SomeoneThrewMyShoe

Soooo a lot of nicer places are more expensive for a one bedroom. I've never looked for a one bedroom so I can't name prices, but I know that Ivy Hall is on the cheaper side. Studio Green. Park Place. I think South Gate is on the less expensive side? Again, I've never lived at those complexes but I know students have said they're affordable. Some of those that I just listed are farther from campus (like, not a 20 minute walk). They are, however, on various shuttle routes that run about every 20 minutes and take you to campus and is free. We have an app that's actually pretty great and accurate. So even though they're farther from campus they're accessible. Studio Green and Stone Gate are all on shuttle routes that pick you up directly from the complexes. Park Place isn't directly but it's close to a stop (I think). I would also call University Courtyards. They're basically on campus. I don't know how affordable their one bedrooms are but they do individual leases. Also The Retreat is an apartment complex that does individual leases as well. You get your own bedroom and bathroom for about $700 a month. It's on the shuttle route as well. If you want a place closer to campus, I think it's going to be more expensive and you should maybe try to find a roommate.

Quite realistic. There are a much of apartment buildings. In my time here I've only stayed in the same one (which isn't a one bedroom) but my friend has an apartment he likes at Ivy Hall which is reasonable and right near campus. I would not do this. Maybe for your program it makes sense if you're going to have an internship in the city for a lot of the time, but my friend does this now and while there are certainly more things to do in Philly than in Newark - you spend a lot of time in traffic.

SAME. I feel kind of empty? Like I feel like there's something else I should really be doing (besides my masters thesis, but I digress). Instead I'm just watching tons of Law and Order: SVU. I'm totally in love with my program and I'm SUPER HYPE about all of it and I signed a lease but...like...I feel like I need SOMETHING TO DO. I wish they gave me summer homework or something.

Current OSU Students: Is the gym super crowded? I know there's multiple gyms/athletic centers that students have access too but with so many people is it constantly packed? is it worth the while paying for another gym in Columbus for peace of mind/not having to wait forever for a machine?

I *just* got back from a trip to Iceland less than two weeks ago! My favorite place I've ever been!

Obviously I don't have all the information, but from what it sounds like, School B seems more competitive/has more people to work with besides the one from undergrad! Plus you just seem more excited to live there! If you read through your post again it seems like you're pretty excited about School B.

I thought that School B was the clear choice until your last sentence. Is that $500 a month like...after you pay rent/living expenses or is that your stipend? How comfortable are you with taking out loans? For what it's worth if the $500 is your living expenses after rent, that's not great, but for one of the years in my masters' I took out a small loan from the school (around $2,000) because I know me and my spending habits and I knew that I would want to have money to have fun with/to pay for my PhD apps. Is that an option for you? Is this for a masters or a PhD program? I know in my field at least (not trying to generalize) that going to the same undergrad and PhD may be troubling when you're applying for academic jobs - it means you've only gained one perspective (again I don't know if this is applicable to all fields).

1) Enjoy yourself 2) Finish up your current program if you're still in undergrad 3) Find an apartment (this took me forever - I've been looking for the past two months for my ideal situation and JUST found the perfect house the other day) 4). This may not be a concern to you but switch health insurance if you're opting in for your university's insurance 5) GET HYPE - Grad school is weird and stressful but (at least for my masters) I've been having a blaaaast.

I would go for the masters'. I'm currently in a masters' program that's known for being great as a sort of "PhD prep" program and now I'm planning on attending a doctoral program that has great placement at R1s (I don't even necessarily know that I want to go that route but it's nice I have the option). You need to think about where you're going to get a job - and if what you want is an R1 institution/research gig - that you should go for a masters and apply to doctoral programs that have a good placement record. You don't have to accept a doctoral offer just because it's a doctoral offer.

I think that CC'ing them on an email might be a bit impersonal if you've talked to them personally? To the few POI I felt close to/I talked to personally, I sent a separate email thanking them for their mentorship and help making this difficult decision and said I looked forward to seeing them at conferences/reading their work that has already been a great influence on my research. I would send the email to the new person.

This is VERY concerning. I would not want to work with this person for four more years. While it is nice that he wants you to stay so badly, the fact that he is low-key threatening you if you don't stay at the school/is going to be detrimental towards your career is the most telling part of all of this. I know you like this person but no professor should take the fact that you want to go to a much better program so personally that they're going to remove you from working with them. I would let the other program know that I was accepting their offer like....yesterday.

I'm Team A mainly because I did this for my masters'. I chose a school with the best fit that was about a 5 hour drive from home (I literally just did it haha - visiting for the weekend) and it actually set me up really well for my PhD. I am very close to my family and all my friends are in the same area, so it was nice to be closer to kind of wean me into the idea of living away from home. Plus, with the distance I was able to visit about once a month and see everyone I loved. Now I'm moving halfway across the country for my PhD and I'm not even worried about it (well..not worried about the distance anyway). Ask School A if they have travel funds (my MA program didn't include it in our financial packages, but if anyone was accepted to anything they were able to find funds/help apply for school grants). As far as summers go - if School A's stipend is generous enough you'll hopefully be able to save up enough to last you summers!

I was 100% in the same situation. There were two schools that I didn't visit, so therefore I didn't get to meet their current grad students, see the department, fall in love with it, etc. I completely fell in love with the program i ended up deciding on and visited, so I guess I'm not super wondering what those other programs would have been like? But to be fair I chose to visit the school I decided on because I needed to see it before I committed. The other two I didn't try to visit. And honestly visiting them would have probably just made my decision more difficult - I felt way more guilty about rejecting the schools I visited than the schools I didn't (but that might just be because "I'm not going here" emails cause me a lot of anxiety).

Thank you! I emailed everywhere else to let them know I'm not attending so: I'm officially done!!!

One of my potential (well now, future) professors mentioned that in my meeting with him. I casually mentioned impostor syndrome and he said "It took me about 10 years to get over that". So, something to look forward to? Thank you so much! Now I just have to send the dreaded "I am not going here" emails.