mxborder

looks back to normal now!

@serendipity17 I don't know who did that or why, but I just restored a previous version. That might mean some of the most recent entries were lost, but at least the bulk of them are back now. To whoever deleted the entries...please don't?

Also Sarah Lewis at Harvard!

But I was wrong about the public service aspect of it! If you have forgiveness from working in public service for 10 years, it's not taxable.

I have nothing to say about the IFA MA itself, but I just want to correct some assumptions about the way IBR works. After the forgiveness period, when your loan is "forgiven," every dollar that is forgiven counts as "income" for that year's tax bill. If you are paying IBR rates, you are barely making a dent in the interest, and hardly touching the principal at all, so you can expect your $100,000 loan amount (if you took out loans for the $32-something-k a year tuition, plus living expenses in NY) to be significantly more than that. So if you're paying let's say a tax rate of 20%, all of a sudden you are expected to fork over $20,000 when you go to pay taxes when the debt is forgiven. I guess you can make a repayment deal with the IRS, and I suppose that's easier than trying to negotiate with collections, but idk man, it really seems irresponsible to say "you practically don't have to worry about your loan at all."

While I haven't completely decided about where I'll be in the fall, I'm trying to get a sense of some of the logistics to better inform my decision. If I do end up at Harvard for a PhD in the fall, I'm leaning towards going through HUS for a one-bedroom, and there seemed to be some good options for around 2k/month or a little less. I will be moving with my partner (and our dog), so splitting the rent would make the 2k rent on a grad stipend a bit more reasonable. I looked at sites like craigslist, trulia, and padmapper and it seems like there are very few (if any!) dog-friendly rentals in Cambridge/Somerville! HUS seemed to have a bunch of dog-friendly options. A couple of questions for people who have been through this process: -Is trying to find off-campus housing with a dog as difficult as it has initially seemed? Are places that are listed "no pets" ever willing to make exceptions, especially if you have good references or even pet references from previous landlords? -Is the HUS lottery crazy, and is it reasonable to expect to end up with a dog-friendly one bedroom on the cheaper end of what they offer( ~2k)? (This looks like it could be Botanic Gardens, 23-25 Flagg, Holden Green, 8A Mt Auburn, 5a Sacramento, or Shaler Lane) -Is 2k for a one bedroom significantly higher than what I could otherwise find not through HUS? I know deals can be found in Cambridge/Somerville, but if looking for a 1 bedroom without roommates, is it worth searching around (and then paying 4 months upfront for first/last/security/realtor's fee) or just taking the easier option? -Is the start-date for the HUS lease flexible? Could I move in at the beginning of August, for example? Also can these leases be renewed from year to year, or if I wanted to stay would I have to reenter the lottery? Thanks!

Here it is for those who are interested: Art History Funding Packages Let me know if there are any issues adding info to it!

Would anyone here be interested in having/contributing to an art history specific funding doc, similar to what people in English lit have done here? Personally, I had no idea what I could expect in terms of funding when I was applying to schools. I think if people had a better sense of what schools were offering, it could help future applicants plan accordingly, or even save on application fees if they knew beforehand a school just couldn’t meet their needs. While “follow the money” may not be universally true advice, financial considerations when selecting schools are something to be taken seriously, especially for people moving with spouses or families. I’m also imagining this could be helpful for people on waitlists who might want a sense of what a potential funding package could look like when weighing it with other options. Lastly, as someone very interested in labor equity, organizing, and activism, perhaps transparency in this area could empower students to advocate for better compensation in programs where it is lacking. A few years ago a sit-in at the University of Houston was effective in raising the graduate student compensation for English PhDs from 9k to a “living wage,” with the chancellor pledging $1 million to go towards increased stipends. Similarly, students at UW-Madison, U Missouri, and others have recently organized for livable stipends. I’m very grateful for the funding packages that I’ve been able to secure, and I hope this doesn’t come as rabblerousing OR money-grabbing. On the contrary, I’m hoping that sharing the few data points I’ve gained in the process could be of benefit to someone else, and if there was a critical mass of participation, could give a clear and transparent picture of the field at large, and the financial considerations one would have to make to attend graduate school. I’m happy to start the doc, if people think this is a good idea/beneficial/would contribute.

@saturness My UT MyStatus was updated early this afternoon. Good luck!

Congrats! The cry/puke feeling is one I know well...and I definitely thought I was dreaming when I got my first acceptance, but enjoy! I'm sure it's real

Oof, I know I'm lucky to already have some acceptances, but rejections from Chicago and Columbia today still hurt more than I thought they would. This entire process seems like such a random game--I know a lot has to do with fit for sure, but equally often it comes down to factors that no one can predict or control. I'm already having a tough time deciding between my top two choices, so honestly it's for the best, but man this entire thing takes way more emotional energy than anything else I've done or than I expected.

So when you guys are corresponding with POIs (after acceptance) to plan visits, discuss interests, etc. how do you address professors? Before submitting applications and when first beginning to communicate after offer was given, I addressed my emails Dear Professor X. Now that we've traded several emails back and forth, have spoken on the phone, etc. is it appropriate to switch to their first name? The professor that I am currently in dialogue with who prompted this post signs her emails with her first name, introduced herself on the phone with her first name, refers to her colleagues by their first names, but I still don't want to be presumptuous. I thought about not including an address in the email, but that seems even more informal/disrespectful! Any thoughts? (I know I'm overthinking, but I'd like to hear your opinions)

@therealdealpikkel For fun I just took that color acuity test and I got a perfect score! I guess all this time in the conservation lab has paid off. Thanks for the fun way to kill a couple minutes.

I don't know if this is only for people who already got emails from the DGS, but Harvard's online app now says "DECISION STATUS: AVAILABLE BEGINNING 2/3/2016." I only mention this because in years past the board suggests that Harvard updated their online portal without necessarily emailing people of the change in status (even for some admits!), but it's still super early so I wouldn't think anything of it if there is no change.

I have no idea if all acceptances have gone out, but if anyone was curious, Princeton's letter said they expected an incoming cohort of about 12.