hudibras

I was thinking about that, too. I know I'm getting waaaay ahead of myself here, but it sure would be nice to get funded and have Uncle Sugar's money on top of that. But I'm probably "on the bubble" for getting accepted (37 years old, my master's degree is from ten years ago, nothing published) so I was wondering if the GI Bill factor would help me over the top. Don't want to bore you with the details, but the non-housing money from the GI Bill goes directly to the school so they would eventually know about it. I don't know how much the admissions committees keep up on the latest in Veterans Affairs news, but they could probably also deduce that I'm eligible from my application.

I am going to apply for science/engineering PhD programs next year (starting Autumn 2013). As a U.S. armed forces veteran, I will be able to use my GI Bill benefits, which pay for all tuition, fees, and books at a public university (call it $18,000 or so per year). I'll also receive a housing allowance worth around $18,000/year (exact amount depends on the cost-of-living in the school's area). Should I mention this when I apply to schools? On the one hand, maybe schools would like to know this information and would be more likely to admit me knowing that I'm basically free. On the other hand, it seems a little crass to mention it and maybe schools will be turned off by the appearance that I'm trying to buy my admission. Also, maybe the professors won't be as interested in having me as a grad student if I'm not dependent on them for funding. Any thoughts?