Accepting PhD without funding

[Nirvik]

I received an offer with currently no mention of any funding. My POI has stated that the funding evaluations are going on and the results will be out by mid-September. Do you think I should accept the offer? 

What I planned for is to take a loan for the first year and wait for the mid-September results. If I do get funded, I shall return the loan to the bank. However, if I do not get any funding, I am thinking of paying for the first year with the bank loan, study and apply to other schools for transfer with full funding. Do you think my strategy is viable?

[juilletmercredi]

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't. I would not attend a PhD program that did not provide me with full funding to cover my tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend that is livable in the city the university is in.

Besides, transferring PhD programs isn't a piece of cake and honestly they probably won't take most of the work you've done in your first year. It's better to simply not attend and reapply next year.

However, if your signature is current and updated, it looks like you've only been accepted to one school and you don't have responses yet to four others. I know it's a bit late in the game but why not wait until you have a full slate of responses?

[Nirvik]

2 hours ago, juilletmercredi said:

Different strokes for different folks, but I don't. I would not attend a PhD program that did not provide me with full funding to cover my tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend that is livable in the city the university is in.

Besides, transferring PhD programs isn't a piece of cake and honestly they probably won't take most of the work you've done in your first year. It's better to simply not attend and reapply next year.

However, if your signature is current and updated, it looks like you've only been accepted to one school and you don't have responses yet to four others. I know it's a bit late in the game but why not wait until you have a full slate of responses?

My signature is the up-to-date list of schools with their responses. I have chosen to accept this particular program, as it's a perfect fit for me and it's one of my dream universities. I contacted my POI to learn that any form of funding could be available way before September and that she would keep me updated. And yeah, she is applying on my behalf and trying to get me funded for quite some time now. I do not expect to hear any sooner from the rest of the schools, which is why I don't want to lose the opportunity to go this school. Anyways, I have made up my mind to go ahead with the loan and everything and see if I can get funded in the later semesters, in case I don't make it at the time of entry.

[rising_star]

21 hours ago, Nirvik said:

 I do not expect to hear any sooner from the rest of the schools, which is why I don't want to lose the opportunity to go this school. Anyways, I have made up my mind to go ahead with the loan and everything and see if I can get funded in the later semesters, in case I don't make it at the time of entry.

You have almost another month to hear from other schools and make a decision so, I'm not sure why you're going ahead and accepting this offer now. What if one of the schools you haven't heard from admits you with funding? Are you still planning to turn them down to do this unfunded PhD?

[naomi6]

Based on your plans, I advice that you  attend part-time instead of full-time if you're planning to apply again in the fall due to lack of funding. I don't know how it is in your field, but most schools allow you to transfer 9-12 credits (so you wouldn't waste a years worth of funding). 

[Nirvik]

15 hours ago, rising_star said:

You have almost another month to hear from other schools and make a decision so, I'm not sure why you're going ahead and accepting this offer now. What if one of the schools you haven't heard from admits you with funding? Are you still planning to turn them down to do this unfunded PhD?

I have zero expectations to hear from the other schools, which is why I am so keen on accepting this offer. I don't want to lose this offer just because I am waiting for the other schools to offer. No contact from the remaining schools so far. But if I do get a funded PhD, I won't accept the unfunded one. 

[rising_star]

8 hours ago, Nirvik said:

I have zero expectations to hear from the other schools, which is why I am so keen on accepting this offer. I don't want to lose this offer just because I am waiting for the other schools to offer. 

You're not going to lose this offer by not accepting it immediately. If you have until April 15 to accept, there's no reason to accept it any sooner.

[FalloutCoversEverything]

Don't go to an unfunded PhD. Work on your application and reapply next year to more schools. Period. If you're having a hard time getting into PhDs, maybe consider applying to some funded MA programs as well. You'd be much better off going to a funded MA program and then onto a PhD that you would be taking out all of that debt.

Edited March 20, 2016 by FalloutCoversEverything

[Nirvik]

22 hours ago, FalloutCoversEverything said:

Don't go to an unfunded PhD. Work on your application and reapply next year to more schools. Period. If you're having a hard time getting into PhDs, maybe consider applying to some funded MA programs as well. You'd be much better off going to a funded MA program and then onto a PhD that you would be taking out all of that debt.

 

23 hours ago, rising_star said:

You're not going to lose this offer by not accepting it immediately. If you have until April 15 to accept, there's no reason to accept it any sooner.

I am waiting for April 15 to come by. The professor said that there is still a possibility that I could get funded before September. And as people start turning down offers from the school, funds could become available until then. Plus, if I don't receive funding, I would opt to take the Masters degree and pursue PhD somewhere else. Of course, if I don't get funding, I will be studying for 2 years on my own expenses.

[GradSchoolTruther]

Buyer beware. Just don't be a subject for a Rebecca Schuman article.