How hard is it to get money in grad school?

Graduate School
1

<p>I understand it doesn’t happen for MAs, but if one gets into a top 10 for one’s area of study, is it common to receive fellowships/TAs/RAs, or do people still take out loans?</p>

<p>I was told that a feature of really competitive programs is that everybody gets funding for at least 5 years.</p>

<p>Special interests are literature, geoscience, geography.</p>

2

<p>I understand it doesn’t happen for MAs, but if one gets into a top 10 for one’s area of study, is it common to receive fellowships/TAs/RAs,
yes
I was told that a feature of really competitive programs is that everybody gets funding for at least 5 years.
true
But to get into those programs you also have to demonstrate an intense interest in doing research IN ONE AREA -AND have great LOR’s AND top GRE’s.</p>

3

<p>

Funding for a master’s is much more uncommon than for a PhD, but it is certainly possible to be partially or even fully funded for a MA. Non-flagship publics are usually the best place to look.</p>

4

<p>thank you both!</p>

<p>@menolaparkmom - would a double major in an unrelated field of study be hurtful?</p>

5

<p>A double major, or a major and minor in 2 related subjects that compliment each other- such Geology and Physics, can be helpful and useful to you when you take graduate level classes . 2 majors in unrelated fields will not help you one bit - you apply to a program in a particular area and the Geology graduate admission office will not care how well you know Yeats. The more intensive - narrow and deep -your UG classes in your area of interest the better- as far as they are concerned. It is FAR better to also have taken a couple of grad school classes in your major while an UG [ if at all possible] than to have spread your self out taking more UG classes in other areas. But if you can do both then have at it.
Also, your GPA in your major counts a LOT more than your overall GPA.</p>