One Offer w/o Funding -- Should I go?

[hilli83]

I received one offer from a PhD program that is a great fit in many ways, but no funding. Should I go anyway?

[bluegrad]

Don't do it just because you got in. But, if it does truly offer what you want and you can afford without funding, why not go for it? You may have funding opportunities down the line.

[bsteinma]

hiili83,

I am in a similar situation. I received one offer from a Masters program in addition to my undergraduate institution. Both of these are without funding. Over the past several months of reading these forums, I started to feel like everyone was receiving funding except me. At one point I posted something that mentioned my offer and not receiving funding, and some of the replier seemed to think it was odd that I didn't receive any sort of funding package. Anyway, just recently I've started to see more people saying that haven't received funding. I have been having a difficult time deciding if I should accept the offer I received (from my non-undergrad institution), but I really think it will be worth it in the end and I am planning on trying to negotiate some funding along the way. Loans are going to be a must to begin with, which is scary at first. However, if the field you are going into pays well and will allow you to pay loans off fairly quickly, I'd say go for it (especially if you think it is a good fit in many ways). In my case, I don't think my undergraduate college is any longer a good fit for me and the additional possible opportunities at the new school are a pretty big selling point for me.

But to summarize, I totally agree with bluegrad although it is a tough decision. I guess not everyone can simply be given funding packages upon acceptance into a program.

[appliqed]

Check with your dept coordinator if there is no possibility of funding at all. Sometimes you can TA/RA after your first semester, etc.