acetylcoa

Hi everybody! I'll be starting my M.A./Ph.D in Hispanic Linguistics with the Spanish/Portuguese Department in the Fall. I am also thinking of living in San Clemente Grad Housing. I already visited the campus and fell in love with the faculty and the university. Let's definitely keep in touch, guys! It would be nice to join a new university with a good group of friends . - Acetylcoa

My first immediate feeling after deciding was that I made the wrong choice. The feeling will go away after a few days! Be confident in your decision and remember why you chose it. - Ace

I made my decision. I will be attending UC Santa Barbara in Fall 2011!!! Thank you so much for all of your help. The participants in this forum really helped me to put everything in perspective. In this case, I am foregoing present financial windfall and gratification for better future job opportunities. Ace

Not yet... I'll post as soon as I make my decision

Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback, it was very useful!

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anybody has insight on how the massive budget cuts ($500 million, possibly more) to the UC system could affect availability of TAships and other sources of funding in the UC system, specifically UCSB, over the next few years? Although I am currently leaning towards UCSB with a TA-ship guaranteed in the first year (but no guarantee afterwards), I am really worried that I might not receive funding in the future. Texas A&M would basically give me a full ride (I got a competitive scholarship), but it is lesser ranked in my field. I really like Texas A&M but I am concerned that my job prospects would be fewer if I get my PhD there than UCSB. Thanks for your feedback, - Acetylcoa

¡Hola a todos! Faltan catorce días y tengo que tomar mi decisión . Quería saber qué opináis vosotros de mis opciones. Estudiaría la lingüística hispánica en ambos casos: 1. UC Santa Barbara (Beginning stipend $15K during my first year + renewable T.A.ship, worth approximately $17K per year salary + $12K paid towards fees) 2. Texas A&M University (Diversity Fellowship recipient, $103K over first three years. Of that $103K, my yearly distribution would be $18K Fellowship + $9K Fees/Tuition Paid + 8K T.A.ship. Me cuesta un montón coger las riendas y decidirme de una vez porque me encanta el programa de UCSB; tanto el profesorado como los campos investigativos que comparto con los mismos. Ellos también me quieren mucho como candidato. El problema principal es que mi novia va a vivir en Texas. Si voy a Texas, puedo estar cerca de ella y además me lo pagarían todo (por lo menos durante los primeros tres años). TAMU, de igual forma es una buena universidad pero el programa es más joven (2003). ¡Os pido ayuda! ¿Qué universidad eligiríais vosotros? Gracias de antemano Acetylcoa

Hi Artschoolhopeful, Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. I am going to look for the program with the best advisor for my interests and take it from there. Right now, I am honestly leaning towards Texas A&M University due to the financial and personal considerations. Although UCSB has a longer history and an excellent placement record, I was also very impressed with the professors at TAMU and feel that the financial support may help me to better focus on my studies. Thanks again, Acetylcoa

No nightmares, but every aspect of my life has become consumed by my decision. Every waking hour and also in those brief moments of lucidity when I am sleeping, I think about the decision. You are not alone . I think this type of thing is completely normal. Try and relax. At least you have made your decision! Acetylcoa

Dear Newms, Thank you for your great advice. I feel that TAMU is a great fit for my research interests. I felt a great connection to all three of the professors I met, who I would be working with closely. The problem is that TAMU's program is relatively new. Since its creation, six students have graduated with PhDs. Four have been placed and the other two may have decided not to continue in academia. In contrast, UCSB has an excellent placement record for its graduates and a more established department in the field I am studying. Admittedly I didn't get a chance to meet as many professors at UCSB as I did at TAMU. I received a very warm reception at TAMU and can tell that the faculty there are extremely supportive of their alumni. At the same time, UCSB has also shown that they really want me. In the end, the decision is very hard because choosing UCSB means being long-distance with my girlfriend for four years; while choosing TAMU could mean fewer job prospects upon graduation. Thanks again for your help, Acetylcoa

Thanks for the advice, Chaospaladin. I will do so. From the conversations I have had so far, it sounds like I shouldn't have any trouble getting T.A.ships at either university.

Hey Amalia, I'm not too familiar with the Bing. program but I am also a PhD admit to TAMU for Hispanic Studies. I would go with TAMU not only because of the generous tuition waver and stipend, but because it is a fiscally sound university with deep pockets in their library system. I learned during my recent visit that basically any book a TAMU student asks for is purchased by the library within a month.

Thanks for your valuable feedback Breeden. Tonight I will speak with some graduate students from each respective college to get more information. I really appreciate your contribution to the discussion On average, we would probably be looking at 4-5 years. Thanks Paladin

Dear ChaosPaladin, here is the breakdown: UCSB Year 1: $29,000 T.A.ship confirmed (14K of which is fee remission, the rest money I can spend to live) + $15K: $44,000 Year 2: Possibility of T.A.ship (29,000K) based on continued academic progress and pedagogical success as a T.A. + Possibility of Fellowship Year 3: Possibility of T.A.ship (29,000K) based on continued academic progress and pedagogical success as a T.A. + Possibility of Fellowship Year 4: Possibility of T.A.ship (29,000K) based on continued academic progress and pedagogical success as a T.A. + Possibility of Fellowship TAMU Year 1: $34,000 Year 2: $34,000 Year 3: $35,000 Year 4: $Possibility of T.A.ship or Fellowship, have to solicit it Year 5: $Possibility of T.A.ship or Fellowship, have to solicit it The financial offer at TAMU is much better because I have three years guaranteed and the living expenses are lower in College Station, TX, whereas at UCSB I would need to qualify and solicit the T.A.ship/fellowship on a yearly basis to see if I can get additional funding. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, - Acetylcoa

Does anybody else have any feedback on whether it would be worth accepting the generous Fellowship from TAMU, even though the school is ranked lower? Thanks, Ace

Thanks for your thoughtful feedback, Chris. It definitely is hard to choose between prestige and proximity to my girlfriend, and great funding vs good funding (with the bad reputation of the UC system). With regards to prestige, what do you (or anyone else who wants to chime in) think about the $103K Diversity Fellowship with TAMU? Would that, in part, help make up for the less prestigious university? - Ace

Dear Borderlands, Thank you so much for your valuable feedback. One of my major concerns with going to UCSB is precisely the lack of funding and the poor financial situation in the overall UC system. During my visit to TAMU, I realized that TAMU has a very generous endowment and that the students benefit from it directly. For example, the grad students I met mentioned that they were able to ask the library system to purchase almost any book and that they have never been turned down. This was really impressive to me. Regarding the subject of TA exploitation, I will take your suggestion and speak to TA's. If you have any more information about the subject, please don't hold back... I don't want to go into this blind . Travel expenses are also a very important subject which I admittedly hadn't thought of very deeply. If I fly from UCSB to San Antonio, Texas (where my GF will be going to med school), it will cost me approximately $360-$400 per flight. Our schedules will be very limited (more hers than mine), so it is possible that only weekends would be feasible. Even on those given weekends, the amount of time she may be able to dedicate to me would be limited. Even if I visit her on a bi-monthly period (6 times per year), I would spend approximately $2400 a year. Ouch. One thing that my mother told me regarding my choice is that I don't need to worry about the financial situation. She really wants me to go to UCSB. She received her PhD in biochemistry at UC Berkeley and her postdoc at Stanford, so the prestige of the university from her point of view. Even though she told me that my family can help me with the financial aspect, I am honestly already 25-years-old and I don't want to be in my family's debt any longer. Thanks again for your feedback and I hope you chime in with anything else you can think of! Your advice has really helped me. Ace

Thanks for the great advice! I will definitely check out the City Guide forums and see what people think about both cities! This is a great resource and I appreciate any help I can get!

This is indeed a very big consideration. What are your thoughts on living in Texas? What are the positives and negatives? One last thing I forgot to mention is that my girlfriend of four years (who I will probably marry) is starting medical school in San Antonio, TX this Fall. If I lived in College Station, it would only be a three hour drive to visit her.

Hi everyone! This is my first post. I have come to seek the sagely advice of the Grad Café gurus! I have been admitted to Ph.D. programs in the humanities at both UC Santa Barbara and Texas A&M University. I have visited both universities, and feel that both would be a great fit for me for different reasons. The main factors that I am most heavily considering at this point are funding, prestige, girlfriend and job opportunities after graduation. Funding: UCSB has offered me a T.A.ship (valued at approximately 29K per year, 14k of which is fee remission) + $15000 in the first year, with the possibility of applying for fellowships in the future. With this package, I would definitely have to pay money out of my pocket to attend UCSB and live in Santa Barbara. TAMU has offered me a prestigious Diversity Fellowship, valued at $103,000 over the course of three years. This would pay for all of my tuition, fees, and take care of basically all of my living expenses in College Station (the cost of living in College Station is much lower than in Goleta/SB). Prestige: UCSB ranks higher than TAMU. Employability: I would be more employable after graduation with a degree from UCSB. However, TAMU does have pretty good prestige within Texas if I wish to stay there. Girlfriend: EDIT: One last thing I forgot to mention is that my girlfriend of four years (who I will probably marry) is starting medical school in San Antonio, TX this Fall. If I lived in College Station, it would only be a three hour drive to visit her. Thanks in advance for your insight and help, Acetylcoa