heyo

Computer science

I'm in the same position. I'm not sure that I can deal with the cold, getting miserable during the winter even in NJ. But at the same time, taking something in a warmer area would make me take a big cut in either program ranking or availability of advisers.

Definitely accept the offer at your top choice, assuming there are no visa issues - you need to look after yourself first. School A has probably poached students before, anyway.

Thank you for your responses. I think the professor is not entirely leaving, but whatever is happening I don't think I can work with him. One of his current students is looking at the option of either going with the other professor in my field (maybe the extra burden is why he is not going to take students) or switching schools. I will talk to the department head I guess. At this point I'm kind of seriously wishing I hadn't asked any questions and just committed, dealing with whatever fallout later on; maybe if I found myself there without having known all this, I'd be able to act as that current student. But now the professors know that I know... I do have other offers (so why complain right? Grad-first-world problems), but it is very disappointing to say the least.

I got in to basically my top choice program. Everything was going to be great. On April 14, I found out (only through some of my own prodding) that the professor I was going to work with is leaving, and the only other professor in my area is no longer taking students. I'm so disappointed that I don't really even want to go anywhere anymore. But I can't do that because I haven't been employed for almost two years and probably wouldn't be able to get a job even if I wanted to. The rest of the programs are significantly worse in either the quality of the program or of life where they are located (for me) or both. It feels so much worse getting what you want and then having it taken from you than it does just never getting it in the first place...

I have a PhD offer from a top 40 school that I am not crazy about but am probably willing to accept. I need to accept or reject it basically now. I'm waiting to hear if I will be getting funding for a top 25 school that I may like better, but I'm not sure if any funding will be available. I'm also waiting to hear if there is a possibility of getting funding from a top 15 school (but only accepted for master's) that I would definitely take over the first school if it were funded, but would be questionable without. Is there any way that other schools can find out I have accepted an offer to the first school, that they may withdraw their acceptances? I need to give the first school a deposit, and they refused to give me an extension on the deadline.

Also, does anyone know if it is very likely to be admitted to the PhD program after the master's at Michigan?

Have you guys had any luck in getting funding as a Master's?

You could always send out a few applications this round if the cost doesn't bother you, while making preparations to do what you would do if you hadn't applied at all.

I would, but I doubt I qualify - I live at home and my parents' income is above median. It's still just the feeling that I'd be paying almost 100 per school just to have a minuscule chance...has anyone had a good second round?

I was pretty well rejected last year, except for one school ranked around 50 in my field. I'm sending out some more apps this year (I've deferred), and I keep getting attracted to programs under 20 (where most schools I was rejected from lie). Do I even bother sending out applications for schools that aren't ranked 25+? I've changed my application a bit, but I wasn't able to make it hugely better. I hate pissing away money, but if I happen to do a lot better this round I'm going to feel really stupid for not shooting any higher.

I am/was in a similar situation - I was accepted to only one school, which I applied to as an afterthought (well, I still haven't heard from one of my "main" schools, but I am working on the assumption I'm rejected). I was unsure that I would be content going there, and I almost wished I hadn't applied, so that I could not go without any self-guilt about not going. Can you see yourself being content with going to one of those schools? If not, I would consider not going and attempting to get your acceptance deferred for a year. This is what I am attempting right now. I plan to try to get a research oriented internship or job and to expand my school list and reapply. Even if I cannot do this, I still plan to reapply. If you go this route, you have to realize that you may not get anything better. If you're able to defer your acceptance, then this should not be a problem, as you'll have a backup plan. If you find that neither school is willing to defer you, then realize that by not going you are risking getting no acceptances the following year. If you're OK with that, then don't go this year. In my case, I'm not fully convinced that I couldn't get a program I'd be happier at next year, and so I decided that it's not worth going right now to a program that I'm not fully excited about. It's OK not to accept an offer if you aren't totally sure it's the right thing to do.

Yeah, she doesn't sound like somebody I would want to work with.

Wouldn't I then have to forget about recommendations by any of them? Since I've had not much luck this year, you can probably imagine my recs aren't stellar, and in two years they'll be stale as well.

This is not always true. You may not be the smartest person in the room, but you may be lucky enough to learn how capable you really are. Be grateful that you've made it to a great program and realize that it's much better to have your peers dragging you up rather than down. I am going to be facing a downgrade, and it's saddening. Being at the top sucks.

Yes, I think most PhD students end up getting a master's. Funny you mention that, because at the visit one professor was saying something about how you could leave for another school with a master's (though she wasn't saying lots of people do that), but I also remember hearing things (I don't think from the professor) about that being frowned upon and that professors you're leaving would basically be pissed at you. I don't know why the professor would mention that I could leave - it was kind of a weird segment of our conversation.

I applied for several PhD programs this year, and have received one funded acceptance. I applied there mostly as an afterthought, having made a very low effort scan of potential topics, and since applying cost $0 and about 5 minutes, I figured I'd just send it in. Well now, I have yet to hear from only two of my "main" schools - my other responses having been rejections - and since it is so late, I'm not very hopeful. Thing is, I'm not sure whether I'd be content at this school. It is not top-tier, and I was not particularly impressed by the students or the department. The professors were fine, but I'd expect with the competitiveness of tenure that this is not exceptional. I think I could find a topic among them that I could work on, but none of them are topics that I'm thinking "Wow! Now THAT is cool. That's what I definitely want to do for 5 years." At the same time, I'm already one year out from undergrad, with nothing notable happening in that year. I'm in computer science, relating to topics in algorithms and applications to robotics. I can't really think of anything I could do in the coming year that would really help a grad school application, and I feel like turning down an offer now would just decrease my likelihood of ever attending. I'm not even sure what on my applications was lacking - how could I improve when I can't even know what I did wrong? Am I even going to stand any more of a chance next year? Still, I would rather not work as a general software engineer, and I feel basically confined to that alternative if I don't go. If I do go, I can't help but feel I would be unsatisfied, always wishing I had made it to a better program. Does anyone know this feel?

Anyone hear notification from USC, Harvard, or Georgia Tech?

Rejection today via website. Good luck all.

I'd like to take it as a good sign, but maybe they just haven't made any robotics decisions yet. Anybody heard of any? I think so. Mine says "under review."

I'm also in for PhD in robotics. Haven't heard anything

Do a lot of people really decline offers this early?

Visit days are coming up in 2 weeks, anybody know if all acceptances have been sent out already?

Penn is Feb 28 - Mar 1

Considering that if you search around, you can find out when some schools' visit weekends are, can you use that to predict that you won't be getting an invite? How far in advance do schools generally notify their invitees?