Accepted to place[s], but no funding?

[Guest]

Anyone out there who received acceptances but no/little funding for each of those programs? What path are you deciding to pursue if this is the case?

 

1. Still attend a program and take out a loan? (I know people who take this route and just risk it.My mom is one of them.)

2. Reapply next round?

3. You have a career/some program that will aid in your studies? (I've read of some people getting this)

4. Or something else?

 

I know that I am still in the waiting game, but I don't know to expect. Even if I do get somewhere, I fear that my GREs will be a hindrance for funding. But, again I don't know. All I know is that I will pretty much be debt free from undergrad (I graduate in May). So, that's good. Then, I will have some program (relating  to my career field) that will possibly forgive my loans a few years after I complete the Masters program.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

I also dealt with this for undergrad. I was accepted to 10 programs, but I only received funding from only 2 of them (one in-state and one small out-of-state scholarship). I made the ultimate decision and just stayed in-state.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Guest

[angellily0330]

Don't give up hope, my GREs were terrible, and I still received funding. 2 weeks later and I'm still in shock. 

 

What are you applying for? Master's or PhD?

[CFBrown]

If I receive no funding at all from any school I'm admitted to (which is possible with my GREs), I'll just go to the school that requires me to borrow the least. In my case, this will be because I have family in the area of that school I could stay with, and the program gives you flexibility to work full-time while pursuing your master's.

[Guest]

Don't give up hope, my GREs were terrible, and I still received funding. 2 weeks later and I'm still in shock.

What are you applying for? Master's or PhD?

Thanks. I'm still waiting for any of my last remaining choices to mention anything about aid. Thankfully, I still haven't heard from my top choice at all. I'm glad you were ablw to get aid though .

If I receive no funding at all from any school I'm admitted to (which is possible with my GREs), I'll just go to the school that requires me to borrow the least. In my case, this will be because I have family in the area of that school I could stay with, and the program gives you flexibility to work full-time while pursuing your master's.

Thanks for the reply. I guess this thread didn't receive many replies because I am sure that this is the last thing that many of us want to think about..whether it is no funding overall or just very minimal funding. I got accepted to my 'top second' choice today, but didn't get funding. I'm familiar with all of your schools on your list and know that places like Georgetown can cost an arm and a leg.But, having the ability to work full time seems to be something that can counter that. I also know this one guy who is now applying to University of Chicago (Computer Science) in the fall and will be paying for half of the tuition with his savings, then the rest with loans and his current career Edited March 4, 2015 by Guest

[CFBrown]

Thanks for the reply. I guess this thread didn't receive many replies because I am sure that this is the last thing that many of us want to think about..whether it is no funding overall or just very minimal funding. I got accepted to my 'top second' choice today, but didn't get funding. I'm familiar with all of your schools on your list and know that places like Georgetown can cost an arm and a leg.But, having the ability to work full time seems to be something that can counter that. I also know this one guy who is now applying to University of Chicago (Computer Science) in the fall and will be paying for half of the tuition with his savings, then the rest with loans and his current career

 

If I go to Georgetown it'd be their School for Continuing Studies. Since they don't really offer campus housing for grad students, they only charge per credit hour for courses and maybe a student enrollment fee.

 

It's also still early for funding decisions. Some schools don't offer financial aid letters until a month after they let you know you're accepted.

[Mechanician2015]

I guess it's a bit late, but here are my 2 cents:

 

I was accepted by 2 PhD programs in the top 50. No information about funding so far. I established contact with POI, and he seems to have a couple projects in progress that would allow him to fund some new students.

 

It seems that funding awards will run as late as the second week of april. By then, I suspect, many of the "strong" applicants will reject because they are already in a top 10 program. So I predict a relocation of funds right after april 15.

 

If, after all this, no funding offer has been made, I would inquire on the possibility of a deferral on the program that I prefer.

[Guest]

Yeah, I've always wondered what admissions committee do for those people who had received funding and then deny their offer. So, I guess that there is still faith for funding.

[Sword_Saint]

Yeah, I've always wondered what admissions committee do for those people who had received funding and then deny their offer. So, I guess that there is still faith for funding.

 

It's my understanding it really depends on the kind of funding. Scholarships you receive from faculty nominations, that is more complicated because in many instances they can't re-nominate new students as deadlines and such may have passed. Graduate Assistantships and stuff though, those may be passed on to other wait-listed students or those who were accepted but without funding. Really seems to depend on the funding source from my understanding of it.

[Mechanician2015]

Based on the results of previous years, at least SOME of the funding is offered after April 15. But I guess you are right, Sword_Saint, some funding options might not be relocated after rejections.

[RabbitKM]

What does funding typically look like for Masters programs?   I am kind of assuming the worst...

[Mechanician2015]

What does funding typically look like for Masters programs?   I am kind of assuming the worst...

 

It depends a lot on the program, area and university.

 

I've seen full tuition waiver and TA-ship for Master programs on engineering and the physical sciences(and I think economics too). It's not common at all, but it happens. The key seems to be previous contact with faculty.

[rising_star]

I'm in the social sciences. Funded MA programs exist and they mean that you TA (grade papers, lead discussion sections) each semester in exchange for a full tuition waiver (both in-state and out-of-state tuition, if applicable) and a stipend ranging from $12-20K/year depending on the program.

[Sword_Saint]

"Based on the results of previous years, at least SOME of the funding is offered after April 15. But I guess you are right, Sword_Saint, some funding options might not be relocated after rejections."

 

I brought up the deadlines thing because I was nominated for a scholarship with a due date of March 1st, where only 2 people per department were allowed to be nominated. Makes me feel bad for turning it down, but it still wasn't enough to cover all of the living expenses and tuition.

 

 

What does funding typically look like for Masters programs?   I am kind of assuming the worst...

 

Like rising_star said, it really depends on the program. I'm also in the social sciences; at least at the schools I applied to, funding for masters students was limited in most instances to only covering tuition or being a TA or RA that didn't completely cover living and tuition expenses. I'm by no means the most competitive applicant, but my gpa is good and I've got a lot of research and presentation experience.

 

I was able to find a masters program that successfully covered all of the tuition expenses and living expenses, but I think it was in part due to how inexpensive the tuition was at the institution (Simon Fraser in Canada, roughly 7k / year but guaranteed 20.2 from scholarships and TA'ing).

Edited April 1, 2015 by Sword_Saint