Did the number of applications rise this year?

[switch]

Did the number of grad applications rise this year due to the recession? If I reapply when the economy has improved will my chances of admission improve?

I have two unfunded acceptances so should I roll the dice on a reapplication or just bite the unfunded bullet?

[switch]

bump

[newms]

It's probably true that due to the economy that the number of applications this year was higher than last. I know in my field that was the case for a number of schools. I wouldn't necessarily count on the number of applications to fall in the future though - they may fall a little in as the economy improves, but I'd imagine that admissions would still be pretty competitive in the future. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[ComeBackZinc]

MA, or PhD? Going to an unfunded MA program can often make sense. My advice is to never attend an unfunded PhD program.

[switch]

MA, or PhD? Going to an unfunded MA program can often make sense. My advice is to never attend an unfunded PhD program.

It's a PhD. But at least I'd move towards the PhD degree which is the entry level degree to get into academia.

My future as a Walmart greeter seems bleak and short.........And not a lot of jobs are hiring...........

Even nursing or computers would require more education and training............................. Unpaid education and training...... Who else is really hiring?

[juilletmercredi]

I would not go to an unfunded PhD program. At most private universities, you're looking at tuition of $30-40K per year and living expenses between $20-25K per year. If you only have to fund yourself one year, you're looking at $50-65K, which can be doable if you get full funding your second year and beyond. Most jobs for PhDs will pay around that I suppose, so assuming that you don't have big debt from undergrad that can be manageable. I wouldn't recommend it, though.

However, if there's the risk of funding more than 1 year on your own, your costs shoot up to six figures and there's no way to manage that debt - either in academia or in the vast majority of jobs. It doesn't really matter if it moves you towards the PhD and academia - academia doesn't pay well enough in the early years for you to pay off six-figure debt.

[newms]

It definitely is not wise to take an unfunded PhD offer. If you can use the coming year to improve your application, such as get a paper published, or re-do and improve your SoP, or find schools that are good fits for you to apply to or even to apply to more schools to increase your odds, then it may be better for you to spend the next few months improving your application and re-applying for next year. Good luck with your decision.

[switch]

It definitely is not wise to take an unfunded PhD offer. If you can use the coming year to improve your application, such as get a paper published, or re-do and improve your SoP, or find schools that are good fits for you to apply to or even to apply to more schools to increase your odds, then it may be better for you to spend the next few months improving your application and re-applying for next year. Good luck with your decision.

I have already published some papers and presented papers at conferences. But as an older student, the graduate admissions committees act like it doesn't matter.

[basst]

It might be true, but you never know when the economy is going to improve.