Help! BU-UW Seattle-Pitts-GWU

[useconapp]

I was admitted to these four phd programs, all of which are unfunded:(

Although on the funding waitlist of BU and Pitts, I think now I have to be prepared for the worst scenario...

So, supposedly I have to choose among these unfunded offers, here is the financial information I collected from school websites, do you guys think these are close to the real expenses?

Tuition + fees + living expense

BU: 60,000/year. UW-Seattle: 40,000/year Pitts: 4,5000/year GWU: 40,000/year

I am quite reluctant on which one of these program to choose. My interest is in macro, monetary, international. And I would love to work in WB,IMF, Fed, kind of institutions. Money is a big issue in my decision. I HAVE to get second year funding or would have to drop out...

BU: seems to have the best placement and biggest chance to get funding in the second year. The secretary said 95% of the second year student have funding, due to the demand for TA. But the first year is so expensive...My family have to spend every penny we have to send me to BU. So I would really like to know how is the first year attrition rate and competition

UW-Seattle: relatively inexpensive, good location(although I am not a big fan of cloudy/rainy days, but I love fishing), but I am concerned about the chance of getting funding in second year(large expected incoming class this year)

Pitts: also good with funding(at least from second year), less expensive and less competitive, but ranking and program strength is not as good fit to me as BU or UW-Seattle, besides, my bf didn't apply to pitts, so we will have to live in different places if I choose pitts

GWU: location in DC, connection with WB/IMF..being able to work part-time(I's not sue whether this is good or bad), but according to tm_guru, the funding are hard to get and living in DC is expensive. If it is true that every year only 3 students get financial aid, then I am definitely out.

Could any of the current students of these programs provide more information about funding opportunity or comment on any of the aforementioned aspects?

Thanks!

[GymShorts]

40,000 is a huge underestimate for GWU. It will probably be closer to 70,000.

[useconapp]

40,000 is a huge underestimate for GWU. It will probably be closer to 70,000.

 

Really? That's what they say on the admission letter. Because I am an international student and need a visa, they ask me to send financial proof for the ability to pay about 40,000 for the first year and source of income for the following years.

 

Then I thought 40,000 is the case.... Thanks for your information!

[useconapp]

40,000 is a huge underestimate for GWU. It will probably be closer to 70,000.

 

Also, do you think 45,000 per year is a good estimate of Pitts? Given the condition that I live pretty modestly and could have little travelling& recreational expenses.

[msu2010]

I know Pittsburgh and UW are cheaper places to live compared with DC and Boston. My impression of BU is that it over-accepts so that students can be weeded out in the first year. I would be hesitant to accept and offer from a school like that. I would not be fun to leave with a masters and 60,000 of debt.

 

If I were you I would choose the place that I thought would allow me the highest chance of success and the highest chance of funding in the second year.

 

If you think you can make it through BU in the first year, I guess go for it!

 

PS did you see this website? Sperling's BestPlaces

[ilikefreefood]

I am also choosing between BU and UW-Seattle, but my BU acceptance is unfunded, and I am high on the funding waitlist for UW.

 

BU may have somewhat higher than average attrition, but it is not dramatically higher than most schools, and I would take a BU unfunded offer over a UW unfunded offer unless your interests are in specifically time series econometrics. Both schools are solid in macro, but I think BU is still stronger.

 

In fact, I already told UW that I would not attend unless funding came through there (though it's conceivable that I might take another funded offer over BU if that happens).

Edited April 5, 2010 by ilikefreefood
typo: didn't mean to say "it's conceivable that I might take another unfunded offer over BU if [no UW funding] happens"