Assistantship Rant.

[siamesecat]

I just need to vent a little bit/inquire if anyone else experienced the same situation.

I got into my 2nd choice school early on and was waiting on my first choice's decision before letting my 2nd choice know if I was attending or not. My acceptance in no way mentioned that the timing of you accepting their offer would influence if you got an assistantship or not.

So...naturally I waited about 3 weeks right up to the deadline before letting 2nd choice school know that I will be attending because my first choice waitlisted me. The next day I get an email from 2nd choice school sent that I wasn't selected because assistantships are first come first serve. I just feel like I would have greatly appreciated knowing this info back when I got accepted...that would have GREATLY influenced my school decision because an assistantship was really important to me and the assistantship opportunities at my 2nd choice were what made me excited about the school in the first place.

I'm just really bummed now. I mean I know I'm not entitled to an assistantship or anything but if all it took was being one of the first to respond, that makes me a little perturbed.

Just means more loans for me to take out and more debt. I don't know...I figured assistantships were more based on merit but perhaps I was foolish in thinking this or at least if they were based on first come first served, the school would at least told me that in advance.

Anybody else experience this? Just feeling a little annoyed. Rawr.

I am very appreciative of at least having offers though, don't get me wrong.

[aginath]

Don't give up hope on an assistantship and do your own digging. I started school this past fall without an assistantship. I wound up finding out about an opening the first week of classes and was able to submit a CV for it and got it. I went the first two weeks of classes without one. So, it felt like hitting the jackpot. Scout your Grad School's website. Look at support programs in the university, including places you might not normally think of (housing, teaching outreach centers, dining, etc.).