jordy

Thanks. I found out through Anita that my POI didn't take a student this year, so at least that information helped me not to feel too crappy (I had contacted said POI a while ago and she said she wasn't sure yet, so I knew there was a chance of this happening).

Sorry for getting post-happy; forgot to say I logged onto SUNY Buffalo's app and saw a big "Reject" under my status. Ah well, knew it was coming thanks to this board, so that softened the blow a bit. They didn't email to tell me to check though, I checked the site independently.

Who's your POI @ Purdue?

Make that four! Haven't heard anything either. I was planning on applying to Houston for Acitelli/Knee too but changed my mind at the last minute. @jhmoss, congrats on NMSU!

I haven't heard anything either and I'm still seeing the "No decision blah blah" comment when I click the status button. However, just a couple of days ago, I saw that my final LOR was uploaded onto quest via the materials tab (which my LOR person emailed to the graduate secretary about a month ago). So I'm wondering if they're just now getting a move on things. There are only two results for Waterloo in the past, but both notifications happened after SPSP in those years. I will also comment that my computer/browser sometimes has weird reactions to the Quest system (works one day, doesn't work the next) or when I was submitting things, it would show the green check next to a particular material then a week later it would disappear, and show up again another day. So I wouldn't think the lack of notification is necessarily a bad thing just yet. I think it's just a really funky system.

I am totally doing this! I got really attached to my top choice and now I'm getting waaay ahead of myself (mostly in my thoughts). I won't go into detail because on some level I'm paranoid that even talking about it will jinx me but lets just say that I have, in great detail, imagined my way through 5-6 years there already! I suppose this is dangerous for all the obvious reasons (heartbreak if I don't get in, disappointment if it isn't as awesome as I think it would be, etc.) but at least it's a good sign that I can see myself feeling at home and being successful in that program. So I say, let your imagination run wild and take cues from your gut. Starting grad school is a major life event and it's important to feel connected to your decision. Good luck!

Congrats! And check your PMs

I'm pretty sure they sent out acceptances and invitations to recruitment weekend already, but there may be a chance they haven't all gone out yet. I don't know how they manage the wait list though. Who are your POIs?

Ah, that makes sense. I guess it's a case-by-case thing.

x2 for Cornell (though it's my reach) Heh, yup, she was my POI. Oh well, I was suspecting it anyway. Thanks for the website info too. Yes, do tell, how was the conference?

See, I think this is the kind of feedback that is OK from a trusted professor, like one of your LORs, but I think it reflects poorly on the POI to launch into something like this. Even if they have your best interests in mind, how are we supposed to know the difference between that and game-playing? When speaking with one POI, after some positive discussion about where else I applied, she said something along the lines of "Well I think it sounds like you've made some really wise choices and... [hesitates for a half second, changes tone] well I won't say anything negative about any other departments. But I think you're headed toward good things!" (Again, this is paraphrased, and the hesitancy seemed genuine and not like an act). I think it was classy that she backtracked even when it was clear she felt compelled to warn me. Even if it was somehow intended, I'd take it as a more respectful way to warn me to double check my schools with someone in the position to do so. In this particular case, I am sure I know which place she wanted to say something about because one of my LORs warned me about it (I have since decided not to apply there).

Thank you for the reassurance. I needed to hear people other than myself saying that! I always assume the worst. haha

I'm going to have to. But I just don't see why I wouldn't get reviewed since everything apparently made it to the office, with arrival dates and everything...? Maybe they missed me when turning things over to the adcom?

Attention SUNY BUFFALO applicants: Does your online status page thingy still say "Not reviewed" followed by a date from around the deadline? It says all my materials are there (with the secretary-added notes too, so I know someone at their office actually handled it) and that my application is complete. I've been letting it go in the past few weeks because I knew it was still early-ish and some places don't update it because they don't use that feature, but now I'm starting to get nervous that I was never even looked at. I also believe some people already got interviews there, so I was assuming I'm either waitlisted or rejected, but I'd like to know if this is unusual. Thoughts? Experiences? Thanks!

Definitely. In some cases, when I've shared the name of the other institutions, the people I was talking with automatically knew (aka: assumed correctly) who I had applied to work with there. And some names were met with "Oh I know him really well!" followed by praise for their research and an occasional personal story. So yes, even though they are in competition for us, these are often their close colleagues and friends we're talking about. I agree that it probably demonstrates that an applicant took the application process seriously if she applied to work with people whose research is similar to that particular professor's program of research (not to say that having multiple areas of interest is a bad thing as long as there is some visible focus in your plan). Though I'm sure that's a whole other story if they dislike some of your POIs...eek! (Luckily, I've been told that my specific interest area of my subfield is particularly nice and friendly and I really hope that continues to prove true!)

To those of you interested in the affirmative action/qualified applicants debate, I highly recommend the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

I'm glad you (OP) brought up the guys too. It really burns me up how in academia, planning children is even more heavily seen as a "mother's" issue instead of a "parent's" issue. I've heard awful stories of advisors cutting funding for advanced female students who decided to have children, but didn't even think of doing this to male students whose made this choice. I realize pregnancy has certain health/physical concerns attached to it that can affect your work after a certain point, no argument there. But in talking about kids in general, is the child less of your responsibility just because it didn't directly come out of you? I vote no, and I refuse to have children with someone who doesn't understand this (by the way, glad to hear of so many supportive dads/husbands out there). It would also depend on what kind of job my partner had and the kind of availability and income that came along with it. Now all that is assuming I ever do want kids, which right now I don't. I'm just assuming that one day I'll change my mind, though there's a likelihood that I won't.

This is off topic in terms of admissions news, but I thought it might interest some people on here since I know we have several members interested in close relationships: Caryl Rusbult Sad news and a major loss to the field. .

Good point- I have been keeping that in mind. Also, I am so glad I'm not the only one who stalked this list! Haha I feel way less creepy now. Also on that note, I know of a couple people in my department who are definitely going but aren't on that list, so there may be some hope for those who don't see their POIs up there.

OK, thanks for that! I guess there's a possibility it was just one prof. sending emails and not my POI...? I'm going with that for now. Whatever helps me sleep, right?

Thank you for sharing your experience! When imaginations run wild with worry, it's definitely reassuring to hear an accurate account of how these things more typically go.

Love it!! Adding a couple, if you don't mind ...... - Someone posts a result for the subject/field you applied to and your heart stops until you realize you didn't apply to that institution. - Someone posts a result as "Other by Other" just to say "To the poster below who heard from XYZ..." (two drinks if you were the previous poster in question)

Wait, I'm confused. You liked his research and you clicked well, and you said you won't get in anywhere else. So are you opting not to go to grad school at all or to go through the process all over again because you weren't fond of the city or school as a whole? Not trying to pass judgment, I'm just wondering how bad the city and school really were to make you pass up an opportunity for graduate work (if I'm understanding this correctly).

Any other news out there? I'm still fishing for details about Kansas since apparently 2 people on the results board got interviews.

I'm an Alpha Chi Omega alumna.