Decisions 2015

[ashiepoo72]

Hey y'all, thought I'd set up a separate thread for those of us who want to discuss recruitment events, funding packages and general decision-making without bumming out our gradcafe friends who have yet to hear from any programs and are anxiously waiting. I figured it would be best not to flood the 2015 applicants thread with what I call "happy problems." Of course, anyone is welcome to post here, but this way it gives people who don't want to hear about post-acceptance details an option to ignore us!

 

I found this on the Lit, Rhet and Comp board when I was searching for what kinds of questions to ask during recruitment weekends. I think the key to my final decision is going to be campus visits, so I wanted to take these events pretty seriously.

I wish I could like the post a million times. Hope this helps some of you guys too. If it does, it's good form to upvote the post...that is, if we'd all stop running out of upvotes

 

[tingdeh]

Thanks for this! I've confirmed my campus visit already, and I've been writing questions. Glad to know that there's a shortcut...

[gsc]

 

 

 

Thank you for this! This will be so helpful. My brother is actually a law student and forwarded me some questions to ask potential law firms, but naturally only a few were applicable to grad school, so this is even better.

 

I'm not planning on making any final decisions until the campus visit either, but my top choice (at the moment) doesn't hold their recruitment day until the end of March! It feels like a really long time to wait, especially because I'm super excited about the program. 

[ashiepoo72]

I feel the same way. My (as of now) top choice is having recruitment weekend at the end of March, too! I'm excited by the prospect of going, but I also want to take all the programs seriously when I visit them.

Glad the list helps

[Fianna]

AHA also has a good list, too. https://secure.historians.org/projects/cge/PhD/Questions.cfm#faculty

 

What I'm trying to think of now are general "moving" questions. The last time I moved was 14 years ago, in to this house. I'm kinda frantic with the idea of packing up for a real cross-country move.

[ashiepoo72]

Yeah, the logistics of moving are weighing on me. I've been researching apartments and grad student housing at the programs I've heard from so far so that I can gauge whether the stipend is sufficient, how much I need to save, etc. Not to mention all the stuff I'll need to buy to move to a completely different climate (if I end up picking a school in the Midwest).

 

I have a spreadsheet that outlines general housing costs at all the schools I applied, what neighborhoods are recommended/safe, if there are elementary schools nearby (for my daughter) and if public transit is good (so I can sell my car before I move). It's all a bit overwhelming!

[TMP]

Don't be afraid to ask graduate students if they think their stipend is enough for them to live on.  Make sure you also ask whether or not they have cars or pets, as those do take a bit of chunk out of your income!  Since I have neither and have a roommate, I don't complain much about the stipend as those who have cars and/or cats  and/or live alone(landlords do often have "pet fee" around here).

[Fianna]

We have pets - one dog and 4 cats. Fortunately, both of us were offered good stipends at Illinois. Combined, they equal a pretty good income in C-U. The pets, especially the large dog, probably mean we are going to have to look at buying, not renting. There's no way we could cram all of us, plus them in to grad housing, and I'm worried about finding a place that will rent with a large dog.

 

I'm half looking forward to the moving process as a chance to sort through all the junk we've accumulated in the 14 years we've lived in our house... and I'm half terrified of the prospect of sorting through all the junk we've accumulated in the 14 years of living in our house. 

[ashiepoo72]

That's great advice, TMP. I've spoken to a few grad students with kids at some of the places I applied. I wanted to get an idea of how they make it all work, and one of my favorite questions to ask is "what do you wish you could tell yourself if you were back in the decision-making stage?" I definitely don't want to have a car/insurance/gas prices to worry about once I move, so that'll save me a huge chunk of money.

Fianna -- it'll be nice to declutter, though I totally get that it's overwhelming! I'm going overseas for a month this summer, so Im going to start packing up stuff I need but don't use frequently, otherwise I'll never finish before it's time to move! There's always the question of whether a huge garage sale and buying mostly new stuff is better, or paying the costs of a moving truck is. I'll probably end up doing the moving truck, but thinking about that cost makes me cringe.

[Chiqui74]

Yeah, the logistics of moving are weighing on me. I've been researching apartments and grad student housing at the programs I've heard from so far so that I can gauge whether the stipend is sufficient, how much I need to save, etc. Not to mention all the stuff I'll need to buy to move to a completely different climate (if I end up picking a school in the Midwest).

 

I have a spreadsheet that outlines general housing costs at all the schools I applied, what neighborhoods are recommended/safe, if there are elementary schools nearby (for my daughter) and if public transit is good (so I can sell my car before I move). It's all a bit overwhelming!

I need to do this!

[disposableheroes]

Thank you for the list of questions. I am planning to visit UCSB at the end of the month to assess whether or not I will be accepting their offer (which is still to come in the next few weeks). I am in the Southeast so relocating to CA will be like starting over. Intellectually speaking, it is a perfect fit, but I am not sure if I am willing to sell all of my things ( I have lived in this state my whole life so I have accumulated some crap) and have my recently arrived to the United States immigrant wife start over.

[ashiepoo72]

No problem! Looks like I'll be seeing you at the UCSB recruitment event

I can totally relate. I was born and raised in CA and have never lived more than 15 minutes from my childhood home, so taking one of my offers from Midwest schools will be a huge huge change. Visiting campuses is crucial in weighing if that kind of change is worth it. Do you have some options in your area as well?

[disposableheroes]

Thanks for the reply. So far I have heard from Florida State as well. Funding is still to come in the next few weeks. Also, last year I was invited by the University of Florida during their Campus Recruitment day so hopefully I will hear from them too. I have not heard anything from Emory (although last November I made a casual visit to the Dept. and spoke with a professor in my area, I am not holding my breath since it seems that interviews went out a few weeks ago).

Moving to Florida would not present that many challenges logistically speaking, and I am sure my wife would prefer that.  

What area do you specialize?

[ashiepoo72]

I'm a modern Americanist, mostly WWII and the Cold War. What about you?

[Chiqui74]

Well, I can't wait until I actually have a decision to make!  Right now, it's just NYU.  It was one of my top choices so it's not exactly a consolation prize, but it'd be nice to be able to actually have a choice to make.  This week better bring some news!

Edited February 9, 2015 by Chiqui74

[Chiqui74]

Well, I guess now I have a choice.

 

How do you think you'll make your choice in the end?

[navyblackmaroon]

This is my second time around doing this, and I think orientation/prospective week is key. A great visit may make the difference when evaluating your options. Sure, its great to have the raw data to compare (funding, local taxes, transportation, housing, etc). However, you have to feel comfortable when you are visiting the university. 

[disposableheroes]

I'm a modern Americanist, mostly WWII and the Cold War. What about you?

I do Latin America, mostly late 19th and 20th century.

[ashiepoo72]

Visits are going to be key. Totally agree dewbackguy! I'm really looking forward to upcoming recruitment events. My first one is late this month (UCSB), and I'm starting to get nervous. Any idea what these usually entail?

[Chiqui74]

Ashiepoo, I have the agenda for the NYU one.  It's basically, meeting with the faculty one of one if you want, showing you around campus, some presentations, meet with other grad students in the department, lunches, dinners, etc. 

Edited February 10, 2015 by Chiqui74

[Annalistasaxo89]

I have two campus visits for Chicago and Berkeley (admitted to both), which were my top picks, and having to decide between the two is going to be agonizing. Berkeley gives better funding all around and will pay for my trip out though Chicago is only giving 2,000 less per year. However, the cost of living in both respective cities may tip the balance either way.

[Fianna]

Congrats on those two awesome admits, Annalistasaxo!

[dr. t]

I have two campus visits for Chicago and Berkeley (admitted to both), which were my top picks, and having to decide between the two is going to be agonizing. Berkeley gives better funding all around and will pay for my trip out though Chicago is only giving 2,000 less per year. However, the cost of living in both respective cities may tip the balance either way.

 

Berkeley must have upped their package something fierce - last I heard Chicago gave about $24k.

 

Who are you most interested in at UCB?

[ashiepoo72]

I'm having a phone call this week with a would-be adviser to get more information about the program, and I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions of things I should ask. I'm planning on asking about his sort of general expectations, comp exams/dissertation committee structure, his advisement style, etc. but I'm sure I'm forgetting things. I know I posted that extensive list for recruitment events, so I'll be pulling some stuff from that, but I want to ask questions specifically to learn more about my potential adviser and our working relationship if that makes sense.

[Annalistasaxo89]

Berkeley must have upped their package something fierce - last I heard Chicago gave about $24k.

 

Who are you most interested in at UCB?

I received the full fellowship so I think that it is why it is so high. I am most interested in working with Mauereen Miller, especially being that she has worked allot on episcopal authority, lordship, and reform. My primary interests lie in episcopal lordship (secular to), especially within Germany, and its paradoxical role in reform, the resolution of conflict/dispute, and of course questions about its place in the 'territorialization' of high and late medieval Germany (the German historiography on the middle ages has become an obsession as of late).