danaofdoom Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 My SOP probably wasn't that great, and my POI's never really sounded super enthusiastic about working with me. Most replies I received were the standard, "I appreciate you contacting me, and I encourage you to apply, but we have a very selective program, yada, yada..." So that's what worries me the most. Is it expected of applicants to contact POIs (this stands for Professor of Interest right)? I never did. I figured mentioning them in my SOP and elaborating about why I was interested in them was good enough. None of my undergraduate advisors have told me to contact anyone. Also, I am hoping that two field schools and an internship at another field school will be enough to count for "experience", what do you think? Sorry for all the n00b questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danaofdoom Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Gradcat- if you meet the min gpa and gre scores of the school then they aren't used besides for funding. Then it comes down to fit. And I don't know if its much chance by my experience. Every acceptance I got was a perfect fit and thinking back every rejection I got in some way was me trying to force a fit. That is very encouraging! I know at least one of the schools I applied to is a perfect fit (that's why I applied to them!), hopefully I'll get an acceptance letter. I'm nervous though, my GRE and GPA aren't very high, so I don't know what to do if I don't get any funding. I have an undergrad professor who didn't get funding at first, but went anyway for a year to prove himself and at the end of his first year he was offered funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradcat Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 If Illinois is any indicator, they seem to be pretty on target. Last year people from Illinois started hearing around Jan 16th. I heard January 17th this year. Thanks daykid -- and congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daykid Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 (edited) Hey Dana of Doom, My advisor told me to contact POIs as it gets you on their radar. In the best of cases, they ask to see your statement and maybe give you some feedback (This happened to me with Illinois, Texas and Michigan). Some Universities have a policy of not reading anything before the committee meets (this is what I was told at Chicago). Contacting a POI at UPenn got me invited to the campus for an informal interview, while Brown and Indiana gave me some insight on other professors who may be interested in my work. All and all, I'm really glad I did it and I think it has been beneficial to my application. That said, I'm sure you are not the only person who didn't do it and I can't imagine that it can be held against you if you don't. What I was recommended to do that I think is worth passing on is NOT automatically attaching the statement. Present yourself, talk a bit about your work, and offer to send over your statement if the POI is interested. I thought that was really good advice. Edited January 19, 2014 by daykid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorless Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I know someone who did not contact anyone and still got in (Ivy school) but he told me that I should consider (which I had already done) contacting people. I guess the "fit" thing works even if you don't contact anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danaofdoom Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 daykid- Do you think it's too late for me to do this now that the applications are all in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daykid Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Dana - I honestly don't know but I think at this point it might be best to wait it out. Like Colorless said, people absolutely get in without contacting POIs before hand. I think contacting now might come off poorly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danaofdoom Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I think contacting now might come off poorly. Yeah that's what I was worried about. Guess I'l just have to be patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Here's an admission for Ohio I just found by searching Twitter (assuming Ohio based on location): (@richardblargh) tweeted at 3:23 PM on Tue, Jan 14, 2014: Accepted into OSU's PhD program for anthropology, and nominated for a fellowship! Woo! (https://twitter.com/richardblargh/status/423188698092421120) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorless Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Now we will all start making crazy searches in facebook and twitter!! danaofdoom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthropologygeek Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 If its an official acceptance everyone gets it at the same time so go check the website. Maybe he's advisor emailed him. Remember grad cafe is a small sample size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurissimo Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Also anxiously awaiting word from OSU- no decisions on the appstatus page yet. If the timing holds true from past years, it should be mid-Feb. If they're running early, it could be any time in the next couple weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthropologygeek Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Laura- they give out both acceptances and rejections at the same time. Only wait listed could potentially not here with the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurissimo Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Laura- they give out both acceptances and rejections at the same time. Only wait listed could potentially not here with the rest Gotcha. So probably the Tweetmail gentleman heard straight from a PI. GAHHHHHHHHH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthropologygeek Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Or he's lying a bunch of other things could also be the case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 It could be Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio, who knows. I would just reply to his tweet and ask him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 There's now a University of Phoenix admission result, which is obviously spam... pears and danaofdoom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monfemme Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I know it is a for-profit university, but how do you know it's spam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthroflea Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I did some research right after I saw the post. I think the University of Phoenix does offer some PhD programs but I didn't see anything like anthropology anywhere. Also, they do not seem eligible to give out the necessary documents required to get a student visa and the post says "Super happy to be going to America". So I'm thinking it's likely spam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorless Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Why and who would write such a thing? Gee.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Its an online, for-profit "university." They're not giving anyone a PhD in Anthropology, let alone an international student who would be "coming to America" to study at a school that doesn't really exist. I tagged it as spam, others probably did, and it's gone. I suppose instead of spam, we might call it a joke. It is funny if you understand what University of Phoenix is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daykid Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I just randomly checked the UT Austin website and it says I'm admitted!!!! I don't have any funding info yet. I still have a call with the 3 POIs on thursday so, I guess that is what we will be talking about! STOKED! Canis, pears, eriatarka and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Congrats!!! daykid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 (Another update someone posted in results today is an interview at Washington University In St. Louis.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forsaken in LA Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 congrats Daykid! looks like a lot of programs are starting to respond. I have it on good measure that my first choice meets jan. 31 for the initial vetting of applicants, followed shortly after by department meetings.. daykid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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