What to do after accepting?

[Artemisa]

Still time before the 15th, but I have already accepted an offer. What to do now? Should I start talking to the proffesors I want to work with? What kind of questions should I ask? I am kind new on this. Thanks!

[KindaHardWorker]

Heck yeah!  First of all, congrats.  Secondly, yes, you should start moving on these things as quickly as possible. 

 

Take a breather after all those applications and enjoy life for a few days.  Then start contacting profs to let them know of your interests and why their research is something you'd want to do.  Make sure they know you're already accepted.  Look for apartments.  Look on here for other people going to the same school and learn what advice they have for campus.

[Tall Chai Latte]

Congratulations! Looking for a place to live in your new city (assuming you are moving there) is definitely a must. Some places have crazy housing competitions, for example, people around where I go to school start looking for a place to live one year ahead of their actual move-in date. How crazy is that!

[Artemisa]

Thank you!!! I will do that have already being checking housing, and this university doesn't offer any housing option only for grads :s I am an international student and I think it's going to be quite difficult to find an apartment on my own

I mean I have already talked to the two proffesors I want to work with because one is the chair and the another one contacted me after I got the admission letter. I expressed my interest in working with them in my sop and also when they wrote me. After accepting the offer I wrote them again and they said they are looking forward to meeting me in person but that's it..should I say something else?

Edited April 7, 2014 by Artemisa

[unbrokenthread]

Definitely start looking at housing! What I did:

 

1. Found a place to live*, and then began moving arrangements

     1a. I'm flying out, so I began taking stock of what I could sell before I moved. I'll be shipping most things. I hate doing this last-minute, so I've already sold a bunch of stuff -- it's a relief to know I won't have to worry about it. I looked at the cost of shipping my books USPS media mail (cheeeap!!!), the cost of shipping my bike (Amtrak checked baggage was cheapest at something like $20, but there are tons of other options), etc. I decided to buy a good amount of furniture at IKEA and have it delivered locally once I move in. For everything else (like a mattress - I didn't like IKEA's offerings), I'll figure that out later.

2. Mapped out public transit routes to stores I'd probably frequent (grocery, retail, etc) - Google maps is great for this. In doing this I also learned about the public transit "system" in my new town (and the discounts the university offers for it!).

3. Started looking at utility companies/prices (since we have a choice in ATL for many of them) - electric, gas, trash, TV/internet, etc. You might want to take note of who the providers are and write down their phone numbers somewhere to save yourself time later. I was able to schedule my electric to be hooked up (yes, even this far in advance) on the day I move in.

     3a. If you have a phone provider that operates in both your home country and the USA, talk to them if you want to continue being serviced by them. Your account may change, you'll want to know about your options, etc.

4. Found flight/hotel arrangements for the move.

 

* I looked at the prices of apartments and rental houses, and found that (at least in Atlanta) the price of sharing a house with somebody was cheaper than most apartment offerings. I signed my lease just days after I got my acceptance letter because I had been looking for a while. The housing markets CAN be really competitive in college towns. When considering where to live, factor in traffic time, housing needs, the price of gas, etc. Traffic in Atlanta is awful so I looked especially for housing close to the university, and I found a place that's just right.

 

ETA: One of the other things I looked at (since I'm taking a bird with me, and planning to get a dog, and my housemate has a cat) was pet resources. Vet clinics in the area (and the reviews for the vets there). Dog parks. Hiking trails. Doggy daycare, and the approximate costs for any services I'd be interested in. Etc etc. doggoes.com and bringfido.com have been good informational resources.

Edited April 7, 2014 by unbrokenthread

[Artemisa]

Thank you for the good advice!! Yes, housing is a priority. I am moving to Minneapolis by the way