Tution/ Conferences

[bloodyeuphoria]

I'm trying to figure out grad school finances (not applying until next year though) and have a question. Do you owe tuition every year you are in grad school (PhD) even when you are doing your research/ writing your dissertation or only for the first three years your doing coursework

Comments

[gangur]

The goal, for most people at least, is to get "full funding" - i.e. a TAship or RAship that you work ~20/week in exchange for your tuition being paid, fees being paid, health insurance, and a stipend (around here $1600/month). At my university, everyone gets full funding for 5 years. Other programs, departments, and universities may only give full funding for 3 years. There are also fellowships (some based on merit, some based on ethnicity, etc.) that would cover you and you wouldn't have to TA/RA. In my department, there are 2 fellowships for people writing their dissertations so that they don't have TA. There are also a number of ethnicity-based fellowships each year.

As far as conferences, they are an opportunity for you to meet people in your field. I'd recommend researching the people that you want to work with FIRST and then when you get to the conference, seek them out when they are speaking or e-mail them a few weeks ahead of time to try to meet for coffee or briefly to discuss your ideas.

My standard intro to people is something like this (assume that you already checked that s/he is on the schedule):
"Dear Dr. X.

I am a senior at University of X studying bio anthro. I've read quite a bit of your work in my courses as well as during my work as a research assistant for Drs. Y and Z. I am very interesting in the work that you've done with topic W and would like to know what your current and future plans are for topic W.

I'm currently working with Drs. Y and Z as well as my undergraduate advisor, Dr. K to look into graduate programs. Obviously, University P is of great interest to me, as it is one of the top programs for bio anthro in the country and is so well known for you and Dr. B and Dr. C's work in topic W.

As such, would it be possible to chat at City's AAPA conference? It would be an honor to meet you.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks so much,
Me"