I agree with the above responses, and would also add that on top of not being funded, New York is an INSANELY expensive place to live in general. I completed my first (unfunded) MA there, and it simply drained my bank account. I'm still recovering two years later. There's enough stress in graduate school without having to worry about your finances. Ideal Scenario: Use the extra year to earn your MA, pad the bank account a little, build up your CV, then sit back & watch the funded offers roll in!