offer semantics

[rjzuchow]

I'm very happy to have been offered decent funding packages at two PhD programs. However, I am not sure if these offers are essentially the same or not.

 

My first offer is worded like this, "Your graduate assistant appointment will provide a stipend of ***** and a tuition waver for four years."

The second offer is phrased differently. It says that I have received an assistantship from Fall 2014 to Spring 2015. Then in the Period Of Appointment section it says, "preference in renewals normally is given to those students who have shown superior aptitude in the performance of assistantship duties and in academic progress."

 

I am definitely not planning on doing poorly in any program, but the difference in wording does cause me to wonder about the second offer. It seems like they had to qualify extension of assistantship more so than the first offer. Is the assistantship attrition that high? Is there a significant competition among assistants to retain his or her funding through superior aptitude?

 

thanks for the advice.

 

 

 

[the_sheath]

Depends on the place really. You may want to contact the DGS to find out. For example, for the place I was accepted, the funding letter was phrased much like in your second case, where funding was only guaranteed in the first year, and additional funding was contingent on my success in the program. When I had asked about it (from a graduate student who had contact with the DGS), I was told that there was actually a shortage of TAs to the point where the department started hiring TAs from other departments (i.e. no shortage of TAships), and that funding was "basically guaranteed" even though it wasn't on paper. Regardless, that it is not on paper really concerns me. But the idea that you have to do well enough in the program to get funding isn't unreasonable. At least in my case, "well enough" means meeting expected GPA/progress requirements (quals, coursework, credits, etc).

[RomulusAugustulus]

Some programs guarantee funding for a certain number of years, though even this usually relies on you making "satisfactory progress" (passing language exams, maintaining a certain GPA, etc.) Other schools you have to apply for funding each year. It may be (as the_sheath said) that this is mostly a formality, or funding competition could be very steep. Definitely check with the DGS, but you might also email a grad student or two to see how competitive funding is. I have a friend at a UC where they had to apply for funding each year, and it was definitely not just a formality. It sounded like it caused a lot of tension in the department (as well as personal stress), so it is something to watch out for. But congrats on the offers!

[phdcandidate022014]

I'm not aware of any program that guarantees funding all four (or five, or whatever) years with no strings attached.  In all cases I have seen, the student has to maintain certain minimum requirements to continue receiving tuition waivers and a stipend.  Farther along the spectrum are cases where your funding is handled by a scholarship/fellowship for one semester or two, during which time you are expected to latch onto an advisor that would pay your tuition and stipend in subsequent years, subject to the same minimum requirement of performance.  Still farther along the spectrum is the case where you are aligned with a professor from day 1 and they fund you from that time, subject to the performance requirements (I like this case a little less than the previous because you get a chance to actually work with or around one or more advisors before going "all in" with one of them).  Finally, there would be the case as described above, where funding is not guaranteed and there may need to be annual (or perhaps more frequent) attempts to secure funding for tuition and/or stipend.

[rjzuchow]

Thank you everyone for this fantastic feedback.

 

I know that my first offer of "guaranteed funding" for four years isn't exactly a guarantee and that I would need to maintain certain standards. RomulusAugustus really got at what I was worried about – internal student competition over receiving funding for the each year following the first. I am hoping it is more of a formality as that is the program I most want to attend. I will email some current students (and the DGS) to find out.

 

Thanks again everyone!