Jmews

You think there'd be some kind of break in there for us. It seems like nearly every dollar I spend has something to do with school! Still getting to grips with the tax system here. Thanks for the help!

Has anybody got any first hand experience in claiming education expenses. For example, I have an Ipad that I use almost purely for reading journals/books. Can I claim this? I suppose I should also be keeping all printing expenses etc.

I understand, and share, your opinion regarding the misuse of funding for PhDs. I have no intent of just receiving the MA, but rather just wish to clarify my financial liability prior to committing myself.

I have been admitted to a Ph.D. program at a University of California with a fellowship award and full waiver etc. However, I am slightly concerned about my liability for any funding received from the department if I do not complete the entire course of study. Obviously I am going into this with the expectation that I will be able to complete the required work, but I have slight concerns about both my ability and desire to complete such a long period of research. I have some pressing family issues which complicate my situation, and will be far across the country from all of my family. Does anyone know what the general situation is regarding liability for payments received when it comes to withdrawals and fellowship funding? Does it depend on what stage you are at? Is there a clear precedent in these case? I am aware that in this program I receive an M.A. after the first year, but then there are several years of further instruction and research. This is weighing heavily on me, as I am inclined to pass up the opportunity if there is a chance of liability. To add further pressure, a graduate qualification in my field is only really useful for further academic pursuits.

Any updates to this post? We've been looking at a few places downtown (orange at mission, brockton at mission etc.), and canyon crest, but are unsure about what is best. Budget is $850 max (my wife works), and we are keen to live somewhere interesting, near a decent level of amenities, but still safe.

Just received my rejection for UCSC as well. Not particularly surprised, as I didn't have a great fit there. Short email, standard format.

Has anyone heard anything from Irvine or Santa Cruz? There were two acceptances from Irvine a while ago, but no updates since then.

It was an original piece of work for my U.K degree. I then studied abroad on a course which did not contribute to my degree classification, and so it happened that there was a degree of overlap and flexibility which allowed me to submit this piece again. I don't want to say exactly where I received my undergrad. degree, but it was in a well regarded university with a great reputation in my field. It's certainly true that grades in this department usually reach 71-5% as a maximum. To the original poster, good luck with the application, you have nothing to lose!

I've also studied in both the U.K. and U.S., and agree that it is not quite as simple as converting Canadian % into U.K. degree classification. I'd also agree with your rough conversion, but wouldn't place too much importance on it. An example, I submitted an undergrad. paper in the U.K. and received 82%. The same paper in the U.S? 98%. This does make your suggestion of subtracting points from your average seem sensible, but I wouldn't rely on it too much. I would advise contacting the institutions directly, not placing too much emphasis on grades, and stressing your other experiences. Admissions here are generally quite flexible.