maa

There is no harm of contacting with professors, if you do it right way. Some professors explicitly forbids to write to them about admission. It's better not to do that. Otherwise, you should contact the professors from your field of interests. I suggest not to ask them to help you admit; rather ask them if they would take new students next year so that you would apply(of course after explaining your interests which must match with theirs). Moreover, people say that communication should start well before admission process starts so that professors can understand that you are genuinely interested. Some professors may reply you while some may not. Dont worry, they will consider your application, if they are willing to take new students. Some of the professors I contacted did not respond instantly, but they wrote to me later asking if I am still interested.

I agree with engguy. You should call DGS or the person who wrote you the email. You should politely remind him/her that you were supposed to hear something from them by april 17 and ask if they have made any decision.

I think you should politely ask him/her by when he/she will be able to inform you about assistantship. You should also mention that you need ample time for processing the visa

Are you sure they will cut all of 400 for only tax? Usually schools waive tuition and health fees, besides these, they have some minor fees, which each student has to pay.

I have wrote to them and they replied that they had not heard from many students yet. So, they may not make any offer before April 14. Anyway, I have extended my deadline at another school for three days. I guess this should be enough.

I am wait listed on my top choice school and they told me that they could know about my possiblity by April 15. I have extended the deadline in my second choice by 3 days. Let's see what happens on Tuesday or Wednesday.

This is first time for me too. However, two schools have sent me I-20 as soon as I got admission (they did not wait for my decision). Both of them sent it through FedEx. But one of my friends got I-20 over normal mail. I do not know which country you are from, but in my country, it is always advisable that visa application should be made three months prior to date of travel. So, I cannot afford to wait for my I-20 to reach me over normal mail.

I am in similar situation. I was going to accept the offer of UMass Amherst, then UMD(College Park) informed that I am on the wait list. I decided to ask for 3 days extension from UMass. I shall mail UMD on the 16th asking about my condition. If they dont reply or cant say it by then, then I shall accept the offer of UMass. In the mean time, I am collecting information on UMD, so that if I am accepted at UMD, I can take my decision quickly.

Why dont you ask them about your I-20? Moreover, you should ask them how they will send your I -20. If they are not going to send it over express mail through FedEx or DHL (which is very unlikely but not impossible), ask them to send it over express mail and you will pay the cost.

I think similar topic is running in political science forum. You can have a look at it. http://forum.thegradcafe.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=13311

In my case, I was notified. They also wanted to know that if I am still interested in their program.

I am on the wait list at one of my top choice school. They said that their wait list was unranked. I do not know how they will fill up from the wait list if it is not ranked.

I am not that much optimistic. I guess they wanted my opinion because if I am not interested then they will pick another person if a seat falls vacant. I found in the result section of gradcafe that some other people also received same notification. I guess they all received same type of e-mails.

I received acceptance from UC Davis. But no word of funding. Rather they'd advised me to apply FAFSA.

Thank you all. UMD told me that their wait list is unranked. They are supposed to know about my condition by April 15.