Updated Funding Packages

[phyanth]

 

On 2/1/2018 at 8:25 AM, Warelin said:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XNJR4IhOJ56zd7zLuVSUK7h054dBRNvyiC7iStCOsxo/

 

Last year, I started the process of making an updated version of funding packages with the help of students accepted into programs. The list isn't complete but I hope it provides a more complete version of what universities expect in exchange for their funding. It is open-access so edits are welcome.

Don't know how I stumbled upon this, but you should seriously consider posting this to the main page, so different disciplines could add to it!

[gg.rose]

Just out of curiosity where have people decided to accept/they are going?

 

 

 

[Warelin]

On 2/15/2018 at 7:10 PM, klader said:

Yikes, look at that gaping hole in comp/rhet. I will fill out the info I have! 

Thanks for your contributions.

[CulturalCriminal]

On 2/16/2018 at 11:31 AM, phyanth said:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XNJR4IhOJ56zd7zLuVSUK7h054dBRNvyiC7iStCOsxo/

Given the number of applicants that seem to apply both at English & American Studies programs, I hope y'all don't mind that I've added an AmStudies tab. It'd be really cool if folks could fill in any info they know...

[maengret]

Paging @punctilious -- anything you and DH can add?

[punctilious]

8 minutes ago, maengret said:

Paging @punctilious -- anything you and DH can add?

I added Harvard! Looks like UDel is updated. Our waitlists didn't give us funding details unfortunately.

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

3 hours ago, punctilious said:

I added Harvard! Looks like UDel is updated. Our waitlists didn't give us funding details unfortunately.

I added CMU, Buffalo, and UDel (I am glad UDel check out with you, @punctilious, lol) and will soon go back to update the teaching loads via the handbook. My wait lists give nothing re: funding either. Hope what I have helps! 

[la_mod]

Can someone explain how to calculate living wage ratio?

[maengret]

2 hours ago, la_mod said:

Can someone explain how to calculate living wage ratio?

Are you trying to which stipends are livable wages for their respective cities? I used a few different calculators when I was doing that:

Living Wage Calculator - tells you the hourly wage needed to support various household sizes in different cities

Cost of Living Comparison - let’s you compare two cities. I used this to compare new city and current city, and also potential school cities to each other. 

Sorry if that’s not what you were looking for, though.

[Warelin]

On 3/11/2018 at 12:20 AM, la_mod said:

Can someone explain how to calculate living wage ratio?

@maengret's first link is how I've been calculating it since it seems to be the most recently updated version.Living Wage *2080. Stipend divided by yearly cost of living should get you an "avg" cost of living. A cost of living of "1" means you're at the cost of what a living wage is for that city. A living wage below 1 doesn't mean that the stipend isn't livable. However, a score closer to 0 might mean that you'll need to room with roommates or live farther away from the university or the city. I felt adding the column would be useful to show how far different amounts get in different places and to show that a higher stipend doesn't always mean a higher offer.

Edited March 11, 2018 by Warelin

[maengret]

@Warelin @la_modOh! I see, this is a new column in one of the sheets! I wasn’t in that one so didn’t notice it. 

Does the column reflect purchase power of the stipend in that locale? Or does it reflect that city’s living wage as compared to the national average?

[Warelin]

24 minutes ago, maengret said:

@Warelin @la_modOh! I see, this is a new column in one of the sheets! I wasn’t in that one so didn’t notice it. 

Does the column reflect purchase power of the stipend in that locale? Or does it reflect that city’s living wage as compared to the national average?

It reflects the purchase power of the stipend in that city.

[youngim]

11 hours ago, Warelin said:

cost of living of "1" means you're at the cost of what a living wage is for that city. A living wage below 1 doesn't mean that the stipend isn't livable. However, a score closer to 0 might mean that you'll need to room with roommates or live farther away from the university or the city.

I wonder if we should take into account that our tax rates may be different from a normal wage-earner. I am an international student so the tax treaty will impact my stipend, which means even though the ratio is significantly lower than 1, my post-tax stipend may actually be closer to 1, hence manageable. This may not apply to other nationals, but the impression I got was grad students do not pay as much tax in the States. Does anyone want to comment on the stipend tax situation? (not non-taxed fellowships)? 

Edited March 12, 2018 by youngim

[Warelin]

34 minutes ago, youngim said:

I wonder if we should take into account that our tax rates may be different from a normal wage-earner. I am an international student so the tax treaty will impact my stipend, which means even though the ratio is significantly lower than 1, my post-tax stipend may actually be closer to 1, hence manageable. This may not apply to other nationals, but the impression I got was grad students do not pay as much tax in the States. Does anyone want to comment on the stipend tax situation? (not non-taxed fellowships)? 

From my understanding, fellowships are not taxed during the semester, but you are responsible for paying federal taxes on it when you file taxes. Stipends and Fellowships are not taxed social security or medicare because grad students are exempt. However, each school may have various fees that you are responsible for, a portion of the healthcare bill you're responsible for paying and the cost of books throughout the semester. I think a fair estimate is that you'll be taxed 10-12 percent of your stipend. But International rules of stipends earned in the US may vary country to country so it's best for you to consult someone at your school that specializes in that to determine what, if any, portions should be saved for such a case.

The current living wage for each school does not tax anything, so everything listed is pre-tax.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Warelin

[youngim]

53 minutes ago, Warelin said:

The current living wage for each school does not tax anything, so everything listed is pre-tax.

I see! Thanks for commenting. I think I was looking at the section called "Required annual income before taxes" on the living wage calculator. The "annual taxes' section just above it didn't seem right since it seems to be just about 18.5% of the annual income in the state that I selected, which is significantly more than the 10-12% you suggested

53 minutes ago, Warelin said:

But International rules of stipends earned in the US may vary country to country so it's best for you to consult someone at your school that specializes in that to determine what, if any, portions should be saved for such a case.

 

Yes, as a foreign national I believe I am a non-resident alien, which means there may be some applicable tax treaty between my country and the United States. I'll have to look into this once I decide to accept the offer.  

Edited March 12, 2018 by youngim

[la_mod]

Thank you for clarifying tax info too! I’ve been trying to start a preliminary budget and am hoping to save 25-30% of my stipend / salary after tax, but I really have no idea how much taxes will be...

[maengret]

@Warelin, @la_mod , et al: there's some helpful info about taxes and living wage over at this site, too: http://www.phdstipends.com/faq

[Warelin]

On 3/12/2018 at 2:30 AM, maengret said:

@Warelin, @la_mod , et al: there's some helpful info about taxes and living wage over at this site, too: http://www.phdstipends.com/faq

Thanks for the link. I've come across that link before and have used it at one point to determine LWR but a professor told me that it was outdated. The ratio given back for Austin and Boulder seemed to be off due to their recent spikes in prices. She said that MIT's living wage calculator was the most accurate tool she has found to date with cities she's familiar with.

[Warelin]

@TakeruK Is there any chance this can be pinned?

[TakeruK]

26 minutes ago, Warelin said:

@TakeruK Is there any chance this can be pinned?

It's done. This is the 3rd pinned thread in this subforum as of now. We don't yet have a policy for pinning posts but three seems reasonable still. Just mentioning this because it may be an issue of too-many-pins in the future, so pins may change in the future. (aka all pins are provisional for now :))

[Warelin]

Thanks! I think between the 3 pinned boards, we cover the basics.

For anyone who has contributed information, thank you. All contributions have been an immense help!

The following schools are missing information in English:
Boston University,  Brown, Cornell,  Houston, Kentucky,  Miami University of Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, University of North Texas, Northwestern, New York University, Old Dominion, University of Oregon, University of Rhode Island, Rice (Website lists a different amount; is this correct?),  Stanford, Syracuse, UT Austin,  Texas Christian University, Tufts, UC Irvine, UC San Diego,  UC Santa Cruz, Utah, Washington State.

The following schools are missing information in Rhetoric:
Arizona (RCTE), Bowling Green, George Mason, Georgia State, Illinois State, Michigan State,  Michigan Tech, New Mexico State, North Dakota State, Saint Louis University, Syracuse, UNC Greensboro, Texas Women's University, UT Austin.

[M(allthevowels)H]

4 hours ago, Warelin said:

Thanks! I think between the 3 pinned boards, we cover the basics.

For anyone who has contributed information, thank you. All contributions have been an immense help!

The following schools are missing information in English:
Boston University,  Brown, Cornell,  Houston, Kentucky,  Miami University of Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, University of North Texas, Northwestern, New York University, Old Dominion, University of Oregon, University of Rhode Island, Rice (Website lists a different amount; is this correct?),  Stanford, Syracuse, UT Austin,  Texas Christian University, Tufts, UC Irvine, UC San Diego,  UC Santa Cruz, Utah, Washington State.

The following schools are missing information in Rhetoric:
Arizona (RCTE), Bowling Green, George Mason, Georgia State, Illinois State, Michigan State,  Michigan Tech, New Mexico State, North Dakota State, Saint Louis University, Syracuse, UNC Greensboro, Texas Women's University, UT Austin.

@Warelin Rice had an increase after initial offers, but I'll double check the form. I have a question, how - or should - we log financial offers that were not the standard? Is it worthwhile to be aware of special grants or fellowships that the programs offer, or would it be too confusing?

[Warelin]

On 3/31/2018 at 4:46 PM, M(allthevowels)H said:

@Warelin Rice had an increase after initial offers, but I'll double check the form. I have a question, how - or should - we log financial offers that were not the standard? Is it worthwhile to be aware of special grants or fellowships that the programs offer, or would it be too confusing?

I think it would be worthwhile to note any special grants. I think separate lines were created by  people for people who were a part of Alabama's strode program and a separate line once existed for another fellowship too but it doesn't seem to exist now. I think listing the college's name followed by an asterisk, and then mentioning the special circumstances in the note section would help the most people be aware of it.

[youngim]

Hey! Did someone lock up the spreadsheet?

[Warelin]

On 4/9/2018 at 10:49 PM, youngim said:

Hey! Did someone lock up the spreadsheet? 

Sorry about that. I had to temporarily lock it down because people were vandalizing the forms and deleting a lot of the data within it. I restored it to an earlier copy and have been approving people who request access. I'm hoping to reopen it back to the original settings soon.