My struggle between funding and academic fit...

[Soleil ت]

Hello all,

I am currently resting on two funded offers and one offer awaiting a funding decision. My areas of interest (French Linguistics) are pretty hard to find programs for, so I applied to the only three universities that have defined graduate programs/degrees for this area of study: University of Texas, Austin; Indiana University, Bloomington; and University of Florida. As a backup, I also applied to the University of California, Davis, which appeared to have some linguistic influence, though the program was fairly small. Indiana was my preferred program, but they offered me no funding. UF's program is smaller but still is strong in French Linguistics; they also offered me 100% tuition waiver, a $5,000 supplementary fellowship to help me relocate to Gainesville (~4,000 miles away), health insurance and a TA stipend of 8,500 the first year and 14,000 the second year. As my hometown is an hour north of UF and I have lived on the West Coast for so long (excited to be near my family again!), this seemed like a no-brainer: choose an academically fitting program with decent funding and proximity to my family.

Then, three days ago (terrible timing!), I was offered admission to UC Davis. They offered me tuition remission for in-state and out-of-state supplemental tuitions (totaling ~30,000) and a teaching assistantship with an annual salary of $17,600, plus health insurance, with additional but undefined funding for future years. Blinded by dollar signs, I decided to look into the program again. Currently there are three French Linguistics students (out of 14 grad students) and only ONE professor whose interests and specialty are in French Linguistics (the rest are literature, something I have no interest in). They insist the small size of their program allows for strong mentorship and flexibility, but I'm hesitant. Davis is seemingly a good community, and I could live more comfortably on 2,000/month. Plus, it's only 15 miles from where I currently reside, so the relocation would be effortless, as opposed to the ~4,000 miles between UF and me (even with the $5,000 fellowship).

Sorry for the length, but I feel like I need someone familiar with graduate school anxiety to just tell me what to do instead of my loved ones saying "you'll figure it out." =/

Thanks for reading!

M.

[Chai_latte]

The good thing is that these schools want you.  Congrats!  You're in the driver's seat now.  I'd contact the POIs now (and then the dept. chair) and see if I could get a guarantee for my advisor of choice.  Negotiate!  You might really be able to swing something like that w/ Davis b/c it seems like they might be a dept. that's building/growing and is trying to lure quality applicants.  And then step away from the academics and ask yourself where you want to be for the next 5-7 years.  Please don't neglect that b/c there's a big diff. btwn FL and CA.  Think about "holistic fit", as well.

[EastCoasting]

Just my own personal opinion- I would be worried about attending a school where my research interests overlapped with only one faculty member. I had told one of the schools that I was interested in, that while I was interested in them I was seriously considering another offer, because of finances. Although I stressed that I wasn't asking them for more money, rather just explaining why this decision is taking so long, they did find more funds to offer me. If that is a big issue for you, you might try and explaining it to the school.

[selecttext]

Why would you even consider indebting yourself for a PhD in something as narrow as "french linguistics". I would worry more about research interests once you have a PhD and are on a career trajectory. Now is the time to be most malleable and open minded. You have the rest of your life to specialize in something so narrow. Nevermind the fact that a professor needn't be a specialist in 'french linguistics' to supervise an eager student. Chances are you will work with the one french linguist anyways.

Edited April 8, 2013 by selecttext

[ZacharyObama]

My thoughts on your situation:

 

1. Have you tried begging Indiana for funding? Can't hurt to try.

 

2. Calculate out how much debt you could potentially be in going to Florida - I'm not familiar with the cost of living in that area of the country, but it sounds like you're looking at something like $7k in debt right off the bat. Did they give you funding for your entire program? Are you likely to be funded?

 

3. I can't tell if you've gone and visited the department at Davis. If you have not, do so. Also look not just at your potential adviser but what classes you're going to take. Talk to the other students at Davis. Find out more about funding after the first year.

 

You need to do more first person research into these programs. No one on here is really going to be able to give you the sort of fine tuned advice into these programs. GO GO GO GO Time is running out. You want the maximum amount of information before making a decision like this one.

 

Hope that helps.

[Soleil ت]

My thoughts on your situation:

 

1. Have you tried begging Indiana for funding? Can't hurt to try.

 

2. Calculate out how much debt you could potentially be in going to Florida - I'm not familiar with the cost of living in that area of the country, but it sounds like you're looking at something like $7k in debt right off the bat. Did they give you funding for your entire program? Are you likely to be funded?

 

3. I can't tell if you've gone and visited the department at Davis. If you have not, do so. Also look not just at your potential adviser but what classes you're going to take. Talk to the other students at Davis. Find out more about funding after the first year.

 

You need to do more first person research into these programs. No one on here is really going to be able to give you the sort of fine tuned advice into these programs. GO GO GO GO Time is running out. You want the maximum amount of information before making a decision like this one.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

Thanks for the reply!  I know it's hard for somebody outside of my shoes to really give a perfect idea, but it was worth a shot.  To answer some of your questions:

 

1. I've already been in contact with Indiana about funding.  They keep telling me "the process is slow, and we'll let you know ASAP.  Please wait a little longer!" In the meantime, they've offered at least one person on the forum the funding package, so I know they know more than they're letting on... Understandably, of course. This leads me to believe funding = no go.

 

2. Since UF is about an hour south of my hometown, my sister actually wanted to move in with me, eliminating some financial stress, but also making the funding a little meager.  I would probably take out about $5,000 for the first semester to offsest the difference in funding before my stipend increases.  They've offered me $5,000 to help me relocate to FL, but I have so little stuff that I'd really only need a $300 plane ticket .  They're nearly doubling my salary for the second year, and I am guaranteed funding.

 

3. I did visit Davis on Monday, since it's only 30 minutes away.  The city is beautiful, the campus is decent from what I did see, but when I actually got to the department, I instantly became depressed -- it felt like a wasteland.  I like to look at the bulletin boards in the hallways and see what kind of seminars and programs they have available to grads/undergrads.  They had "GRADS" posted up and literally nothing around to offer, haha.  I am really concerned about there only being one professor with my research interests.  As another person mentioned, this is really concerning for me, with reason.  UF has more of a faculty resource in that department.

 

I've been in contact with people from both schools, and I have a better overall "feeling" about UF's program, but I love the city of Davis.  Plus, the extra funding at Davis makes it more appealing, but I genuinely think I will find myself less satisfied with the program.  Then I think maybe I'm being too picky since I'm just doing my master's for now (I intend to reapply to Indiana for PhD). 

 

Thanks for everybody's input!

[ZacharyObama]

2 years vs. 5 changes things. What are your deadlines for responding and when will Indiana tell you about funding? It sounds like you prefer the Florida program over Davis. Would you be okay with it if you don't get into Indiana for your PhD?

[JungWild&Free]

I don't think you should let the funding being higher at Davis sway you in this case.  Gainesville is a cheap place to live and it sounds like you are going to have almost enough to live on with the relocation money at UF anyway.  Like you and others have said, it's dangerous if there is only one professor you can work with at Davis.  What if they move to another school?  Who would you work with then?  It sounds like UF is going to offer what you need with at least some money.  Bummer about Indiana being so slow with the funding but you don't want to pay out of pocket for the degree, especially when you have funded offers. 

[rising_star]

Don't let the money sway you! Seriously. $17K/year is nowhere near $2K/month, unless you're planning on having outside work during the summer to supplement your income. Yes, it's ~$2K/month for 9 months, but rent and your need to eat don't stop just because classes have ended. Also, I think you're looking at the UF offer the wrong way. Really, it's $8.5K + $5K so $13.5K for your first year then goes up to $14K for the second year. You should think of the fellowship to help with moving as part of your overall financial package. And, given that and that you won't have to pay state income taxes in FL, the two stipends are actually very, very similar.

 

In other words, Go Gators! At least in terms of money. Everyone else has already covered the research and faculty reasons for going to UF and they're right about those too.

[kvv_s28]

I certainly vote for UF's program though you feel the funding offer is comparably less. After all what I have read, it definitely is obvious that you prefer the UF's program much more than Davis..and I strongly feel that only ONE POI will definitely narrow down evrything.

[ThousandsHardships]

@Soleil ت I know you're probably no longer reading this anymore, but if you by any chance happen to do so, I'm curious to know whether Indiana did end up offering you funding. Right now Indiana is the ONLY school that I've been accepted to (and I've heard back from all of them), and I'm kinda in a similar situation with funding. I keep being told to wait it out and that the process is slow, but I'm having my doubts. I'm just about freaking out right now.