milarepa

I got an SSHRC at UofT as well, seconds after posting my original post. I hope I can answer your question about the grant. I have yet to receive an offer from UofT, but UofT offers guaranteed minimum funding of about 20000 bucks for my program...so since I have received a SSHRC, that may provide them some extra incentive to offer me admission, as they would only need to give me the difference between the SSHRC and the guaranteed minimum funding...and Universities like to save their money! That said, it really depends where you have applied, whether guaranteed minimum funding is on the table as a part of a potential offer...I have heard of people getting SSHRCs and then not getting accepted by their desired program of study. If you got a SSHRC, I would be more optimistic than not that you would get an offer. One thing you can do is to go to the SSHRC website, look at whether anyone in the program you are applying to has got SSHRC grants...you should be able to search over the last ten years at least...it will tell you the names and topics of successful SSHRC grants in that department over the years. This can give you an idea of how common it is for students to receive SSHRCs...just an added dimension to making a judgment about what is going on. I would suggest that, if you feel comfortable, call the University, tell them you have been offered a SSHRC and that you have to decline or accept in the next few weeks, thus you NEED to know whether you are going to be offered admission to your program. That might give them a boot in the ass to at least start communicating with you about it. I hope that is helpful...it is in no way DIRECTLY tied to you getting an offer, but often students who are able to produce a successful SSHRC application are also those who are competitive candidates for grad programs. Good luck!

Has UofT posted their SSHRC Master's offers yet? I got an offer from UofC...but so far doesn't look like I'm getting one at UofT...unless they haven't posted them yet? It would be helpful to hear from someone who has been offered a SSHRC CGS-M at UofT to put my mind to rest. Thanks!

Just realizing Decaf was not someone's username !! The last message was in response to sukipower.

Hi Decaf, My understanding is that the whole SSHRC application and adjudication process for the CGS-M has been changed, starting with this batch of applicants. For the first time, there is no national-level adjudication. Also, while in the past one's application went to one's current university's central adjudication committee (which for me would be Vancouver Island University), now it goes to up to 5 of the Universities you have applied to (which, for me, are UofCalgary and UofToronto). The CGS-M is no longer transferrable to other Canadian universities, and of the Universities one has applied to, one receives SSHRC offers at the individual University...so it will be possible for me to receive 2 offers, one from UofC, and one from UofT. If I were to receive one at UofC, and none at UofT, and I decided to go to UofT, then I would not have a CGS-M. Anyhow, thought I would explain this for future reference, at it has changed the game completely this year. We also have to do the Canadian Commons CV this year, which we were all super psyched about...not.

Thanks for that info. Yea it was a funny email. I gather from an old friend who graduated from OISE (both her MA and PhD in Counselling Psychology (now called Clinical and Counselling Psychology) that the institution is struggling to put together guaranteed minimum funding for programs in their first year...not sure if your program offers guaranteed minimum funding but this email might be a not so subtle way of letting us know we have SSHRCs but they just can't announce it yet...and don't want to loose our interest in their program (due to the fact that their offers are given much later than many other programs). Anyhow, I could be reading too much into it, but it is a very good sign in either case. Best of luck finding out on Tuesday if you get your SSHRC and on getting in to OISE!

I don't know what program you are applying to, but sometimes programs that are highly competitive (such as, say, 10 spots with 350 applications/year) will not send out rejection letters, and some of them even say so on their applications websites. I wouldn't read too much into this email.

I have applied to University of Calgary's MSc in Counselling Psychology, and to UofT (OISE)'s program in 'Clinical and Counselling Psychology'. I was offered admission for UofC in February, and am still waiting on UofT...I gather they mail out their offers by snail mail...one would think that with a $210 non-refundable application fee they could expedite these but I gather they don't. I was told, when I enquired back in January, to expect them to mail out letters in "late March"...I checked the admissions website today and it said something like "evaluation in progress". I would really like to hear from folks who have applied to this another other programs at OISE which may have a similar process in terms of notification. My application deadline was December 1st. I have received one communication from UofT telling me, oddly enough, that I was rated very highly in my SSHRC-CGS-M application by the central adjudication committee..they actually used the word congratulations...without explicitly stating I won an award. Also, does anyone know when the Ontario Graduate Scholarships notify applicants? Cheers