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Spring+fall enrollment

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 9:51 pm
by huayualice
Can I attend a program that starts in spring, while waiting for results from fall admissions at other universities, and then attend those other places once I get admitted?

I wonder if that's against any policies. My incentive is to start my graduate study sooner, and I am not concerned with transferring credits - I don't mind taking the same courses again at the new place.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

Re: Spring+fall enrollment

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 10:04 am
by thomasmgill
Hi.

I think you're going to run into a few issues trying with that plan.

The first is trying to find a Ph.D. program that starts in the spring. They are rare.
The second is that if you do find a Ph.D. program for the spring, you are going in knowing that despite being granted full funding by the university, you are planning to leave at the end of one semester.
Also, when applying to schools from the fall, if you do not tell them about the program you are currently in, you run the risk of having to retake the courses anyway.
If you tell them about the program you are currently in, the schools may view you the type who would leave if you found a better opportunity.

I would recommend that you try to take graduate level courses at your big state school (where it will be much cheaper) as a non degree student, while working or earning grants to support yourself.
Then, when it comes time to apply to programs for the following fall, you can show them that you are motivated to start your Ph.D., that you (presumably) did well in graduate courses, and are not withholding any information from them.

Re: Spring+fall enrollment

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:05 pm
by huayualice
Thanks for the advice!
I did find some schools that offer spring enrollment, but I guess dumping them in one semester is not good manner since the first few semesters students mainly focus on taking classes, hence not much helpful on research/TA?

Re: Spring+fall enrollment

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 1:01 pm
by abose
huayualice wrote:Thanks for the advice!
I did find some schools that offer spring enrollment, but I guess dumping them in one semester is not good manner since the first few semesters students mainly focus on taking classes, hence not much helpful on research/TA?

Hello huayualice, read your post. Can you let me know some names of schools who offer spring enrolment in their PhD programs. Is it just enrolment, or they offer funding too, if you try to start in Spring?
Thanks,

Re: Spring+fall enrollment

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:29 am
by huayualice
Just saw your reply. The one I found is UNLV, I believe they offer funding for spring too, but you should check. I decided to wait for the fall, it is tempting to think that I can get into better programs in fall with more options.