justinmcummings

I wouldn't do something you don't want too...do you have any jobs lined up or do you really need a PhD for the field you want to work in? Also what is your plan to improve your application package from this season to next season?

Yeah, I asked the departments but I was just given the generic you should hear back by April 15th, if not please contact us again.

I'm hoping it means waitlist or finalists for last 2 or 3 positions and they are still deciding...but with my experience so far it means PhD rejection and Masters offered instead. I'm really really hoping for northwestern, but i think it is kinda a long shot.

University of Minnesota got back to me with a Masters offer, waiting to hear if there is any potential funding.

I'm in a completely different program (PhD electrical engineering) but almost the same situation, I'm not sure what to think either. Hopefully we will get answers this week. Best of luck!

I may or may not be posting this prematurely, but I want to get some other opinions. I have applied to 11 schools for a PhD in Electrical Engineering, at the time of this post I have been accepted to 1 PhD program and 2 Masters programs. I am still waiting to hear back from 3 schools, and funding information from the one PhD. I came from a very small engineering program at a liberal arts university and my professors may have been out of the loop too long, but they were under the impression I would not get admitted anywhere without funding. I did my research and spoke with many schools and the general feeling was that for PhD students I would be funded, masters students were typically not funded. I did not realize how competitive the various funding sources (RA, TA, Fellowships) are when applying. Here are a bunch of the questions going through my mind at the moment: 1.) Should I really pay for graduate school? I know I want it bad enough to take the loans out and pay, but I am debt free at the moment and don't particularly like the idea of exactly how much money graduate school entails. Would the job I have to get to pay for living expenses take away from the quality of my work? I had a job in my undergrad, but it was super easy, I could do hw in my down time...plus I picked my own hours; but I know graduate school takes more time dedication and should be more challenging. Especially coming from an unranked small program, to a top 25 ranked research programs. 2.) Would it benefit me more if I were to attend a top ranked Masters program and try again for PhD in two years? Is two years enough time for a professor to get to know me to be willing to write letters or rec? Will I be in so much debt after my Masters that I will not want to continue to my goal of a PhD? 3.) Should I take a risk at the well ranked PhD school in hopes that after my first year I receive funding offers? The department informed me that only about 10% of first year students are funded, would it be appropriate to ask how many second year students receive funding? Any input would help, particularly those in my same field. ps: I have more questions, I just have to sort them out in my mind first...if that makes sense. pss: Please forgive the spelling, grammar, and nonsense rambling. Thanks for reading!

still waiting on the same bunch for me: Northwestern, Cornell, University of Minnesota (application still sitting in final review status for over a week), Michigan State (Told me its a matter of funding at this point, no funding = no acceptance offer), U of Washington (Told me to consider other options at this point, official reject letters come out April 15th). Other than that just hoping to hear some good funding information from U Wisc. If no funding comes through for them, I'm not sure if I will go there or go to UMich and reapply for PhD in 2 years :-/

It's not over until you hear from every last school! I am also applying to universities for PhD in EE, I have yet to hear from 5 schools. We have another forum going on right now if you want to post there as well and see if anyone has heard from your two schools. Good Luck! Keep the hope alive!

did i miss something? this thread is a digital dinosaur...why was it resurected?

Also you might want to check and see if you are bound by a contract at school A if you accept, because they are offering you funding.

My status for the University of Minnesota had been final review for a week...I don't know what to think. I do know they are on spring break, does admissions really take spring break off too?

lots of good information there, but your screen name should not relate to how you present it LOL. I felt like you were yelling at me :-\

I did one real quick for you it might help, click the link read the first page then click graduate http://lmgtfy.com/?q=cost+of+attendance+buffalo+state&l=1

but at the same time in my head I'm like no, you take your time and admit me...please admit me...I wasnt an instant rejection so please ?

You ever get the feeling schools are like "we don't want to reject you, but at the same time we don't want to accept you just yet. Lets just keep their status pending and not tell them they are sorta on a secret waitlist"

I say still have some hope, I still have yet to hear from 5 schools (granted I'm EE) . . . I have mixed opinions of "visit days". I was invited to one back in February and they only thing hold up my application is finding funding for me and the other students because the department will not admit without funding. Then I apparently was not invited to another visit day to a university where I was accepted for PhD, but I know some masters students were ??? So yeah visit days, idk how I feel about them. But stay optimistic, its not over till the officially say no !

Ahhh I see, I kinda assumed we were talking PhD this whole time. My bad. This changes alot in my opinion. If you plan on going to industry after your ms the school prestige will matter not very much, it is kinda sorta looked at but not really in my opinion. It will also matter a little less after a couple years if and when you get a PhD because they are going to look at what you have been doing, what experience you can bring to their program. If you were going to go for the PhD right away I would say the school prestige is worth the debt no matter the cost. I sorta agree with the other posters...this may be your only chance to go to the dream school. Also another side note, if industry is important you may want to look at the area around the school for companies you could work with or where graduates from that program typically go after graduation.

Are your goals after you graduate academic or industry?