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Thread: Applying to Grad school as an engaged woman (DO NOT need answer fast). ;)

  1. #1
    Oliphaunt
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    Red face Applying to Grad school as an engaged woman (DO NOT need answer fast). ;)

    If a woman is simultaneously planning her wedding and applying to grad school, should she use her maiden or married name on the application? (Wedding before classes start, but possibly after knowing she's accepted)

  2. #2
    Member Elendil's Heir's avatar
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    If she's certain she'll be taking her husband's name, I'd say she should use that name. It'll be more trouble than it's worth to later change it over from her maiden name.

  3. #3
    Oliphaunt
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    Thanks! I kinda thought that made the most sense.

  4. #4
    Yes, I'm a cat. What's it to you? Muffin's avatar
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    Late for the wedding . . .

    YMMV by jurisdiction, but usually your name is the one on your birth certificate, and any other name you go by is an alias. For example, if your birth certificate says Martha Dandridge but then you marry some guy named George Washington, your name is still Martha Dandridge. If you start going by Mrs. George Washington, or Mrs. Martha Washington, or Ms. Martha Washington, or Aphra Behn, or Billy the Kid, you are OK to do that in most Canadian and American jurisdictions provided that you do not do it for fraudulent purposes.

    Where it can get messy is when (1) a person starts using an alias (e.g. Martha Washington) on some of their identification without also having a new birth certificate issued to reflect their new name, and/or (2) a person does not keep originals or notary certified copies of past identification. Depending on the circumstances, (1) or (2) or (1)+(2) can lead to problems when a person has to provide identification that matches with the name that the person no longer uses.

    If you want a simple life when it comes to identification and bureaucracy, do not use an alias. If you so wish to use a different name, then get your birth certificate and all other ID changed over to it, and keep originals or notarial copies of all previous ID.

    Usually common sense prevails, but occasionally pedantic bureaucrats who are hyper-precise can stall insurance and estate payouts while the beneficiaries try to prove they are who they are.

    TAKE HOME POINTS:
    (a) always hang on to old ID;
    (b) the fewer name changes the better;
    (c) your birth certificate name is your name and anything else is an alias.

  5. #5
    Oliphaunt
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    Thanks Muffin! . I was thinking about a straightforward "woman marries, takes DS last name".

  6. #6
    Member
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    Changing the name after the marriage from maiden to married-commonplace.
    Changing the name from married to maiden if something(ghod forbid) stops the marriage-perhaps embarrassing.
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