ebee Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 ...would you go regardless of what school it was? I only applied to three schools, and while I have a "top choice" I'd be happy with any of them. I kind of wonder what I'd do if only accepted to one school with zero funding, esp considering I have a stable job (though I really don't want to stay here any longer). Was wondering what other people thought of this? Though I think most people on this board applied to more than three schools, increasing their chances of having a choice :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_ruth Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I just can't afford to go without funding, so that isn't an option. However, if I got accepted to one school with funding and was happy with that school then I would go. and yes, most here (I think) applied to more than three - I applied to nine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangepotato Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I only applied to three (so far), but I'm not a huge fan of one of them. If I only got into that one, I might contact the other schools and ask how my application could be improved and go for the next round. Of course, I'm applying for MPHs and the acceptance rates are around 50% -- pretty good odds compared to what most people here are dealing with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deipnosophistry Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I only applied to three, and while I have a clear favorite, I think I'd make the best of whichever school I do end up attending. Fortunately, in my field, no school worth its salt will let you in without full funding. Of course, they practically own your soul for 4-7 years, but at least they pay for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socialpsych Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Yeah. I got in to one. I haven't heard the funding details yet, but if they're livable, I'll certainly go there if I don't get in anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demondeac Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 So everyone in this post is online right now....wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadhelyn Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I wouldn't be able to go without funding. I am fine going to any of the schools I applied to, otherwise I would not have applied there. With my 5 years experience in a lab, I doubt I wouldn't get, at least, an RA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miratrix Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 If I get in anywhere with funding, I'll go. If I only get into one place with no funding, I won't, I just can't take on that level of debt. Only getting in to one school would at least make the choice easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plisar Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Well, as of right now, I'm into one school. If I were to get turned down across the board from this point forward, I would definitely go. I'm hoping to have a few more choices, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pregasauraus Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Like others, I would attend my "last choice" school if that was the only place I was admitted to, but only if given full funding. I wonder, if you're admitted somewhere but not given funding, could you ask to defer for a year if you could receive funding in the next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderpete Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'd probably go to any of mine if I got in (I applied to five) but I'd be a bit wary of Chicago because I've since found out they're extremely quantitative focused so it would depend on who was my supervisor. TBH A lot will depend on who supervises me and also what options I have outside my department, and if I don't go anywhere this year I'll research it even harder next year and make sure I get apps to places as tailored as possible to my interest and improve my application based on weaknesses this year (if they give feedback that is!). I have no chance of going anywhere without funding btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engimo Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Yes, but I know that I will get into at least one school with funding. I'd rather go somewhere more prestigious, but it's definitely a good "safety school". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I applied to 10 schools, no clear favorite. Any offer with funding would be grand, and short of something catastrophic happening at the Admitted Students weekend, I think I would be happy at any of these schools. As for funding, it will be a no-go without tuition remission and a stipend. Maybe it's just my field or the humanities more generally, but I've been told repeatedly by my professors, "Don't pay for grad school!", and I have to agree with them. As bad as I want this, that much debt for a history PhD is too scary for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natofone Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'd go to any of my 13 schools. I intentionally picked "safety schools" that gave good, full funding in great cities so it wouldn't be much of a let down to go to schools at the bottom of my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonights Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I am hoping for funding, as we all are, but I don't know if I can mentally (and to some extent, physically) cope with another year of retail. If I only got into one of my top three choices (out of nine) and it was without funding, I would consider trying to rely on loans. My partner will support our living expenses, so it would basically just be taking care of tuition. I probably would not even consider attending my bottom two choices without funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miratrix Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Obviously full funding would be great, and I wouldn't take on debt for five to seven year PhD programs, but one of my top choices is an MA program that offers tuition remission (w/an assistantship) and no stipend. I could live off savings and part time work for the first year, so it would be manageable to take on loans to cover living expenses for the second, or work full-time and become a part-time student while writing the thesis. The school is local and full of people I would absolutely love to work with, which adds to my sense of "worth the money" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewurgler Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 That is a good question. There are two schools on my list that I would have to visit, talk with current grads and a potential advisor before I would go. The thing is, I know I could improve my app for next year and get into a better fit school--it would probably be worth the wait for me as I tend to be miserable in places where academic ethics or 'aims" are not in line with mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeinthecoconut Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 At this point, when my self-doubt is overwhelming me, I think I'll just leap for join and shout, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"... provided it comes with full funding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40404 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 If I only get into one I would probably go... I only applied to four (3 submitted, last one will be submitted w/in the week)... Although if given funding it will be absolutely fantastic, I don't think I am a strong candidate for that one. 4.0s are not that easy to get from where I come from. Of the 4 I applied to, I would looooove to get into my top choice but if that does not happen (considering admission rates for that program is around 9% ) then I'd be happy to attend any of the other three. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danil Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 One school would be million times better than all reject.. and i would definitely go regardless. With no funding however, would be a whole new story. :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritzie Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 I honestly don't know what I'd do. I need a PhD for most of the jobs I'd really like, so it would be very hard to turn down anyplace that accepted me.?My problem is that I already have a ton of loans from undergrad and my MA - I can't take any more on, so it would be very difficult to make ends meet without any funding. Anyway, I've applied to four schools. One of them I wouldn't attend without full funding - it's not a bad school, and I'd be happy getting my degree there, but... I wouldn't pay for it. One is in an EXTREMELY expensive city - I couldn't afford to attend without funding no matter how badly I wanted to go (oh, and I do, so badly!). The other two... they're in cities, too, but not much more expensive than where I'm at now. And they're both very good programs. I think I'd seriously consider attending either one of them, working part-time, and trying to get funding after the first year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma2003 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I have applied to four schools. One of the four I am figuring will not be funded, regardless, and I am willing to go there and fund myself , but only if I don't receive offers of funding from anywhere else. Out of the remaining three, only my last choice would I turn down given the scenario presented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nandelle Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I didn't apply anywhere I couldn't see myself attending. I'd rather go somewhere a little more prestigious than my 5th choice school, but if I got in there with full funding (and not elsewhere) I would have trouble saying no - besides I like the location. My top choice school coincidentally happens to be in-state for me, so even if I didn't get funding (I am applying for Master's programs), I would be tempted to use savings/work to go there. If I don't get funding *anywhere* my backup plan is to work through the summer and apply for schools in Australia and New Zealand. I'm a dual citizen (US/NZ) so I could go there for not a whole lot, tuition wise. The disadvantage is that at least University of Auckland (the best for my program) doesn't offer much funding. So we'll see! Perhaps tomorrow will bring good news in my mailbox or inbox! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycholinguist Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Originally I had a list of eleven programs to apply to, but for some odd reason I couldn't get all that excited about three of them, so I ditched them on the basis of thinking that if I got into none except for one (or more) of those three, it wouldn't feel like much of a consolation to me. Applied to the other eight, and though I did gradually (and mostly inadvertently) develop a top-three list, I'm also aware that I'd be happy to go to any of them (assuming enough financial support overall). One was a safety, but at a school I'm quite fond of for personal reasons; in fact, I'm already a tiny bit sorry that I've already pretty much ruled out going there. Though not sorry enough to change my mind. * grins * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
was1984 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Whats the point of applying to a school if you wouldn't go there even if it was your only acceptance (with funding)? That seems kind of silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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