The first year was easy. But i don't think it will be this easy in the next couple of years, so i'm prepared for it. Before starting university, i had planned to study very hard even the easiest courses, and i haven't broken my promise yet. Thought, i'm now a little bit frustrated, because i wanted to graduate with my two friends from high school, now they are one semester ahead of me.
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The first year was easy. But i don't think it will be this easy in the next couple of years, so i'm prepared for it. Before starting university, i had planned to study very hard even the easiest courses, and i haven't broken my promise yet. Thought, i'm now a little bit frustrated, because i wanted to graduate with my two friends from high school, now they are one semester ahead of me.
damnromulans
Klingons do not faint
It's hard to say how much it would cost for a year. Would you be living in student housing or renting an apartment on your own? What do you eat? Do you go out a lot? Are you willing to live in sketchy neighborhoods to spend less?
Episteme
Member
It usually gets hardest in the 2nd year, that's when they start to introduce the main concepts. Hang in there, rewards will be high once you're done with the degree. Most of my friends are graduating a year or a semester ahead of me. This is because even though I haven't failed anything, my unit advisor majorly screwed up my time table lay out in the first one and a half years. This is making me basically do an extra semester, and I've got friends from all over 2nd and 3rd year. What type of industry are you planning to work in after?
Ananth: ditto what krampus said. there are a lot of variables. For instance, I'll use my own situation as an example. I work two jobs and live at home with my mom. My main job brings in about $1000 a month, and the second job between $300 - $400 a month, so a total of $1300 - 1400. My tuition a semester is $2600, and then parking and books and it comes out to almost $3000 a semester. That's basically three months of work for me.
How I see it, you basically need to earn at least $10/hr and work at least 30 hours a week to be able to live independently and be able to manage rent, food, and other bills. this isn't including school stuff.
As far as student loans go, it's sad, but they've become kind of the norm for most college students. that being said, student loans have some of the best interest rates and rules (from what I've heard) when compared to other kinds of loans. You just have to take into consideration your means and what field you'll be going into. For instance, my sister went to Notre Dame for four years and did her MBA at San Diego State University, and racked up quite a bit in loans, but she's going into a more lucrative field than I am. Though your status as an international student makes things a bit different.
I'm sure the uni you'll be going to willl have a Financial Aid office, go there, set up an appointment and talk with somebody one-on-one (or at least over the phone if you can't exactly leave India right now). they're the people you'll want to talk to. As an international student, your fees will be a bit higher most likely, so take that into consideration.
Do tons of research. There are loads of scholarships, grants and all sorts of other things to help students out and give them money to go to school. But your best bet would probably be to contact a financial aid person at the campus
How I see it, you basically need to earn at least $10/hr and work at least 30 hours a week to be able to live independently and be able to manage rent, food, and other bills. this isn't including school stuff.
As far as student loans go, it's sad, but they've become kind of the norm for most college students. that being said, student loans have some of the best interest rates and rules (from what I've heard) when compared to other kinds of loans. You just have to take into consideration your means and what field you'll be going into. For instance, my sister went to Notre Dame for four years and did her MBA at San Diego State University, and racked up quite a bit in loans, but she's going into a more lucrative field than I am. Though your status as an international student makes things a bit different.
I'm sure the uni you'll be going to willl have a Financial Aid office, go there, set up an appointment and talk with somebody one-on-one (or at least over the phone if you can't exactly leave India right now). they're the people you'll want to talk to. As an international student, your fees will be a bit higher most likely, so take that into consideration.
Do tons of research. There are loads of scholarships, grants and all sorts of other things to help students out and give them money to go to school. But your best bet would probably be to contact a financial aid person at the campus
Chanakya
Orphaned Brother
I got a 20,000$ waiver on my tuition fee, which could possibly be upped as I'd mentioned earlier. Earning anywhere close to 14000-15000 USD a year will no doubt be very helpful as I could then take care of a chunk of the expense. A rough estimate from one of my counsellors, places the entire cost to be roughly about 90000$, though this is being verified.
And these jobs are something along the lines of campus jobs? As in, are relatively secure and assured if you work towards it, and international bias plays no part? This will greatly benefit my case if I can earn anything close to that much, though I'd never given it a thought beyond making some money beyond blowing it up.
You're paying for your education? I'm assuming you mentioned the 30 hour/week schedule if I were to pay for the whole thing on my own ? I'm not allowed to do that either, my folks have to show a certain solvency and to place a significant amount in an account, which rules out the possibility of starting from scratch.
Methinks this isn't possible now, at least I don't want to take the risk. My degree might be kinda lucrative in the long run, but I was interested in doing post-grad as well, and I guess it won't but if this economic crisis persists, I might get screwed over.
@ Krampus - My needs are pretty much minimal. I'll be making my own food to cut costs, as most Indian kids do. And will be placed in university housing for the first year at least, and that is very inexpensive. Going out, I haven't been doing that much lately but I guess a major part of my entertainment expenses will go towards concert tickets. I drink maybe once or twice a week and eating out won't be too often I guess.
With regards to sketchy neighbourhoods, I'm fine with that to be honest, though my parents will be ridiculously apprehensive and for sure won't approve of that.
Thanks a lot for your help guys, that actually has enlightened me about my options and has given me a sense of security financially.
I'm not sure, since i haven't planned yet. But i will work for a year maybe, then get my Master degree soon after.
Actually, i didn't choose Mechanical Engineering for the purpose of Engineering, i chose this major, because of the awesome amount of Mathematics involved in it.
Episteme
Member
Fair enough, I'm actually quite looking forward to working after the degree. But the only thing I'm not looking forward to is the fact that I won't have much time with my band especially if it's going to be an offshore or mining job which basically means a 2 week 1 week off schedule or anything similar.
Yeah there's alot of Maths involved in most, if not all, engineering disciplines. That was one of the drawing cards for me. I initially was going to do Psychology and Philosophy at another university because I'm interested in it, but I realised I wasn't any good at it, I just found it good as a hobby I can read up on when I have spare time. Maths, Calculus, Physics and Chemistry have always been my stronger subjects.
Yeah there's alot of Maths involved in most, if not all, engineering disciplines. That was one of the drawing cards for me. I initially was going to do Psychology and Philosophy at another university because I'm interested in it, but I realised I wasn't any good at it, I just found it good as a hobby I can read up on when I have spare time. Maths, Calculus, Physics and Chemistry have always been my stronger subjects.
V.V.V.V.V.
Houses Ov Mercury
Argh, art history (Renaissance-era) image identification test in 40 minutes I am sooooooo scr00d.
Einherjar86
Active Member
V.V.V.V.V.
Houses Ov Mercury
I ended up knowing a lot of the artist name/piece name portion, but screwed up a lot of the dates. I did get back a take home exam and got a B+/A- so that's cool.
Cythraul
Active Member
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I'm a TA for a history of science class this semester. I know some obscure history of science but not in the detail that this class goes into. It's weird grading exams on a topic I'm not well-versed in. The professor just tells me exactly what answers he's looking for and I do what he says. I absolutely dread the possibility of a student coming to my office hours to ask detailed questions about this subject. 
Zephyrus
Tyrants and Slaves
These are looking to be my classes for next semester: 21 credits (yikes!) but I'll be writing the thesis over the summer.
HTY 407 - Age of Monarchs & Revolution: 1648-1815
HTY 450 - History of the British Empire
POS 401 - Seminar in Political Theory: Thucydides
HON 499 - Honors Thesis
GER - SchnellDeutsch I (first two semesters of German rolled into one)
MLC 490 - Advanced Ancient Greek I
Also, I've refocused my grad school goals to something more practically minded, namely, Ancient History with a minor in Byzantine studies. Michigan and Berkeley are at the top of the list so far.
HTY 407 - Age of Monarchs & Revolution: 1648-1815
HTY 450 - History of the British Empire
POS 401 - Seminar in Political Theory: Thucydides
HON 499 - Honors Thesis
GER - SchnellDeutsch I (first two semesters of German rolled into one)
MLC 490 - Advanced Ancient Greek I
Also, I've refocused my grad school goals to something more practically minded, namely, Ancient History with a minor in Byzantine studies. Michigan and Berkeley are at the top of the list so far.
Einherjar86
Active Member
I received my official admission letter from University of Pittsburgh today in the mail. I also received a letter from the University of Chicago notifying me that they couldn't admit me directly into the English department's PhD program (which is weird, because I applied to thier Master's program), but I have been chosen and accepted into their MAPH program (Master of the Arts Program in the Humanities). I'm not sure if I want to attend such a program, because I'm not exactly sure what it entails (i.e. whether it's actually the equivalent of a Master's program within a department, whether it's my best option being an English major, etc.). Either way, I'm excited to have been accepted into something at Chicago, and the program does sound very interesting. Whether it would actually be beneficial to me is something I need to investigate.
Badbird
Never banned
cookiecutter
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Cythraul
Active Member
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Whoa! The same exact thing happened to my girlfriend yesterday. That's the one year program right?
Einherjar86
Active Member
Yeah! That's funny. I've learned a little more about it. It's a Master's program, but it's not specified in any department; essentially, it's just a generic Humanities Master's. I'm worried that this makes it less respectable as a degree. If I apply to English doctoral programs later on I won't have an actual English MA. So I'm not sure what I want to do. The thing that's really appealing is that it's University of Chicago, which is a fanastic school; so it would look great to say I've gone there.
Srontgorrth
Member
My friend (the metal violin dude) did the one year Master's program (except in Social Sciences, not Humanities) at UChicago, and I don't think it would be any "less respectable" since it is UChicago after all. Same thing happened to him though, applied for PhD program and instead got into the Master's one, and ended up going with it.
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