UCSD communication funding

[sr0304]

hello hello!

so, I have been recently accepted into UCSD's Comm. program, and am truly surprised and I'm getting excited! I am especially excited to hear that I have been nominated for the San Diego fellowship by the Department.

 

but as I do some browsing, I'm really starting to appreciate that the COL in San Diego is sooo high. And I would have to move across the country.

 

So, if you are familiar with UCSD or their Comm Department, can you please answer this (pretty please?):

1) If I was awarded the fellowship, would it be supplemented by the Department with a TAship (teaching is required for all Comm graduates...)?

2) Is there reliable funding? I can't afford to be stuck out there with no resources....

3) Where is a good place to live that safe, affordable, will accept my amazing and precious Border Collie, and is in walking distance to school or that has public transportation to campus?

[SoftSci]

Hey SR0304, 

 

I am one of your fellow acceptees for UCSD. And just as you are, I am fairly juiced! I have been scouring the internet looking for funding and cost planning myself. I also am really curious about the questions you have, too. There is little information about the San Diego fellowship, I believe it is a fairly competitive fellowship since it is campus wide. I wonder if the department guns for as much of that San Diego fellowship as possible because of the benefit the department has in getting a large chunk of their cohort taken care of by the system instead of the internal budget.

 

Also, it seems in general that UCSD carries a larger cohort. I wonder if this is good or bad from a competitive standpoint? I am a born and bred midwesterner and am doing my MA in the South, so the lack of winter and proximity to the ocean is a serious serious bonus I mean don't get me wrong I love our lakes, but it just seems so tempting and also the faculty is a great fit for me.  

 

-SoftSci

[aberrant]

3) Where is a good place to live that safe, affordable, will accept my amazing and precious Border Collie, and is in walking distance to school or that has public transportation to campus?

 

The neighborhood is safe in general, for most of the people who live in La Jolla/UTC area are usually professionals, students, or retired. I found it common that some people jogging around the UTC area in early morning. I used to work until 2 or 3 am and I would walk home from campus (2.3 miles, 30 minutes power + jaywalk).

 

However, if you have never been living in big cities, you may find that most housing in the nearby area is not quite affordable. A 1 bedroom apartment is roughly $1100 - +$1500 per month. Therefore, it is extremely common for students to find roommate(s) to rent an apartment in UTC area, especially when you (probably) can't stay at graduate housing with your Border Collie.

 

 

While the campus is consider in La Jolla, majority of undergraduate students stay in UTC area, which is 2 - 2.5 miles from the campus. The school and city shuttles to commute students who live in those area (besides MTS buses). You options really depend on how often do you want to drive to campus for classes and work. The only nearby off campus housing is on the west side of the campus, which is close to the beach but probably expensive because it's closer to the beach / La Jolla shore and they do not have a large-scale apartment complex by/near the ocean.

 

For city shuttles: http://www.ucsdbus.com/map Stops on Arriba and Nobel cover a lot of apartment complexes that you can consider.

Other bus routes info is here: http://blink.ucsd.edu/facilities/transportation/commuting/public.html

[cali_monkey]

Hi!  I've also been recently accepted into UCSD's program.  I live in California and am currently weighing it against another top program, but I've been warned by quite a few faculty members in my department that UC funding just doesn't cut it.  

Anyone else heard of these funding limitations as far as UCSD?   

 

Oh and as a Californian with family in San Diego - yes cost of living, especially around UCSD is quite high.  (worries me too!)  I've been told however, that if you are willing to commute (think 15-20 minute drive), you CAN find nice, affordable housing in SD.  I guess it depends on if you have a car (hard to not have one in Cali!) and how willing you are to commute.  

[guttata]

Hi!  I've also been recently accepted into UCSD's program.  I live in California and am currently weighing it against another top program, but I've been warned by quite a few faculty members in my department that UC funding just doesn't cut it.  

Anyone else heard of these funding limitations as far as UCSD?   

 

Oh and as a Californian with family in San Diego - yes cost of living, especially around UCSD is quite high.  (worries me too!)  I've been told however, that if you are willing to commute (think 15-20 minute drive), you CAN find nice, affordable housing in SD.  I guess it depends on if you have a car (hard to not have one in Cali!) and how willing you are to commute.  

 

I have nothing to do with any communications programs, but you're a Californian, so you should know that your state - and by extension your state school system - is broke. I heard from a bio professor who was offered to head a dept in the UC system. He asked to take a look at their finances, laughed and told them "No way!"

[cali_monkey]

I have nothing to do with any communications programs, but you're a Californian, so you should know that your state - and by extension your state school system - is broke. I heard from a bio professor who was offered to head a dept in the UC system. He asked to take a look at their finances, laughed and told them "No way!"

 

I attend a state school and am definitely familiar with this.  The thing is, when I look at what stipends seem to be at UCSD (and as far as I know this year no one who has been accepted has been given funding specifics yet), they seem pretty average with what's being offered at other programs across the country.  What I am concerned about with UCSD is their ability to maintain support and also availability of additional forms of support (conference travel, etc).  As I said, just about anywhere you can get around cost of living if you don't insist on living near campus.