MAPSS funding offers?

[Phaedrus94]

I wanted to create a forum where students can share and discuss funding offers from Chicago MAPSS. The program site boasts that majority of students get aid in one way or another and that applicants who apply directly to the program (instead of being shunted to it upon a PhD rejection) get more aid. They are even keen on saying that competitive applicants receive 2/3 and full-tuition scholarships. However, I have never encountered a student on here or elsewhere saying they've received an aid offer greater than half tuition. 

I for one applied to MAPSS directly in hopes of a reasonable funding offer. I applied to a PhD last year and got offered half tuition for MAPSS. I got my acceptance from MAPSS today as a direct applicant but my funding offer was less than it was when they offered me admittance last year. Does this seem peculiar to anybody?

Feel free to discuss your funding offers and relationship / take on MAPSS tuition!

 

 

[chen48y]

My experience is exactly the same. Applied to PhD program and was referred to MAPSS last year with 2/3 tuition waiver (after negotiating with Program director of course). This year, I applied directly and only received little over 20K. From what I heard, applicants who received over 2/3 and even full tuition waiver are usually accepted into other PhD programs. They are identified as highly qualified to carry out doctoral level of study, but may not be able to get a seat at U Chicago due to high competitiveness. 

[RepatMan]

I received a full tuition waver and I know at least one other student in my cohort did, as well. When I received it, they indicated that 4-5 people get them each year and that perhaps each department can essentially ask for one, respectively. That was all very unofficial and I heard it through my PI at the time who is no longer there.

[DeadAccount]

10 hours ago, RepatMan said:

I received a full tuition waver and I know at least one other student in my cohort did, as well. When I received it, they indicated that 4-5 people get them each year and that perhaps each department can essentially ask for one, respectively. That was all very unofficial and I heard it through my PI at the time who is no longer there.

Do you possibly know approximately how many individuals receive at least 2/3 tuition? I was a direct applicant to MAPSS with a concentration in sociology this year for Fall 2020. I am currently waiting on my admission decision, but am incredibly nervous about funding. I really would love to go here if I'm accepted, but I'm not sure I can swing it without full or at least 2/3 tuition being funded, so I want to be prepared. 

Also, are you aware if people can/have successfully negotiated better funding? 

[RepatMan]

I know that in my case, it was much better to have a faculty member that wanted you there and was willing to contact the MAPSS director to ask for the best offer possible. My understanding was that a lot of students in my cohort (2015-2016) were offered 1/3 tuition waivers and that many of them negotiated to get to 2/3 waivers. Some were offered 2/3 waivers out of the gate. But I really can't speak to numbers. Funding in a program like that is a bit taboo for people that don't want to flaunt (or expose) their offers and make the scene more competitive. I can only speak really for close friends I learned about over time.

That said, I do know there are people that are not offered funding, which I do not think is worth it at all, despite my positive reviews of MAPSS you can find in other posts.

[DeadAccount]

14 hours ago, RepatMan said:

I know that in my case, it was much better to have a faculty member that wanted you there and was willing to contact the MAPSS director to ask for the best offer possible. My understanding was that a lot of students in my cohort (2015-2016) were offered 1/3 tuition waivers and that many of them negotiated to get to 2/3 waivers. Some were offered 2/3 waivers out of the gate. But I really can't speak to numbers. Funding in a program like that is a bit taboo for people that don't want to flaunt (or expose) their offers and make the scene more competitive. I can only speak really for close friends I learned about over time.

That said, I do know there are people that are not offered funding, which I do not think is worth it at all, despite my positive reviews of MAPSS you can find in other posts.

Thank you! I really appreciate this information. These next two weeks of waiting are going to kill me.

[DeadAccount]

On 2/19/2020 at 1:24 AM, RepatMan said:

I know that in my case, it was much better to have a faculty member that wanted you there and was willing to contact the MAPSS director to ask for the best offer possible. My understanding was that a lot of students in my cohort (2015-2016) were offered 1/3 tuition waivers and that many of them negotiated to get to 2/3 waivers. Some were offered 2/3 waivers out of the gate. But I really can't speak to numbers. Funding in a program like that is a bit taboo for people that don't want to flaunt (or expose) their offers and make the scene more competitive. I can only speak really for close friends I learned about over time.

That said, I do know there are people that are not offered funding, which I do not think is worth it at all, despite my positive reviews of MAPSS you can find in other posts.

I got accepted!!! I only received 1/3 tuition...I'm not sure who to contact to try and negotiate it and when I should begin trying to do that...

[RepatMan]

Congrats! I would say to first contact whoever your potential adviser is (outside of the MAPSS program) if you have a good relationship and start by asking them. If that doesn't work, then I would say you should write the program director, and CC whoever the program administrator is right now. Good luck!

[yooj]

I applied to UChicago's PhD in Sociology and received a 2/3 tuition scholarship with the MAPSS offer. Though, I have four PhD offers and will be declining MAPSS.

Edited March 15, 2020 by yooj

[cluelesshistorystudent]

I've been accepted with 1/3 tuition scholarship and emailed them and was able to get a 1/2 offer.... Not sure yet what I'm going to do though as I am an international student....

[meesh98]

I know this is a bit late of a response but I feel compelled to post on here just in case another prospective student is looking.  My undergraduate degree is in Global Studies and Anthropology.  I am a linguistic anthropologist and applied to linguistic anthropology PhD programs at approximately 7 schools.  I had one hopeful waitlist position but COVID-19 resulted in the school losing funding and instead offering me an MA.  I was rejected outright by everywhere else except for Chicago where they instead offered me a seat in MAPSS with full-tuition.  I was thinking about staying local at my small-town university, however, I can't afford not to go to the University of Chicago. 

[kataba]

Does anyone have any advice on how to ask for a higher scholarship? I received 1/3 tuition, but was wondering if I could negotiate for more. Should I contact the program director? How would I go about asking them for more money? Thanks for any help in advance!!

[neurotransmitori]

Hey! New season new offers! Anyone able to speak to how to negotiate for higher offers? Who did you ask? How did you involve your department?

 

Tori

[New_Frequency]

Bump! MAPSS direct application decisions are out and I was curious how to go about this process, as MAPSS is my top option.

[haribo21]

Purdue University full-funded Anthro Masters with Stipend VS University of Chicago, MAPSS (full-tuition coverage without living expenses)

Not sure how much I will expense for living costs. Any advice? And which one you'd like to recommend? I'm gonna continue to the Ph.D. after finishing my Masters.

I guess the quality of living and close relationship with professors would be better at Purdue because I've heard that the status of MAPSS students is unstable at UofC. Apparently, when it comes to prestige, UofC will be a better choice than Purdue though.

Edited March 11, 2021 by haribo21

[vankaypulusu]

Congratulations to all who got in! 

MAPSS Anthro with a $40k (~60%) scholarship vs. MPhil Social Anthropological Research at Cambridge (unfunded). The overall costs are comparable for both programs -- what would you recommend?

I'm leaning towards Cambridge as an international student who has better opportunities and more time for work (post-graduation) in the UK than in the US, in case the PhD that I'm aiming for doesn't quite work out. But MAPSS seems like a better program, and the PhD placement rate is undoubtedly impressive. Please help!

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by vankaypulusu

[defcaffeinated]

10 hours ago, vankaypulusu said:

Congratulations to all who got in! 

MAPSS Anthro with a $40k (~60%) scholarship vs. MPhil Social Anthropological Research at Cambridge (unfunded). The overall costs are comparable for both programs -- what would you recommend?

I'm leaning towards Cambridge as an international student who has better opportunities and more time for work (post-graduation) in the UK than in the US, in case the PhD that I'm aiming for doesn't quite work out. But MAPSS seems like a better program, and the PhD placement rate is undoubtedly impressive. Please help!

 

I'm from the UK and have applied to masters programmes in both the UK & US but I've only heard back from 1 so far (UK, partial funding) so a bit of a different situation. I would say another thing to consider re cost beside outright tuition fees, is how easily you can find work whilst you're a student (if you want to have this as an option), as that can massively offset living and potentially accommodation costs depending on how much you work. I think as an international student in the UK you can work off campus in pretty much any non freelance job (up to 20h p/w), whereas there are very specific rules in the US about international student employment. That being said, I'd say you may be more likely to find paid (whether through actual money or tutition remission) RA work in the US in general - although not sure about Cambridge and UChicago specifically - and this kind of work is more useful if looking to do a PhD in the US after (I gather UK PhD adcomms care less about research experience on the whole for various reasons).

I realise I didn't talk about the programmes or the institutions specifically at all (not an anthropologist) but I hope that is helpful. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by defcaffeinated

[redaxcx]

Hey, I wanted to revive the thread somewhat for the 2023 cohort. Do any of you previous students have any advice on how to negotiate for more funding?

 

I received a 1/3 scholarship. I wouldn't be able to attend without at least a 2/3 offer. I don't know if this was the case the previous years, but on the portal, you're able to apply for the Dean's Scholarship (full tuition), as well as for "additional partial-tuition scholarships". Do you suggest also emailing the program director? 

Would love to hear any success stories of anyone who managed to request more funding.

Edited March 16, 2023 by redaxcx