Summer financial aid

[Guest Ida]

I noticed most of my offers had a 9 month stipend as core funding, and then the summer funding was offered separately. Most of those were indicated as Research Assistantship or fellowships for the summer. Some of the programs offered no summer money, so when I asked, I was told most people go home/find internships/find other jobs/work for professors to make ends meet. What were your financial offers like? Is it a standard practice that students stretch their 9-month funding to last the year, until they find an advisor that pays them for research?

[Guest phronesis]

I think summer funding tends to come in special stipend offers. I am funded for the summer through a fellowship that I won from the grad school for the school that I will be attending. Otherwise the stadard has been 9 month funding. I currently have a 9 month job, which (since I am leaving isn't too much of a concern) but I think it is difficult to budget, so if there is an offer to take out money for the summer (as is possible for grammer/high schools teachers, I would try that.