was1984

Anywhere from 1-2 weeks before the deadlines.

I was so sure I'd hear something by March 1! Aggghhhhhhhh

Most of the people I went to school with had calculus but not linear algebra when starting our degrees. Many of us had to take calculus again anyway due to the inconsistency in counting AP test credits across schools. So we got to do that busy work twice. I've never really heard of anyone taking linear algebra in high school.

I've lived here for the past 7 years. About to leave, hopefully*! *nothing against the town, just ready for a change.

The FAFSA takes like 15 minutes to fill out. The things people try to make money on!

They are a long way from campus, and are very old. I'd recommend living on north campus as a graduate student. North campus has mostly more serious students due to its proximity to the engineering buildings and the law school. When I was in school a couple of years ago, you could get a 1 bedroom on north campus in the $700-$750 range, though prices have probably gone up somewhat. I'd avoid living in the Riverside area with the rent-a-room college complexes. The bus ride isn't too bad but these are really awfully maintained and full of very loud parties. Far West is another option, if you don't mind a 30 minute bus ride every day. This is a really nice neighborhood and rent is pretty low.

Wake up. Look for a job for 3-4 hours*. Read a book for about 6 hours*. Hang out with my girlfriend after she gets off work for 4 hours*. Read for 2 more hours*. Go to sleep. *additionally check email every 2-3 minutes

Maybe, but I have letters of recommendation lauding my ability to communicate both orally and in writing, so I kind of doubt it.

I haven't received any notices yet. I assume my reaction will vary depending on where I get in and what (if any) package I am offered. Hearing good news from a safety school with a package will probably allow me to relax a little bit, but I doubt I will do any celebrating. Hearing good news from one of my top choices will probably cause me to annoy everyone I know with repeated phone calls. Hearing I was accepted without any package will probably cause me to weep a little inside, because any chance I had at financing my own M.S. went away with my job. (See my other thread )

Does anyone know what your EFC has to be to qualify for subsidized student loans as a graduate student? My EFC based on my 2008 return is 19686, and I'm assuming that is way too high to qualify for subsidized loans. Am I wrong? Also, I was laid off this week and the likelihood of me finding a job that pays anywhere near as well as my prior job is pretty much 0. My income last year is probably going to be at least 3-4 times my income this year. Is there any way to improve my financial aid prospects based on my current situation?

Well, I do apparently have a case. The WARN Act exceptions tend to be very narrowly construed and the burden of proof is on the employer. In any case, they are still required to give as much notice as they are able, and I'm certain that was much more than 0 days. The wheels are already in motion. I may not win the case, but I certainly have one. At-will state or not, federal law still applies and in mass layoffs and plant closings, the WARN Act is very much applicable. The case law for the WARN Act is very much stacked against the employer, and is full of judges broadly construing the law for the best benefit of the affected employees.

Hear hear. That pretty much sums me up. I can't beat that, so I'll just echo it.

No sausages here either. I'm supposed to hear something "late Feb. to early March" from at least one of my schools. Hopefully that is remotely accurate.

That is probably what I'm going to do. I'm also going to move back home. Fortunately I live with a friend so I don't have to worry about subleasing or anything like that. Also, thanks to you all for your kind words. And let this be a lesson to all of us. NEVER tell your employer about your future plans until the absolute last minute. People who didn't know I was going back to school were absolutely shocked to hear I was chosen.

It is really vague, like all things lawyerly: (1) Faltering company. This exception, to be narrowly construed, covers situations where a company has sought new capital, or business in order to stay open and where giving notice would ruin the opportunity to get the new capital or business and applies only to plant closings; (2) Unforeseeable business circumstances. This exception applies to closings and layoffs that are caused by business circumstances that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time notice would otherwise have been required; and (3) Natural disaster. This applies where a closing or layoff is the direct result of a natural disaster, such as a flood, earthquake, drought or storm. If 1 is broadly construed, I could see it as a possible out for them, but it explicitly says narrowly construed. Number 2 and 3 certainly should not qualify. We've known this was coming for several months.

Its a federal law. The layoff has to be at least a certain size in order for it to qualify under the warn act.

All I got was my earned pay and compensation for my accrued vacation. I wish my FAFSA was taken from this year!

Yes, I'll be starting school in the fall, so I can probably collect unemployment for most of the period. However I'll have to look for a job while collecting unemployment, or it stops coming. I can't justifiably take a job for 6 months, I just wouldn't feel right. Texas is an at-will work state, but the WARN Act supersedes that in mass layoffs, doesn't it?

It was a 35% company wide RIF. I'm an engineer so I'm not in any union. My understanding is that mass layoffs like this require 60 days notice according to the WARN act. Apparently the company is claiming that because of their economic situation, they don't have to give us notice. They will probably file bankruptcy any day now, but the exiting CEO was just given a million dollars when he was "laid off." I'm not super familiar with the law, but I do feel like this is completely unjust.

Was just laid off with no notice and no compensation, in complete violation of the WARN act. Apparently when your company is suffering you don't have to be humane. Anyone know a good lawyer in the Austin, TX area?

My girlfriend and I have been dating for 3.5 years now, and she most likely will not be relocating, at least not immediately. I'm applying for M.S. programs right now, so it doesn't make much sense for her to uproot her entire life for 1.5 - 2 years, when I will probably go somewhere else for my Ph.D. That said, we have it easier than most, because she telecommutes and can come visit for a week or two pretty much any time she wants. She can't relocate completely because technically she has to maintain an address in the vicinity of her office. I'm not really that concerned about the LDR. We did it before for a few months, and I found it actually strengthened our relationship. Besides that, this way when I'm working 50-60 hours a week, it wont be as much of a sore spot. The only wrench in the works is I see marriage in our future, and I'm just not quite sure how to factor that into my educational plans. I suppose we could always get married and live apart, but that sounds awful!

Eh, what the hell... I'm a M.S. candidate, because I don't have research experience and my UG GPA was low. Undergrad Institution: Large Public, Top 10 in Engineering Major(s): Electrical Engineering Minor(s): N/A GPA in Major: 3.35 (I worked through much of my degree) Overall GPA: 3.32 Length of Degree: 5 years, several co-op tours Position in Class: Anecdotal, probably around top 40% Type of Student: White American Male GRE Scores: Q: 790 (92%) V: 640 (91%) W: 4.5 (58%) WTF? I've seen people who can barely put a sentence together on these boards with 5.5's, so I don't really understand this. Research Experience: More work experience, but 3 co-op tours, 1 year as a 30 hour intern, 2 years full time in device physics. Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Some on the job awards and university honors a few semesters Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Worked as a tutor for 2 years in school. Have given several large classes where I work both domestically and abroad. Co-op organization club president at work. Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: Not that I put in any applications. Applying to Where: U.C. Davis - ECE (MS) - Analog IC Design - No response yet Univ. of Utah - ECE (MS)- Analog IC Design - No response yet Iowa State Univ. - ECE (MS) - Analog IC Design - No response yet Oregon State Univ. - EECS (MS) - Analog IC Design - No response yet

I'd like to point out that threads like this are likely to be skewed heavily toward the most qualified applicants. Those of us with a weakness in our application aren't keen to advertise it .

I got a letter in the mail the other day from one of my schools saying they had received my FAFSA application. Gee thanks.