UCLA

[Tybalt]

I also live in LA and 21K doesn't seem painfully low to me, all things considered. Then again, my past stipend was $10K in another town, and that was brutal. I think it's probably doable for most childless people. If you have a partner or roommate to share the expenses, that is (yes, you'd have to share an apt with another English student, because the number is peanuts if you want your own apartment). I live on the lowly east side with my boyfriend, and my rent is about $1250, so split that in half and get $625, plus about $50-70 a month for water/electric in the winter (less in summer), and $30 a month for internet. Then, I guess add cell phone and car insurance bills. When I subtract my own numbers from $1750, I have about $960 leftover for everything else. That seems enough to live on, at least for my boring lifestyle. Maybe not very comfortable, and not enough to save, but enough to prevent me from getting a second job. Am I missing a big expense here?

Got my reject e-mail this morning. I'm okay with it. The program was a great fit, but I don't know anyone in LA (I'm a lifetime East Coaster), and the funding would be very difficult to live on (I'm not adverse to having a roommate, but as a 31 year old, it might be tough to find one who was compatible). I also understand why they notified on a Friday. It just makes good sense from their point of view. They know that the rejected folks are going to be upset. This way, it gives us the weekend to have that initial reaction and calm down a bit, rather than calling the English department to find out why.

Congrats to everyone who got in!

[crutch]

So, to the others that have been accepted, do any of you have UCLA at the top of your list? It is actually a great fit for my interests (and I'm a fan of their job-placement record ), so they are probably my top choice right now... although that could change as I take visists, do some number crunching on living expenses, etc.

[jprufrock]

Question: Has anyone received any info about a campus visit? It would certainly help me get a better idea of attending.

I haven't received my official letter/funding info, so maybe it'll come with that.

For me, right now my acceptance at Berkeley is at the top of my list but that could change if UCLA offers a nice funding package. It could also change if Columbia and/or UPenn accept me and they don't traditionally accept/reject until late Feb/early March according to the results board.

Edited February 14, 2011 by jprufrock

[sausundbraus]

This is the information I received about a campus visit:

We invite you to visit our campus for a program of events that will take place April 4-6. You will have an opportunity to visit the Huntington Library in nearby San Marino, attend a departmental reception, attend graduate seminars, and meet with faculty and students in your field of interest. Please inform us of any professors you would specifically be interested in meeting. You will also be welcome to visit Weyburn Terrace and Hilgard House, graduate student apartment complexes which have opened adjacent to our campus in recent years.

I wish UCLA was reimbursing travel expenses, because at this point Los Angeles is almost unimaginable to me (I've lived in New England for nine years). So, in answer to another question posted, UCLA is hard to think about attending. Although, I imagine after a couple of years in Chicago I'd be questioning my priorities....

[RockDenali]

I also live in LA and 21K doesn't seem painfully low to me, all things considered. Then again, my past stipend was $10K in another town, and that was brutal. I think it's probably doable for most childless people. If you have a partner or roommate to share the expenses, that is (yes, you'd have to share an apt with another English student, because the number is peanuts if you want your own apartment). I live on the lowly east side with my boyfriend, and my rent is about $1250, so split that in half and get $625, plus about $50-70 a month for water/electric in the winter (less in summer), and $30 a month for internet. Then, I guess add cell phone and car insurance bills. When I subtract my own numbers from $1750, I have about $960 leftover for everything else. That seems enough to live on, at least for my boring lifestyle. Maybe not very comfortable, and not enough to save, but enough to prevent me from getting a second job. Am I missing a big expense here?

Seconded. Don't even think about living in L.A. on your own as a graduate student. But Sarandipity, you're also forgetting cost of gas! More expensive than most places in the nation, and, unless you don't mind staying put near campus, everywhere in L.A. requires driving. Gah. This is why I applied out of state . . . Can't wait to say goodbye to the mid-city drive forever . . .

[shepardn7]

Seconded. Don't even think about living in L.A. on your own as a graduate student. But Sarandipity, you're also forgetting cost of gas! More expensive than most places in the nation, and, unless you don't mind staying put near campus, everywhere in L.A. requires driving. Gah. This is why I applied out of state . . . Can't wait to say goodbye to the mid-city drive forever . . .

That's true--gas is about $3.30 or so a gallon. I hate driving. I'm spoiled because I live on the east side and take the metro pretty much everywhere I need to go, but the train doesn't yet go to USC or UCLA (they're building it, and the stop at USC is finished, but the rest of the line is unfortunately still being built).

If you go to UCLA, you should find a place close enough to campus to take one bus or walk. Whereas the area around USC is a bit iffy, the area around UCLA is good, though I don't know the rent prices out there. The student pass for the bus is cheap and will save you gas money, but you won't be able to take the bus without transferring if you live far away. Transferring buses is not worth it.

Ultimately, this is just another roundabout way of saying that I think the 21K stipend is tight but doable for someone with his or her heart set on attending UCLA for academic reasons (it is, of course, a great program). I honestly do think it's a decent stipend in LA for someone who can rent a one bedroom with his or her romantic partner, but single people will definitely have more trouble with their budget.

Edited February 14, 2011 by sarandipidy

[RockDenali]

That's true--gas is about $3.30 or so a gallon. I hate driving. I'm spoiled because I live on the east side and take the metro pretty much everywhere I need to go, but the train doesn't yet go to USC or UCLA (they're building it, and the stop at USC is finished, but the rest of the line is unfortunately still being built).

If you go to UCLA, you should find a place close enough to campus to take one bus or walk. Whereas the area around USC is a bit iffy, the area around UCLA is good, though I don't know the rent prices out there. The student pass for the bus is cheap and will save you gas money, but you won't be able to take the bus without transferring if you live far away. Transferring buses is not worth it.

Ultimately, this is just another roundabout way of saying that I think the 21K stipend is tight but doable for someone with his or her heart set on attending UCLA for academic reasons (it is, of course, a great program). I honestly do think it's a decent stipend in LA for someone who can rent a one bedroom with his or her romantic partner, but single people will definitely have more trouble with their budget.

Mos def. Good advice across the board. To the UCLA-bound: it's more than doable as long as you budget accordingly!

[mostlytoasty]

I did my undergrad at UCLA and still live in the Westwood area. Rent is expensive (My bf and I split rent of $1500 for a "nice" unit in a 4-plex, but I know friends who pay more to live in a shabby complex closer to campus) BUT if you're willing to live farther away from campus you can find better deals AND live in a much cooler neighborhood. Westwood gets, in my opinion, pretty boring after a few years. You can take the bus and bike to Santa Monica and Venice Beach very easily though (not that LA is very bike friendly). If you plan to have a car, I would look into living in a hip, happening neighborhood like Silverlake, Echo Park, Griffith Park, etc. Rent is much cheaper and you'll have more options for going out, as these neighborhoods have a lot of character.

[shepardn7]

I think people mistakenly calculate the offer as 21K a year, but it's 18K + 3K for the summer. There is a difference. During the summer, my Ph.D. student friend asked herself every morning, do I want to eat today or get cigarettes and coffee? Sometimes, it can be that bad.

I do plan on living alone, and I do plan on keeping my car. I don't think these are luxuries. It is for my own sanity and goes with my lifestyle. A part of me feels like Carrie Bradshaw: am I being punished for being a single woman? It is much more difficult to pay L.A. rent on my own, but that is my life.

I also don't plan on imprisoning myself on campus, so I am factoring in social expenses. This city offers many events that shouldn't be missed. I plan on limiting myself to mostly "free" events, but we all know that there's no such thing as a free lunch (gas, drinks, etc.). Also, because this is my hometown, I feel that I may have more expenditures. My budget will not allow me to visit my old haunts, but I will have to meet with a number of people on a regular basis. I've already warned friends and family that they will have to become accustomed to rainchecks unless they want to foot the bill!

Like I said, the figure is feasible, but for people like me, it's scary. There are always things that come up (ever get an L.A. traffic ticket?!). I will need another job. UCLA is one of my top choices, but if a private institution offers me 30K, I'm on the next plane out.

Yeah, I don't think you'll be able to live alone on that stipend, unless you live really far away from campus. When I said it was doable, I meant only if you have a partner or roommate. I totally understand wanting to live alone--I share with my boyfriend, which is very different than sharing with a friend or colleague. I'm a very private person as well. Good luck with your other schools.

P.S. I haven't gotten a traffic ticket, but I've gotten relatively astronomical parking tickets for really dumb reasons.

[noxrosa]

Yeah, I don't think you'll be able to live alone on that stipend, unless you live really far away from campus.

One of the beauties of LA housing is all of the bachelor and studio apartments that were built at the behest of the movie studios in the '30s and '40s to house single actors--I lived in LA for 9 years, and know plenty of people who were paying under $600/month for a bachelor apt on their own. Not in Westwood of course, but totally within commuting distance! (Even via the dreaded LA bus system)

[crutch]

This is the information I received about a campus visit:

We invite you to visit our campus for a program of events that will take place April 4-6. You will have an opportunity to visit the Huntington Library in nearby San Marino, attend a departmental reception, attend graduate seminars, and meet with faculty and students in your field of interest. Please inform us of any professors you would specifically be interested in meeting. You will also be welcome to visit Weyburn Terrace and Hilgard House, graduate student apartment complexes which have opened adjacent to our campus in recent years.

I wish UCLA was reimbursing travel expenses, because at this point Los Angeles is almost unimaginable to me (I've lived in New England for nine years). So, in answer to another question posted, UCLA is hard to think about attending. Although, I imagine after a couple of years in Chicago I'd be questioning my priorities....

I think they might actually be reimbursing expenses for the visiting days, although I'm not sure. Their graduate advisor told me he'd be sending out more information this week about the visiting days, and it sounded as though they will be covering some expenses like food, travel, etc. Again, I'm not sure, but it seemed implied. We should know for sure by week's end, though.

[jprufrock]

I think they might actually be reimbursing expenses for the visiting days, although I'm not sure. Their graduate advisor told me he'd be sending out more information this week about the visiting days, and it sounded as though they will be covering some expenses like food, travel, etc. Again, I'm not sure, but it seemed implied. We should know for sure by week's end, though.

Did he mention that the info would come with our "Official Acceptance Letter" in the mail? I haven't received mine yet and wasn't able to coax any info from any of the people I e-mailed (though they pleasantly said I'd receive it soon). I'm hoping whatever I receive soon clarifies specific details that their form e-mail didn't, like travel reimbursements.

[margate]

I think they might actually be reimbursing expenses for the visiting days, although I'm not sure. Their graduate advisor told me he'd be sending out more information this week about the visiting days, and it sounded as though they will be covering some expenses like food, travel, etc. Again, I'm not sure, but it seemed implied. We should know for sure by week's end, though.

I got an e-mail back from him saying that a schedule and travel expense information would be coming soon -- it sounded like there's definitely SOME money, but that they're trying to figure out exactly how much, and how to divide it up.

[crutch]

Did he mention that the info would come with our "Official Acceptance Letter" in the mail? I haven't received mine yet and wasn't able to coax any info from any of the people I e-mailed (though they pleasantly said I'd receive it soon). I'm hoping whatever I receive soon clarifies specific details that their form e-mail didn't, like travel reimbursements.

To me, it sounded more like he was just preparing some information specifically about the visiting days, and that he will be emailing out this information some time this week. I don't think it will be coming with the official acceptance letter. I'm anxious to read over my official letter as well.

[RockDenali]

I got an e-mail back from him saying that a schedule and travel expense information would be coming soon -- it sounded like there's definitely SOME money, but that they're trying to figure out exactly how much, and how to divide it up.

UCs, like Cal States, are constantly trying to figure out what they can afford and what they cannot. Our state is in a financial mess. Each year, universities are wondering "What can we keep, and what can we shrink, and what must we cut?" Undergraduate costs for a UC are at around 11,000/year. That's up more than 50 percent in the past 5 years or so. Not sure of the exact statistics, but it's bad. Sorry to harp on this, and if UCLA is a top choice, then by all means, go for it! But I know very few people from California who are staying in California for academic study. Brown is cutting across the board, including more cuts to higher ed, and there is very little popular support for the humanities in higher education. (At the Cal State nearest me, the art and philosophy programs were just chopped.) Like Sarandipity said, the cost of living alone makes it exceedingly difficult to live alone; whoever tells you otherwise is either very lucky, knows a landlord, or lived here 10 years ago. Leaves very little room for unexpected expenses, like traffic tickets from our over-zealous Nazi cops.

I did a master's at a Cal State because only they offer full rhetoric programs. Accepted with 2 years as a TA, full tuition waiver, small stipend. In year 2, budget crisis reached a crux, and they pulled out tuition waiver and lowered our stipend to the point where half of it went back to the school for tuition and fees. Many Cal States have now taken away tuition waivers for TAs, GAs, and RAs. Of course, Cal States and UCs are a world apart, but the budget crisis they are dealing with is the same. I know I would not feel comfortable pursuing my PhD at UC Irvine even though they have some great rhetoric faculty.

Just a word of warning. I'm sure some people on here will defend L.A.. Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to live. Where else can you ski, surf, and rock climb all in the same day? But it comes at a price, and it's a price I know I personally don't want to pay anymore. (Girlfriend lost her job this year as a K-12 teacher. This just underscores what I mean.) At best, Cali is in for some rough years. At worst, it's on its way to being a failed state. (Think I'm kidding? Drive east from L.A. for about an hour into the Inland Empire and visit the sprawling foreclosure signs.) Just some things to consider before you commit yourself to the good will of the state for pay.

Edited February 16, 2011 by RockDenali

[sausundbraus]

I think they might actually be reimbursing expenses for the visiting days, although I'm not sure. Their graduate advisor told me he'd be sending out more information this week about the visiting days, and it sounded as though they will be covering some expenses like food, travel, etc. Again, I'm not sure, but it seemed implied. We should know for sure by week's end, though.

Fantastic! That's exciting news...

[sausundbraus]

UCs, like Cal States, are constantly trying to figure out what they can afford and what they cannot. Our state is in a financial mess. Each year, universities are wondering "What can we keep, and what can we shrink, and what must we cut?" Undergraduate costs for a UC are at around 11,000/year. That's up more than 50 percent in the past 5 years or so. Not sure of the exact statistics, but it's bad. Sorry to harp on this, and if UCLA is a top choice, then by all means, go for it! But I know very few people from California who are staying in California for academic study. Brown is cutting across the board, including more cuts to higher ed, and there is very little popular support for the humanities in higher education. (At the Cal State nearest me, the art and philosophy programs were just chopped.) Like Sarandipity said, the cost of living alone makes it exceedingly difficult to live alone; whoever tells you otherwise is either very lucky, knows a landlord, or lived here 10 years ago. Leaves very little room for unexpected expenses, like traffic tickets from our over-zealous Nazi cops.

I did a master's at a Cal State because only they offer full rhetoric programs. Accepted with 2 years as a TA, full tuition waiver, small stipend. In year 2, budget crisis reached a crux, and they pulled out tuition waiver and lowered our stipend to the point where half of it went back to the school for tuition and fees. Many Cal States have now taken away tuition waivers for TAs, GAs, and RAs. Of course, Cal States and UCs are a world apart, but the budget crisis they are dealing with is the same. I know I would not feel comfortable pursuing my PhD at UC Irvine even though they have some great rhetoric faculty.

Just a word of warning. I'm sure some people on here will defend L.A.. Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to live. Where else can you ski, surf, and rock climb all in the same day? But it comes at a price, and it's a price I know I personally don't want to pay anymore. (Girlfriend lost her job this year as a K-12 teacher. This just underscores what I mean.) At best, Cali is in for some rough years. At worst, it's on its way to being a failed state. (Think I'm kidding? Drive east from L.A. for about an hour into the Inland Empire and visit the sprawling foreclosure signs.) Just some things to consider before you commit yourself to the good will of the state for pay.

And this is depressing news (but appreciated).

[RockDenali]

And this is depressing news (but appreciated).

Lol. Just lookin out. And I'm probably biased against So Cal because I'm sick of living here. So also get the opinions of current students when you come visit. They will probably be less doom and gloom

[crutch]

And this is depressing news (but appreciated).

Yes, it certainly is depressing. I am probably going to end up at UCLA anyways, however. (Unless I get an outstanding offer from UVA, which I don't think is going to happen!)

I've talked it over with several professors I've had in the past, and they all seem to agree that the benefits of the program, for my specific research interests, outweigh some of the negatives listed above. Plus, I'm lucky enough to have some financial assistance from a family member that is happy to give me a small amount of support to keep me afloat in LA. I realize that without that support, LA would probably not be so viable for me, and I can see how the offer isn't quite so appealing to many.

[margate]

I just received a reply to some questions about post-first year funding from Michael Lambert. The relevant portions:

Quote

TA salaries are divided into three tiers (Teaching Assistant, Teaching Associate, and Teaching Fellow), based on experience. Most entering students begin their TA work as a Teaching Assistant, then advance to Teaching Associate in the second year of TA, and to Teaching Fellow after advancing to candidacy for the Ph.D. (Some who enter our program with already a year or more of college-level teaching experience start at the Teaching Associate level.) The salaries are renegotiated each year with the union which represents the TAs. Current yearly salaries for the three tiers are as follows:

 

Teaching Assistant: $16,969.50

 

Teaching Associate: $18,941

 

Teaching Fellow: $19,896

 

 

 

 

These salary figures are based on 50%-of-full-time positions, which are the norm for students in our program. They carry with them a benefit called “fee remission”, which covers in-state registration and tuition (currently approximately $4,200 per quarter), including health coverage. Students working as TAs are responsible for a small amount of additional fees (roughly $119 per quarter). TAs in good standing are also allowed, with the permission of UCLA’s Graduate Division, to accept additional part-time campus employment when available (such as Readership positions) in addition to their TA appointments.

I'm not certain how many courses a quarter 50% is, however. Just wanted to share the numbers, since they weren't in my letter and I couldn't find them on the website.

[margate]

And ... a definition of the 50% load for TAing:

50% equates to leading two 1-hour discussion sections that are tied to a (usually) large lecture-style undergraduate course led by a faculty member. It can also take the form of teaching one section of English 4W, our undergraduate literature-based composition course.

[crutch]

Resurrecting this thread:

Is anyone going to be at the visiting days early next week? I'm only able to make Sunday and Monday. I know we are supposed to meet some current grad students at a pub on Sunday night - has anyone received more specific information on where to meet them, etc.?

[KeelyMK]

I'll post here so as not to start a new thread. I'm coming down for visiting days Fri 3/8 - Tues 3/13. I'm getting a nice hotel on Saturday night with the money UCLA is paying for the visit, so if you're going to be in town that night any would like to come to the hotel party, PM me

[NowMoreSerious]

Any other UCLA admits here? I also have still not heard anything specific about Sunday.

[jazzyd]

Yeah I'm feeling a little bit like a fish out of water right now and I'm not even there yet! I have a flight booked but am not sure how to get from the airport to campus.