SUNY Buffalo Comparative Literature

[aliko54]

Hello everyone, I've just got accepted to SUNY Buffalo Complit They offered 13,600$ with tuition waiver..Now, I'm from Istanbul, Turkey, and I really need to know whether you can live decently with that kind of money in the US / in Buffalo..And if there's anyone out there who knows something about the program and its professors, please do write something!!

[perrykm2]

Hey there. Congratulations!

Buffalo isn't an expensive city. There are student apartments around/near SUNY Buffalo that are pretty cheap/convenient, especially if you're splitting rent/utilities with roommates. If you're pretty conservative with your spending, that should be fine.

[Starlajane]

That's a pretty standard amount, although not much: most grad programs describe their packages as offering tuition remission and a stipend that covers "basic expenses." Even if you rent an inexpensive apartment, I would be prepared to need more money than that to live on, even if you are conservative.

[ryanlikesvespas]

Buffalo, NY is a very cheap town to live in. UB is north of town, so you can get a small apartment in the burbs for less than $600 or live in the city for less and commute. Its a very culturally rich city and you should find a Turkish population in town with no problem. Get with other students before moving into an apartment though to verify what part of town its in. The city has some very impoverished areas and the crime rate in certain neighborhoods is through the roof. When I was going to grad school in Buffalo my wife's car window was broken 4 times and my wheels and tires were literally taken off my car and it was sat on cement blocks (I have pictures to prove it!).

Bring a nice winter jacket. It tends to snow ALOT. Good luck, UB is a great school!

[czenzi]

Hi, I know very little about the cost of living Buffalo, but $13,600 is a probably around the standard offer. Regardless, in most places in America it will mean that you will have to be very frugal. As for the professors in the complit department, I met two of them when they were working at a different university. I was not a student there but know someone who was, and my impression was that they were incredibly nice people and very serious about their work and their expectations of their graduate students.

Congrats!

[TripWillis]

That's a pretty standard amount, although not much: most grad programs describe their packages as offering tuition remission and a stipend that covers "basic expenses." Even if you rent an inexpensive apartment, I would be prepared to need more money than that to live on, even if you are conservative.

And if you're liberal, you will need even more money *ba-dum KISH!* Is this thing on?

[thestage]

for the sake of comparison, the poverty line in the US for a single person household last year was $10,890. I don't know how they normalize for nationwide variance in cost of living, but one would assume it is taken into consideration in some way or another.

translation: you will be able to live, if by live you mean "eat food and have heat in my apartment." you will not have money for any unforseen expenses. you will not have money for much in the way of "luxury," with luxury here defined as "basically anything." since you are both 1) a grad student, and 2) poor, I'm assuming most of the money above that poverty line will be spent on alcohol and coffee, possibly mixed.

Edited January 25, 2012 by thestage

[aliko54]

Thank you guys for the helpful comments! I think I now have a general idea about the finances...I may get an award from the uni, that would be a huge relief (fingers crossed)..

[bfat]

since you are both 1) a grad student, and 2) poor, I'm assuming most of the money above that poverty line will be spent on alcohol and coffee, possibly mixed.

Can I just say that I love this?