wdoerner

I use Stata constantly as a graduate student. Commands will work universally on different versions of Stata. Do NOT get "Small Stata." Some of my undergrad students bought that (against my advice) when I taught econometrics and they could not run several examples from the class textbook (Wooldridge's Introductory Econometrics). Stata/IC is okay for most things you will do in the first and second year. You will almost never reach the number of maximum variables that require SE. With that said, you could eventually end up doing projects that use a lot of dummy variables or fixed effects and, if you don't drop variables, you might reach the limit. Stata/MP is overkill as you begin your career. I use it now because work off a server and parallel processing saves an incredible amount of time (what took me a weekend or more with SE can be done in a few hours with MP). As you all begin your career, you will notice that many computers are being built now with multiple cores and 64-bit operating systems. The basic versions of Stata do not support these advances. You will be limited to 1000MB (1GB) or a little less depending on how your system memory is running. This can be inconvenient and slow you down a lot. For now, not a big deal, but keep in mind that you may want to upgrade. For Stata newbies, search the Statalist Archives if you have questions (or type "help Stata -cmd-" into Google) and look at the official blog. The manuals are online for the latest version, 11.0. Look into picking up a copy of StatTransfer if you plan to work between statistical programs or to collaborate with others. Don't be afraid to look into other programs like SASS, R, Matlab, etc. Switching around will not be hard if you learn at least one extremely well. Stata is an amazing program, but it's not perfect.

Sorry if this bumps up the post for others who are not interested in FSU. If you are considering the school, here are a few comments from a current student (I don't think any of our faculty read TM anymore...they're more entertained in the biting posts on econjobrumors if they read any forums at all). Very true. The webpage is explicit in mentioning this point. For some reason, we always have foreigners coming in who aren't on Fulbrights thinking that they'll be able to bend the rule and earn funding. I only know of two people who did this and they're quite stellar (even U.S. citizens aren't given funding if they don't start with it). The rest of the intl students are on aid from their govts or Fulbrights. I would venture to say that the course was taken during the normal school year. Seldom do grad students, adjuncts, or lecturers teach the intermediate micro. Our recent micro-related hires have been in experimental. They use the lab as experiments because that's within their comfort zone so it's not surprising to me to hear that the class was heavily weighted in that direction. Yes, we have budgetary problems. No, the economics dept isn't in much trouble. We're one of the last ones they are going to cut because the provost and others are fascinated with our experimental group (we bring in grants...outside $). This is bad information. When I started, there was a push for a JD-Ph.D. program and clustering of those sorts of people. That has since fallen through (though I am about to walk downstairs to a Crime Conference being held for the "Handbook for the Economics of Crime"). I imagine the poster confused that cluster with the experimental one. The university-wide cluster hiring has NOT been abandoned. It's thriving and hiring at a time when many institutions withdrew from the job market. Poli Sci and other depts have hired experimentalists this year for our XS/FS cluster. In the economics department, we hired at least 2 people this year (John Hamman from Carnegie-Mellon and Danila Sera from Oxford). Both are experimentalists. According to Econjobmarket, we may have also hired Shi Qi (Minnesota). Finally, the 100K charity drive is a public opinion stunt. How many professors are going to avoid the ax because they have an additional 100K? It's a nice gesture, but the more appropriate fix would be to raise the terribly cheap tuition. If the university is allowing us to continue hiring during this time, do you really think they don't like our dept and might rid us of some positions? I'm not too worried. I don't know about applied micro. It's supposed to be our specialty, but we're certainly hiring more in experimental and they are trying to bring in young faculty that have a broad range of interests (until now we were attracting similar academics). We've hosted an experimental conference each year I've been here (lab last year and game theory this one) so it seems like they're trying to bring in ideas and prestige to the program. If you're a grad student, it's a great opportunity to go to. Having said all this, I'll admit that I'm not even in the experimental group. I go to their readings groups and interact with those faculty, but I'm leaning toward more urban issues. That means I may not be able to answer some questions on that area, but feel free to drop me a line if you have other concerns.

FSU just got a large endowment from BB&T and the Koch Foundation that is geared toward hiring 5 professors in the next several years in "institutional" fields. That means we'll be hiring in experimental and law & econ. Incoming professors may line up with your interests so check back next Fall. I think there's a generous stipend for an incoming graduate student with interest in free market or experimental stuff, but I am not positive on when it would be offered. Our usual stipends are around 15-18K. If you're set on Game Theory and Behavioral, we'd be a decent place to consider (as well as a few others on your list). Keep in mind, liberal arts colleges seldom have extensive experimental labs (but you may be able to do research at nearby institutes). Your SOI might look odd if you want to teach at a liberal arts yet do experimental research so word it carefully. We haven't placed many people in LACs recently, but I imagine you would not have much trouble getting hired into a place like your alma mater (I know that mine is rather receptive to employing former students from similarly-ranked doctorate programs). Right now, FSU is making more efforts to increase our competitive advantage in teaching. That might be something else that you inquire about if you come for a visit.

More specifically, look at Gary Fournier and Farasat Bokhari's webpages. They are the two that are currently pushing most of the health stuff. Bokhari's offering a Ph.D. course next fall in Health Econ. Fournier usually teaches Ph.D. Applied IO each spring. Both are eager to work with doctoral students and good at applied econometric work. Their current interests involve hospitals (i.e., types, specializations, management, and some sort of privatization topics that I forgot). One of Fournier's recent grads is Jennifer Troyer. Demography is with MacPherson who is doing a lot on pensions and retirement.

That's a bit of a shot in the dark on Florida State. The funny thing about the comment is that if Canuckonomist cannot get funding to go to Boston U because of being international, there is not going to be money at Florida State. The university explicitly acknowledges that it doesn't fund internationals because it is a state school financed by state taxpayers. No desire for brain drain from the admin.

Few comments on this string of posts. Sorry that I'm bringing up a topic from the previous page but I've been busy studying for my prelims/comps and haven't checked TM for a while. A good point is made by breakz. If you aren't dying to do a Ph.D., don't do it. Enrolling because you have nothing better to do is a terrible idea. It's not easy. It's a lot of math. It's a lot of work. If you aren't enthused, you'll likely become an attrition statistic. I have seen a few of those already in just our first year (I'm at FSU). And an earlier comment by YoungEconomist: I haven't heard that policy and I've talked pretty extensively with our graduate director here. What I have heard is that FSU will give many people a chance. If you have some great story of how you turned your life around and realized your mistakes of becoming an MBA or not doing enough econ until your senior year, we are likely to give you a shot. Keep in mind, while you are likely to get a chance here, full funding is a longer shot (about $15-16.5K with two TA assignments). Full funding is more probable for applicants with 700+ Math GRE, 3.3+ overall GPA, decent math background (Calcs, Lin. Alg, Discrete/Real Analysis, Stat Theory), good LORs, or some life experience (whether it be an RA/TA at undergrad or work experience in econ or something related). Also note that our program is not diverse. We have few females and not many foreigners on money. We have a couple of Fulbrighters but they're paid for. Anybody that comes in without $ and thinks they can pick it up along the way needs to be stellar. It has happened but those people have been the #1 or #2 person in their class at the end of the first year. With mediocre math or a lack of drive, you're fighting a very uphill battle. I made a post a while back about what to expect with FSU's program. Since I have now taken the prelim/comp, I have a better perspective of where the program is going. There are definite attempts to improve things. Previously, we had Macro I-III and Micro I-III extending into the fall of the second year. Now, we only have two parts for each core and they complete themselves in the first year. That's standard at most top-40 programs. The exams are reflective in difficulty to much of what I've seen when reviewing questions from top programs (posted on TM and online). Exceptions are that we don't use fiat money in macro and we don't do as much real analysis in micro. Moral of the story? FSU may accept you but it might not be with funding. And, the coursework/comps are getting a lot harder so do not assume it'll be a cake walk because of its weaker ranking. Things are changing. That's not to say FSU will be top-30 by the time I get out of here (although that would be cool). It just seems that FSU is undervalued, especially with visiting perspectives. Hopefully this will clarify some doubts/opinions to avoid mismatches and attrition.

For fall '08, Tim Salmon will be teaching a theoretical IO course. If you care to look at it, his syllabus is here. The course is not typically offered. Last time he taught it was four years ago. As a first year, you won't have the option of taking this course because you would be taking macro I, micro I and econometrics I. Salmon's course should make a nice transition from our micro II game theory course that he is currently finishing up. (BTW, not sure how his curve will be but scores ranged from 30s to 80s on our midterm but that's typical in grad school...the 80s might actually be high). Don't hold me to it but we usually have an applied IO course every spring (sometimes fall) taught by Gary Fournier. He is a big health person, reiterating the last post. Not sure what are (or if there are) other IO courses. The field entails the normal applied IO (since we don't typically have the theory one), social control of business, and law & econ. Roy, as to your funding concerns, you are correct to not worry about the fall/spring but be careful about the summer. Your fall/spring stipends will be there. However, we had a scare until about March when they confirmed that we would be able to teach this summer (would have meant we would not earn the $3K summer income). That is a real concern. The Dept of Economics is lucky in the sense that we have outside funding sources and are treated well by the University. My father works in another department and they are only offering online courses. In his dept, professors are having to apply for summer funding of research if they want any summer income. Grad students are being employed in other depts because they are cheaper than professors, which is a sore subject when the professors are unionized and threats of a strike are whispered. Good luck with the decision.

I had a large amount of public speaking experience so I am comfortable in front of normal-sized groups (30-45ish). Talking in front of 175+ people brought me butterflies right before I started the first lecture. Once you get going, you are fine because you get into your "groove." Plus, the professor had lectures and problems already worked up. That took a lot of stress off me. Only myself and one other student have had the opportunity to give lectures/problem sets this term. This spring, we have been taking a teaching workshop that goes over many of the things we might encounter in the classroom so that should prepare myself and the rest of my peers for teaching over the summer. Our teaching workshop professor made a comment that I thought was quite good. Your students are your audience. Your audience, by definition, is not your enemy. Who goes to an opera, play, or even class with the desire to see a bad performance? Nobody. Your audience WANTS you to do well. The students WANT you to shine. They don't want a bad professor that is boring, unprepared, or a complete dud. If you are like that, they will not go to class. The ones that remain are those that want to learn and that are on your side. Since I am a domestic student, I already have a leg up because I am (hopefully) easier to understand. Given that, I just need to be prepared for class and I should not encounter any problems. That should help you feel more comfortable. It has worked for me!

I lied. I'll make one other post before I start my week. Cool, we'll see you soon! 9:30 class is Micro II (Game Theory but we're currently doing Social Choice and voting mechanisms). If you want to attend Macro, we're there bright and early at 8:00AM (room right next door to Micro). Classes last 75 minutes but sometimes go 75-90. Your math sounds adequate but you need to grab a basic Discrete/Real analysis book to look over before coming in. I don't know what books are being used now in undergrad math courses but I used Mathematics: A discrete intro by Scheinerman (probably a terrible book but it's easy enough to follow for a first-timer instead of trying to jump into Rudin). Schaum's intro to Math Econ would be good to flip through, too, before you get into Simon & Blume. The summer math class is 4 weeks and the first two will grind the real analysis stuff into you. Having been exposed to the material at least a little is a big help. We don't use a lot of analysis after that in our course work (FSU is more applied than theoretical) but you do need to know basics to understand papers you read. Still not sure where Zuehlke got the 20% number but I guess I'll have to trust him since he's the grad advisor. Doesn't really add up. The pass rate was definitely low but it's not impossible to pass if you put forth the correct efforts from day 1. FSU isn't like higher-ranked institutions that has a set quota for how many can pass...though with our state's budgetary problems, it may eventually trend that way. For now, you compete against your own overall knowledge and not a percentage that must fail. As an aside, my initial post focused on the curriculum. It was meant to give you (and anybody else interested) a gauge with which to compare FSU to other programs. One of things that I should add and I think you will notice down here is the atmosphere between students and professors. There is not an ivory tower. I have spent a bit of time in professors' offices talking about economic issues (some of them I do not have and may never take a class with). That's been one of the things that has impressed me most with the program here. I came from an undergrad where we occasionally ate dinner at our professors' houses. While FSU isn't that close with the relationships, there is a somewhat similar bond and that's made the transition easier for me. BTW, there are married couples in the first year. Myself and another American citizen. It's not impossible to do but definitely puts a little more pressure on you to time manage. Dr. Zuehlke probably wouldn't like me to say this last point but he also stresses that we are honest to perspectives. If your spouse is looking to study and cannot get into FSU (which has pretty easy admissions), you need to think hard about reconsidering her plans or your plans on coming to FSU. There is nowhere close besides FAMU (a historically black college) and TCC (a lower-tier state community college) where she could study. UF is much harder than FSU and is probably one of the closer institutions at 2.5 hrs away. The commute alone will kill your married life and if you are newly weds, it might not be a great long-term idea. If she goes to work for a few years, it wouldn't be the end of the world and might help you make the bills more easily. I've got to go prepare for class. My situation is unique but I am a TA for a professor who allows us to teach every Friday. It's great because we have had a chance to learn how to handle big sections and incorporate technology (handheld transmitters for interactive questions, videos, effective powerpoints, etc). I didn't have much respect for ppt lectures until I got here. The enrolled size is 270. At the start of the semester, we had 180-200 attend on Fridays but it's dropped to 130ish. Since he cannot make it in today (got stranded in California), I am going to fill in for his lecture on Game Theory. At this point, I am very comfortable in front of the class so I enjoy the opportunity because it gets me ready for the summer. Sure, I have other things to do but teaching Game Theory will really make me understand it and finals are coming up in two weeks. Have a safe trip down here. Weather should be beautiful!

Some additions to IceColdEcon's response, if any of you care to know more about FSU or find this post through a search. I am a current first-year Ph.D. student at FSU. I may not have time to reply back because I am swamped with work so don't take it personally. If you come to visit, you will meet with most of the first year students (if not all) so there is plenty of time for questions. FSU is on the rise in rigor. Here's a synopsis of Micro and Macro I/II so you can get an idea for what we cover. I think I posted something in December about the first semester but I can now elaborate on both since we are nearing the end. Math Class before classes: Covers most of the things you need out of Simon & Blume and the first 70-100 pages of Rudin. Freshen up on linear algebra and discrete math before showing up. Notes may still be online (Bokhari teaches it). Micro I: We cover the first 10 chapters in MWG and then a few more (12, 13, 15, and 19). It's a lot. Don't hurt yourself and refuse to open MWG. If you do, you will pigeonhole yourself to macro (which you might have chosen anyway but it's nice to at least have options). Suck it up, do it, and you'll suffer for a bit but things will get better and easier to understand. Just one of those grad school learning curves you have to overcome. Micro II: Game theory using Fudenburg and Tirole and covering the areas major papers (with emphasis on Auction Theory because of the professor's interests). Might want to read the Gibbons book (and make sure you understand the basics) before the class starts. Macro I: Cover the major papers in the 70's, 80's and then jump into some in the 90's and more recently (topics include endogenous growth (Solow and Lucas), R&D (Romer, Aghion-Howitt), RBCs, Asset Pricing, and Monetary Theory). For techniques, we do both discrete and continuous modeling (static optimization with standard Calculus and FOCs), as well as recursive dynamic programming. Macro II: Cover Sargent and Ljundqvist (spelling?) Ch 2, 6, 8, 10, 17, 19, etc. We skip around a lot so you might as well become familiar with most of the first 20 chapters if you want to know everything. Most of the emphasis is getting down notations of models, manipulating them and getting really good at dynamic programming. A lot of our HWs and tests are modeled after UMinn's prelims. The tests usually aren't as hard as the problems in Sargent but the HWs always have a few problems from there. As you can see, the structure of the program is pretty similar to most of the competitive universities. Things aren't a "cake walk." Of course, you can get through things by not doing a lot of hw. Failing out looks to be quite hard. They'll keep you in for manual labor and let you self-select at the prelim. Make sure you keep up on the readings because if you decide to slack at the start, you're shooting yourself in the kneecap. We have a couple of those wounded soldiers right now. Not sure where the 20% first-time pass rate came from for the prelims. There were 17 original students in the current 2nd-year class. 6 or 7 passed both exams on the first time. 2 left on their own before the prelims. 2 U.S. citizens did not pass on the 2nd attempts. 1 or 2 foreign nationals did not pass on the 2nd attempts. The distinction between foreign nationals and U.S. citizens is important because most of the foreign nationals are on their own money (or Fulbright fellowships). While there is no animosity against them, some of them come in without understanding what the program entails. For my year, we started with around 12-15. A few never began with us so I think we actually had 11 at the beginning. Others have dropped a class or the entire program so I think we are at 7 or 8 that will be taking both prelims this coming August. Not sure how many will pass. The department isn't trying to scare people out or weed people out. That has never been the approach. The professors are simply presenting very difficult material and people are having trouble with the workload. They have combined the macro/micro sequence into two courses and increased the difficulty of the material. Treat it as a 10-12 hour/day job and you'll be fine. If you cannot do that, you may not be the kind of person that should be studying economics at the Ph.D. level. Make sure you come in with adequate math skills, too. With that said, Calc I-III is not sufficient for doing well in FSU's Ph.D. program. It would be fine for the Masters. You could maybe get through with it but you will struggle...a lot. You should think about at least having Linear Algebra, Real Analysis/Discrete Math, Probability Theory, and Mathematical Statistics. The first two are the most important. The second two would make your life a lot less stressful, especially in the required Econometrics sequence, which is three classes and ends after the 1st summer. Much more than that isn't really necessary. Diff Eq would be nice so that you can understand impulse graphs and phase diagrams but you will only encounter those in papers (we don't go into them in class...but one of our questions on a Macro I exam did require that knowledge). Speaking of the summer, yes, we do summer work (teach not TA), but people still pass the prelims in August. I am in my first year so I cannot give any personal knowledge on how hard it will be to balance. The TA duties throughout the year have not been that bad so I doubt the summer will be much different. It's just getting used to it that is tough at first. The cool thing is that we get to teach over the summer, which is great for us when we eventually go on the job market. Lot of prep work but it should make your intuitions solid in that core area. That's important because FSU emphasizes more applied work and less theory. The prelims reflect that effort. As far as your interests go, FSU does seem to be putting a lot of emphasis on the micro fields. We have a great program in experimental. There are also great resources for urban economics and health/IO. Don't think that you must make up your mind before you come (because it will likely change some since grad material is much different than undergrad). Having a general notion would not be a bad idea to help you choose. Finally, I am glad that IceColdEcon pointed out those last four things. However, you will not have time for #4 (if you do, you are going to fail at least one class). As far as the homeless problem, talk with us if you decide to come to FSU so that you do not move into Frenchtown or south of Florida State. Both are terrible areas. I am originally from Tallahassee and cautioned my class to move to the east side of town by one of the malls. A few people ignored it but by next fall it looks like everybody will be living there. #2 and #1 are right on. That means you should probably have a car and one that has AC. I get away without having either (a moped) but that is by personal choice because I park right next to the building. Good luck with the decisions! The deadline is coming up quickly. Put some thought into it and then rest easy. Do some reading/prep over the summer but don't kill yourselves. When you get into grad school (wherever it is), the professors will teach you want they want you to know in their program.

I am currently enrolled at FSU---was previously enrolled at a top 20/30 institution and took a big jump down in the rankings to come here. Lots of reasons why I changed but I am much, much happier with my move. Rankings are changing and will change for FSU. When I originally applied to grad schools, FSU was 78th according to US News. People in the program say it's 50ish now but I am not sure about their source. Biggest piece of info I can give you: US News rankings is a bunch of b.s. They suck when it comes to fitting yourself with a grad institution. A major component is faculty research productivity but that does not imply they are dedicated professors or will want you to participate with them in your first two years. (Personally, I have found FSU to encourage faculty-student relationships and interactions.) My original grad school decision was influenced by US. News and other rankings, as well as professors' reputations. Not the best choice I have made. FSU's program is going through an intensive upheaval. If the program continues in such a pattern, I expect its reputation to improve so that Olm's ranking comment might not hold anymore. His assessment of necessary requirements is probably accurate but I have no personal insights to admissions beyond my cohort's statistics. I had an 800 math and got a tuition waiver, a university grant, and a half-time TAship (meaning I cover two classes and I am supposed to put in 20hrs/week which, on average, might only be 10 in practice). The offer was generous when compared to other institutions and is even more enticing when you consider the low cost of living in Tallahassee. Only one person obtained a quarter-time TAship. Not everybody will receive funding as a TAship. Foreigners should not expect much funding because FSU is a state institution and taxpayers foot the education. Do not let the TAship (or RAship) scare you off. My original institution did not require anybody to perform TA duties in the first semester. On the contrary, FSU expects you to get involved. There are arguments of pros and cons to both methods but I have found the TA duty to be reasonable. I have learned to manage my time much better. If you get a TA-ship, you will have an office to share with two or three others. Every office has at least once computer, some have more. As part of your TA duties, you will (sometimes) attend classes, grade papers/essays, and serve 3hrs/assignment each week in the undergrad lab. FSU's website doesn't give much info on the duties so I hope that sheds more light on the topic. If you want to do experimental or applied micro, FSU is a decent place. Beyond that, I am not sure where the department intends on making investments. You would need to contact Dr. Zuehlke or Dr. Bullock for details. As far as the content of our program, our cohort is the first to go through a change in the sequencing. Previously, there were three classes in Micro and Macro that come to completion after the first semester of the second year. This year, they have combined everything into two classes over the first year. Prelims/comps are still at the end of August. Following most legitimate programs, FSU instituted a "math camp" held in August prior to beginning the first year. Real analysis, optimization, matrix properties, etc. will be covered and you receive a grade (goes on in the fall term) for the three-week course. If you have not taken any discrete math or real analysis, you need to brush up on it. Rudin is a decent reference for proofs. Schaum's makes a mathematics for economists text that will start you out. Otherwise, go through Simon and Blume. For the first semester, we take micro, macro and econometrics (You will also have to pick a weekly seminar to attend. Choices include quantitative methods, micro/macro, urban issues). The texts are MWG, Sargent's Recursive Macro, and a combo of DeGroot and Davidson, respectively. These are standard texts at any top 50 program. You will have trouble if you stick to things like Nicholson's or Varians in Micro. Even if the program is not in the top 20 or even top 40, you will have to study if you come here. Others grad students' comments on TM about average study hours per week seem consistent with our cohort. As mentioned, the program is undergoing significant changes in a drive to improve its image. Placements have been decent. Always keep in mind your final goal when choosing a grad school program. You need to do a double-check if you think you're going to teach at a top 10 school after FSU (it's possible, just not probable); however, the program has a strong history of placements in research institutions and, like mentioned, seems to do well with consulting opportunities. Typically, we have been more applied oriented but that does not mean you should assume an applied Masters in economics is sufficient or necessary preparation. The program may be applied-oriented but it still requires you to understand and utilize theory. I think that covers the questions that were raised. PM me if you want more because I don't check TM with regular frequency.

Jhai's comments have been consistently correct throughout this post. Kartelite's post comes from the cited online tax topics and #2 means that you owe taxes on whatever you have left over after subtracting out the cost o education (tuition/fees+books+supplies+equipment). OneMoreEcon was right in the sense of how taxes are applied but partially right on assistantships vs. fellowships. Depending on the department, assistantships are usually reported in W-2s and not through the 1098-E (where you'll find fellowships, tuition waivers, and loans reported). If the depts are not sound at accounting, they may actually include assistantships in the 1098-E (which would mean you aren't paying taxes on it and it should really be called a fellowship and not assistantship). In the first case, the funds are straight up income. In the second case, they're part of educational expenses that must be included in gross income and noted to the side (explained a little later). If you get $10,000 in a scholarship or fellowship and books cost $500, tuition $8500, supplies $100 and equipment $400 then you have a total of $9500 in non-taxable income and $500 that you are obliged to pay taxes on (assuming you are at a taxable level). Your institution will send you and the IRS a copy of a 1098-T Tuition Statement. Often times, this may not be entirely accurate enough for you to do your computations. Also, it's not going to include expenses on the last three things in #2. If you get a W-2 from your institution, that's for a job like a TA-ship or an RA-ship and should not be included in the amounts you're factoring in. To report gross income, you include it on Line 7 of the 1040 and write SCH 500 out to the left on the dots. That will denote how much you owe in taxes to scholarship money. Reported on Line 50 of the 1040, Form 8863 can allow you to claim educational credits. BUT if you're not doing it with electronic tax software, read the instructions carefully because there is a limit to how much and how many times you can claim the credit. AND if you parents have already claimed on the credits in years past or the present year, that will affect your claim. (Hope credit is limited to # years so most grad students would claim the Lifetime Learning Credit if nobody else claims it already for them.) Student loan interest (say between the transition from undergrad to grad school) is deductible on Line 33 of the 1040. That doesn't mean the full amount of what you paid...it's the interest part on that full amount (your lender should supply a 1098-E Student Loan Interest Statement). Finally, if you are still coming out having to pay taxes, look into a moving expense deduction with Form 3903 on Line 26 of the 1040. If you had a job before you moved and another once you started grad school (like a TA or RA-ship), you may qualify to deduct moving expenses. I think 50 miles is the minimum distance of the move. The IRS isn't clear on its definition of a job. I haven't looked deeply enough to see if it has a 20-hour or 30-hour per week requirement. NOTE that there IS a requirement to stay in the location and working for around 39 consecutive weeks in a year. If you don't, you can't claim it. If you started grad school in '06, you can claim the moving expense on the 2006 or next year's 2007 taxes. Your pick! Those are the tricks to look for on most tax years. Keep in mind that the federal govt may increase the maximum amount of loanable funds over the next few years. If you pay some back, that means you're eligible to take that back out...so if you've got the money and anticipate lower future interest rates, you can pay back the loan now and take out more soon to secure a lower rate and reduce the present value you will pay in total interest. However, if you consolidated your federal loans with a private firm, you kinda screwed yourself (though whatever you had taken out before is now available again). For example, you take out $10K and there is a max of $40K. If you pay back $5K, you are eligible later to take out up to $35K in loans...and if that max amt increases, you can take out even more. Make sure you at least sort of understand this jargon because the tax software like TurboTax wasn't entirely clear on all parts (though fairly easy to use and just as accurate as what I computed by hand).

Good find on the GRO stuff. Supposedly, the Financial Services dept is a little lax on getting the stuff in (I hope so) but it takes 2 months minimum so get it in soon. I've written Julia Ross about how they didn't give us that info but apparently Fin Services didn't provide them with anything. Regardless, do what you need. If you need direction, I'm putting together info with quick links at http://wdoerner.googlepages.com/jhufinancialservices Julia told me to call or e-mail Fin Services but I have been doing that since the end of March and still haven't gotten any replies back. I understand they don't want to be bogged down with millions of inquiries but that is poor quality service. Another update since Financial Services FINALLY got back in touch with me. They are beginning to process all forms next week and will send out notices each week reflecting the awards offered. Fin Services elaborated: "As a graduate student you are eligible to borrow $8500 in subsidized direct loans and $10,000 in an unsubsidized loan if there is need. Of course need is based on the financial strength of the applicant. We do not offer any grant assistance to our graduate population. In addition to the aid mentioned above you may be eligible for federal work-study and Perkins loan funds." Julia Ross (Econ Dept) told me, "each person in that office is assigned to a group of letters to process ..unless you know who is handling your paper work you would giving out the wrong info to others....stick with the the e-mail from the website as instructed" and provided the phone numbers 410-516-5104 and 410-516-8028. Those are the same as the ones found on the website at http://www.jhu.edu/finaid/ Maybe if you pester her enough like I did, she might tell you who is assigned to your file. Be careful, though, because it might irritate her to have 17 students e-mailing about the same topic. Even so, somebody messed up because Fin Services said they provide all depts with info whereas the Econ Dept said they didn't receive anything. Either way, we (the poor graduate students :rolleyes:) are the ones that will suffer if it really does take 2 months to process the forms like it was claimed on the Fin Services website (I doubt it is true!).

Some of the links are broken on the math camp page. Others go to a page with like 6-8 pdf files to download. I'm trying to make my life (and yours) easier so you can view it better at http://wdoerner.googlepages.com/economics-jhumathcamp If you have no car, try to live within one mile of campus because there is a JHU shuttle that will come to pick you up and drop you off within that radius. Costs are $500-700/oneBR or $1100-1400/twoBR. Grad students seem to live in the Charles Village neighborhood. If you want another quick page with links, check out http://wdoerner.googlepages.com/baltimoremaryland

Did you find the math camp info on the internet (what's the URL) or have you already gotten your packet in the mail?

Perhaps Ram can clarify on his "prelims" terminology? Is that the same as the comprehensive exams that come at the end of the first year? By my reading of Ram's post, it looked like he meant the comps at the end of the first year because he mentioned the possibility of a summer internship beforehand. I understood his thinking to be that if you know you're going to pass, you can risk your visa status for an internship and then take the tests. If you know you won't pass and aren't going to continue the program, you might decide to return home. The way I have understood it is that there are comprehensive exams during the summer after the first year. There is a micro and a macro section. If you don't pass those, you aren't kicked out. You can retake them in January of your second year (6 months later). If you don't pass it again, you will still be awarded the Masters at the end of the second year but not allowed to continue into the doctorate program. Perhaps I didn't pay attention on a particular question but I don't remember hearing anything about preliminary exams that take place before we begin this fall. Yes, there is a math camp in August that takes place two or three weeks before school begins but that is just preparation for the upcoming year and not a requirement. Does anybody know specifically and definitively if there is a preliminary exam before we enter in the fall? I don't really care if other schools have them because I'm not going to them. What does Hopkins do? (The grad students didn't mention any prelim exams when we had lunch.)

Another econ. Yeah, tutoring is pretty common. There is a JHU student website for jobs that you guys should check out. http://semps.ses.hsa.jhu.edu/stujob/jobs.cfm Intl students should be very careful about jobs. I think your visa since it is a student one is specially setup so you cannot work. Check into it before accepting any formal work with a company because that could put you at risk for deportation or, if that doesn't happen, you might not be able to come back in on your next trip out and back. Keep in mind that you need to apply for a Social Security Number if you are going to try to reclaim any paid taxes. It's not terribly hard to get one (just gotta go apply in a SS (Social Security) office in the U.S.). Customs is cracking down a lot and one of the flags is always students that overstay the visa or try to work. Ram might be able to give you more advice on visas because he holds a British one (and I think is on a student one now?). If you need help on marrying and getting to the USA, I can give you advice on that b/c i'm currently bringing my Costa Rican wife over as an immigrant with temporary residency. ElHuevon, we'll have to catch up if you speak Spanish fluently (I do too...lived in Guatemala and Costa Rica) because my wife speaks limited English.

Johns Hopkins

I finally got around to making an account instead of just reading all the posts as a guest. Since a few of you are interested, here’s what I collected on Baltimore housing: Johns Hopkins Housing, http://www.jhu.edu/hds/offcampus/ Good for a lot of basic info on Baltimore JHU Housing database, https://housing4.res.jhu.edu/classifieds/Default.asp Listings usually close to campus (and not always available in other sources). Account is guest, password is guest. Parking? Some apts charge a $60-80 monthly fee (and this may simply be for a concrete lot, not necessarily with a roof over it). City of Baltimore sells passes for $35 that covers area around where you live. Near campus, there are two-hour spaces but they ticket like crazy so don’t push your luck. Washer/Dryer? You're out of luck if you have your own and want an apt. Most buildings are from the 1920s so the pipes can’t handle the machines. However, all the apts I went to had a laundry room on the bottom/basement floor. Sucks that you’ll have to pay. Insurance? Some complexes supply renter’s insurance. If not, it is a pretty good investment and only a nominal fee. Utilities? Most included in rent but differs between apts. Usually, you'll find that you only have to pay for electricity. AC and Heat? Heat, yes. AC, almost certainly not. You'll have to buy a small AC unit if it gets too warm and open windows don't solve the problem. Deposit? Between a month or month-and-a-half. If you’ve got great credit, maybe nothing. Co-signer? Most likely. I doubt many people will be working and the stipends may not be enough to convince the renters. Internet? Port Authority or Verizon cover most places, PA giving you the wireless for around $30/month and Verizon going through the cable. Not sure about Baltimore but Verizon has some of the best cell phone coverage in DC so it might not be bad to check on a package deal. Phone? No idea. I plan on using VoIP (Skype, not Vonage) wherever I am so I never asked. When you look at places online, they're grouped by neighborhoods. It's hard to know what places are safe unless you ask a student or Housing Office employee. Keep in mind that you should go check out the place before simply signing the lease. Reviews online aren't completely trusthworthy. I went into a few places that were nice outside and had mixed reviews but were completely terrible outside. Others weren't much from the outside but pretty nice inside. Most apts have hardwood floors (with the exception of The Marylander which I was shown a carpeted apt and assumed they are all like that). $1000 is pretty low. The majority of places are $1150-$1300 for 2BR around campus. Be careful w/ houses because they may not be renovated and a low price should be a clue. The farther you get away, the prices will drop as much as $3000. However, within a 1-mile radius, you can use the JHU shuttle to go to and from any location. That means if you have a few beers and need a sober ride or don't feel like driving to the grocery store on a rainy day, you can rely on the shuttle if you live close. Plus, the closer you live, you will experience less travel time, less frustration with parking, and get more of the JHU atmosphere. There are some new places being constructed right next to campus. An entire building is going up in typical urban design of having storefronts with apartments above them. Those may fetch as much as $1500 when they finish in the summer (the apts around them charge about just as much). Some condos are also being built right behind the building and should start mid $300K-$400K so if you're rolling in a recent inheritance and looking to blow money, it might be your thing. If not, you can purchase housing for 1/3 to 1/2 that price in some nearby neighborhoods. I used websites like rentnet.com and apartmentratings.com to get an idea of availability. The JHU housing page also has a map that shows the area and has the names of the neighborhoods written on it. They're pretty helpful folks there but extremely busy. Don't bother e-mailing them. Just call or, better yet, stop in. Like Ram mentioned, it's easy to get between Baltimore and DC (would have been better on metro though because traffic took us a long time just to get to the northern edge on a Friday night). At the Open House, there was a recommendation of not to live too far away from campus (i.e. stay in Baltimore). There was a grad student that lives in DC (3rd or 4th year). It's doable later in the career but not early on if you want to be in study groups. Oh, before I forget, a lot of apts will start to open up in June. Right now, many of the companies are hesitant to take reservations for the fall (but will do so if you are anxious). So, if you keep your eyes and ears open, you may luck out on a cheap deal. A few more random observations that haven't been touched... If I were looking for a big city and different living atmosphere, I would live by the harbor. If I wanted a collegiate atmosphere and proximity to the university, I would live on the north side of town near Hopkins. Since somebody touched on gender issues and we've hit the race card, I note that JHU is very foreign. While my experience was not a SRS of the student body, it appeared very different from the southern Anglo-Saxon experience I had in undergrad. Not a problem for me but I stand out. It may not have been noticed by others because they are not white male caucasians. The word "negro" is acceptable to use in other languages besides English. I speak Spanish fluently and it's the only way to refer to a black person since the Spanish word "negro" means both "negro" and "black" in English. If you are a foreigner and looking to survive in Boston, it will not help your odds calling black, African Americans "negros." Even if your odds are low for getting harassed on the streets, you may substantially change the situation by referring to a person in that manner. While the dept is primarily white males, they are from different places (including Canada) and studied at some of the top insitutions...so who cares?? If they know their stuff, it shouldn't matter. And, while the students are not overpopulated by females, they are very diverse with foreigners so you'll get your daily dose that way if it really does matter to you. Another thing that nobody has noted is the friendliness exhumed around the campus. Not positive about my choice, I took an extra day to look at apartments and get a taste of the Baltimore atmosphere. I stopped to ask directions, to talk with people on the street, and went to a few local hangouts. All of the people I talked with were friendly and more than eager to help me out (black, Mexican, Honduran, and Chinese included). On one last note, my Open House impression was geared more toward seeing if I like the city and not entirely toward the faculty and program (trying to amass as much information---not available on the Internet already---for my decision as possible). I knew I liked those other aspects. And, I'm glad I geared my trip that way. I was a bit put off by some of the other applicants who could only talk about how they got into X, Y, and Z programs and they did A, B, and C in their undergrad. The day seemed more like a bragging session than a chance for them to really learn about the program. It wasn't until the afternoon's conference that I truly felt the intellectual vibe from the professors (besides a few personal, one-on-one chats with them). Yeah, the perspective students were smart but I would not shed a tear if I eventually decide to go to JHU and a few of them do not. I think this about wraps up my additional commentary. There may be a few other ideas brewing but Ram touched on most of the other stuff already. I guess it'll come down to whether I want to shell out some $, be closer to DC and take a risk on a smaller program. Much of my choice is financial based since I've got an immigrant wife coming to the USA soon and already have racked up some loans. If JHU gave more :2cents:, the decision would be easier. Unfortunately, that's not the case and I've already got some decent investments elsewhere. Still got a week to ponder...