Financing Grad School

Ok, so here's the deal: I applied to graduate school for a master's in industrial engineering and operations research and I've gotten into two schools and I'm STILL waiting to hear back from one more. My prospective advisor at School A says that money is rarely given to master's candidates. School B didn't make me a financial offer and that was my alma mater. School C I don't even know if I'm getting in.

I was under the impression that assistantships were common for master's candidates in engineering. In fact I've heard the phrase "if you're in engineering you shouldn't have to pay for graduate school" multiple times. I think I even heard that on this board once.

I've got some money saved up, but not nearly enough to pay for two year's tuition and living and I don't think I can justify the cost of loans.

My employer would pay, but not for something not related to my current career.

I don't know what to do here. I really want to go so I can transition into a different field because I don't really like the one I'm in.

Any insight, experience, suggestions to offer?

Keep looking. You really should not pay for grad school in science/engineering, period. Although engineering is kind of more towards the fields you have to pay for (English, MBA, Law School, etc.) than your average hard-science research MS...

I got a TA-ship (that turned into an RA position from NASA) for my Master's and a RA from the school and the government for the PhD I'm about to go start in two weeks in NZ. No way would I have done either if I had to pay for them.

Maybe pay for the first year and then work something out from there??? Can't you be a TA??

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Originally Posted by Lane Meyer

Keep looking. You really should not pay for grad school in science/engineering, period. Although engineering is kind of more towards the fields you have to pay for (English, MBA, Law School, etc.) than your average hard-science research MS.

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If you have to pay for a MS, you shouldn´t be going to grad school - such was the wise advice given to me by both an adivsor and my father. Seriously. Every program I dealt with offered assistance, usually in the form of a heavily subsidized TA position. The only people who didn´t get FA where those with substandard grades, who could usually qualify after a semester.

Honestly the pay difference between an MS and a BS isn´t enough to make paying for it worthwhile, and the work situation doesn´t change. You get much better return on an MBA.

Switch it... It may be too late, but tell them you've reconsidered and really thought about your options and you want to go for a PhD. I don't know the ciriculum at the school you are applying but in mine the class load for a master's vs. PhD is generally the same - 18 measly credits - the rest is research. They can't make you stay for the PhD if something comes up and you decide to leave with your masters... I know multiple people that have done that here and profs/grads here actually advise undergrads to mark either PhD or both on their grad. school apps. for this purpose alone.
-K

I, in fact, did that very thing. And two years later, my MS counts sufficiently enough that I do not have to take any classes towards my PhD. I just do research, write a paper, and get another degree - two years instead of 5.

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Originally Posted by skiergirl

Switch it... It may be too late, but tell them you've reconsidered and really thought about your options and you want to go for a PhD. I don't know the ciriculum at the school you are applying but in mine the class load for a master's vs. PhD is generally the same - 18 measly credits - the rest is research. They can't make you stay for the PhD if something comes up and you decide to leave with your masters... I know multiple people that have done that here and profs/grads here actually advise undergrads to mark either PhD or both on their grad. school apps. for this purpose alone.
-K

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Indeed a really good idea. You will have to go into your relationship with your advisor under a bit of subterfuge- but that's not really a big deal.

MA= pay for school
PhD (or EdD in my case)= school pays you (though not much)

Lane- a PhD in NZ, you are a smart man. I have designs on post-doc work at U. of Canterbury- but its kind of a pipe dream right now.

LM - You are one of the lucky ones.

Thanks for the beta on CC by the way. Sadly out of 160 applicants (pure craziness) I wasn't a contender.

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Originally Posted by biggins

Lane- a PhD in NZ, you are a smart man. I have designs on post-doc work at U. of Canterbury- but its kind of a pipe dream right now.

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Well, that's where I'll be, so look me up if you come down. All I did, honestly, was email the department head in July and tell him what I was interested in. He set up the rest. Now it's May, and I head there in two weeks.

SG - Sorry about that. My best friend's brother didn't get in to CC when I was there, and his brother was my roommate! He was a National Geo photographer for God's sakes! Don't be dejected, who knows what their reasoning is, ever. And yes, you are right, I am lucky...and thankful every day for it.

I was offered about 6000 a semester from u of calgary for a masters in Geology. Keep looking man, it depends on your average and how much they want you really... I wouldn't pay for it though

what cj said.

I have several good friends going to grad school and they have everything paid for. They are not all stellar students, but their profs know they dont fuck around when it comes to working. They are all going for MS degrees and are either TA's or doing research for their advisors. U of Wyo calls it plan A and plan B.

I don't know of any engineering grad students here at the U of Wyo that are paying for grad school, PERIOD.

might be to late for the next fall now? maybe try for next spring?

i'm in engineering and at my school, I only know of a few people that aren't supported through either RA or TA positions. last fall during orinentation they said about 90% of people will get some sort of funding by winter term, and that seems about true. so maybe if you don't get funded your fall term you may just have to pay for a term to get in good with the teachers

I'm not sure where you're looking at, but up here in Canadia, there are quite a few government grants that can be obtained. Quite a few of them require over 80% average or something in that range, but mine being at 78 didn't help me.

What I have found is to find an industrial partner who'd have some interest in your project. The government here looks kindly on that, since its usually helping out the local economy, they tend to give tax breaks for companies doing that as well. I'm working that angle right now, and we managed to get a grant to cover the whole project and I'm getting paid pretty nicely. I don't have any rights to any project I'd develop, but my school would own the rights anyway. (intellectual prostitution perhaps?)

There tend to be creative ways to fund research projects if you look at them slightly differently.

I have paid some of my tuition at CU in the engineering dept. It is not completely uncommon in the environmental eng. field to pay for a portion of the degree, especially if you weren't an undergraduate engineering student.

there are other options though....at CU there arent too many TA's directly in the civil/env. arena, but other departments often need help with the big freshman/sophmore classes, we also have K-12 outreach programs that will cover a stipend and tuition for some of your time each week. Also apply for scholarships.

If you are not hell bent on what you want to study then RA positions often come up that might work for you, if you are really focused on something, then consider writing a proposal to some funding agencies and pay for it yourself.

Stay on it, meet your profs and something will work out.

I have a buddy who graduated from Mines with a degree in Metallurgical engineering sp? and Northwestern is paying for all his grad studies while he continues to work in engineering. Seemed to be a pretty good gig.

You should be able to find some funding, unless it is a one year terminal degree. I wouldn't pay for the entire program, only partial like fees and such.

New Development: Northeastern is offering me tuition, but not a living stipend.

Anyone have thoughts on this? That makes it a lot more reasonable, but still, it's Boston, and Boston ain't cheap.

Do they still think you're going for a MS?

I think, honestly, that there's something wrong-- I'm in a department of about 190 MS and PhD grad students and I'm certain that all have tuition and stipends.

Now, few of those are departmental. Most graduate funding comes from grants, which are essentially up to the discretion of the P.I. If you know what you're looking to research, talk to the profs in that area, and ask about funding opportunities. Some will be willing to fund an MS student. Some won't. I strongly, strongly feel that you'll regret being in a lab that only looks out for PhDs. Many profs (wrongly) regard the MS as a consolation prize, and you don't want to be stuck with one of these-- your life will suck. But you won't know any of this until you speak personally with the professors.

Talk to Cornholio, that kid has it all figured out (except living in Cleveland and the circa 1995 bad bumper steeze he can't shake).

My main point is this:

1) Find specific area of research that you're psyched about
2) Find professors that do this research
3) Talk to these profs and find out if they fund MS students and if they have room in their lab for you.
4) If yes, apply to the schools where these profs are employed
5) Apply for departmental funding and other fellowships
6) Bring the results of step 5 to the professor, and see what he'll offer you as a stipend.

I'll second the PhD thing, because that's what I did. Got a teaching assistanceship and at my school (UT-Austin) the coursework was the same as for a master's.

Good luck.