<p>If thats the case, then that isn’t bad right? I’d being doing my undergraduate degree for a lil cheaper than usual while simultaneously getting a head start on my PhD that will be funded as they normally are?</p>
<p>The undergrad part isn’t bad, it just probably isn’t any better than anywhere else. The response I got back did not indicate how much additional aid was available during the UG portion, or how it was distributed, which suggests to me that it is going to a handful of top students and not to the group as a whole. Contrast that with PSU’s Schreyer Honors College which gives a substantial scholarship to all students in the program. I just would not count on this program as saving costs anywhere.</p>
<p>As to the grad funding, the big problem I see is that they are asking you to commit to the program before they reveal the funding - something potential grad students are warned away from. I cannot blame them for this - how can they know NOW what kind of student you will be over the next 4 years - but there is no guarantee that you will get funding, or what kind, or how much. My PhD funding offers varied from pay-my-own-way to $13k TA to $30k fellowship, which can make a huge difference in lifestyle as well as in your time to complete the degree and in career preparation. Commiting to them now not knowing what your other offers will be is… risky.</p>
<p>You mentioned that you would still be able to withdraw from the program… the only way to really know what that means is to find someone who has done it and see how it went. Academia is a small community… just because they will release you to attend another school doesn’t mean that they won’t bad-mouth you for leaving. Programs and professors get a little touchy when they invest time and money into a student only to have them walk away from the program, and these are people that will be writing your recommendations!</p>