the correct spelling of someone's name

I already had the visit last week, but thanks for the advice anyway! 

Did anyone catch this one? 

@sprklinthe I get that this can be a sore subject, but that's actually why this thread was made. I didn't get in anywhere last year and it hurt. Luckily, there are multiple places to discuss that (and the worry when waiting) on this forum. This thread was specifically created so that there would be a place for those with admissions to let off stress without making those still waiting feel bad. 

Best of luck with your programs! Hopefully, you'll be joining us in worrying over the decision process soon enough! <3 

You guys all being picky when you got admissions with funding when most of us won't even get a single admission...

You would need to ask them -- varies by department. 

I love this -- I'm deciding between a few schools (and still waiting on final decision from a couple others) and I am definitely creating a "decision matrix" as well. There are just so many factors to consider that it can become fairly overwhelming...My plan is to assign point values to every factor and see who comes out on top. Plus gut feelings, of course. 

I love this -- I'm deciding between a few schools (and still waiting on final decision from a couple others) and I am definitely creating a "decision matrix" as well. There are just so many factors to consider that it can become fairly overwhelming...My plan is to assign point values to every factor and see who comes out on top. Plus gut feelings, of course. 

I agree with everything @TakeruK said. Another thing to consider is, if you get a better funding offer at another place, but you would choose one of the other places that accepted you if the funding situation improved, you might be able to negotiate. At that point you can send an email to the DGS at X University letting them know that: X University would be your top choice, Y University offered you Z funding/summer support/etc, if you had comparable funding/summer support at X University you wouldn't hesitate to accept the offer but this has made your decision more difficult, and is there anything they can do?
This doesn't always work, but it did for me and many of the people I know. The key is to have a comparable program's funding offer in hand and to not be afraid of getting shot down.

I've got two campus visits coming up, and I'm trying to schedule at least one more (still waiting to hear back from one program). I've basically got a data collection protocol drafted with all of the questions I want to ask students and professors, things I want to cost out online, and other factors I want to consider (climate, program fit, etc).  Then it's going into an Excel spreadsheet I'm calling my decision matrix. And then I'll probably end up picking based 75% on that and 25% on what my gut says because I'm an INFP. I honestly didn't expect to get into more than one or two programs, so I was not expecting this part of the process to be quite so stressful.

Exciting news!! The notification schedules really are all over the place for these schools -- I heard from most of my places in January (still waiting on UMich but expecting a rejection anyway). 

Just thought I'd bump this thread.
Is Bloomington livable on the $16,000 TA stipend?
Any advice?
Time for making decisions I guess... help!

I felt the same way as you when looking at my options for PhDs. I urge you to actually visit the school and get a feel for its culture and environment before making a decision. The school in my case isn't an "Ivy" but in my field, the Ivy League aren't necessarily the best. It is the #1 school in my area of science and it's a private school similar to the Ivy league schools.
I was very anxious about the visit and the first event was breakfast where everyone introduced themselves. Everyone went to Ivy or other top tier private schools. I thought I had made a mistake. But actually spending time with people in the department over the two day visit, I learned that every worry and concern I had about this school was wrong. The department was like one giant family! I loved my 5 years there as a grad student and I am very happy that I visited and got to know the program before making a decision. I strongly believe that the resources available to me at this school helped me get to where I am today. I don't think the students at top tier schools are that much different than other schools but they just have so many more tools to succeed. I can discuss it further in private messages if you want.
But my main message is to not get "prestige shy" and doubt your own abilities. Don't rely on stereotypes of these schools and especially not stories from other people who attended the school in different departments or different years. Schools vary a lot internally within departments and they change over time. Definitely get yourself out for an in-person visit if possible and decide for yourself.