M.A-Cool-J

On the waitlist as well. Did anyone receive any additional communication from the adcom about their waitlist status?

Hot damn, this thread is like fire and brimstone! I was also greeted by my inbox this morning with the, "You have been admitted, um, Psyche!" e-mail. Granted IHEID was not one of my top choices but for those who it was and the unprofessional manner in which they have handled these decisions has got to really sting. If I recall didn't their application portal crash several times down to the wire or something preventing people from submitting their apps on time? Lol, I mean as a popular international graduate institution they really need to assume a better handle of their administrative process because this will undoubtedly create unwanted negativity around the program's image. Congrats to everyone who has been accepted thus far and I wish the best to everyone who is still under consideration! Hopefully there is good news at the end of the tunnel for you!

If I'm not mistaken, the work authorization process for international students in the U.S share a lot of similarities with Canada. And I'm assuming you'll be on a F1 student visa if you are doing a PhD in the U.S. If so, it's pretty simple to set up with the international office at your school. You basically provide them with an offer letter from your employer and possibly (if they require it) a letter from your specific department stating that it the internship is related to your studies. They will then give you authorization to work off campus typically through Curricular Practical Training (CPT) on a part-time basis (usually 20 hours max) during semesters and full-time during semester breaks (summer/winter). The approval process should take no more than a couple of days depending on how quick your international office is in processing requests. Alternatively, you could use Optional Practical Training (OPT) to work off campus instead of CPT but as was stated it is best to use this judiciously since OPT is basically a post graduate work permit lasting for only 1 year and its use during semesters will count against its cap. Conversely, CPT has no such limit and can be used during each semester as long as you are enrolled in your program. Nevertheless, bear in mind that when starting a new program on a F1 visa, you are typically restricted to working on campus during the 1st two semesters and only thereafter are eligible to work off campus. However I've heard of different schools using different requirements in this case and some may allow you to simply work off campus immediately or may require some additional approval from your department stating that the internship is an academic requirement of the program. It's best to clarify this information with the international office ahead of time so as to avoid any surprises.

It's a bit comforting to know that I'm not the only who's dealing with or has had to deal with this. -Aloysha, I made sure not to include any details that could be too revealing -Geographyrocks, I've both called and e-mailed many times and the professor is not physically back in the office yet as some are still on holiday. I actually have a great relationship with this professor and the individual has previously written excellent recommendations on my behalf and they are usually spot on time. I'm uncertain as to what has transpired this time around and at this point, I'm really not sure what to do.

Perhaps a professor has more important things to attend to than your less important reference letter - which without it creates an incomplete application that not only shatters your chances of admission but throws months and months of a grueling and heavily invested application process into the gutter. Perhaps he/she is smugly leaning back in their cozy upholstered office or in an exquisite sun-lit bungalow off the coast of Monaco, blowing smoke circles through a premium cigar while swirling around a glass of red wine, sardonically guffawing at and disregarding your polite reminder e-mails and phone-calls even as the deadline fast approaches (highly unlikely but when you've exhausted all possible scenarios to give them the benefit of the doubt, unflattering negative imagery becomes that much more palatable). Perhaps he/she has forgotten that they too were a prospective grad student in some distant past life gone by, toiling through the same arduous ritual of delivering courteous reminders to past unresponsive professors to submit their recommendations on time. Or perhaps, (hopefully not), it is some form of vengeful pay-back for all the professors who blatantly dismissed or simply forgot about their oh-sweet-precious reference letters during the summer of 1921 (or whatever it is year that they graduated) and now they wish to impose the same anxiety and unfair treatment they were subjected to onto you. "It's a right of passage, nothing personal, and I will submit it when I'm good and ready" they gleefully smirk to themselves as they skim through your e-mails with as much empathy as a famished wolf eyeing a wounded bunny rabbit. "All professors do it to their students at least once in their career", they mumble while nodding their heads - as if this is an expected practice and universally accepted moral code of conduct amongst professors. "And you will too if you so choose to join the club someday, " they add, "and will receive the coveted exclusive manual on how to [insert favorite expletive here] up an applicant's chances of admission. " But when the student has initially contacted you 4 months prior to the deadline and concurrently provided you with valuable information regarding pertinent details of the intended program, highlights of past performance in your course, copy of their personal statement showcasing their goals as well as a tailored resume outlining their past accomplishments and other professional-related duties, your continued unresponsiveness closer to the deadline becomes increasingly disturbing. Being slower than a 3-legged tortoise jacked up on sedatives in this instance simply doesn't help anybody, including yourself. What's more having provided all this information along with a 2-week, 1-week and even 2-day courteous reminder to have the professor still not respond and completely miss the deadline, calls into question your professionalism and even to some extent - ethical standing. If you've given the student your word and re-assurance that you can indeed provide the reference by the stated final deadline date, then by all means you are obligated to the best of your ability to honor your word. Things do happen and if they do, politely informing the student in a timely manner that you can no longer fulfill the request will be understood and they can pursue alternative courses of action. However, giving the false impression a month in lieu of the approaching deadline that you will able to do so, whilst simultaneously giving the student a false sense of security can truly jeopardize their chances to find quick-fix solution. A professor is under no obligation to assist a student with a reference. However, if you have enthusiastically agreed to do so and I have taken the time and effort to be respectful of your individual priorities and provide you with ample resources ahead of time to fulfill the request, then I also expect to be treated in the same courteous and professional manner concerning fulfilling that request. Is this too much to ask? I feel the recommendation letter process is 2 way street but often times a diligent student yielding to the traffic signs, gets crushed over by a less-mindful professor not paying enough attention to the rules of the game. Am I wrong here? Maybe someone has some more infinite wisdom on the matter. Ultimately, what I guess I want to know is - what's the deal with professors turning in recommendations late or not even at all - even after you've politely notified them several times?

Perhaps a professor has more important things to attend to than your less important reference letter - which without it creates an incomplete application that not only shatters your chances of admission but throws months and months of a grueling and heavily invested application process into the gutter. Perhaps he/she is smugly leaning back in their cozy upholstered office or in an exquisite sun-lit bungalow off the coast of Monaco, blowing smoke circles through a premium cigar while swirling around a glass of red wine, sardonically guffawing at and disregarding your polite reminder e-mails and phone-calls even as the deadline fast approaches (highly unlikely but when you've exhausted all possible scenarios to give them the benefit of the doubt, unflattering negative imagery becomes that much more palatable). Perhaps he/she has forgotten that they too were a prospective grad student in some distant past life gone by, toiling through the same arduous ritual of delivering courteous reminders to past unresponsive professors to submit their recommendations on time. Or perhaps, (hopefully not), it is some form of vengeful pay-back for all the professors who blatantly dismissed or simply forgot about their oh-sweet-precious reference letters during the summer of 1921 (or whatever it is year that they graduated) and now they wish to impose the same anxiety and unfair treatment they were subjected to onto you. "It's a right of passage, nothing personal, and I will submit it when I'm good and ready" they gleefully smirk to themselves as they skim through your e-mails with as much empathy as a famished wolf eyeing a wounded bunny rabbit. "All professors do it to their students at least once in their career", they mumble while nodding their heads - as if this is an expected practice and universally accepted moral code of conduct amongst professors. "And you will too if you so choose to join the club someday, " they add, "and will receive the coveted exclusive manual on how to [insert favorite expletive here] up an applicant's chances of admission. " But when the student has initially contacted you 4 months prior to the deadline and concurrently provided you with valuable information regarding pertinent details of the intended program, highlights of past performance in your course, copy of their personal statement showcasing their goals as well as a tailored resume outlining their past accomplishments and other professional-related duties, your continued unresponsiveness closer to the deadline becomes increasingly disturbing. Being slower than a 3-legged tortoise jacked up on sedatives in this instance simply doesn't help anybody, including yourself. What's more having provided all this information along with a 2-week, 1-week and even 2-day courteous reminder to have the professor still not respond and completely miss the deadline, calls into question your professionalism and even to some extent - ethical standing. If you've given the student your word and re-assurance that you can indeed provide the reference by the stated final deadline date, then by all means you are obligated to the best of your ability to honor your word. Things do happen and if they do, politely informing the student in a timely manner that you can no longer fulfill the request will be understood and they can pursue alternative courses of action. However, giving the false impression a month in lieu of the approaching deadline that you will able to do so, whilst simultaneously giving the student a false sense of security can truly jeopardize their chances to find quick-fix solution. A professor is under no obligation to assist a student with a reference. However, if you have enthusiastically agreed to do so and I have taken the time and effort to be respectful of your individual priorities and provide you with ample resources ahead of time to fulfill the request, then I also expect to be treated in the same courteous and professional manner concerning fulfilling that request. Is this too much to ask? I feel the recommendation letter process is 2 way street but often times a diligent student yielding to the traffic signs, gets crushed over by a less-mindful professor not paying enough attention to the rules of the game. Am I wrong here? Maybe someone has some more infinite wisdom on the matter. Ultimately, what I guess I want to know is - what's the deal with professors turning in recommendations late or not even at all - even after you've politely notified them several times?

tinker-bell