All my eggs in one basket

[lizardclan]

I live on disability, and only had the money to apply to one program for Fall 2015.

 

I recently got a credit card.  Yay!  I had been using my bank card.

 

This was kind of a big deal because of my limited income and bankrupcy in 2010.

 

If I don't get into the only program I've applied to, next application season (Fall 2016) I'll use my new credit card to apply to more than one program.

 

Anyone else in the same or similar boat?

Thanks!

-lizardclan

 

[snyegurachka]

Sort of. I am in an MA program and very broke—I can't find a job other than my work study position, which means that I have under $1000 a month (sometimes as little as $500-600) to live of off. I got a credit card some time last year and maxed it out and am now in default (don't do that!). I applied to five schools and got fee waivers on three, still waiting to hear back from one but will probably get it (get waivers! For most of them, all I had to do was explain my $$ situation and send my FAFSA). The Stanford application fee was $125 and was the only one I paid. There were a lot of programs that I did not apply to because they did not offer waivers or required the Literature subject test, which I could not afford to take. The programs that I applied to are all very competitive/top programs, so I might as well have only applied to one. 

 

A good thing to remember is that applying to more schools doesn't increase your odds of getting in somewhere—each school has its own system and will evaluate you based on how strong an applicant you are and how well you fit the program. Maybe it is different in STEM fields, but in the Humanities, the same people seem to get a lot of acceptances in top programs (I have a friend who got into University of Chicago, Yale, and University of Michigan for Art History). Your odds of being accepted are probably the same at all schools you apply to that are a good fit.

[mb712]

Similar situation here. I've spent most of the money I saved just working the first few years out of high school (+ have now hit a limit on my credit card) while completing my undergrad. I didn't take the subject GRE test because I couldn't afford it so I wasn't able to apply to any schools that required the subject test. Luckily I've been granted fee waivers at most places I applied. I ended up asking my parents to loan me money for one application (ugh, embarrassing when you're in your late 20s...) which luckily they had no problem with. I'm kind of terrified of not getting in anywhere this year because I'm not sure I can afford another application cycle unless I score an awesome job after graduation. I guess only time will tell.

[ritapita]

Best of luck to you lizardclan.  Keep us posted

 

I take out max student loans, but no credit cards. Interest rates are better and you have longer to pay, among other reasons. Its been tempting from time to time, but I refuse.  I have had to long term plan for application season.  Last student loan cycle I used part of my refund to order all my transcripts and pay in advance for my GRE.  This loan cycle I used part of my refund to pay for my applications, which I was able to do yesterday (4 days before apps were due!)  I never asked for waivers, but now I wish I had.  I don't even know if the schools I applied to had them. I originally was only going to apply to one school, but many faculty told me to at least do 2 more.

 

mb712 - don't be embarrassed to ask for help from parents or friends with this stuff!  Easier said than done, but you are doing something good, and they should be proud of you.   Its not like asking for money for a tv or something.  I am a slightly older student, and my son is in his first year of college now.  I actually am using bits of my student loan to set aside for some of his expenses so he won't have to cover them.  I would gladly pay for my son's grad apps, as I am sure many parents would. School is tough and poverty ridden for most. I am sure they understand!  I am 40 and I had to ask my mom to order some transcripts for me for my apps.

 

Also, I know we are all as creative as we can be with finding money to live on during school.  There are days I wasn't able to get to class because I couldn't afford gas. It can be super tight.  I happened upon a cat sitting gig for a faculty member, and now almost 3 years later I have a good handful of faculty that I housesit or pet sit for and it is great supplemental funds.  Not only that but it is a quiet place I can get work done.  Maybe ask around.  All my faculty pay me $20 per day, one pays me extra for gas. Many stock the fridge for me too. I also housesit for fellow grads when they are out of town, but only charge them $10 a day unless they are loaded.  Every month I make a good extra $200 and during the summer, I am even better off.  Plus there are no taxes to pay on that.  

[sankofa]

Hey did you try the IHS application for graduate applications ? It's worth a try. They reimburse you up to 350. I applied and got $100 this year. you can probably still apply now. hope that helps you

https://www.theihs.org/ihs-phd-application-fee-waiver

Edited January 11, 2015 by Glamdoll

[rising_star]

It's too late for this round but, for anyone applying next year, this might help. CIC allows you to request fee waivers for grad applications: http://www.cic.net/students/freeapp/introduction. Schools on their list include UChicago, Northwestern, UIUC, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers. (They're heavy on B1G representation.)

[trogdorburninator]

I can vouch for the CIC app- I ended up get two waivers through that process with minimal effort. I applied for waivers in November, which I think is an okay tineline- earlier is probably better!

[Shep2789]

I come from a disadvantaged background and have always had to jump through financial hoops to get to where I'm going so I understand the struggle. I only paid for one undergraduate application fee at my safety school and this time around I've been applying for fee waivers everywhere and am lucky enough to be in a field that offers them pretty readily. The cost of sending my GRE scores has been a huge limiting factor since a ton of schools require official reports for the application and not just after accepted. I actively refused to apply to any program that didn't offer fee waivers, even if I didn't qualify for them.

 

I hope everyone in this boat remembers it when they get into a position to make a change to the system. The financial barriers need to be eliminated.

 

an aside: does anyone else think the CIC is a little bizarre? The Big Ten athletic conference controls the academic administration of its member schools. I wonder what it was like in 2011(?) in Lincoln when Nebraska joined.

[mb712]

I think the CIC was how I was granted a fee waiver for Nebraska (and denied one at Minnesota because I requested too late).

The B1G is kind of bizarre, Shep. Especially since Nebraska is one of two or three D1 schools that have completely separate athletic departments, all school money and athletic money is kept in its respective department.