GraduateSchoolNut

What happens if you receive a scholarship as a fully-funded PhD student? Do you get it or does the school get it? I kind of want to try to go out and win more money because I like winning money. Any thoughts?

I'm reviving this old string again. I don't have a job but want to do something nice for the people who wrote recommendations for me. Is it tacky to give them each a gift certificate to an online store for $20-30? Am I being super cheap? I really don't have a job!!! That way, I don't have to worry about catching them when they are in their office. I know some of them are on vacation, so....

Does anyone know what the hell this means?: XYZ's academic background is a little less competitive. I have a 3.9 GPA and 40% of my grades were A+'s, which did not factor into my GPA. Very confused about this one. That person offered less constructive criticism as well and wrote less.

Thanks all, much appreciated.

My professor kept saying to me that I should expect to work very late on campus for research. What does this mean? How late would I be expected to work? I know what that means for office jobs - 10 p.m. to midnight sometimes, but what does this mean for RA-ships? In particular, if I plan on going to school at 10, taking two classes.... what time would be considered a very late night? Is he just psyching me out or are very late nights normal?

To the person that said do whatever the hell you want - well... what can I really say? Who here would want to associate with someone with that attitude? My advice is to do what is best for you, but to treat the people on the other end the way you would want to be treated. As in, tell them NOW, and do not WAIT until the VERY last minute so they cannot get other good candidates. The longer you wait the more rude you are being and the angrier they will be.

Got it. Good answer and I am on board with it. =) Good luck!

I'm not sure you should be getting a PhD if you are asking this question the way you have. Everyone knows it depends on specialty.

Sorry, but that's just weird - my opinion only.

I think they really gave a highly subjective, and, therefore, inappropriate and unprofessional, reason.

If you like NY, don't go to UCLA. You'll hate it.

Maybe there are tax reasons? They get to write it off?

I think asking where you applied is quite normal. Many schools I applied to requested this information. Asking in writing who you were talking to was what I thought they were asking. I guess I'm in the minority in thinking it's weird.

I guess what I found unprofessional is that they put it in a letter to you. I find that to be strange. I've been ASKED, and it actually helped me to tell, but I guess the letter just seemed weird to me. Well, each person is entitled to his own opinion. Good luck!

That sounds very unprofessional that they would send you a letter like that. I wouldn't tell them. You never know. Tell them after you've made a decision.

My understanding is that NYU is extremely strapped for cash right now. Not sure that would explain the silence, but you never know.

Um... ok, not to sound BITTER or anything, but you're posting that here without having answered the question? Isn't the more appropriate place the results search page?

I don't think typos matter as much as what they are saying, especially, as someone said, if he or she is established. Regarding the person that opened the letters, that is a violation of ethics and trust. I really don't even know what to say to that.

I voted for Chicago but then I changed my mind. Delaware. But I would try to renegotiate with Chicago first. 25% off of their tuition is still insane.

I think the issue this person is having isn't the deposit, which is fairly normal. I think it's that he or she is feeling unsure because they are requesting a deposit and haven't assured him or her of financial aid. Obviously this person will lose the deposit if he changes his mind. Are you applying to the PhD program? If so, sit back and wait for news of financial assistance. You have until April 15. They can't take away your acceptance. Are you applying to a master's program? Then this is different. Don't do anything until you hear word about financial assistance. With your acceptance letter (assuming you already have one), the power is in your hands. Don't give it up by sending in money before the financial package is offered. I know it can seem stressful, but don't stress. School are in agreement that they cannot retract until after April 15 for PhD programs. If it's a masters, pay attention to the deadline in the letter.

Including debts to family members, I owe about $80,000. It's pretty scary, but the great thing about being a student is the deferral with no accrual of interest... I have one unsubsidized loan for $34,000. That is the one that will hurt during school so I must use my stipend to pay down as much as I can as fast as I can to keep ahead of interest payments and try to get a big chunk paid. At 6.8%, I'm accruing approximately $2,300/year. If I want to stay ahead and start eating away at my principal balance, I will have to pay at least twice that. Even so, it's a bit daunting. I try to think of this all as an investment. Whenever extra money comes in, which I hope it will in the summer times, I will use it to pay off my school debt. I'm hoping to pay $6,900/ year on a $22,000 stipend plus summer income. We'll see how it goes. Thank goodness I am used to living like a student.

Silly? I've heard people make comments about "top programs" enough to want to understand how it is defined. I rather think your answer is silly .

It could be a breath of fresh air, but it could also mean that that there are no good candidates at that school, which indicates other things. I wouldn't go somewhere just because they are friendly and helpful. I WOULD consider NOT going somewhere that was the opposite.

How come this post manages to stay at the top of the board even other threads are more current?

Another one: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... o&refer=us Dang. It costs $50K/year to go to Yale? If you took out loans for your entire four years (or five, God forbid), you'd be $200K in debt... is this really worth it?