Getting funding now

[scue]

Hi everyone! 

Ive applied for several masters in top universities hoping that I would receive assistantships or fellowships to fund my degree, but so far the ones that have accepted me have not given me any/insufficient funding. I realise now that since there isn't a lot of funding for masters, I should've probably applied to several scholarships, but I think that the deadlines have passed for most of them. Does anyone know of any scholarships pertaining to the field of development studies/merit-based that are still open for applications? Does anyone know of any other possible solutions to get funding? I really don't want to take out a loan and finish my master immensely in debt. 

Thanks in advance for your help! 

[wiresbetweenus]

I totally feel like we are in the same boat.  playing catchup is really hard. 

[Prosper]

I am in the same boat... Acceptance letters but no $$$. Not sure what to do.

[hurf_durf]

Another "me, too." This is what I've done so far:

1.) Realized that I won't be able to call the Financial Aid department and speak to a real person without waiting forever until the end of the current Spring Semester (early May)

2.) Realized I won't/probably shouldn't speak to the director of graduate studies until this time, either as I blew up his phone in February gushing about how happy I was to be accepted.

3.) Started paying off debts after moving all of our (wife and I) credit cards to 0% offers

4.) Started to make additional payments to student loans (currently I owe between 3.9 and 4K at 6.55%)

5.) Figured out that Wells Fargo will "top off" student loans; did some math problems. If I truly get the 20.5K in Student Loans yearly then Wells Fargo's daily interest accrual will mean that I will aim for Federal Work-Study (minimum wage; 10 hours/week), and try to get a weekend job waiting tables and use real money to make sure that the interest rates don't punish us too badly.

Along this note, I figure refinancing via Lending Club or SoFi would be a smart move post-graduation.

6.) Resigned myself to the fact that funding is awarded yearly; I am currently doing a bunch of work at home to make myself competitive for next year.

7.) Figured out which relatives have money; mentally composing letters from the future when we are settled in a new state.

8.) Figured out which meals we should cook that will last for a week and are cheap.

9.) Crossed my fingers hoping for funding offers to come soon, but will carry on regardless.

10.) Factored in the cost of going to conferences and presenting research into the "top off" student loans equation in order to pad a C.V. (this falls under building castles in the sky, but I want to totally destroy the competition when I apply for a Ph.D)

For me, and your mileage may vary-- I went to a CSU school, so I graduated with almost no debt, because the CSU system is really cheap, but has been a kiss of death when I'm up against students who have impeccable credentials in a shrinking, cutthroat, and competitive field (because no students=no money). Also, it's taken me seven years to pay off most of my student loans working really horrible jobs (substitute teaching) and this is probably my one and only chance to a.) escape California, and b.) earn an advanced degree. I am convinced that I went to a school that has either no reputation or a bad reputation in my field (Music Theory), and got two undergraduate degrees in closely related (but not exactly related) subjects within music (Music Education, Music Composition). I've been rejected by four out of the five schools I've applied to--I've visited three out of those five schools in person for interviews or for a campus visit, etc.

I accepted the offer without funding, but it hasn't been removed from the table (e.g. I never got an e-mail starting with the word "Unfortunately..."). I'm pulling the trigger because the school I've been accepted to doesn't have a bad reputation, and when I get a Ph.D it will help and not hurt that I accepted my top school (but haven't heard anything about funding). I am toying with the idea of getting a teaching credential (hopefully there's a cheap State University nearby), and living like a substitute teacher while paying between 30 and 50 percent of my income towards loans before I apply for a Ph.D. (just in case I have to pull triggers without funding again). During the interview, I let it be known that the school I've been accepted at was indeed my top school and I'd go if I were accepted without funding, and it looks like it wasn't an empty promise. I got the letter in mid-February and a bunch of rejection letters by the beginning of March, which helped to clarify my decision. I accepted in early March.

I am afraid that I will take on debt, too, but the alternative is to wait a year while all of my elderly letter-of-recommendation writing professors retire or move far away and forget to check their e-mails.

Edits: parenthetical thoughts were never properly closed

Edited April 1, 2016 by hurf_durf