Am an International student accepted into New School but no funding, what to do?

[ranpi]

Hey,

So i just got through to the New School of Social Research, MA in Anthropology, but was offered no financial assistance of any kind. Being an international student from India I obviously (or maybe not so obviously) cannot fund myself for the next two years of graduate studies especially while living in New York so I am wondering what my options are. I have been in constant correspondence with the graduate school admission office (who have been very helpful) regarding possible alternative funding options, have contacted the chairperson of my department etc. already the finance department however has not been relenting such that i still do not know the exact amount I will possibly have to cough up. My chairperson tells me that scholarships are provided to some second year onwards but that's obviously a very vague possibility, similarly assistantships are difficult to come by (apparently about 16 to a student body of 200) also I am constantly told that on campus jobs are almost not available. I haven't however spoken to anyone from New School yet an i am 'not allowed to communicate with any of the present international students' in any manner, which i think is stupid since they are possibly likely to provide me with better ground realities. I really don't want to let go off the opportunity since I really like the department and the school!

So I guess what I am trying to ask is, what should i do??

[Quantum Buckyball]

Hey,

So i just got through to the New School of Social Research, MA in Anthropology, but was offered no financial assistance of any kind. Being an international student from India I obviously (or maybe not so obviously) cannot fund myself for the next two years of graduate studies especially while living in New York so I am wondering what my options are. I have been in constant correspondence with the graduate school admission office (who have been very helpful) regarding possible alternative funding options, have contacted the chairperson of my department etc. already the finance department however has not been relenting such that i still do not know the exact amount I will possibly have to cough up. My chairperson tells me that scholarships are provided to some second year onwards but that's obviously a very vague possibility, similarly assistantships are difficult to come by (apparently about 16 to a student body of 200) also I am constantly told that on campus jobs are almost not available. I haven't however spoken to anyone from New School yet an i am 'not allowed to communicate with any of the present international students' in any manner, which i think is stupid since they are possibly likely to provide me with better ground realities. I really don't want to let go off the opportunity since I really like the department and the school!

So I guess what I am trying to ask is, what should i do??

If I were you I would decline this offer, because as an international student, you cannot apply for US federal student loans or private loans.

[ranpi]

yes well, i know that seems like the most obvious answer, and perhaps finally that is what i will have to do. however i was wondering if there was a way around it. is finding funding for international students at the New School usually this difficult?

[sweetnighter]

yes well, i know that seems like the most obvious answer, and perhaps finally that is what i will have to do. however i was wondering if there was a way around it. is finding funding for international students at the New School usually this difficult?

Yes. The New School does not even have funding for doctoral candidates, let alone master's level students.

[Babar_Suleman]

Art schools are frickin' miserly with financial aid for international students.

I'm in the same situation as you and I just asked my dream program/school for a deferral so I could win the Fulbright scholarship in the meanwhile so I could pay for the degree. Yeah, I'm basing my enrollment decision on my CHANCES of winning the frickin' Fulbright grant!

[ranpi]

Haha @ Babar Suleman, i know EXACTLY what you mean! My parents are going mad cause they can sense my desperation and want me to take an educational loan (which believe you me will be SO large that they AND i will spend the rest of my waking years paying it back).

I have finally decided to base my decision to take up the offer if and only if i manage to crack one of these scholarships from my country, which, given the number of people who apply for them, is next to impossible. Most of the good stuff are saved for the science guys anyway.

What is the deal with Fullbright? I thought it was only for exchanges. Silly me.

[Babar_Suleman]

^ My dream school just told me they don't do deferrals. ARGH.

And I don't know the specifics of the Indian fulbright program, but here in Pakistan they have the exchange scholarship for undergrads and an-all-expenses paid scholarship scheme for graduate students. The only catch is that the Fulbright committee decides which school you attend (even though they say they try to keep your preferences in mind) and that you need to go back to your home country and stay there for two years after you graduate. Which I guess kills your chances of a US career.

And I feel you on the science thing. I understand that science/research is crucial to our survival and progress but the importance of art is viciously underrated. If we could be healthy and successful and technologically advanced, it would hardly be worthwhile if we could not have beautiful art and artists.

[aricyo]

Yes. The New School does not even have funding for doctoral candidates, let alone master's level students.

Oh that's shocking!

Ranpi - I'm very sympathetic for you and hope you could find a way out soon.

Living in New York is very expensive but I believe international students are allowed

to work off campus under extenuating circumstances. I'm not sure how that works

and you may want to find out more about this possibility with the financial aid office

and international student office of New School.

Also, I assume you will need to provide proof of funding for the visa application? So

whether or not you will be able to get a job in New York, lack of funding from New School

would be a big issue...

Have you got any other offers?

[sociologo]

The New School is notorious for not providing funding. To anyone. And NYC is an expensive area to live.

[CarlieE]

What's with this school not allowing you to contact any of the current grads? Did they really say that? I'm not familiar with this school but that seems... odd. And somewhat off-putting. It feels shady, as if they are trying to hide some horrible secret that you'll only know once you sign your soul over to them..

[ranpi]

@Babar - at least they told you they dont do deferrals, i have been requesting a deferral for a week now but haven't heard back from the director of graduate studies and dont even know if its allowed! altho to be honest the graduate office has been very helpful otherwise and the people there seem very polite. have to look into this fullbright thing, sounds kinda sketchy tho, but thanks for the tip and best of luck with your admissions, just stay patient it will happen

@arcyoung - thank you for your sympathy! any chance you'd be sympathetic enough to send me a $80,000 check with that? ;-) yes you are right i wont get visa clearance without any proof of funding and the only funding i could get right now are loans which i am unwilling to take up (i'd be paying back a huge sum, nearly 2 million in my currency, over years if i did) so basically i am screwed right now. but its okay, i didnt apply anywhere else this year and applying to NSSR was easy because they didnt ask for a GRE score or TOEFL so that saved me some cash, I am planning to apply again if this doesnt work out, so... In the meantime i guess i will have to maintain my position as a student by deferring my admission, so that i can apply for schols, which need me to have been admitted to a school already, but in case i dont get any schol the money i will pay to maintain my spot will obviously be money lost down the drain!

@anthroDork - hahaha, might be. i repeatedly asked both the graduate student assistants and the international student advisors to put me in touch with international students who are present graduates so that they can give me some pointers but was told that thei office was unauthorised to provide me with contact email addresses of the students, something regarding some amendment in the constitution. Its funny cause the student directory online provides many email addresses, i cant use them though because they dont tell me who is an international student and who isn't, it'd be weird to mail everyone in the department telling them to help me out!

[uhohlemonster]

Hi! I'm an alum of new schools undergrad division, Eugene Lang College. Pm me and I can help you out/hook you up possibly with people in your program!

[ht272]

I also have this problem- I was admitted with a 25% scholarship, which I suppose I should be happy with, but the left over amount that I have to pay is so huge that I don't know whether I can do it. I e-mailed admissions about 10 times, no reply. So I called them today... they just told me that all the people who ask for more money are put into a 'pool' or something like that, and then we have to wait another week to find out whether our appeal will be granted at all... The whole funding process at the New School is so terrifyingly bureaucratic.

[GregSamsa]

Hi! What program did you apply to? Does the "pool" thing apply for all the programs? I am waitlisted for Social Psychology but heard no news at all...