wannabeaphd

Is there any possibility of negotiating funding? Also, think long and hard about this -- I know some people who say that you shouldn't attend the same school for undergrad and PhD...

Thanks coonskee! For those of you who have successfully negotiated, was it with a written offer, or verbal? Did you just have to mention it or did you need to fax a copy?

+1 for media mail! We shipped 8 boxes of books when we moved across country last year. But DO NOT use boxes larger than 12x12x12, because the weight of the books insude the boxes will cause them to split open if dropped in transit.

Is an unofficial offer of fuding from one school good enough to negotiate funding with another school? I've got an unofficial offer for about 20K and renewal for multiple years (not specified) and I want to use it to negotiate my official offer of about 17K for 3 years. Would this work? Do you think it needs to be an official funding offer? The offer came from a POI who is also dept. chair -- and teh funding is specifically for projects with him which are already funded. Thoughts? Thanks!

Yes, I was thinking placement. If students drop out then they have fewer to place and their placement rate will look better...

It's not very charitable, but I think it's because 1) the professors aren't really invested in teaching, 2) the university needs lots of TAs but not lots of PhD program graduates, so people get lefft by the wayside, and 3) they feel (like at Berkely) that "the cream will rise to the top" so they don't really need to be invested in all of their students because talent will show itself.

Congrats, TexanLex!

When I accompanied my SO to campus visits last year, the collegial vs. competitive thing was a big deciding factor. Here is the rundown for the schools we visited: UCLA = extremely competitive USC = very collegial UCI = very collegial UC Davis = some of both UCSD = more competitive than I would have suspected Hope this is helpful!

Congrats, Wildviolet!!! Keep up the good vibes FutureEdStudent12 -- it'll work out soon! Good luck all, we should be in the final streach now?!

I've got a list of wonderful things liek go to the beach, visit family for a week or two, have guests, etc. We also have plans to go to Hawaii at the beginning of summer. But my big project is going to be consulting with a librarian at the school I will attend, deciding on a citation management software, and inputting all of my articles from my MA thesis and my (relevant) MA course readings! I want to start a big helpful database of all my research and course readings. Woo hoo We packed up and did the corss-country move last summer, so I don't have anywhere to move! Btw, good luck for those of you that do!

This sounds cold as well, but what if the boyf never gets his "ducks in a row"? You never can tell, right? I also went through something similar last year. My SO (of 6 years) and I both ap[plied to PhD programs -- we tried to apply at some schools that were within 50-100 miles of each other, so for instance, she applied to Temple, I applied to Penn, she applied to USC, I applied to UCLA, etc. Well, she got into nearly every scvhool and I was rejected by all. I really didn't have it all together honestly... But we both toured her schools and ended up moving to the best program for her in our prefered location (rank, feel, and geoghraphy all played a part in the decision). I wasn't sure I was going to apply again thsi year, but I ended up doing so. I applied to every schopol within 100 miles of her school and I've gotten into 3, so it's worked out pretty well, albeit a year later! Basically, invest in yourself and it will find a way to work itself out.

Thanks all. I'm actually thinking about getting experience in econ. One of the programs has a great economist I could work with... so that could be an important factor.

congrats dm242!

Congrats hitomimay! Does that change your decision for USC, or just confirm it? Even though I've got all my results, now that financials are trickling in, matters are more complicated than I had initially thought!

Hi all, So I wondered, what do you think is hot in education research right now? I'm asking this with an eye to what might be likley to land me a job in the future. I have several good options for entering PhD programs this year, but the areas are all a little different. I'm primarily interested in studying a specific subgroup of nontraditional students in higher ed, but I can come at it from MANY different directions. My long term goals include being a prof and researcher, or possibly higher ed admin. I also want to make myself as marketable as possible since I have an academic spouse. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Oh man! So, I went to UCI's recruitment weekend and was pretty sure I was heading there this fall... until I got am email from my prospective advisor at UCSB letting me know about a very large pending grant to study basically exactly what I want to research! I'm glad I haven't accepted anywhere yet, and now I'll have to wait and see. The complications of this process never seem to end. But at least it's a good problem! Continued good luck to all!!!

hitomimay -- I really like living in the Los Feliz/Silverlake areas, but Culver is a good option too, and if you like more urban areas, there are a couple of areas closer in to USC that are OK as well, but they tend to be more expensive high-rises. Good luck on the roomate search and congrats! You're going to love it! In other news, my visit to Irvine this weekend was WONDERFUL! It's heaven down there and they had all of the right answers to the questions I asked. I'm really pleased that I'll probably be going there in the fall! I'm waiting to formally accept though, because I hear that they will match funding if I happen to get a better offer from another school.

I'm having a similar/different question for my upcoming campus visit (it's a recruitment weekend for admitted students). Both of the 2 professors who are highest on my list of people to work with have been at the institution for 6 years at the end of this year. I would really like to know if they are tenured -- the review process has be to happening this year right? -- and if they plan to stay at the university. Is there a good way to ask this? So far, i'm thinking about asking leading questions like "is the department planning to expand in {the prof's area of interest}." Thoughts?

Congrats @ litjust!!! @ ak1 -- sounds like you've got some great options already, but I'd advise waiting until all your decisions are in to accept and decline. You never know what may mappen, and you shouldn't have long to wait now!

Don't give up if it's your dream smooth va! I know someone who was rejected from the same psych PhD program 3 times before being finally accepted! Good luck all 2+ years!

The first rejection felt awful, but thelast rejection actually felt pretty good for me! Here's hoping that you're all going ot be in the same boat soon -- hopefully with an acceptance in the mix!

Well, I mean, don't limit yourself... but my advice is to shoot for some good/realistic MA programs at large well-regarded departments in your field. Also try to identify some PhD programs that you think you are a good candidate for in terms of fit. Fit can trump other aspects of your application, but -- comming from a very small but awesome school myself -- I personally found success with getting the MA enroute to the PhD. I think that peopel from larger schools with well-regarded departments are better positioned to get right ito a PhD program, but that dosen't mean it can't work out for you too.

When I lived there with my partner we loooked at apartments ranging from aboit 1000-1300 for a 1 bed. the big difference in price was mainly related to things like does your landlord shovel your walkway? Is there a garage? How large? And is heat paid for? We ended up going for a large 1 bedroom with fully paid heat for $1150/mo. I have to say that paid heat was the best decision I've ever made -- we were from California at that point, and I kept the thermostat above 72 degrees EVERY day in the winter! Food can be a little expensive -- again compaired to CA. Otherwise, the cost of living seems reasonable. Feel free to PM with specific questions.

Agree with ghanada and everyone who mentioned soups and cheap/bulk meals. I moved from LA to Boston 3 years ago and from Boston back to LA last year. We looked into the PODs things, but we decided it was too expensive! We ended up usingh craigslist to sell everything too big to fit in the car, culling everything we owned to the bare minimum, and shipping a LOT of books via media mail.I would estimate the moving costs alone to be less than $1000 including gas across country. And we made about $500 by selling our furniture. We spent $2000 on furnishings, mostly at IKEA and on craigslist, to outfit our new beautiful 1 bdrm apartment in LA. In the area I'm in you can also get a 2bdrm/2bath for 1600-18--/mo, which should be doable!

Ah ok! Thanks for the info!