Funding?

[socnerd]

Hi all,

I have been sitting around thinking about my applications that are out there hopefully being looked at and I just had a thought. When I applied I never really thought about funding, its not a major issue for me but I'm pretty sure I checked off that I wanted to apply for some type of assistantship. I was wondering, if I hadn't done that would I have a better chance of getting accepted? I know they try to fund everyone (at least for PhD programs) but I hear they also let people in without funding. Would they be more likely to admit me if I didn't ask for anything? I mostly applied to MA programs so maybe it doesn't matter anyway, but it just crossed my mind. I have 10 applications out there already and am planning on sending about 4-6 more out and I wonder if I should not mention anything about funding if they ask. Just a thought, since I know that schools are struggling right now with funding and I don't care if they can't give me any I just don't want to be rejected because there isn't any money. Just wondering, thanks!

[kyung]

I have talked a professor about funding and acceptance. He said, "we have very limited funds... if you have funding (scholarship) from your country or employer, you can be admitted easily..., but you can also be admitted without financial support." Just in my opinion, if you have a scholarship which can support you during your study and the program need not concern about funding your study, it will increase your admission possibilities. But just not checking "i need finanical support" would not help your admissions.

It's nothing but an opinion.

Edited January 24, 2010 by kyung

[peppermint.beatnik]

Most people say that you shouldn't go to a PhD program unless you're funded. If they really want you, they'll find the money (not sure I would count the state of California in that right now, though)

I know at least during my MA, where everyone was funded, there was constant tension about who got what grants. If you're not funded, I think it causes undesirable problems.

Each area is different, but it's like that in my area (I would say any humanities/social science program. Can't speculate about sciences).

MA is a bit different, because many MAs are not funded, or not fully funded.

[socnerd]

I have talked a professor about funding and acceptance. He said, "we have very limited funds... if you have funding (scholarship) from your country or employer, you can be admitted easily..., but you can also be admitted without financial support." Just in my opinion, if you have a scholarship which can support you during your study and the program need not concern about funding your study, it will increase your admission possibilities. But just not checking "i need finanical support" would not help your admissions.

It's nothing but an opinion.

Thank you for your insight, how is it possible to let them know in some way that I wouldn't be asking for funding? I don't have a scholarship or anything (I'm from the U.S. btw) but I'm willing to take out loans. I just thought not asking would make me a more attractive candidate, but I don't know how to let them know that. Thanks!

[Lauren the Librarian]

When I applied I never really thought about funding, its not a major issue for me but I'm pretty sure I checked off that I wanted to apply for some type of assistantship.

Same here. I had no concept of "funding" or the significance. I've read all the posts here on gradcafe, but I didn't understand what a fellowship was until 2 days ago. I missed out on a few opportunites, but my program is long enough I should be able to reapply next year for "continuing fellowships", even if they're just $1000 for the semester.

[gem]

Peppermint mentioned California, what is the situation with California schools (especially state schools) with regards to funding?

[mudlark]

Thank you for your insight, how is it possible to let them know in some way that I wouldn't be asking for funding? I don't have a scholarship or anything (I'm from the U.S. btw) but I'm willing to take out loans. I just thought not asking would make me a more attractive candidate, but I don't know how to let them know that. Thanks!

Why sell yourself short? They may fund you, they may not. No sense in taking yourself out of the pool out of nerves.

As I said in another thread, funding is not just about money. It often has components of work or research experience that are invaluable, and helps you build a CV. Having good funding allows you to focus on research (going to conferences, maybe publishing) that you wouldn't have time for if you were trying to hold down an off-campus job. You may not see the importance of funding now, but trust me, you want it.

Peppermint mentioned California, what is the situation with California schools (especially state schools) with regards to funding?

The state economy is imploding and government programs are being gutted, so the universities will have less money to spread around.

[gem]

The state economy is imploding and government programs are being gutted, so the universities will have less money to spread around.

[UnlikelyGrad]

The state economy is imploding and government programs are being gutted, so the universities will have less money to spread around.

This is the obvious---does anyone know anything more specific? I had initially heard that programs were funding half of their usual numbers of doctoral candidates, I have now heard it could be less than half.

Well, when I was accepted to a UC Davis interdisciplinary program last year (and this was before the economy really imploded), they initially had no funding for me. They eventually scraped one quarter of funding & told me that I would have to get into a research program (or pay my own way) after that. So I talked to professors about research funding and they all said the same thing: "Well, I usually get funding from X State Agency, but I don't think I'm getting anything this year."

I hear it's even worse this year.

[rising_star]

Not to overly alarm people, but it's worth noting that there are plenty of other states where the universities are in trouble. Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and New York spring to mind. At state universities in any of these states, funding may not be as generous as it was in the past due to the lack of state funding. This, of course, will vary from one university to the next and one department to the next.

emgem, it's difficult to say how the specific departments you're interested in will be affected. I'm not at a UC, but I know my department is planning on admitting fewer fully funded students, though the total number of offers made may be the same as it was in years past. Will that be half? Don't know yet. The budget crunch was already apparent last year, in that not all incoming students were guaranteed funding for the duration of their program. My guess would be that the number of students fully funded for the full program will be about 4/9ths of what it was last cycle. This is a completely uneducated guess though.