2019edhopeful

I'm currently abroad and moving to the greater Boston area. I leased an apartment for July because it met all our needs (I have a husband and two kids moving with me). I know it's a big risk because borders may not even be open by July 1, but it seemed too stressful to have no housing lined up. If I were single, I would definitely apply for campus housing and write to them requesting some flexibility. I think a lot of housing offices will be willing to work with students given the current crisis.

I'm planning to attend Tufts for my MA this fall and was hoping a current student or alumnus could shed some light on what TA/RA packages are like. I've been corresponding with a professor who has offered me a graduate assistantship, but I don't have any details yet. I have a family to support, so finances are an important factor in my decision about which job to take. I will also be applying to be a writing tutor (I have 12 years of experience as a high school English teacher). I'm finding it super hard to figure out finances since there's not much current info available online.

So I received a hefty scholarship at my second choice program and a tiny one at my first choice (for MA programs). Both have suggested applying for assistantships, but from what I understand, those don't come with a tuition remission for MA students, just a small stipend. Is there any chance of negotiating my funding with my first choice program? Loans aren't an option for me. I'm very grateful for the small scholarship, but there's no way I can ever attend without better funding!

I think I'm waitlisted at one place. I am assuming this because when I wrote to inquire about my status, I didn't get a rejection but was told they were waiting to hear back from the first round of accepted students.

I still haven't heard from UCSB and the app deadline was Dec 1. I submitted in November-it's been over 3 months and I haven't heard a word! I had good rapport with the POI before submission, but since then, nothing. Should I assume rejection? As far as I know, nobody else has heard back either (or if they have, it isn't on gradcafe). They told me one month ago that they haven't reviewed applications yet. So far I have 1 acceptance, 2 rejections, 1 waitlist and 1 pending. Slowly losing my mind.

The program hasn't been particularly helpful, mainly because the dept secretary doesn't EVER respond to emails or seem to forward my concerns (and everything goes through her). I have written to the dean of the graduate school, let's see what happens.

I don't think there's any such thing as "too old." If I go to grad school this fall, I'll be 32.

They said "soon" but that was 5 days ago. Nobody replied to my email or answered the phone. On the web portal, my acceptance letter and funding offer are still up. So frustrating!! They also said most fellowship and TAship decisions aren't made until September, which is WAY too late for me, since I live outside the US and will be moving with my children to whichever city I go to grad school.

So I applied to a PhD program. A few weeks ago I received unofficial acceptance to the MA program (no official rejection from the PhD, and it was vague, stating that since I didn't have an MA I would be initially accepted to the MA program). A couple days after the unofficial email, I received a letter from the grad school welcoming me to the MA/PhD. It also attached an offer of funding, with a full tuition scholarship. I was ecstatic, and wrote to my POI asking about assistantships. She replied saying I had been admitted to the MA/PhD BY MISTAKE and they would soon be changing it to an admission letter for the MA only. She also said I was nominated for a fellowship within the MA program. So this means...the funding letter (which was separate) was also a mistake?! I don't really know what to think. I'm afraid to be hopeful.

Does anyone know if invites for doctoral weekend have been sent out for UPenn's PhD in Education? I spoke to someone in the ECS department recently but they were very vague about whether or not applicants have already been shortlisted.

I'm a US citizen but living outside the US. I seem to be the only one who hasn't heard from my programs...I emailed them and they said they're still reviewing. They've accepted AND rejected AND waitlisted others, so...I'm confused.

Anyone else waiting to hear from the UC Davis Human Development PhD program? Seems like they've sent out acceptances from 16th-19th Jan every year for the past few years, so I'm majorly stressing about not having heard anything.

I've applied to the same program (don't know anybody there, but did email my POI and get a response last summer, not that it was a particularly forthcoming response, but it was nice enough). No interview here either. I'm feeling pretty pessimistic because 3 of my 5 programs have sent out interview invites and/or acceptances, and I haven't heard anything.

The waiting game is already making me crazy. I only applied to 5 programs...all in all, the apps, GRE, score reports, transcripts, international calls etc cost so much after currency conversion, I had to work extra hours for 2 months just to afford it. I'm so burnt out after the app season (also juggling a full time job and two kids), I'm seriously worried about how I'll handle grad school...

I'm applying to 7 PhD programs in Education, and only one-Harvard-had a deadline of Dec 1-the rest are later. I've been out of school for 8 years, so I wrote to my school requesting new transcripts, and long story short, a number of delays at their end meant I didn't get the official transcript in time. Harvard accepts unofficial transcripts, so I went through my Google Drive from my graduation year, found 2 copies of my transcript, uploaded one and submitted my app. When I received the official one, I realized that the one I submitted has a couple of discrepancies. Three of my A-s are listed as As, and a course I withdrew from (with a W) isn't included. I think this is because I tweaked the unofficial one years ago when calculating how many extra classes I'd have to take to raise my CGPA. Anyway, it doesn't really impact my overall GPA, but I am still worried because technically, if I were ever to get in, my official transcripts would make this seem like cheating. What do I do? Should I write to the school, wait and see if I even make it to the interview stage, ignore it altogether? I did upload the correct (official) copy to all my other apps.

I submitted two of mine with Dec 1st deadlines on Nov 29th, the rest are due on Dec 15th but I'm submitting them today. My recs are in, statements are done, writing samples uploaded-but I am not looking forward to the endless wait! Applying to 7 PhD programs.

Is anyone here applying to UPenn? I'm curious-how do they interview international students who can't go to doctoral weekend?

"I can't help but think that a PhD will be -- dare I say -- easier than what I've been doing the last decade" I feel you! I am also 30, been working full time as a teacher for 8 years, and I have two young kids and a number of stressful situations tied directly to my living situation (which would be forced to change if I was in grad school). Of course I expect an intellectual challenge, but right now I would very gladly welcome that into my life, given that at my job I feel frustrated and unchallenged, and nothing brings me the same joy as research. Good luck to you! I feel v old applying at my age even though I objectively know that it isn't THAT different from being 25 or 26.

Anyone applying to the PhD program? Deadline in 3 days!

Yay I'm 30 too! Most people here seem to be recently out of college. Re: your LOR question, one of my recommenders also isn't a PhD. I figured there should be at least one professional reference in there, and not many professions require supervisors to have PhDs, so I'd assume they don't expect it? I'm a teacher, so one of my letters is from my department head. I feel like I've been running a marathon this whole semester, between juggling full time teaching, apps and my kids, but let's hope it's good preparation for grad school, right? Good luck with the home stretch!

I'm getting ready! Have corresponded with faculty at all the schools I'm applying to and written my SOPs. I can't apply until recommendations come through, and I doubt they'll be done before November at the earliest. There doesn't seem to be any benefit to applying before the deadline, because none of the schools I'm applying to have rolling deadlines. I wish they did, I'm already tired of being in limbo and it's literally another half year of this!

Thanks! I already did that, but no response I really like the program, but don't want to spend thousands of $$ applying to schools, either.

Anyone here applying to the PhD in Education at UC Davis this year? I noticed last year they rejected everyone because there was no space in the program and was wondering if anyone at Davis has any info on the current application season. I'm interested in the LLC concentration.

Good luck! Mine are 4 years and 1.5 years and I made a long list of schools based on general academic fit, then a shortlist based on potential advisors, and then a final list based on places that are also family friendly. I live in Pakistan right now (American citizen though) and would be relocating to the US with husband and kids if I get in. Fingers crossed!

I'm preparing too, for Education PhD programs, though. So far I've narrowed down Harvard, Penn, Boston College, Rutgers, Temple and maybe UCSD. I just started studying for the GRE, but I have a full time job and two children, so I don't expect to make very fast progress.