Canis

There have been past and more recent cases where students check the status online and discover a result, as can be seen in the results listings. But I share your skepticism which is why I ask.
 
I'm not applying to philosophy programs, my philosophy study was in the past. I'm applying to social science programs.  I am following philosophy this year as I have an interest in the outcome of this admission season for other reasons.

There have been past and more recent cases where students check the status online and discover a result, as can be seen in the results listings. But I share your skepticism which is why I ask.
 
I'm not applying to philosophy programs, my philosophy study was in the past. I'm applying to social science programs.  I am following philosophy this year as I have an interest in the outcome of this admission season for other reasons.

There's an Ohio State acceptance on the results page - is it real? Just looked and the earliest from last year was January 26th.

I also think it's best to hold off with e-mails.  It's tempting to find reasons to remind POI's of your existence, but I was cautioned by advisors that any e-mails would come off as obvious, even annoying, and that I should let the content of my applications speak for me at this point.  

Personally, my gut goes with NOWAYNOHOW's. I'd try to sit back on your heels a bit a wait it out. All of the POIs who have been in contact with me since admission season started iniated the contact. They were all people I talked to in fall and then didn't hear from between then and now. I feel like if you contact someone now just to check in it will be pretty transparent that you are antsy waiting to hear a decision and wanted to see if you can get some info.
 
I'd wait.
 
I do agree with NoSleep that if you have something specific to ask or have heard about funding or something of the like, pounce on it. Show your enthusiasm and get your questions in. But only if there is a good reason to.

Good question! I'm in the same boat - I contacted POIs back in October and have not had contact with most since submitting my applications. I think that for emails at this point in the process you'd want to have a specific question or reason for writing (i.e. not just a 'have you decided yet?' type question), but being a finalist for a scholarship is indeed news. And congrats on that, btw!  I'd say if you don't email the POIs, at least contact an admissions person about it to let them know.

Here's what I think about during this process.
 
One important thing all of us ought to work really hard to come to terms with is the fact that there are more qualified applicants than spaces. That means some people who have excellent credentials will not be admitted. When that happens, you just try again next year.
 
The stress of disappointment and the worry about the outcome is based on expectations, based on attachment to that outcome. It may be hard, but it's important to let go of the expectation because it is a decision that is out of your hands, and whatever the result, it doesn't close any doors. It's just one thing, in this moment.
 
Consider for a moment, the extremely qualified applicant who doesn't get admission this year, spends a year doing a number of other things and applies again. That gap might result in experiences that change the outcome of life for the better. We wish for a certain outcome, become attached to it when it doesn't happen - but who is to say really that one out come is necessarily better in the long term than another?
 
Patience, long game, big picture - life is huge, this is one thing, one moment, one small year. And if it's what you want to do, you apply again. There are lots of things in life that will require trying more than once, surviving them is a way to learn.

Yes!

But here's how I would do it. Apply for something. Doesn't matter what, little scholarship, grant, something - and ask three people to write you letters. Get your letter writers for your PhD program now. When that's done, thank them, tell them you would like to use them as references for PhD in 1-2 years, so save the letter. Send them nice cards saying thank you and then stay in touch, an email update every few months letting them know what you're up to or asking them for advice,,, something to keep you alive in their minds.

And when you do apply they will need to update the letters anyway, and you might have new people you want to ask by then, but just in case - I agree it's smart to get them to write now.

Here: http://bit.ly/1jxmDVi

Aaaaaand a post on thegradcafe from 2012 is the second on the list! 

Canis, this could not be more right.  I have my freak outs, too, don't get me wrong.  But we all put our best foot forward, and if it doesn't get me in the door this year then there is probably some reason for it -- either something else I need to do or some other reason why it will be better to start a program a year from now (or, maybe, not at all).  It's so easy to be fixated on one specific outcome, even when it is not the best thing for you.  I know this from personal experience and so I've told myself to *try* to have a more zen attitude about this whole thing.  Either way, it will all work out.  

Here's what I think about during this process.
 
One important thing all of us ought to work really hard to come to terms with is the fact that there are more qualified applicants than spaces. That means some people who have excellent credentials will not be admitted. When that happens, you just try again next year.
 
The stress of disappointment and the worry about the outcome is based on expectations, based on attachment to that outcome. It may be hard, but it's important to let go of the expectation because it is a decision that is out of your hands, and whatever the result, it doesn't close any doors. It's just one thing, in this moment.
 
Consider for a moment, the extremely qualified applicant who doesn't get admission this year, spends a year doing a number of other things and applies again. That gap might result in experiences that change the outcome of life for the better. We wish for a certain outcome, become attached to it when it doesn't happen - but who is to say really that one out come is necessarily better in the long term than another?
 
Patience, long game, big picture - life is huge, this is one thing, one moment, one small year. And if it's what you want to do, you apply again. There are lots of things in life that will require trying more than once, surviving them is a way to learn.

Here's what I think about during this process.
 
One important thing all of us ought to work really hard to come to terms with is the fact that there are more qualified applicants than spaces. That means some people who have excellent credentials will not be admitted. When that happens, you just try again next year.
 
The stress of disappointment and the worry about the outcome is based on expectations, based on attachment to that outcome. It may be hard, but it's important to let go of the expectation because it is a decision that is out of your hands, and whatever the result, it doesn't close any doors. It's just one thing, in this moment.
 
Consider for a moment, the extremely qualified applicant who doesn't get admission this year, spends a year doing a number of other things and applies again. That gap might result in experiences that change the outcome of life for the better. We wish for a certain outcome, become attached to it when it doesn't happen - but who is to say really that one out come is necessarily better in the long term than another?
 
Patience, long game, big picture - life is huge, this is one thing, one moment, one small year. And if it's what you want to do, you apply again. There are lots of things in life that will require trying more than once, surviving them is a way to learn.

I got an Emory invite and am jumping around the bedroom!

There's now a University of Phoenix admission result, which is obviously spam...

Congrats!!!

There's now a University of Phoenix admission result, which is obviously spam...

Don't submit an updated CV. Email your POIs and copy the graduate admissions contact in the department to let them know your update.

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!

Definitely read the link in Canis' post carefully. Also, note that there is no binding agreement for schools to set their deadline to be April 15 because there is practically no consequence for a school on that CGS resolution to decide to make their deadline March 1. So, you should go by the dates written in your acceptance letter, however, keep in mind that most programs will use April 15 as the deadline (even if it's not a finanical offer) because it's easier on everyone to have a common deadline. 
 
In the case Platonist described (you have offer from choice #2 school but choice #1 school has waitlisted you), the optimal course of action would be to ask choice #2 to give you a few extra days past the deadline and see what they say. If they don't agree then, you will have to decide to take #2's sure offer or wait it out and hope for #1's offer. You might also do something like take #2's offer, and then change your mind and take #1's offer if you get it later, but that can have serious consequences for going back on your word, including #1's reversing their decision since many schools only allow you to accept an offer if you have not accepted elsewhere (if you had, you would need a release from #2).
 
To get the best possible scenario for everyone, people should avoid waiting until April 15 to make their decision even though it's within your rights to do so. For the people who have heard back from every school, you should be able to make a decision within a week or so. At the very least, if you can't decide between two (or three) schools, you should decline all other offers promptly. Those who get all their decisions early are in a privileged position and if they can make decisions earlier, then it can help reduce the number of people in Platonist's hypothetical scenario (which is very real for many people!).

It's quite interesting to read the actual resolution, which I looked up last year:
http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_Resolution.pdf

When you do, you'll notice April 15 only applies to offers of funding, not admission as is often claimed in the forums here.

It's quite interesting to read the actual resolution, which I looked up last year:
http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_Resolution.pdf

When you do, you'll notice April 15 only applies to offers of funding, not admission as is often claimed in the forums here.

Hey, the Ling Anth was me. They sent it out about 20 minutes ago. I'm thrilled!

I can't imagine a worse idea.
 
These things seem funny to us (I've typed similar things and then deleted them) because we are working on SOPs and emailing POIs and paying hundreds of dollars to apply for MAs/MDivs/MTS/PhDs that may not lead to anything. In light of all that, it seems hilarious because it's just as arbitrary as all the other reasons they might or might not accept us.
 
But to them, it would seem unprofessional, like you aren't taking the process seriously, or at worst like you're dismissing their program and their ability to choose candidates based on qualifications - or trying to relate your application to the horribly corrupt world of college sports - something no faculty want to hear about in SOPs for graduate degrees.
 
So, don't. And read this: http://www.edcentral.org/tar-heel-scandal-myth-university

Does it involve any fieldwork or human subject interaction? If so and you aren't doing it as part of an institution, journals may be concerned about not having IRB oversight of the project.
 
In which case you might want to avoid anthro journals, write it as a more thought piece, remove references to any people or information that isn't publicly accessible and try to publish it in a culture studies, literature, or interdisciplinary journal.
 
This is a good place to read for advice about understanding the goals and effectiveness of publishing: http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cla/departments/anthropology/docs/BoellstorffHowtoGetanArticleAcceptedatAmericanAnthropologist.pdf
 
Also, this book (this is a review) is full of good ideas: http://studentanthropologist.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/macdougall-2013.pdf