Negotiating terms of offer

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karlweierstrass
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:15 pm

Negotiating terms of offer

Post by karlweierstrass » Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:43 am

I recently got into San Diego. They offered me a half-time TA load for the first year giving $1250 per month and another $1250 per month through fellowship plus some other awards too. Did anyone from here get the same offer, or perhaps a better one?

I have an offer from a different place paying the same amount with no TA duties in the first year, but it's not at par with San Diego. Should I be negotiating, and if yes, then on what grounds? How should I word it?

CochainComplex
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2020 1:04 pm

Re: Negotiating terms of offer

Post by CochainComplex » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:47 am

Everyone is offered the same amount, afaik. I don't see why you would negotiate unless you have a good reason (such that you don't have to ask here).

contingent
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:30 pm

Re: Negotiating terms of offer

Post by contingent » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:33 am

karlweierstrass wrote:
Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:43 am
I recently got into San Diego. They offered me a half-time TA load for the first year giving $1250 per month and another $1250 per month through fellowship plus some other awards too. Did anyone from here get the same offer, or perhaps a better one?

I have an offer from a different place paying the same amount with no TA duties in the first year, but it's not at par with San Diego. Should I be negotiating, and if yes, then on what grounds? How should I word it?
That's a great stipend, congrats. Funding packages are relatively fixed at most schools so negotiation is very rare in the graduate student world, and even rarer this year since schools have less funding than ever. To ask, you need to have good reason. Your other acceptance giving you a similar amount but not requiring you to work is not a reason. Having another well-ranked school give you an identical offer with a higher stipend would be a reason. Offering something unique/extra like a summer position would be a reason. If you do not fit either of these I would not bother.

If you decide to do this it should be done with the DGS directly, over phone or video, NOT email. You might want to email first with "I would like to arrange a time to meet over the phone or zoom to discuss my funding package" and the DGS might just immediately get back to you with something like "our offers our fixed, blah blah blah, you can't negotiate" and save you the awkward conversation.

In either case, when discussing this, make sure you make abundantly clear your ultimate goal is to enroll at UCSD, even if it isn't. You don't want them to think you're not going to go unless you're given a certain amount. Speak very strongly to your attending regardless.

karlweierstrass
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:15 pm

Re: Negotiating terms of offer

Post by karlweierstrass » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:10 am

contingent wrote:
Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:33 am
karlweierstrass wrote:
Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:43 am
I recently got into San Diego. They offered me a half-time TA load for the first year giving $1250 per month and another $1250 per month through fellowship plus some other awards too. Did anyone from here get the same offer, or perhaps a better one?

I have an offer from a different place paying the same amount with no TA duties in the first year, but it's not at par with San Diego. Should I be negotiating, and if yes, then on what grounds? How should I word it?
That's a great stipend, congrats. Funding packages are relatively fixed at most schools so negotiation is very rare in the graduate student world, and even rarer this year since schools have less funding than ever. To ask, you need to have good reason. Your other acceptance giving you a similar amount but not requiring you to work is not a reason. Having another well-ranked school give you an identical offer with a higher stipend would be a reason. Offering something unique/extra like a summer position would be a reason. If you do not fit either of these I would not bother.

If you decide to do this it should be done with the DGS directly, over phone or video, NOT email. You might want to email first with "I would like to arrange a time to meet over the phone or zoom to discuss my funding package" and the DGS might just immediately get back to you with something like "our offers our fixed, blah blah blah, you can't negotiate" and save you the awkward conversation.

In either case, when discussing this, make sure you make abundantly clear your ultimate goal is to enroll at UCSD, even if it isn't. You don't want them to think you're not going to go unless you're given a certain amount. Speak very strongly to your attending regardless.
Thanks a lot for your inputs. I'm not at all fixated on negotiating. I just saw someone else negotiating on no TA duties and was wondering if I should do the same. I'm more than enough thankful for even being offered a place at San Diego. I'm definitely taking up the offer once I hear back from UCLA.

sgtpcp
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:48 am

Re: Negotiating terms of offer

Post by sgtpcp » Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:55 am

I got the same offer from SD, and I believe that is the standard offer they send to all PhD acceptances. I believe you need to TA in order to get funding unless you have an outside fellowship, such as the NSF, which funds you without the need to teach. I don't think negotiating will get you anywhere.



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