Leahlearns

I heard from U of Washington last Tuesday. But I have no idea if they are done contacting people. I received a phone call from the director of graduate studies.

I haven't posted since I was applying to master's programs. I'm now applying to doctorate programs. I was accepted at U of Washington last week. I received a call from the director of graduate studies.

For future people coming to Seattle: I would recommend avoiding renting from Avia real estate. I had a bad experience with them. Could be an anomaly, but when you have so many choices why take the risk?

I'm almost in the same boat. I leave in two weeks. I won't know anyone and I don't know the city where I'll be in school. I guess it's easy for me to say this now as I'm not in your situation (yet), but I think most people end up being very happy so that odds that you will too are very good. Best of luck. I was going to start a new thread, but I suppose I might as well post my question here: What is everyone doing to make their new residence feel like home? I'm looking for ideas. I haven't done much yet, but I am spending quite a bit to have some framed pictures that I like and that have been on my walls for years sent across the country so that they can be on my new walls too.

Good luck! I found a place. I'm going to have a bit of a commute, but it seems completely doable and a friend did visit for me. It's nice when people are honest even when that's not necessarily what's in their (monetary) interest. I did have some experience with some seemingly not-so-honest folks over the course of this search, but I think things have now all worked out.

Exactly. The more I think about this the more I think even if this commute ends up being 30 minutes instead of 15, maybe it's not as pleasant as a 2 minute walk to campus, but if I decided to I could make good use of the time. Thanks all.

I don't think it should be either. But when I asked the landlord about the commute she told me, "to be honest with you some students think it's a bit long." I told her it didn't sound all that bad to me and she agreed. (I think I spent that long on the bus going to elementary school, albeit I was less busy back then. :wink: ) So yeah, that's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. I mean I guess if you have to go back and forth multiple times a day I guess it could become a bit tedious, and of course the 15 minutes doesn't include any time I might spend waiting for a bus to arrive. So yeah, I'd like to hear the arguments against.

So I'm considering living in a neighborhood where I would have an 10-15 minute commute to campus depending on traffic. I don't have a car so I'll be relying on public transportation, although I'm told it's decent. I don't know what my work schedule will be yet (the $$ variety of work), but with the exception on one day a week (when I have two classes three hours apart--I figure I could eat (a bagged) lunch and go to the library in the interim), I only have one class per day and only have classes 4 days per week. Am I going to go crazy or is this doable? The neighborhood has its pluses or I wouldn't be considering it: safe, no frats, etc. in the near vicinity (read: quiet). The rent is neither particularly high nor low.

That's awesome! I bet that scheme would actually make sense for a lot of folks if you're going to be in one area (especially an area where rents are high) for an extended period of time you can use the property as an investment. Real estate prices (hopefully) will bounce back in the next few years too. My friend did give me advice about which areas are safest, etc., but perhaps I'll look up crime statistics as well--definitely couldn't hurt.

Craig's list is what I've been using. The person I know out there, as I think I mentioned, did visit four places four me (two apartments in two different apartment complexes) and none of them met her standards. She thought they weren't that great and expensive for what they were. Given that I am worried about renting sight unseen. I think landlords are reluctant to rent their property to someone they've never met. (I would be too!) I've already been at this for a few weeks (the long duration is largely due to the fact that I've been dependent on someone else). I'm very eager to have this settled at this point, which is probably not a great attitude to have as this is a pretty darn important decision.

Yes, it does sounds like we're in the same situation. I'm thinking of signing a six-month lease. I'm asking a ton of questions. I've requested photos, although I haven't received any yet and I'm thinking of asking to be put in touch with a current tenant. Of course, my request could be turned down, but it's worth a try. I won't arrive early enough to find a place before orientation begins. Good luck with your search!

Have you rented an apartment? Did you visit? Did you rely on photos? I've had a friend of a friend visit a few place for me. But she's already visited a few (4 in total, although there wasn't that much running around involved because there were only a total of 2 apartment complexes involved). She didn't want to be paid. I did sent her a small gift. But she seems really busy and I still haven't found anything appropriate. (She hasn't said anything, this is just my sense.) I know ideally I'd go look for myself...I'm just trying to save every penny I possibly can.

Yeah, I like the speadsheet idea. I'm really not sure how much to budget for even basic expenses though. I can look up how much Broadband will cost, but I figure for at least the first month or so my food expenses will probably be slightly higher as I accumulate basic ingredients. But I think what I'm going to do is just be really meticulous about recording how much I'm spending in each category and then after 1-2 months I could set some goals/limits. (In addition to, as you said, recording that you've spent money as soon as you spend it so you're entirely clear on how much you have leftover.) That reminds me I need to go figure out how I am supposed to get the stipend money into my (as of yet non-existent) bank account.

Do I have to join or something? I'm getting a little key symbol???

Hmm...Good to know about the $1000. Sounds like I'll just have to bite the bullet. The money I'm making now is covering my current living expenses and very little else so this is all somehow going to have to come out of my stipend, or at least a good 90% of it. I think my visitors are going to be limited to friends from other schools. I'm moving about as far away from home as I could without leaving the US and it seems very doubtful that family will come visit my first year--sounds like a good scheme you've got going there though! I will definitely hunt down goodwill, salvation army, etc. I'm also discovering that the more affordable apartments (under $700/mo) are tiny! I'll be in a big city and I come from a tiny town so the average rent/ apartment size is definitely a bit shocking. I don't need much space, but I'm wondering if I'll be able to fit a desk, a bookshelf, and a small couch into a 7x11 space. Preferably I'd also get a small table in there. If it has to be just a small end table I could make do...ideally would be able to fit a (cheapo) coffee table.

I'm just wondering how other people plan on budgeting... I guess the big question in my mind is that it doesn't seem to make sense to divide the money allotted for living expenses (room and board minus board) by the number of months in the school year because there will be many more expenses early on as I accumulate basic things (furniture, basic cooking ingredients, kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, etc.) than I will have later on. Do I just wing it the first month or two, trying to save whereever I can, and budget later once I have a better idea of what things cost?

Hi, I don't know what your field is, but I got into one terminal MA program by the skin of my teeth this last time around. (I applied to four total.) If I had it to do again I would have applied to a larger number of programs. There simply aren't all that many terminal MA programs in my field and given that I knew I would be taking out major loans to pay for the degree I didn't think it made sense to apply to anywhere I didn't really want to go. However, if I had it to do over I would have applied to a Canadian university or two as well. (I also belatedly discovered two other excellent programs in the US that I hadn't known existed.) In any case, the point I'm belaboring to make it that I would recommend applying to a larger number of programs if you can afford it. It's rare that terminal MA programs are completely funded, but there is usually some funding available and it would have been nice to have been admitted to two or more schools so that I would have had more leverage when it comes to financial aid. (A friend of mine was successful in doing this, although in this economy I'm sure that's more unusual.) Also, perhaps you already know this, but with some PhD program applications you can ask to be considered for just their MA program if you are rejected from their PhD program.

Can somebody explain to me why it's worth buying one of these timbuk2 messenger bags instead of a high quality backpack (jansport or eddie bauer, for example), that can hold the same amount or more, when these messenger bags literally cost twice as much? I realize that backpacks are not as stylish. I don't know if I think the style is worth the extra money or not. I'm leaning towards not. But is there some other consideration I'm overlooking here? Not to make this question deeper than it is...

I don't remember who it was (there are so many posts...), but whomever it was who said that the girl who did this must be really full of it is right on in my opinion. I think turning her in (somehow) is the right thing to do. But this all really makes me wonder if there is something else in her past she's hiding??? Lots of applicant are socially awkward and afraid the world will come to an end if they aren't accepted. I have a really hard time believing that's what this is about. I'd bet big bucks this isn't the first time she has engaged in this sort of despicable behavior.

I haven't heard anything about health insurance, but I've been wondering about it. It looks like I can buy health insurance through the school using some of the money I am receiving in loans. How incredibly complicated! I don't know if I should just sign up for that or if I should look into other options and compare.

So this has absolutely nothing to do with grad school, but... I feel as though I need to read a book on modern British history. My knowledge of European history generally is pretty sad, but I think I want to start with Britain. Anyone have any recommendations?

YES. I've been out of school for 3 year and I've been teaching ESL. I'm very worried about writing papers. I haven't written anything that wasn't intended for ESL students in a really long time. I guess I wrote my SOP, but that was just a page or so and I spent forever on it, had lots of people edit it for me, etc.

I had a somewhat similar experience with Stanford (although with a different department). They didn't respond to my e-mail, but a few days later I got a rejection letter. I'm not saying by any means that this means you're going to be rejected. I think sometimes though when they have a lot of inquiries and they know that you will be hearing from them soon in one manner or another and so they don't bother to reply to you directly. I guess I'm saying give them the benefit of the doubt and if you still haven't heard in another week (or maybe two weeks if you're not in the US?) bug them again.

I am convinced that the GRE measures nothing more than your ability to take a test. I did not study for the SAT. I did study for at least two hours a day and many more on the weekends for a solid 3-4 months prior to taking the GRE. I didn't take a class, but I bought a prep book and also practiced with the software that came with the book. My GRE scores were almost identical to my SAT scores. (My quantitative score went up ten points, that was the only difference. This is actually kind of amusing because my ability to read and write improved tremendously in college, but I hadn't taken a math class since my senior year in high school and I didn't bother spending much time preparing for the quantitative section of the exam because I was told they would hardly look at it. I think the fact that I felt less nervous about the quantitative section because I'd been told my score wouldn't matter is what accounts for the difference.) What I didn't focus on when I was studying was the strategy section of the prep book. I figured if I knew the material I'd be fine. I am now convinced I was very wrong. Maybe the classes you can take can teach you that strategy more effectively than you can learn it on your own. Or maybe my scores would have improved if I had seen test prep as being about mastering strategy. But I certainly was better prepared for the content side of the GRE than I had been for the SAT and it did me no good.

Coolness. Thank you.