PhD offer with full tuition waiver only

[Nirvik]

Hey guys! It's been a while since I last wrote on the forum. I wanted to tell you guys that I received a full tuition waiver for the previously unfunded PhD offer in Computer Science. However, I still have to pay for health insurance and mandatory fees, rooming and boarding along with other accessories. Do you think I should continue on with accepting the admission and scholarship offer?

[TakeruK]

This is a personal decision up to you only. Personally, I would rather pursue a different field than have to pay to go to school. But, if you are open to paying, then there are a bunch of questions you should ask yourself/think about. Can you afford to do this? If so, is the total cost to you worth the gains from attending this PhD program? Find out what career outcomes you can expect from this school. If you are an international student and you are hoping to get an industry job in the US, look specifically for placement rates for international students, not just the domestic ones. International students have extra immigration related hurdles and challenges when applying for jobs. If you aren't looking for jobs in the US, see how graduates from this school and similar schools do. Basically, try to find people that fit your profile and see what this degree offers them. If you're willing to pay for it, then it might be a good idea.

[Nirvik]

8 hours ago, TakeruK said:

This is a personal decision up to you only. Personally, I would rather pursue a different field than have to pay to go to school. But, if you are open to paying, then there are a bunch of questions you should ask yourself/think about. Can you afford to do this? If so, is the total cost to you worth the gains from attending this PhD program? Find out what career outcomes you can expect from this school. If you are an international student and you are hoping to get an industry job in the US, look specifically for placement rates for international students, not just the domestic ones. International students have extra immigration related hurdles and challenges when applying for jobs. If you aren't looking for jobs in the US, see how graduates from this school and similar schools do. Basically, try to find people that fit your profile and see what this degree offers them. If you're willing to pay for it, then it might be a good idea.

You have stated some valid points. What I was thinking about doing is take the scholarship, pay for the living expenses and continue on the program for 2 years or so. As the scholarship is promised to receive extension, given I maintain my GPA. If I do not receive any assistantships by the end of the second term or by the end of the first academic year and I have to continue on with my own expenses, I would opt for the Master's thesis. Graduate with a Master's degree and apply for a job or continue on with a PhD in another program. How does that sound?

[juilletmercredi]

It's a pragmatic and feasible plan, and there are worse things than getting an MS for tuition remission. That said, I do want to chime that it's sometimes harder (psychologically speaking, but also in real terms) to leave a PhD program than most people think. First of all, since the focus is on the PhD and not the MS sometimes it can take slightly longer for students to finish the requirements to do the non-terminal MS than 2 years. For example, it took me 3, although admittedly I wasn't motivated to finish my master's essay and complete all the requirements in less so I took/did them in a different order than I might do if I was. Also, Corvallis is a pretty low cost of living area relatively speaking, and has a huge HP plant, some smaller tech companies, and is apparently pretty well connected to the tech world (chapters of national tech orgs often have a chapter there).

So I don't think it would be a bad idea to get a relatively low-cost master's from Oregon State and then leave the program if you couldn't get funding and pursue industry or another PhD program. Frankly, it would be like doing a terminal master's somewhere else, except that at the other place you might not get the tuition remission! And of course there is always the good chance that you do find funding of your own somehow.

Normally I would say don't attend a PhD program without funding - especially if you think that you can improve your profile (or that luck of the draw just struck you out) and you can get in next year, and especially having only applied to 6 PhD programs this round. But if your decision would be to attend an MS program anyway, it's not a terrible idea.

[Nirvik]

5 hours ago, juilletmercredi said:

It's a pragmatic and feasible plan, and there are worse things than getting an MS for tuition remission. That said, I do want to chime that it's sometimes harder (psychologically speaking, but also in real terms) to leave a PhD program than most people think. First of all, since the focus is on the PhD and not the MS sometimes it can take slightly longer for students to finish the requirements to do the non-terminal MS than 2 years. For example, it took me 3, although admittedly I wasn't motivated to finish my master's essay and complete all the requirements in less so I took/did them in a different order than I might do if I was. Also, Corvallis is a pretty low cost of living area relatively speaking, and has a huge HP plant, some smaller tech companies, and is apparently pretty well connected to the tech world (chapters of national tech orgs often have a chapter there).

So I don't think it would be a bad idea to get a relatively low-cost master's from Oregon State and then leave the program if you couldn't get funding and pursue industry or another PhD program. Frankly, it would be like doing a terminal master's somewhere else, except that at the other place you might not get the tuition remission! And of course there is always the good chance that you do find funding of your own somehow.

Normally I would say don't attend a PhD program without funding - especially if you think that you can improve your profile (or that luck of the draw just struck you out) and you can get in next year, and especially having only applied to 6 PhD programs this round. But if your decision would be to attend an MS program anyway, it's not a terrible idea.

Thank you for the information. Since my classes are to begin on September, I still have plenty of time to decide if I want to go to the Masters. And yes, without funding, I would be graduating with a Masters. That being said, the current scholarship requires me to enroll for 12 credits per term. And each term usually takes in 9 credits per term. As the required number of credits is 45, my coursework would end up sooner than a routine masters with 9 credits per term. Since, the graduation deadline simply depends on the time taken on thesis, I am planning on informing the professor of graduating sooner and accordingly plan the schedule from the beginning. I am not sure if there is indeed a schedule that needs to be maintained while working on the thesis, but I would like some information regarding how the entire duration of MS is affected by the thesis. Can you shed on some light on that?

Also, do you have any idea regarding the recruitment of MS students into the industry? Prospects and such.

[TakeruK]

PhD programs usually have students enroll in "research credit" as well in order to meet credit limits for scholarships, full time status etc. For example, at my program, the minimum is 36 units (9 units = 3 credits at most places). During the first year, the normal load is 27 units (9 credits) of classes and we generally enroll in 9 units (3 credits) of research. I think speaking to your advisor is the right thing to do. 

[anthrostudentcyn]

So I think that if you are set on this school, perhaps think about ways you could get funding on top of the tuition waiver. TA, RA, etc. Also, and people will disagree with me on this, but I bet there are a decent amount of ways for you to make money as a computer science major. Personally, people I know are always looking for a comp sci person to work on this project or that one. So, other people as well as other departments may very well have a need for your (marketable!!) skills. 

[Nirvik]

11 hours ago, TakeruK said:

PhD programs usually have students enroll in "research credit" as well in order to meet credit limits for scholarships, full time status etc. For example, at my program, the minimum is 36 units (9 units = 3 credits at most places). During the first year, the normal load is 27 units (9 credits) of classes and we generally enroll in 9 units (3 credits) of research. I think speaking to your advisor is the right thing to do. 

Thank you. I plan on doing that. The adviser said that it's best to decide on whether I want to for MS or PhD, after arriving at the university and taking the classes. 

5 hours ago, anthrostudentcyn said:

So I think that if you are set on this school, perhaps think about ways you could get funding on top of the tuition waiver. TA, RA, etc. Also, and people will disagree with me on this, but I bet there are a decent amount of ways for you to make money as a computer science major. Personally, people I know are always looking for a comp sci person to work on this project or that one. So, other people as well as other departments may very well have a need for your (marketable!!) skills. 

I have been constantly nagging the graduate coordinator with the TA and RA questions. Plus my adviser has been nagging the coordinator as well. No wonder I landed the full tuition waiver. Of course I apologized about that later . But yeah, she told me that I am still eligible to get an assistantship along with the current scholarship and that the funding will come through the adviser. So as long as my adviser doesn't have funds, I will have to pay for the living expenses. And for TA from another department. I don't know how likely I am going to get any. Plus, I cannot work part time, except for taking up an internship, since I would be under the F-1 visa.

[rising_star]

You should see if there are non TA positions that are graduate assistantships. Often these are in areas like student affairs but, they would provide you with a stipend.

[shadowclaw]

I just found this thread and wanted to offer some advice/information since I attend this school. If you are interested in obtaining a TA position outside of your department, you really need to make connections now. As in email the program coordinator for any department that you feel qualified to TA in. Many departments are starting to put together the fall (or whole year) TA schedules. There are also many offices on campus that hire graduate students for TA positions which aren't actually teaching positions but involve office work and other activities. Similarly, there are also many hourly positions (including internships) that might be useful for you since you don't need tuition remission.

You can also take a chance on funding and plan to use loans, savings, etc. for living expenses for first term (and have them on backup for the following terms) and hope TA positions open up during the year, because they do. You just need to be high enough on the TA waitlist. Unfortunately, PhD students are almost always prioritized over masters students.