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bandanajack

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  1. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from Musmatatus in Preparing for the unexpected costs   
    Hi all, I want to start a thread so newly accepted grad students can learn what costs we should expect when first starting grad school that we may not think about and hopefully get some advice on how to afford it.
    For example, while I have been graced with a fully funded T.A. position with 9 credit/hours coverage per semester I still have to pay for fees, relocation, books, supplies(?), etc. One thing that initially scared me was that I have to pay for university fees per credit hour. This was confusing to find out and took a long phone convo with university staff to sort through what an out of state student will pay the uni fee wise (not tuition). This includes technology fees, athletic fees, health, capital improvement trust fund etc. This comes out to about $100 per credit hour or $900 per semester!
    I don't come from a family of great wealth but I know I will be able to scrape together enough money to pay this off until the T.A. paychecks start rolling in. 
    But what other costs may newbie grad students not know they have to budget for and does anybody have advice for paying for them/saving money when you are on one hell of a tight budget?
  2. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from SgtDonut in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    I think that is a great idea, though I don't think it is expected. If you are close with the prof and know something simple they like that would work. Like I'll probably get one of mine a six pack of Stella. He would love it. I guess it depends on your finances too, like a gift card to a decent restaurant would be great, but a little pricey. Or starbucks card, maybe. The more personal the better, but I think they know most of us are poor lol so I think they would care more about the thought than gift.
  3. Like
    bandanajack reacted to PsyDuck90 in Choosing Master's over Ph.D.?   
    I would go with the PhD if offered. In the long run, it will save you time and money. Most PhDs don't transfer over a lot of MA credits, and the cost of being in school for additional time will definitely have an impact on your earnings potential in the long run. 
  4. Upvote
    bandanajack reacted to Usmivka in how to respond to acceptance when waiting to hear from other schools?   
    No, I'm sure your future advisor will find something else to be disappointed about over those 5 years. Mine sure has... ; )
  5. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from yukichi in What were you doing when you received your acceptance?   
    I was at work, looking at tips about quitting smoking (yesterday I finally decided to kick the habit of 5yrs). While I was still checking the usual grad stuff (portals, email, GC, reddit) I've finally stopped doing so constantly because I was just getting so down about not hearing back. Then I got the best news in my life... 2 year T.A. position with full funding (great stipend) for my M.A. at a small private research school that is even closer to most of my family.
    I just skimmed the words. Then read the whole thing to make sure I understood. I sat down on the floor. Got up and read it again. I paced in my office, finally having to leave and take a walk across campus (I work at my ug uni). Honestly it is a little hard to digest right now. It's a dream come true. It makes years and years of overcoming endless academic and personal challenges worth it. I am eternally grateful for all those who believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself.
     
  6. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from hardatwork in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yeah, an unofficial wailtlist. And Idk. I'm guessing that because a great number of ppl might be notified it would imply they have a greater a chance of getting in. Or they simply don't want to do the extra step of sending out those notifications, making it easier on their end. 
    But yeah, it would be nice for your app to be updated along the way. I get more information when I order a pizza from dominos for $11.99 than I do with a $75 grad app.
  7. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from onika92 in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Ditto to that. Also curious if anyone has gotten rejected yet? Wondering if they do all their rejects at once. And same question if anyone applied to UConn.
  8. Like
    bandanajack reacted to belief_in_jerks in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yes, incredible.
    "Your application to the Sociology program was highly regarded by the faculty. You have been placed on an admission waitlist and are a candidate for that program should an opening become available. You will be notified once a final decision regarding your application has been reached. If you have questions in the meantime about your status, please contact the program to which you applied." This is what it says.
  9. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from onika92 in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    So your UVa grad portal says "waitlisted"?
  10. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from jriveracal in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yeah, an unofficial wailtlist. And Idk. I'm guessing that because a great number of ppl might be notified it would imply they have a greater a chance of getting in. Or they simply don't want to do the extra step of sending out those notifications, making it easier on their end. 
    But yeah, it would be nice for your app to be updated along the way. I get more information when I order a pizza from dominos for $11.99 than I do with a $75 grad app.
  11. Like
    bandanajack reacted to Dwar in Does a longer wait mean that you are on the waitlist?   
    From my experience you can contact either the DGS or the Grad Coordinator. Sometimes the Grad Coordinator will simply put you in touch with the DGS or may even forward along your message. But other times they are able to answer the question themselves. So really whoever you feel more comfortable contacting, I don't really think it matters as long as your email is respectful and all.
  12. Upvote
    bandanajack reacted to mntfr in Scream Thread   
    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH *someone walks in, weird eye contact, they leave* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from antioxidant17 in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yeah, an unofficial wailtlist. And Idk. I'm guessing that because a great number of ppl might be notified it would imply they have a greater a chance of getting in. Or they simply don't want to do the extra step of sending out those notifications, making it easier on their end. 
    But yeah, it would be nice for your app to be updated along the way. I get more information when I order a pizza from dominos for $11.99 than I do with a $75 grad app.
  14. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from TheBunny in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yeah, an unofficial wailtlist. And Idk. I'm guessing that because a great number of ppl might be notified it would imply they have a greater a chance of getting in. Or they simply don't want to do the extra step of sending out those notifications, making it easier on their end. 
    But yeah, it would be nice for your app to be updated along the way. I get more information when I order a pizza from dominos for $11.99 than I do with a $75 grad app.
  15. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from Birdie13 in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    You can at any point, but I try to follow a guideline to know when it is most appropriate. Does the program webpage say when you should expect to hear back? Has it been longer than 1.5/2 months? Are you pressed to get an answer for planning purposes? Have they released acceptances and rejections?
    I applied to a program with a deadline of Jan. 1 and I emailed them in mid-feb asking for a timeline and have yet to hear back. Gradcafe results are very slim and it looks like I could hear back anytime from Feb. to April so I guess I just need to be patient.
  16. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from sociopolitic in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Yeah, an unofficial wailtlist. And Idk. I'm guessing that because a great number of ppl might be notified it would imply they have a greater a chance of getting in. Or they simply don't want to do the extra step of sending out those notifications, making it easier on their end. 
    But yeah, it would be nice for your app to be updated along the way. I get more information when I order a pizza from dominos for $11.99 than I do with a $75 grad app.
  17. Upvote
    bandanajack got a reaction from antioxidant17 in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Some schools will have a fair number of apps in their waitlist and will send out rejections to all of them at once when the last position is filled. This can take awhile since people have to consider offers, possibly lasting through April. 
  18. Upvote
    bandanajack reacted to JustSad in Favorite Rejection Quotes from the Results Page   
    I was actually thinking of starting a similar thread after reading these two (when I found this thread). Lol.
    University Of Toronto OISE School & Clinical Child Psychology, Masters (F15) Rejected via Phone on 27 Feb 2015 O 27 Feb 2015 report spam I am the Leonardo DiCaprio of grad schools. Year after year never getting recognized by white old dudes for my good work. University Of Toronto Philosophy, PhD (F14) Rejected via E-mail on 7 Mar 2014 ♦ A 7 Mar 2014 report spam As a connoisseur of rejection letters, this was a very nice letter.
  19. Upvote
    bandanajack reacted to Euler in What were you doing when you received your acceptance?   
    I would be on board if everybody switched to a system wherein all you received was a very large picture of either a thumbs up (everything in the picture being green) or a thumbs down (ditto, but red).
  20. Like
    bandanajack reacted to thedudeabides in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Got dinged by UCSD just now, but I got formally accepted to UW-Milwaukee last night - my first acceptance this cycle! Will be attending! Just waiting for info on funding right now, but I believe it would be more than sufficient. 
    Thank you, everyone, for all your support out here, really! It meant a lot - and i'm so glad that you guys were here to keep me hanging in there!  
  21. Like
    bandanajack reacted to jriveracal in Anyone want to take a 20 question survey about your demographics and application cycle outcomes?   
    https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dopQ3R8ekJxQXt3
    All responses are anonymous and I promise the survey is in no way affiliated with Berkeley or Berkeley Haas lol it's just a template from my work that I couldn't figure how to remove.
    They survey slightly reeks of elitism as I ask questions about the rankings of schools you applied for and their outcomes, but I'm just really interested in seeing the demographics of you all and trying to see if there is any relation between certain demographics and admission into different ranked programs.
    It would mean a lot if people would take it. Totally cool if not though. Any feedback on the survey itself would also be appreciated. Happy Friday.
  22. Upvote
    bandanajack reacted to socquant in Anyone want to take a 20 question survey about your demographics and application cycle outcomes?   
    Hey! I'm not sure what you're intentions are, but if you're down I would love to get my hands on this data...
  23. Like
    bandanajack reacted to syza in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Sure, in case it helps!
    By the end of February, I received all by rejections. I was devastated. I just could not process it or make any narrative sense of it. I was pretty confident that I will get in somewhere; my friends and recommendation letter writers were even more confident. It was suggested that I contact professors at schools I have applied to, asking what I could do to improve my applications next time. I just couldn't even muster the courage to do that. Really, it was a period of darkness until June. I won't torment you with my depressive state of being.
    Then in June, I took a 2 weeks vacation. It was a helpful change. After return back to work, I decided that I should reapply to grad schools again, after a lot of soul searching. My GRE were valid for one more year, and I was still passionate about doctoral studies, so decided to give it a shot. I read some of the statement of purpose of my friends that have gotten in. I realized they were more impersonal/citational/jargon-y in their statements, meanwhile I was more biographical and chronological. I also spotted that I had only applied to the top 10 schools (clearly overconfident, with a conflated sense of self). I decided to expand the range to top 40 instead. I decided not to apply to any below top 40, given that the job prospects are non-existent if you stray outside the hierarchy. I threw myself into the application process from July onward.
    Then came the process of selecting departments, working on writing samples, and writing the statement of purpose. I decided to apply to only those departments in the top 40 programs that had at least 6 professors that I would want to work with. Arbitrary number, but I needed some selection criteria. I found 18 programs that met this criteria. I then read at least 3 essay by these 6 professors in each program. After reading them, I read some more essays, especially those that were cited the most by the professors I had already read and those that stood out as particularly promising. After reading all of their essays, I ranked the professors from 1 to 5, based on my subjective interests in their work. This was really helpful in eliminating other schools. Being cost sensitive and focusing on quality over quantity, I decided to only apply to 10 programs. I ended up applying to the 10 programs that I gave the highest points, based on my essay readings.
    This informal literature review process was very helpful in writing my statement of purpose and tweaking my writing sample. I wrote highly individualized statements, based on what the professors had said in the essays I read, especially making use to use the keywords, highlighting key problems, and talking about how I personally would expand on this research question. My writing sample was similarly reworked to incorporate all the essays I had read, although this wasn't individualized to each program as that would be just practically impossible.
    I kept reworking on this till the application deadline, and then I checked out. The rest in history.
    I probably went overboard with this process. It was incredibly time consuming. But, I really enjoyed it. I am sure all those essays I have read will be very helpful for the actual graduate studies.
    I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything else.
  24. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from Dorkface in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Congrats to our Yale admits!!!
  25. Like
    bandanajack got a reaction from gradgirrrl in Interviews/Acceptances/Rejections Fall 2019   
    Congrats to our Yale admits!!!
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