Sunshinegrl456

n.b. None of this may hold true this year. Handing the program off to GSAs may have opened up funds to fill more spots. Conversely, everyone and their dog has been waiting years for the PhD to roll out, so there's probably tons more applicants that usual. Depending in the effect size of those two factors, we could either see a less selective or more selective admissions process this year.

Were these posters that also eventually were admitted? Here's what I've been told: we're looking at about a 5-7% acceptance rate overall (masters students you're more in the 35-45% range) to fill about 25 spots. Of those interviewed, about half will be accepted. This means about 50 people will be invited to interview. A 5% acceptance rate for 25 spots is about 500 applicants, meaning 450 will not be invited to interview (and consequently not progressed forward to acceptance). So it would make sense if not many people are talking about interviews because it sounds like the vast majority don't make it that far

Hey NoChance (very optimist alias you've got there... ) - I've known for a long time that research is my thing (insert long story about multiple life confirmations of this over the last 8 years or so). I think the interest in the PhD coincided pretty heavily with a rapidly growing passion for social networking over the last couple years. Before I started at HGSE I was like, "I know this is something I like, I think a PhD might be a good idea somewhere down the road" Then I took Ebony Bridwell-Mitchell's social networking course and Monica Higgin's Leadership and Learning Course and also at the same time was in a Micro Org Behavior PhD course at HBS. Everything just sort of came together really strongly and quickly and hit me in the face so hard I couldn't ignore it. I got along really well with the PhD kids at HBS and felt like I "fit in" and found that most of the kids in my other classes I got along best with were EdD students. I not only became more interested in social networks, but my burning questions around school staff relationship building really came to the forefront of my interests and I began seeing more and more how social networks can be used to answer unanswered questions that came up in the literature from my classes. I also came to realize how new and young and undeveloped research applying this perspective to education is and how the work that is being done to advance what we know about the topic really still is in the incubation phase of the academic bubble which I think was the turning point between thinking a PhD was a nice idea to knowing it was something I needed to seek out. By October or so, the place I was at was, "ok, I'll go work a couple years, with plans to come back and get the doctorate after I get more work experience." Then I had this super weird couple of weeks where people I barely knew of classes were literally pulling me aside and unsolicitedly urging me to seek out a PhD. It was super weird. So I thought about it more and realized I was so anxious to move forward with this research that going back to work felt like a hoop to jump through - why jump through a hoop if you don't have to? So I pulled my application together super quick and got it in before the deadline. On the one hand, it was almost just too weird the number of unsolicited nudges I was getting from people that I'm a little inclined to think it meant something and this is going to work out for me. On the other hand, I've only had two years of work experience and I know admissions STRONGLY urges you to go work and then come back. All three professors I told I was applying, the first thing they asked was, "are you worried about not going back to work first?" so it's a real thing that I recognize I'm up against and admissions might ultimately conclude it's not my time yet. In terms of being at HGSE currently, I personally do feel it's a leg up. One of my recommendations was from my would-be advisor and it was a surprisingly strong recommendation. Plus I've been able to pop by the offices of the professors I'm interested in working with so I can better articulate exactly why I want to work with them. And I have a sense of the community and culture of HGSE and *think* I know how to speak to my fit with that (oh yeah, btw guys, it's AWESOME here - I've never been so happy. For real). That said, the professors don't have much say in who gets in. It's an admissions committee over at GSAS. HGSE has a little say, but not a lot. So I think that greatly diminishes the impact of any leg up I may have by being here. Conversely, Stanford's PhD decisions all come from within the department you're applying to and the professors DO get the final say, yet I haven't met or spoken with any of them beyond emails none of them have replied to. So, we'll see. I might get screwed just by nature of who/how the decisions are made. Either way, I now KNOW this is what I want to do, and even if I don't get in this time, I know that I want to reapply so there's still positive takeaway here

Awesome! Hi j7887! What's your schtick? Mine is meso-level social networking analysis applied to school level systems. My understanding is that all concentrations interview. For the masters at least (perk up EdM applicants!), the admissions office is focused in hitting their school-wide quota, but don't have set quotas from program to program per se so it's much more about the quality of your application as a prospective HGSE student, compared to say, and EPM student. I've been told they do this to maintain about the same level of quality between programs so that one program doesn't become known for being easier to get into, etc. I'm inclined to have a hunch this philosophy carries over into the PhD process as well so it would make sense for them be pretty concentration agnostic up to the interview phase, which supports the reasoning for interviewing all concentrations (totally unconfirmed if that's the actual reason, but it's my hunch).

Oh, P.S. where my Culture, Institutions, and Society peeps at? Anyone?

Tom Robinson, the assistant director of admissions for the HGSE Education PhD, told me mid last week the "late January" mantra - I couldn't get anything more specific out of him. I haven't heard anything yet but that might not mean much. My logic is that since wintersession doesn't officially end until next Monday, the 27th, professors and employees are still making their sleepy way back to campus and catching up on paperwork, I doubt the office of admissions is in full swing just yet and I'm not going to start fretting until at least Monday. Plus literally every time I've had a question about the application process, either the GSAS Office of Admissions punts me to the HGSE Office of Admissions, or vice versa - it's fairly obvious they're still striking the administrative balance in context of the EdD (HGSE housed) to PhD (GSAS housed) shift so I wouldn't be surprised if the crank turns just a little more slowly this year. Just my two cents

The assistant dean of admissions for the EdD/PhD in Education at HGSE told me mid last week that interview invitations will be sent out in "late January" - it may already be late January and I just didn't get an invitation but seeing as the semester doesn't officially start until the 27th and professors are still making their sleepy way back to campus, I'm not planning on starting to really worry until next week. The only other school I have a PhD application into currently is Stanford (SHIPS - Organization Studies) and they don't do interviews so I get to hold my breath until late February when final decisions roll out Speaking of, has anyone found an Education PhD forum for either of these schools for current applicants?

What is up with all the Harvard stuff being purple, huh?! Merrysoprano I really hope the time you spotted me WASN'T the time I flusteredly (not a word, I know) followed a girl into the bathroom thinking it was the stairs! (for the record, the stairs were next the next door over) God I felt like a 18 year old freshman allllllllllllll over again. Except at Harvard, which made it all the more mortifying I hope everyone had fun and met lots of awesome people this past weekend! I'm sure I'll end up attempting to organize a meetup v2.0 in August

Hey all just a reminder about lunch at Border Cafe at 2pm tomorrow! Be there or be square, Harvard Square that is (so cheesy it doesn't even make sense??) https://www.facebook.com/events/447970431952541/

I may or may not have just packed like six potential outfits for Friday. Clearly what I'm going to end up interpreting as "business casual" will be a surprise, for even me!

It's hearing this from multiple sources over and over and over again that's making me question getting a master's at all, regardless of how bad I want it. Maybe I should have gone straight for the PhD after all, even if I would have/potentially will get into a less competitive program due to having less experience and no prior graduate work........ As a counterpoint, one of my friends just got a full-ride to Georgetown Law, and another got a full fellowship and hefty stipend for her PhD program. Super happy for them, but it has me wondering if I'm going about furthering my education the wrong way. Or I'm just dumb, which I guess will cost me more no matter what.

TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THE MEETUP! Sorry!! Ok, the doodle says Saturday lunch is best. I called a couple places and Border Cafe seemed most optimistic about being able to accommodate a large group on a Saturday afternoon during admit season. They said 2pm is probably our best bet. Saturday, 2pm, Border Cafe! See you all there!!

FYI I just had a nice long half hour chat with a financial aid counselor and got confirmation that restricted scholarships would have been indicated in our financial aid letters yesterday. He also mentioned that less than 1% of HGSE applicants are awarded one of these. I also learned that: 1) your EFC really is only taken into consideration in terms of your eligibility for subsidized loans (Perkins). 2) the key basis for determination for need-based grants and unsubsidized loans is your first, tax return, and second HGSE fin aid application. 3) our current income and debt levels are taken into account, however, the DURATION of our current income levels (eg # years) is NOT taken into account, nor is our PRIOR debt (aka the extreme amount I've paid down my debt in the last year and it's consequent impact on my ability to save for school wasn't factored in at all, only the little bit of loans I have left was looked at) 4) the reason our income is such a big deal isn't just to gauge our ability to save, it's also looked at as a prediction of our future earning ability (and consequently, our ability to shoulder debt). When I asked about kids coming straight out of school, who have the same future earnings potential as me but just haven't gotten a job like mine to prove it, the response I got was, "this is why it's a messy and often discretionary process" 5) "asking for more money" (slash kindly asking for consideration of the broader context of my tax return) can only be done through a formal appeals process, which can only be initiated after both your offer of admission and your offer of financial aid have been accepted. And even then, the cited types of circumstances appropriate for an appeal are things like your house burning down or severe medical costs. Back to my cynical cave......

My boss just told me I better chose Harvard no matter what because she wants to be able to wear a Harvard hoodie next year and tell people she knows someone there. Lol, ok boss, you got it!

Minor update: can't find any word on the matter from HGSE, but according to HLS, the restricted scholarships are university wide fund pools and count as "outside resources" leading me to think they're a separate notification process. When that happens, no idea currently.

Has anyone heard anything back about restricted scholarships? (that were a part of the Harvard Financial Application) - if we got one, would it have been indicated in our financial aid letter?

$3000 grant received. A little cynical and sad but in the long run, I know this is worth it and I will make it work. Somehow.

Thanks EdYouKateOr! Also I would let you drop your bags where I'm staying but ill be at my friends parents hours an hour outside Boston so that probably won't work lol. I've found hotels to be really obliging about holding bags for me after I check out. Guys I took my first steps in Cambridge yesterday and I am sooooooo in love! I'm especially in love with the HUH apartments on Grant and Banks Sts, so much charm, so close to campus, Harvard Sq, and the river!!

Oh also, has anyone who's sent in their official transcripts gotten confirmation that they were received? I'm a little nervous given my little 110 v. 111 Longfellow Hall address debacle

So far the doodle is showing Sat night as the winner - be sure to cast your vote if this doesn't work for you! (Or if it does lol) http://www.doodle.com/qr55fu7siedh5wcv

Thanks for the suggestion nicolemae Alright folks, sorry if this is making things complicated but I really want to make sure we're selecting the option that's in the best interest of the most people interested in attending, rather than guessing Please vote for the time that's best for you: HERE In context of the holiday weekend, let's shoot to close voting midnight Monday April 1 so we can have still have enough time to make plans the rest of the weekend

Blerg. I don't know how to make a call on this because I know it's going to adversely effect SOMEONE no matter when we have it.

All those in favor of Saturday lunch say.......aye?

Hm, I was going to suggest Saturday lunch as an alternative in context of ASzofer and DNguyen but there's that One Harvard thing all afternoon - is anyone actually going to that? (the deadline to register is tomorrow, FYI )

Lol, if someone brings an ipad, we can skype you in? Or we could just all go to India, I like that idea!