Spanish/Hispanic Studies Fall 2019 Applications

[lola26]

8 hours ago, Lazarillo said:

Hey you all!

As well as many others, I have also been lurking around for a while now and this forum has been of great help to feel less lonely during this weird process

I'm an international student, I've been accepted to four universities (including Brown and Yale plus UC Santa Barbara and Notre Dame). I'm waiting on Stanford. Two days ago I received a response where they said: "we are finalizing our decisions and expect to have our decision notifications out this week".

What I wanted to know was what's so wrong about these universities? You've all been mentioning many institutions, but none of the Ivys or Stanford, for instance (except for Columbia). I've heard of the scandals at Yale, but is it so bad? Should I not even consider accepting their offer?

Thank you for your help! I'm honestly lost at this.

 

 

 

 

Did you interview with Stanford? 

Edited February 22, 2019 by lola26
grammar mistake

[Lazarillo]

No, I haven't!

 I was kinda worried about the "incomplete" status of my application because I didn't send official but unofficial transcripts, so I contacted them asking about that and requesting any news. They said that unofficial transcripts were okay for the application process and they were expecting to send out notifications regarding decisions this week.

Good luck!

 

[Ciboney]

23 hours ago, lola26 said:

Anyone interviewed with Stanford's ILAC? Trying to figure out if they interview their top candidates like Berkeley or if they based their decision entirely on the written application materials. 

No idea. Best thing to do is to email Stanford's coordinators and ask them; they get paid for that. And, like many private universities, they charge a very high application fee. And remind them that no matter how much money and effort they put into the process, they will never beat the University of California at Berkeley. ?

[Ciboney]

To whom ever got accepted at Harvard's program, if you are reading this thread: I am a local resident and my advice: get ready for living expenses in the Boston/Cambridge area. I hope what they offer is good, because this part of the USA is extremely bad ABOUT living expenses, from rent to heat. They better offer university housing, if you do not have a wealthy family or a sugar daddy (or a sugar mummy). But Boston area does have two of the best libraries in the planet, among the top 20 in the world: Harvard and Boston Public. ?

[Ciboney]

On 2/22/2019 at 6:56 AM, Lazarillo said:

They said that unofficial transcripts were okay for the application process and they were expecting to send out notifications regarding decisions this week.

If they said it was not a problem, then it is not. ?

All of the programs I applied to did not require official transcripts; only "student's copies" or unofficial for the application process. After being admitted and after the candidate accepts an offer, then  they immediately require official copies. I dealt with that this week. Finished that process yesterday.

Have you chatters received all responses to your applications? ? I am still waiting for one, but my mind is set up. 

Has anyone here made a final decision? I think Marion is still talking her pillow about Iowa City and the University of Iowa. ?  ("Thanks for sharing the info @Ciboney. it's complicated for me living in Alabama, tbh. that's why I don't feel pretty attracted to small places/very conservatives... But Iowa seems a good option tho. I will consult it with my pillow!")

•  

 

 

[Michel]

someone accepted or waitlisted at NYU or CUNY? I was waitlisted in both programs...so anxious about the final results! but i will have to wait like 2 or 3 weeks more, they said

[marioncrane131]

Well, I've been disappeared these days bc I visited Georgetown last weekend and WOW... I think that Iowa wins Madison, but probably DC wins both, so now everything is more confused and complicated... I need some days more to achieve my final decision! Thanks again @Ciboney for the info and tips! 

[Renzi]

Officially rejected from NYU, Berkeley and Northwestern. Congrats for those who won admission this year! ?Now it's time to prepare for a next round at the end of the year. I've learned a lot from talking to you guys, so thanks for sharing your experiences, thoughts, tips and expectations during the last weeks/months. I didn't make it this time, but I feel encouraged to try again.   

Edited February 26, 2019 by Renzi

[Ciboney]

3 hours ago, Renzi said:

Officially rejected from NYU, Berkeley and Northwestern. Congrats for those who won admission this year! ?Now it's time to prepare for a next round at the end of the year. I've learned a lot from talking to you guys, so thanks for sharing your experiences, thoughts, tips and expectations during the last weeks/months. I didn't make it this time, but I feel encouraged to try again.   

Keep in touch. Sorry to hear NYU as well. 

[Ciboney]

11 hours ago, marioncrane131 said:

Well, I've been disappeared these days bc I visited Georgetown last weekend and WOW... I think that Iowa wins Madison, but probably DC wins both, so now everything is more confused and complicated... I need some days more to achieve my final decision! Thanks again @Ciboney for the info and tips! 

The campus is supposed to be very pretty. (The Jesuits are good decorators. LOL!) If you are Catholic you might feel comfortable there. The program has a strong reputation for linguistics, I have found. I checked it out (for literature), but ended up not including it in my list of schools to apply. DC is expensive though; they better offer you a decent amount for living stipend. 

[gonza]

Good morning everyone, 

Just curious to know what you guys consider to be a good/average stipend for being a Grad Instructor or TA/RA? I was offered a stipend to teach a Spanish intro course as part of the financial package and hoping to find more information on this as a first year PhD student. 

Let me know what ya'll think are average stipends for PhD students that are also teaching right from the start. 

Thanks!!!

[FHG]

1 hour ago, gonza said:

Good morning everyone, 

Just curious to know what you guys consider to be a good/average stipend for being a Grad Instructor or TA/RA? I was offered a stipend to teach a Spanish intro course as part of the financial package and hoping to find more information on this as a first year PhD student. 

Let me know what ya'll think are average stipends for PhD students that are also teaching right from the start. 

Thanks!!!

This is a great question because I've been very curious about it too! The public schools to which I applied have their stipend information available on their websites, if you need to find and compare. The state schools that accepted me have offered $17-18k/year for TAship, and the fellowships I've been offered raise that to $25-26k for the year(s) covered by the fellowship. Since they all 3 offered pretty similar things, I expect it to be similar across universities, but I obviously have no idea. I'm very curious, and I hope this info helps you out!

[Ciboney]

3 hours ago, gonza said:

Just curious to know what you guys consider to be a good/average stipend for being a Grad Instructor or TA/RA? I was offered a stipend to teach a Spanish intro course as part of the financial package and hoping to find more information on this as a first year PhD student. 

Let me know what ya'll think are average stipends for PhD students that are also teaching right from the start. 

Thanks!!!

And FHG as well... 

This varies a lot among graduate programs and universities. I checked that stuff earlier to see how much because I am aware that there are the "little surprises" that I have been mentioning here before. I was not aware of them until the fall. They include enormous differences in rent for apartments or student residences, taxes. And in one university they even take out Social Security taxes from one's stipend! So you guys have to figure out several things. Some state universities can come up with very different packages. In one PhD program/university, I was going to get almost $34,000. But I turned down their invitation. (It is not about money for me.) I got two offers as a Master's student: teaching one introductory language class (one section) per semester and $21,400 or so, plus the usual: tuition (but NO fees paid). Another offered me $17,000 or so to teach three sections of the intro course in the two semesters, plus a summer fellowship of $6,000, in both places as a Master's student. The fees not covered by the funding were about $700. One of the universities takes out Social Security and taxes from your stipend in every check or payment. The latter was unaceptable to me since I am an American and the law (IRS or "Hacienda federal) says https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/student-exception-to-fica-tax

Anyway, I ended up accepting the University of Colorado at Boulder which as always been my top choice. My second year as a Master's student they are nominating for a Graduate School fellowship additional to the teaching assistantship, they told me. After I finish the MA, there will be a very different funding package, I read in their literature. Yet, the fees not covered by the stipend are about $1,700. Taxes are applicable, but not the Social Security payments. I do not know about you guys since chances are that you are not Americans and the rules are different for you if so. You should call the International Students' Office and they can clarify details about your status and how it affects your actual, real stipend every month. Oh, and fellowships and teaching assistantships or research assistantships have different rules for taxes in most schools too. But do not forget those taxes (federal and state), about $3-4,000. 

After this subject, I need a drink! ?

 

 

[scarvesandcardigans]

9 hours ago, gonza said:

Good morning everyone, 

Just curious to know what you guys consider to be a good/average stipend for being a Grad Instructor or TA/RA? I was offered a stipend to teach a Spanish intro course as part of the financial package and hoping to find more information on this as a first year PhD student. 

Let me know what ya'll think are average stipends for PhD students that are also teaching right from the start. 

Thanks!!!

Hi friend! I think @Ciboney said pretty much everything (GREAT information). One thing that I would add is that if you're planning conference travel, this has to be factored in (along with the taxes, potential university fees, etc.). I only add it because if you're going to 1-2 conferences per academic year, if you're doing research, it can be an important financial factor to take into account regularly, since you'll have to set the money aside to be able to afford travel. Many universities offer reimbursement, though it might not always be 100%, and is usually paid back to you after you've already paid for your travel.

I simply felt this was important to add because conference costs have taken me from feeling like my stipend is "really great for where I live" to "really not enough" very quickly. I know it has no direct bearing upon the relationship between teaching load and stipend, though the weekly flexibility you have for conference travel just might... 

Just my $.02. Good luck to everyone in this application cycle! 

[Ciboney]

To scarvesandcardigan: thanks for the compliment about my ramblings. And, that was a good contribution. Conferences and the like, from what I have seen, are paid after the fact and only cover part of the costs. But it is part of the equation indeed. By the way, how is it going at Pennsylvania State? I hear it is a good place; the program has an excellent reputation/ranking, better than most. I considered it too, but I ended up not including it on my list for some reason. 

[ANGTIP]

Hi All, 

Is anyone waiting on state schools? I applied to 4 and have only heard back from 1 (SUNY Albany, accepted on March 1st). If you haven't applied, do you have any information as to when they usually notify? Is it typically later than private institutions? Thanks in advance and best of luck to everyone!

[Larra88]

Hey! I applied to seven state schools, and they all have sent me an email. You should email them to find out about your status. Good luck!

[ANGTIP]

2 hours ago, Larra88 said:

Hey! I applied to seven state schools, and they all have sent me an email. You should email them to find out about your status. Good luck!

Dear Larra88, 

do you mind me asking if they are in the New England area? 

Thanks in advance!

[Larra88]

Oh, I have no problem telling you the name of the state universities I applied, although not even one is located in the New England area. The unviersities are: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, UCDavis, Urbana-Champagn, Texas A and M, and Ohio State. I do no think it is a matter of area though. Most universities should have replied by now. If I were you, I would send an email. 

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Larra88

[ANGTIP]

Larra88, thanks for letting me know! I am waiting on UConn and UMass and I did take your advice and send an email. Best of luck to you!

[Ciboney]

3 hours ago, ANGTIP said:

Larra88, thanks for letting me know! I am waiting on UConn and UMass and I did take your advice and send an email. Best of luck to you!

The University of Massachussets is notorious for being late. I know. I would send an email directly asking them. They also have almost no money. Trust me, I know, again. Good luck with them. I do not know about Connecticut, although I have a degree from there, but not in literature/Spanish. There is little or no difference between private or public institutions. It just depends on the organization of the particular department and its efficiency (or lack of it). 

[QuieroCafe]

16 hours ago, Larra88 said:

Oh, I have no problem telling you the name of the state universities I applied, although not even one is located in the New England area. The unviersities are: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, UCDavis, Urbana-Champagn, Texas A and M, and Ohio State. I do no think it is a matter of area though. Most universities should have replied by now. If I were you, I would send an email. 

 

Hello-you’ve heard back from Urbana-Champaign? Any idea on if I haven’t heard from them, that means no...? I guess I should email them....?

 

thanks ??

[Ciboney]

1 hour ago, QuieroCafe said:

Hello-you’ve heard back from Urbana-Champaign? Any idea on if I haven’t heard from them, that means no...? I guess I should email them....?

 

thanks ??

Yes, you should ask them directly. I got their rejection (?) in late January. They are very good at responding directly fast. 

Edited March 4, 2019 by Ciboney

[Larra88]

5 hours ago, QuieroCafe said:

Hello-you’ve heard back from Urbana-Champaign?

Hey there! Well, I had to send them an email and they told me I am in the wait-list. I already made my mind though, and I will probably go to UM, which always was my top choice.

 

Sí, estoy de acuerdo con Ciboney, no creo que la demora en el tiempo de respuesta tenga nada que ver con la condición público/privado de la universidad.

[QuieroCafe]

Thanks for responding @Ciboney and @Larra88! I emailed the graduate college and he responded within an hour saying that usually programs have several rounds of admissions and that they will probably make a decision within a couple of weeks. I wished I'd emailed the head of the Spanish department now....to email again so soon or to wait... ?