Cornell 2014

[DeleteMePlease]

Hi All!

I was accepted into Cornell Ph.D. for Computer Science. Can somebody give me infos on (on-campus) housing? 

 

 

Thanks!

PS: Started a new thread so it doesn't get confusing.

[babubot]

I'm not set on Cornell yet, but it's definitely my top choice for now - I would be studying MechE (robotics). Their website has a lot of information about on-campus housing: http://living.sas.cornell.edu/live/wheretolive/housingoptions/graduate.cfm/. Personally, I am interested in the coop housing. Seems a lot cheaper, and I'd rather live in a closer community anyways.

Edited February 12, 2014 by babubot

[DeleteMePlease]

Thanks for the link!

 

The cooperative housing looks really cool. I think I will apply for that too but I am afraid there are only a few spots for graduate students.

Edited February 12, 2014 by GermanStudent

[czesc]

You should really consider living off campus, preferably in Fall Creek/downtown. Most grad students don't live in on-campus housing; it's really isolated from everything. I would only maybe consider it if I had both a family and a car.

[DeleteMePlease]

I currently live off campus as an undergrad and don't really like it. I would prefer to live in a dorm or some house I share with other people, than being alone in an apartment.

 

What do you mean with isolated? I thought I will spend most of my time on campus as a graduate student anyways.

[czesc]

The thing you have to realize is that Cornell's campus is huge. And while many of the academic buildings are in the southwestern portion closest to central Ithaca, the rest of the campus spreads far to the east and north. So there are parts of campus that are actually more isolated from the academic buildings where you'll spend most of your time working than parts of Ithaca that are off-campus. You also have to factor in transportation. Buses from parts of Ithaca are more frequent than those that run to parts of the campus where grad student housing is located. And given the distances involved and the ferocity of winters in Ithaca, it's often more practicable to take a bus than to walk.

 

If you do decide to live off campus but don't want to be alone, you can always search for shared accommodations or a room in a house filled with other students on Craigslist. There are plenty of those setups in Ithaca. 

Edited February 12, 2014 by czesc

[DeleteMePlease]

Thanks czesc! That helps a lot

[babubot]

You should really consider living off campus, preferably in Fall Creek/downtown. Most grad students don't live in on-campus housing; it's really isolated from everything. I would only maybe consider it if I had both a family and a car.

 

The isolation aspect is what actually made me want to live on campus in the first place, but now that I'm looking at a map, I see what you're saying. Thanks for the suggestions!

[DeleteMePlease]

Did anybody hear about funding yet?

 

My email just said that I will receive full support. However, I am still waiting for the offical acceptance via mail that will hopefully give me the amount of support I will receive.

[ohgoodness]

Did anybody hear about funding yet?

 

My email just said that I will receive full support. However, I am still waiting for the offical acceptance via mail that will hopefully give me the amount of support I will receive.

 

http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/costs-and-funding/stipend-rates

 

This is 97% accurate according to the lectures I keep going to (....) 

[DeleteMePlease]

Thanks ohgoodness. That seems like...enough 

[ohgoodness]

I wouldn't worry -  the social sciences (i.e me) get less than the natural/hard sciences and I have no issues with economy.   I moved here from Stockholm and rent is about the same but the rest is much cheaper (especially the beer!).   Feel free to send me a message if I can help with any questions about moving from Western Europe to Cornell. 

[DeleteMePlease]

Yeah alcohol is wicked expensive in scandinavia.

 

The living wage calculator of MIT says I need 21000 a year. The Cornell stipend seems to be way above that so I am fine with that. Money is not that important to me but it should be enough to cover a normal live and paying a flight back home once in a while.

[czesc]

Don't know about every department, but in history, we get an extra $5k for each summer, too (the stipend rates quoted in the link above are for the academic year --so September through May -- only) so the amount Cornell gives me is effectively over $28k. And that doesn't include opportunities for other grant funding both internal and external to the university.

 

I could probably live on less here, though. Not only are the prices dirt cheap in Ithaca, certain costs like transportation are radically subsidized -- Cornell students ride Ithaca buses for free their whole first year, after which a year's worth of bus rides only costs $200. And the annual membership fee for Ithaca Carshare, the local version of Zipcar, is paid by Cornell on behalf of its students as well.

Edited February 14, 2014 by czesc

[DeleteMePlease]

Yeah the link above also gives some infos about summer stipends. I was too busy with studying for the GRE that I missed the deadlines for other stipends (Fulbright etc), but I will definitly do that for the following year.

 

How does Zipcar work? Do I have to pay per mile? Would be awesome not having to buy a car. I want to use a bike when possible anyways. Will be a good workout with all those hills

 

Is anybody of you a vegeterian/vegan? I am a "part-time vegan", which means I prefer to eat without any dairy products and meat but it is often not possible in the town I am currently living in. I wonder if it is easy to buy different kinds of tofu and seitan in Itahaca and if there are any vegetarian restaurants.

Edited February 14, 2014 by GermanStudent

[ohgoodness]

I'm vegan and it's easy as 123 here.    Ithaca has a nice farmers market with local greens and stuffs,   there is a fancy dirt-expensive local "organic" store (green star) downtown where you can get all the fancy tofu and such.   Wegmans,  which local people love and normal people (read me) think is just a normal store, has a very good assortment of vegetables and various vegan food stuffs.  The other stores (PC Fresh and Tops) has an ok assortment of those things as well

 

Restaurant-wise - Ithaca has lots of restaurants and most places offer veg alternatives.  There is a famous veg. restaurant called Moosewoods which is well-liked and hyped (Ithaca has lots of old and young hippie-types) so you can always go there.   I would say that it might be as easy finding a veg meal in Ithaca as in a hipster neighborhood of a European city.  Less alternatives but easy. 

 

On campus - you can always pick up a vegan/veg lunch alternative (for around 7-10$).    I eat out about once a month, never go to wegmans and my food bill is perfectly manageable and I really splurge on vegetables and fruits to make sure I eat well. 

Edited February 15, 2014 by ohgoodness

[czesc]

How does Zipcar work? Do I have to pay per mile? Would be awesome not having to buy a car. I want to use a bike when possible anyways. Will be a good workout with all those hills

 

 

It's Ithaca Carshare, and it's like Zipcar but is not Zipcar (which is its own company that does not have cars in Ithaca). I just got Ithaca Carshare myself. Cornell pays your annual fee, and you pay $7.95 per hour, plus a small mileage fee (I think 30 cents per mile?) though you don't always pay that much...the cars are reservable in 15-minute increments. The hourly fee is also heavily reduced after a certain time (I think 11pm). And you never have to pay for gas; there's a card in the cars to pay for it when it runs low. In terms of how it works, you put in your reservation online -- there's also a smartphone app if you're on the go. They issue you a card that you then wave over the car to unlock it. When you're done, you need to return it to the same parking spot where it was before.

 

It's good for short trips, especially stocking up on groceries. Because rental cars here are also cheap, though, carshare doesn't really make financial sense if you need a car for more than about 4 hours or so. You can sometimes rent cars at Enterprise in town for as low as $29/day.

 

All that said, the bus system is actually pretty good, there are taxis around if necessary, and I find that enough people have cars that I wind up riding with them often as well, so there's lots of options if you don't want a car.

[DeleteMePlease]

Mh the housing situation is rather unfortunate.

Either I wait until I will be in Ithaca and get a cheap place off-campus (don't want to rent something without visiting). Or I apply for on-campus housing now. Think I figured out why most of the international students are living on campus

[ohgoodness]

To calm your mind -  I did apply for the on-campus housing and did get an offer from them (in like march or april) but I rejected as I found a better place off-campus. You can always apply and then reject the offer without any loss to you at all. 

 

If I run past the Hasbrouck complex tomorrow - I'll take a quick picture and upload to show what it may looks like in mid-feb. 

[aralat]

Hi there,

 

I am also probably going to Cornell for Fall 2014. I have some concerns since I will be accompanied with my wife. The stipend is stated as 33,530$ per year. Do you know how much of it is reduced due to taxes considering I am an international student? For a modest living of two people do you think 33,530$ minus the tax is sufficient?

 

Thnx in advance.

[Nyctophile]

Hi there,

 

I am also probably going to Cornell for Fall 2014. I have some concerns since I will be accompanied with my wife. The stipend is stated as 33,530$ per year. Do you know how much of it is reduced due to taxes considering I am an international student? For a modest living of two people do you think 33,530$ minus the tax is sufficient?

 

Thnx in advance.

I have no idea about international taxes but the stipend for English is only $24K and I expect to be able to live more than comfortably on that while in Ithaca. From what I've heard a one bedroom is in the range of $800ish/mo. $24K divided by the 9 months of the school year gives me about $2600/month, minus rent that seems like more than enough for what I need. Hopefully that helps? (also, hopefully someone who knows more than i do will respond )

[DeleteMePlease]

Woa wasn't aware that there are such big differences between stipends. Maybe they pay you already more because they know you are coming with family?

[Nyctophile]

Woa wasn't aware that there are such big differences between stipends. Maybe they pay you already more because they know you are coming with family?

from what i've seen on the boards and college sites these discrepancies are fairly standard. sciences seem to get more money than humanities.  i'm just glad it's still generous enough that i'll be able to survive during my program if i go to cornell.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Nyctophile

[DeleteMePlease]

Well, Nyctophile I get the same amount as you so I don't think it has much to do with field. Maybe he/she is including the some summer stipend as well?

Edited February 20, 2014 by GermanStudent

[Nyctophile]

Well, Nyctophile I get the same amount as you so I don't think it has much to do with field. Maybe he/she is including the some summer stipend as well?

Maybe? I'm really not sure how it's all figured but from lurking over in the science forums that's what I was seeing. *shrugs*