gomezdm

Yes, I have - I actually live in Manhattan, and most of my MA thesis research is right down the street at the NYPL. I have to admit, I was worried about the location, but the building is way nicer than I expected!

I've just accepted for PhD history. Anyone else going?

Well, I had high hopes for Rutgers but this year just wasn't a good year for apps, or for money, and they were not able to make second round offers. I'm happy enough that I was waitlisted and not rejected, though! Those of you who are going to Rutgers, I'll meet you next semester and I'm looking forward to it. Let me welcome you to the department and tell you that you'll love it, and all of the people in it. As for where I'm going - it's CUNY! I'm excited.

I care very much! Sorry you won't be there, but I'm happy that maybe, just maybe I can have a chance. Good luck at (I presume) Ohio State!

They didn't contact me, and actually haven't for any of this stuff. I've gotten answers from them because I've asked. Today I asked what my chances of admission were, and that's what I was told - and I wasn't the only one. Someone else on the board did that today as well, and received the same answer.

Bad news, no matter when they plan on notifying. I was informed today that, due to a combination of the number of acceptances they've received and the budget cuts necessitated by the crappy economy, Rutgers does not anticipate moving to the waitlist and making a second round of offers. At all.

Ack! It's April 13! That's all. Just needed somewhere to post my momentary freakout - decision time is rapidly approaching!

[quote name="Louiselab

Right. I think what they meant by that is that they are planning to notify people that they're on the waitlist, making sure to notify everyone by April 15. Decisions to come later, after all admitted students have accepted or declined.

I don't think we'll hear anything more until after April 15, though if we'll lucky we might hear a day or two before. Remember that they need to hear from those they've extended offers to before they can deal with us. And as far as finding out how the waitlist process works, it's my understanding that they don't like to give out too many details, so I wouldn't anticipate hearing a whole lot about that at all.

Don't! Just don't! They are DREADFUL. My husband and I lived in one for a year and moved out as quickly as possible. It consists of two 12 x12 rooms, with the living room and kitchen being the same room. Your "kitchen" is a counter along one wall - no dishwasher, and you have a very tiny stove/oven. Walls are cinderblock or thin plaster, and you can hear everything from your neighbors. It's cold and dark, and there are only two windows. Oh! And our bathtub was so gross when we moved in, just from years of wear and tear, that eve after scrubbing it several times I never felt comfortable enough to lie down in it. Lastly, there are fire alarm drills about once a week - at all hours of the day - and you MUST leave your apartment when they happen, no matter what. The only good thing about on-campus housing is that it's a little cheaper than living anywhere else. But it IS NOT WORTH IT. Moving out is one of the best decisions we made.

Uh, yeah. Right there with you on procrastination. So - sdklos, I suggest you go to the school that gives you the best feelings and where you think you will be happiest. Nothing matters as much as where you feel you will fit - not research-wise, because no school will take you if you aren't a good research fit! - but personality-wise. If there is one school that speaks to you, even if there is no rational reason for it, go there. This is where you have to spend the next five years of your life, and it doesn't matter how good the placement is - if you don't absolutely LOVE the place (or at least like it and feel safe and content there) it will be hard for you to work well and get through the degree. Just my two cents!

I think it is allowed - outside the strictures of the CGS agreement, universities can make whatever policies they want. Making non-funded students decide by April 15 is not expressly disallowed by the agreement, so we have to assume it is valid and acceptable for universities to do so. With that said, I really hope that my school lets me take a few days to a week longer to choose.

Maybe - but I have no funding at the school I was accepted to, and I still have to reply by April 15. I'm going to try to negotiate that deadline, but they aren't necessarily flexible.

I think what they meant is that they can tell you if you are on the waitlist by April 15 - I bet the actual acceptance/rejection comes later. Remember that those they extended the initial offers to don't even have to respond until April 15 - if they don't accept/deny earlier then there's no way we'll know earlier. I really would assume that we'll know our admissions status after the 15th, when the department has had time to sift through the fallout from initial offers and then decide which ones of us they want (if any). But I hope I'm wrong! I would love to know sooner. Also, though I wish I could scare you all away by saying their funding is shite, it's really not. Rutgers fully funds everyone they admit. It is something they pride themselves on. Good package at aprrox. 18k a year - 4 years of funding if you come in with an MA, and 5 if with only a BA.

Seconded.

Got an email telling me I'm on the waitlist, and my status on the webpage hasn't changed. As I posted to the other thread, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go to Rutgers, so if you don't please let them know soon! You know, no pressure or anything.

Status has not changed on the website, but I just found out that I am waitlisted at Rutgers! It is my first choice and I DESPERATELY want to go there, so if any of y'all don't, then please please reject sooner rather than later! No pressure or anything, though!

Ah, we had one shitty car, and the truck was one of the UHaul trailers - oh, and did I mention that we cheated a little on the do-it-ourselves part when my dad volunteered to tow it with his SUV? That probably made it easier! I'll admit, I dream of being able to go full service for the next move - I envy you! I'm not questioning that your way is AMAZING, just wanted to toss in my two cents for those who don't have the budget to make it work.

When my husband and I started grad school, we moved from our three bedroom house in Georgia to a one bedroom apartment in New Jersey via our own manpower and a U-Haul. It wasn't too expensive, and it wasn't that bad. Loading and unloading is no fun, but it never is. I know the appeal of hiring movers, but speaking as someone who has moved A LOT (3 states in the past 3 years!) I just gotta say that it is significantly cheaper to do it yourself.

Has anyone tried calling Rutgers? That might be a better way to do it. They're busy with prospective day today and tomorrow, and were on spring break last week, so if you want a more immediate response a phone call would probably get the job done.

When there was no mention of funding in the letter, I emailed the grad director. He's the one who told me that all of the funding has already been allocated, and I am one of the unlucky who did not receive it. EDIT: I should have specified that I got two letters - one from the department, then one from the grad school a week later. The first one said nothing about funding, and that's when I emailed.

Love can totally happen in grad school! I met and married my history flavored nerd about two years ago, and now we're both up in NYC working on PhDs. It can work! I promise!

After being 0-2 of 3 for weeks, I finally got an offer from CUNY for a History PhD. The catch? It's unfunded. The graduate director tells me that only half of incoming students are funded, and all of it has already been allocated. My chances of getting funding for my first year - 2009-1010 - are slim. This is a problem, but it isn't an insurmountable one. My husband and I are NYC residents, so we don't have the inconvenience of moving and I'll get to pay in-state tuition. I can take out a small amount of student loans to cover the year's tuition, and adding $6,000 to $61,000 seems so marginal as to barely have an impact. My big worry is that the graduate director's assurances that most students can find work as adjuncts after the first year won't come true for me - and then the amount I have to take out in loans turns into $12,000 and that's not so marginal. And then what about the year after that, and the year after that? Not to mention that my husband is a graduate student, too, so even though his stipend is enough to support the two of us it's barely enough - and he needs it to support his research abroad in addition to supporting us! I'm taking my time and thinking this offer through. I feel like I can take the first year unfunded only if I can get a stipend for the others, but I have no idea how realistic this is. Does anyone have experience with the CUNY funding craziness? How likely is it that I would get funding in later years? Is the department super competitive with so many unfunded students fighting each other for what little money there is? Anyone have any stories to share or words of wisdom for me? Anything you've got would be appreciated! (Also, I've posted this in the History thread, too, so if any of you come across it twice that's why and I'm sorry!)