uromastyx

Indeed, Irvine has a theoretical focus, but Washington also offers this aspect. I believe the latter has a certificate. I think this decision will truly be a matter of personal preference. Which fits you best? Which faculty best align with your interests? Placement? Hopefully you can visit each and see which fits. Also, please do add your notifications to the results board to help document the method/date of these programs.

yuuup. my rejection from Brown came today as well. had i not gotten into my #1 i'd be suuuper bummed about not get in at #2-#5. such is life. we can't win them all. i didn't apply to NYU.

Because they haven't made their final decision. They state it clearly, since they can't confirm your admission. 'Shortlist' means they have narrowed down their applicant pool and you are still in the running.

No. I assume they actually mean 'shortlisted.' They have not yet made a decision, but you are of interest to them. They are basically asking if you still have an interest in their program if they were to make you an offer.

Has anyone heard from their prospective college?

The exception proves the rule. To advise people on the GRE based on a few that got by (who no doubt have a strong overall application) is not a helpful approach. Your story may not be uncommon, but it's also not common. Last year I was rejected from all program I applied to. I contacted two. They told me I had a strong application and needed to retake the GRE. When I inquired further about other possibilities to strengthen my application they both reiterated "RETAKE THE GRE." The particular program and particular adcomm will always make a difference. But I truly do not understand rolling the

Agreed, be prepared to speak with the professor. Even if they don't want an "interview" you should use this opportunity to your advantage. Show up with some questions.

I think it's totally ok, though I doubt it happens frequently. Departments understand that funding can play a huge role in a decision. If you're number one choice hasn't made you a great offer then it's quite acceptable to say, "Listen, you are my number one choice. I would like to commit to you, but funding is a concern for me. School X has offered me $$. Can you match this offer?" I don't think this will work well for all schools, but as long as it's polite the worst case scenario is that you attend your #1 choice with a bet less than you were hoping for. This approach certainly works bett

I had a writer offer to write me a letter when I mentioned my interest in applying to PhD programs after my MA. The person was a prof at a school that I had not attended, but was applying to for the PhD. We had a great relationship over the past two years. I provided them with a packet of materials that included a list of programs with deadline dates. We discussed this list in person and the letter writer had no problems with this, said the number of programs was fine. The recommender submitted every letter very efficiently and then sent me a hate email after each one, literally starting with

I provided all of my letter writers with my CV, copies of my SOPs, two writing samples, a list of programs with the POIs and explanations for why I wanted to work with these people, transcripts, and copies of my teaching evaluations. An applicant can always provide information to letter writers without personally writing the letter. During my UG and MA I've solicited letters from about 10 separate individuals for applications/scholarships/grants. None have ever asked me to write my own LOR. All of the people that I've spoken with find this concept unacceptable. Often times it is precisely bec

You mention that you don't have much time to study for the retake. If you honestly feel this way then I would reconsider spending the $175 for a retake. If you wish to retake it then you really must commit to serious studying. That Verbal should be somewhat within range for the schools you're interested in (although bringing it up would certainly help), and although the Quant isn't as important to your field, it is quite low. I also agree that it's important to address the matter of grades with as few words as possible.

Many people don't accept an acceptance after being waitlisted because it can feel awkward and the school didn't have them as a top choice. You also mentioned that the PI didn't show much interest in you. Your situation seems a bit more shady. You may not want to work with people that you don't trust, regardless of the reasons that you feel that way.