GirlattheHelm

I use Key Bank and was pleasantly surprised that there are about 5 Key Banks within a ten mile radius of Burlington. That's an option.

It sucks a big one. BUT there might be light at the end of the tunnel. I'm going to Burlington tomorrow (early!) and going to put the pinch on apartment hunting. I'd try the grad-housing but that's, well, a small mint. Ugh...

I'd say go for it. It's only a week but it's supposed to be intensive. First, it gives you something to do. More importantly, something to do while being away from a parental unit (though in today's society you'll be overly supervised). Second, assuming that this is a clustering of truly magnificent engineering 'nerdom', there may be the possibility you'll learn something! What a novel concept! Third, even for a week $1500 isn't that much. It's roughly $215 dollars a day and for the expenditures presented between a babysitting squad, food, supplies, gas, cash for the lecturers, compensation for other odds and ends expenditures... the price makes sense. And, lastly, it's definate resume material.

That'll probably happen over the summer. First things first, remember to send your finalized transcript and all the other whatnots necessary and then I assume other information will follow. Worse case scenario - email the department and ask who your advisor is and then try to contact that person. I know my advisor is back in June... but I still have to send proof that I graduated/completed my bachelors. Most all acceptances are conditional in that way so square away that factor first, then look for registration/orientation crap after. It's only the end of May, so do not fear. (Do hurry with the apartment hunt though!) 8)

I have no idea when I start. I assume September on a regular calendar schedule but who knows. I still need to get up there, do my course scheduling, get housing, etc-etc. I dread the apartment hunting. It was awful where I'm currently at; but I got a fabulous apartment, thank god. Minus the HUGE rent cost.

I work at my university so all that has done is stall any possibility of slowing down. My main professors are kicking me in the bum to get through all of this. Minus the fact I have the mother of all final exams tomorrow at 6pm - 8pm. If I fail that I have to SCRAMBLE to the deans office and re-route graduate class credits to my undergraduate degree. I'm thinking worst case scenario right now. To think I've been accepted to the school I have wanted and one man, in a program I am not in - in a course I am taking for 'fun', can shatter my dreams and future hopes has me so stressed out. So, work is only spiking my anxiety; they all know I'm in. I'm banking that my boss would drive a shiv in this dude (he has the power to) if he flunks me (though he shouldn't; I'm an A+ student!).

I'm actually moving to Burlington by June. If anyone has leads on jobs or housing, now's the time to start posting! I shall do the same.

**HUGS!** Congrats! That makes everything so much nicer.

I thought about jumping off the front porch when I saw the UVM letter at my mail box. More-better was the fact I called my boss while in a state of shock and he had me recite, "I have been accepted to the University of Vermont!" five times. All while he was cackling. It amused me.

Why would you want to go anywhere else!? http://www.gradschoolforum.com/ http://www.admissionsboards.com/ Grad Cafe rules the roost, in my not so humble opinion, though.

Cornell never sent out a word. Not a huge loss (I assumed I was just donating the $70 bucks anyway). And, I wouldn't have minded going there, but I surely wasn't anticipating acception. I got into where I wanted... I am content being in the 'Forever Limbo' of Cornell Graduate Applicants.

Meh, if you see that as pessimistic or optimistic you are mistaken; I am realistic. If the sum is not greater than the parts, find something else to do- that allows you to at any point to make a decision to better the situation for you (using this in relationships is a fantastic weeding tool - but then again, that's why I'm usually single - well, that and I'm crazy). It has no conceptual line of time and is not giving advice as what to do, it's giving a path to walk by verses trying to divine the future. I look at life as a standard set of equations and hence the reality is that not all of that weight is financial. At some point, most of us will be in serious debt; that's life in our culture. Whether it's college, a house payment, that new blue Viper in the front yard. As I see it then, living to pay off loans because that seems logical, is not a reason suitable for most interesting people to live life and in no way shape or form gives you better future options. With future options comes debt; you need to manage it so it doesn't kill you, yes, but do not negate away what it can afford you either! If we're trying to open doors and do interesting things, this is a better way of creating more available options. We are not, however, allowed the ability to divine the future's events that push and pull on us (car accident; lottery winnings; entire mass suicide of family; purchasing a kid etc-etc). It all can go to hell in a handbasket faster than you can say or do anything - that does NOT mean we should put the breaks on and try to salvage when the ship hasn't even sunk yet! In addition, we control little to nothing in our lives. Circumstance, the status quo, and other people/forces/institutions/cultural norms/finances/mental hardwiring/etc-etc are dictators to us as individuals - whether or not we want to admit it. Everything is always left up to chance; even if we feel the margin is slim - don't be fooled, we're all ants on a hill in the vast desert of the universe. I'm not saying throw caution to the wind - but if you want to do something you have to weigh your options that are now available; if you pass it up, consider it absolutely gone until/if the option returns. I don't play on what ifs - the land of the hypothetically speaking idiots ought to go pontificate in a philosophy class and leave the rest of us to ourselves and the bright or awful realities that are our lives. Deal with what comes not what your imagination might spawn - [nearly all] people are crappy at fortune telling. That's not optimism or pessimism - that's reality. Make a choice for youself on what you value and what you are given the opportunity right now to gain; whether that means going to school or into the 9-5 grind or whatever... When I say "gain" I am under the impression a Master's degree opens doors in the future. The gain is not instant and is not a guarentee but without enduring it we fail to see what's on the other side; that needn't be thought of beyond the progression of simple ritual progressions, as I said, I do not do 'what if's'. We cannot negate the future but it is only a forethought; divining it on emotion and into good-bad scenerios means we miss the boat on current happenings that are really in front of us. If you don't have a job, don't assume you'll get one next month - you don't have the options yet. I am a firm believer that I ought to ALWAYS do what's best for one's self at the moments that are present; that is where the dynamic itself comes in - even if the price tag looks high the person making the decision has to be the equating force as to whether or not it is too high -not the rest of us. Do the ends justify the means, in this case? $100,000 dollars is awful looking at this point in our lives, but perception is everything and don't be misaligned to thinking it's somehow damning. Most smart people by a $100,000 dollar starter house and move up - we're investing in the $100,000 for an entry level job that pays half that, say, and you'll move up in pay, given if your field allows that - but you have to look and make that decision. And, if you work during school, life is far more hellish but nobody said this was supposed to be easy. There are venues but you have to decide if it works the best for you and if you can shoulder the burden now and with the presented options available. Oh, and freefallen - excuse me momentarily for being a total bitch, this is not projected at you, I am just sooo tired of all of my freshman students pontificating about grad school... Graduate Schools are present and ought to be in the future, yes, but I will crucify the next person I hear muttering, "Well if I get into [insert School & Program]... blah-blah-blah..." If you have not been asked to attend or been alloted your deferment, kiss it good-bye until the next turn over - you are not in until you are in and if you fail to see that you need to start looking harder. Leave daydreaming to the children because the reality is a HUGE kick in the pants.

First, and foremost, Congratulations! Now, to the rest of what I'm going to spout about - That's a downright awful generalization for MA programs. Getting your Masters simply means you are less likely to see funding in the first semester and if you see funding, it will simply be less than a doctoral student would see for obvious reasons of time and quantity of work associated with the degree. Master's programs must carefully allocate funding because there usually isn't a plethora of it and wasting it on the following types is not good: A.) A nut job. B.) A flunky who fell in through the cracks. C.) An idiot. D.) The Invisible Person - who might have the best grades and does well but, not surprisingly, is NEVER around to do such work or help out. Those are all options they want to avoid, but just an application is hard to weed the above out. So, they get a look at you for a semester before they put their money where there mouth is. This allows for some margin of error and is easier on the bank book... I know, I work with graduate level students in an Environmental Studies, MA and two professors have TA ships; sure, they're small but it really helps. And, on top of it, it's a tiny program so if you show up enough and do odd jobs, they'll give you $4,000 stipend a semester, Yippy! Granted, there is no guaranty on funds in the future for MA students at most universities, while doctoral candidates who are not offered first semester funding (as is the policy in some places) often see funds if they make it to the second semester assuming appropriate quality of performance (economic insanity not withstanding). The same goes for MA students, just on a smaller scale; often times there are TA, RA, and other whatnots available in house for differing MA programs or in adjacent departments (especially if it's an interdisciplinary field). Field of study and university structure, more particularly, are the issues as these elements also allocate how the university establishes its budget in regards to higher level students. In the end, you cannot assume funding as such a massive issue in the Master's program 'world'. No, you probably won't get a free ride, usually. You may have the opportunity for funding in the future (and often times those positions contain tuition remissions as well as stipends - though it depends). Just don't let the funding thing be the millstone of the process; worry about it when/if you chance down your PhD - as that's a different story. Those (possibly 6-10) years would be definitely crying out for some cash, and you ought to burn any PhD acceptance letter without funding... As far as debt goes - how much do you have from your past schooling residing? How much will you assume while attaining your masters? Oh, yeah, most importantly - do you want to go to graduate school at this school? Waiting has its merits, but so does continuing your education; this is a personal decision based on whether or not this opportunity provides MORE future options for you than those currently available to you. Fuck the debt! If it's going to help you, take the chance now. Yes, even if you cannot pay it off in 10 years. Only fear it if it will totally sink you (I.E. you have no better options for the work equated). It is all about whether or not the sum is greater than the parts that make it up; if not, don't go but if this means something for your future plans, you might want to grab the opportunity while it's still on the table.

I'm thinking August but nothing's concrete yet. I haven't decided if I want on campus or off campus housing yet... I feel like getting housing outside of Burlington is a better idea - more commute = more space = happier me. But that may or may not happen depending on what's out there this summer. Oh, and if ya'll are bringing a car from out of state, Vermont requires that after 60 Days of residency you are supposed to have changed over your vehicle registration and get a Vermont License and all that jazz. I highly recommend everyone does this. I know-I know, it's a major pain in the bottom, but I figure I'll do it. That way the car is registered in Vermont and easier if I try to stay on in the state (which I plan to do). Plus it's easier to get it worked on in state and just avoids the hassle of back and forth crap. Minus the fact changing registration is as painful as the day is long, but I hear the DMV is way better in Vermont than in NYS (I hope Vermonter's aren't just on an ego kick - but if it's true, I will stay in Vermont for all of my live-long days!).

Hmm... Yeah, a cream filling is better. But you also gave me a great idea of how to incorporate my nonsmoker pals into this old tradition of huff-and-puff...!