It's April and I've heard back from one school

[sinkingfun]

I've applied to 5 PhD programs (mathematics) and only heard back from one.  It was an acceptance via email and they said they would send me information on funding through the mail (which I am yet to receive).  Given the approaching deadline, I have a few general questions that I would be very appreciative to have opinions on:

 

1) If by April 15 I receive no funding, should I still go?  The biggest deficiency in my record is my subject GRE score.  I have a lucrative backup plan and there's a solid chance I could make money and study for the subject again in my free time.  Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation and what did you think of the decision you made?

 

2) How often is funding trickled down after April 15?

 

3) What happens if I accept an offer (with or without funding) right around the deadline and then a better school (with funding) gives me a very last second offer even closer to the deadline?  Can I reasonable deny the first school?

 

4) How common is it to get no funding the first year and then receive funding years later?

 

5) How common is it to have tuition waived, but receive no other funding?

 

 

I realize a lot of these questions I need to ask the schools themselves.  I'm mostly looking for general opinions outside of the school.  Thank you!

Edited March 31, 2013 by sinkingfun

[Cookie]

1) If by April 15 I receive no funding, should I still go?  

 

4) How common is it to get no funding the first year and then receive funding years later?

 

5) How common is it to have tuition waived, but receive no other funding?

 

Do not do a science PhD without full funding.  That's the universal advice from all my profs.

[sinkingfun]

Do not do a science PhD without full funding.  That's the universal advice from all my profs.

 

I'm thinking similarly right now.  Especially since I have a great backup plan.  Thanks.

[sansao]

Well, you don't know that you're not funded (assuming I read your post right). You just don't have the official offer yet. But also, you still have two weeks. You could hear from four other schools in that time. I'd wait to decide until the last minute-ish. See if your funding info or other offers come in. If you haven't heard about funding by, say, the 10th, email the program and ask about it.

[lypiphera]

I've applied to 5 PhD programs (mathematics) and only heard back from one.  It was an acceptance via email and they said they would send me information on funding through the mail (which I am yet to receive).  Given the approaching deadline, I have a few general questions that I would be very appreciative to have opinions on:

 

1) If by April 15 I receive no funding, should I still go?  The biggest deficiency in my record is my subject GRE score.  I have a lucrative backup plan and there's a solid chance I could make money and study for the subject again in my free time.  Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation and what did you think of the decision you made?

 

2) How often is funding trickled down after April 15?

 

3) What happens if I accept an offer (with or without funding) right around the deadline and then a better school (with funding) gives me a very last second offer even closer to the deadline?  Can I reasonable deny the first school?

 

4) How common is it to get no funding the first year and then receive funding years later?

 

5) How common is it to have tuition waived, but receive no other funding?

 

 

I realize a lot of these questions I need to ask the schools themselves.  I'm mostly looking for general opinions outside of the school.  Thank you!

 

1) I would not go without funding, but I would definitely wait longer to receive the information.  If they said funding info would come, I would absolutely wait and see what it is.  I would email within the next week about it, letting them know you are excited about their program but would not be able to attend without funding.

 

2) I don't think it's common, but I believe it does happen on occasion.  It's very reasonable to ask them to tell you for sure before then.  If they don't tell you by the 15th, and you haven't been accepted to other schools, I would tell them you accept but can only attend if they offer funding, and hope it comes in quickly or they let you wait to enroll until they find out.

 

3) I would definitely not accept if you haven't heard from other schools you are considering.  A lot of people on this forum go through a lot of distress when they accept an offer but then want to decline.  Wait until the absolute last day if you haven't heard from a top choice so that you don't have that problem.  While rescinding after accepting can be done, it is very frowned upon, requires a written release from the school (depending on situation), and will not put you in a good light.

 

4) I would guess this is not very common, but I don't know for sure.  Most places I look at give the most funding in the first year, so if they can't afford any funding the first year, I find it hard to believe they would be likely to find it later.

 

5) I don't know about this.  My understanding is that tuition waver comes with RAing and TAing, because you are en employee, but if you are not doing those things because you are not getting funding, I don't know how that would work.

[sdt13]

My situation is a bit different in that I applied to a few international schools (i.e., Canada and UK). The 3 in Canada are still trying to figure out whether they can offer me funding and I've been told by each to essential "be patient". The issue though is that they won't extend an offer without funding, so here I am holding on to one offer while I pray that my first choice (in Canada) pulls through.

 

With the UK I've experienced mixed results, however these were masters programs. I heard back from Essex within a month and Oxford wants to have a skype interview on April 16th. I haven't responded yet since I'm still holding out for my top choice, but at the same time I'm not sure whether I should consider Oxford since that would mean passing up a funded PhD offer. Thoughts?

 

[acdelco]

I think its not completely uncommon for funding to come down after April 15th. Grand deadlines and things don't operate on our application cycle. Schools could be looking for funding for you and often people might not get their grants until after April 15th at which point they would be able to offer you funding. I would tell the school you're interested in coming but need to know about funding before you commit, they might give you an extension or let you know whats going on i.e. if they are looking for funding, waiting for some money to come through etc. 

[sinkingfun]

Great news - I visited today and they informed that I did in fact get funding with a TAship.  Thank you everyone for your responses.

I now have a new question:

My girlfriend and I are trying to live together (if feasible).  However, her job is in a different state than my grad school (but my school is right on the border so the total driving time between the two is a little over an hour).  In order to make that possible, I want to look into a compromise, which would involve me technically living in a different state than my grad school, even though I would only be 20 minutes away.  Is this even possible?  Thank you!

[zabius]

Great news - I visited today and they informed that I did in fact get funding with a TAship.  Thank you everyone for your responses.

I now have a new question:

My girlfriend and I are trying to live together (if feasible).  However, her job is in a different state than my grad school (but my school is right on the border so the total driving time between the two is a little over an hour).  In order to make that possible, I want to look into a compromise, which would involve me technically living in a different state than my grad school, even though I would only be 20 minutes away.  Is this even possible?  Thank you!

 

It's definitely possible. I'm from NYC, and know a lot of people who go to school or work in Manhattan but choose to live in New Jersey (since it's much cheaper there). There's no rule which states that you need to live in the same state as the school which you're attending.

 

Does your funding package include a tuition waiver? If it doesn't and the school is a public state (i.e. non-private) university, then you may want to live in the same state as the school after all. By doing so, you would qualify for in-state tuition after your first year, which is often much cheaper than out-of-state tuition. But, if the school's paying your tuition (or if there's no difference between in-state and out-of-state rates), then yeah... your compromise plan sounds like the best option for you and your girlfriend.

 

Congrats on the funded offer, by the way! :-)

Edited April 2, 2013 by zabius

[acdelco]

Great news - I visited today and they informed that I did in fact get funding with a TAship.  Thank you everyone for your responses.

I now have a new question:

My girlfriend and I are trying to live together (if feasible).  However, her job is in a different state than my grad school (but my school is right on the border so the total driving time between the two is a little over an hour).  In order to make that possible, I want to look into a compromise, which would involve me technically living in a different state than my grad school, even though I would only be 20 minutes away.  Is this even possible?  Thank you!

Yea if its on the border then its not unheard of, you may just want to check with your funding and see if they need you to be in-state to cover all your tuition. They may have only allotted funding to pay for 1-year of out of state tuition so just ask them before you make your move final. Congrats!

[sansao]

Great news - I visited today and they informed that I did in fact get funding with a TAship.  Thank you everyone for your responses.

I now have a new question:

My girlfriend and I are trying to live together (if feasible).  However, her job is in a different state than my grad school (but my school is right on the border so the total driving time between the two is a little over an hour).  In order to make that possible, I want to look into a compromise, which would involve me technically living in a different state than my grad school, even though I would only be 20 minutes away.  Is this even possible?  Thank you!

 

Congrats!  I thought maybe it was just taking them a little longer to get the money together.  Happy for you that they did! 

[kingspeech]

Great news - I visited today and they informed that I did in fact get funding with a TAship.  Thank you everyone for your responses.

I now have a new question:

My girlfriend and I are trying to live together (if feasible).  However, her job is in a different state than my grad school (but my school is right on the border so the total driving time between the two is a little over an hour).  In order to make that possible, I want to look into a compromise, which would involve me technically living in a different state than my grad school, even though I would only be 20 minutes away.  Is this even possible?  Thank you!

 

If it's a state school and it's right on the border, there may be an agreement to treat residents of certain out-of-state border counties as in-state students. Check with the school.