psi*psi

i just worked out a schedule for visits to the schools that have accepted me... i'll be at UCSB feb 26-28 Michigan (Ann Arbor) mar 6-8 Northwestern mar 26-28 possibly Georgia Tech april 2-4 anyone else?

When are you visiting Berkeley and Michigan, and which division are you going into? I have no clue what to wear either...

You're better off using a checking account to pay rent and utility bills...usually you don't even have the option of paying rent by credit. (This is a summary of what I did as an undergrad...my credit score is now officially awesome.) If you're looking to establish a good credit history, start off slowly...buy something like one load of groceries a month if you're apprehensive starting out, and then pay the bill off in full every month before the due date. When you get more comfortable, you can maybe start putting all your groceries on credit and paying the card off in full every month. On a rare occasion, if you're very short on cash, you can take advantage of some of those introductory 0% APR-for-six-months offers, and get a new card in time to buy textbooks. (Then make sure you make at least the minimum payment each month during the intro-zero-interest time, and make sure there's no balance on the card by the time the regular APR kicks in.) I wouldn't advise doing anything with cash advances or those stupid blank checks the companies send you. As other posters have said, never ever ever make a late payment--they charge a fee and it looks bad on your credit report. Likewise, it can reflect positively on your score if you make sure to pay all your utility bills on time. Go for a card with no annual fee, and a fixed APR under 15% if you can find it.

I've been with my guy for six years and lived with him for four. I told him I was going to grad school two years ago, and he knows exactly where I've applied and exactly where I've been accepted. No word yet on whether he'll move...I might have to threaten a bitter kitty custody battle.

I'm going to the Northwestern weekend too, but not sure when. Anyone know when Berkeley is having theirs? I'm not in, but I'm hopeful, and they're my top choice so I definitely don't want any scheduling conflicts...

Cool! I'm going for organic materials.

duncandam: we have three schools in common--which division are you going into?

No word from Berkeley (or Columbia or Georgia Tech or Northwestern)...I've heard back from UCSB and Michigan, though