APGradApplicant

OK, my fellow nail-biting applicants. I feel really badly doing this to poor Ms. Chris Reynolds at UNC-Chapel Hill, because she is a super-nice lady. At the same time, however, I decided I'd feel worse about making all the other UNC applicants on this board continue to suffer (for those that are eager to hear at least...) than making Ms. Reynolds field a few more calls than she might like. So anyways, called her direct line at the political science department, asked if she'd look up my status (she said I would definitely be wait listed or rejected because, as mentioned before, admits have all been notified weeks ago), and she did. I'm rejected, but that's probably the least surprising piece of news I've gotten throughout this process. So yeah, if you use your nice, pretty please voice, you might be able to find out whether you're in UNC purgatory who just outright rejected.

Thanks, irishfan! Haven't heard from you in awhile (as a group rather, not just speaking for myself). Have you been surviving the process alright?

I don't think this was a school that I heard many people mention, but I claim the acceptance at University of Iowa. It appears, however, that funding is either limited, non-existent, or not determined, as it is not at all referenced in the e-mail. Yeah, like I'm gonna pay my own way there...haha

Nervous- It's a problem because it violates the privacy of applicants who are in the middle of their search for schools. It's also just generally poor form.

I called UNC last week and talked to the grad secretary. She said that all the acceptances had been sent out. However, she said that the admissions committee was going to meet what was then a week from Wednesday (in other words what's now yesterday) and decide who to put on the wait list. Rejections and WLs would be sent out via e-mail sometime end of this week or early next week she said.

Ditto.

I am first on the waitlist and am 99.9% sure I would attend should a spot open up. I'll check back if one does and further introduce myself, but am studying American Politics and would likely take Formal Theory and Methods as my other two fields there. Will keep you posted.

Congrats to all those who got acceptances today! I, too, wish this was a more eventful week (as I've heard others say), but everything will happen soon enough I guess!

And this input by the way is coming from a person on this forum who stood up against the claims of some people on the boards who asserted that if one did go to a top ten program, they were going to be f-ed in the job market. And Bobb is exactly right, you're going to have a tough time starting a serious and rational discussion with most people on this board when you make the disparaging comments that you do. I worked incredibly hard to get where I am. Read the Bell Curve by Murray and Hernstein. Environment is by far a lesser factor in determining ones intelligence and success in life than is natural ability. I really don't like to get into my personal life on these boards, but reading your hasty assumption that all of us who have been admitted to top 50 programs have been "dealt a royal flush" in life really stunned me. In my adult life, I have had to work very hard to overcome depression, coming out of the closet as a gay man, and live in recovery from alcoholism (I decided to get sober 9 months ago and haven't had a drink since, this experience is largely what made me decide to shift from being a political hack to wanting to give back to others through teaching). So please, just stop making assumptions about people and where they've come from in life. I can't speak for anyone else on this board, but I imagine I'm far from the only one who feels this way.

I hate to throw cold water on your post, poppy, but if you're talking programs that aren't even ranked on US News' top 50 (which is as far as it goes I believe on the rankings for poli sci PhD programs), you're going to have a very hard time using the PhD you do get for college-level teaching. There are definitely some strong programs towards the bottom of the top 50 that I think are do-able for people with less than stellar numbers (this would include Georgia, Florida, UC-Santa Barbara, etc.) and even some that are marginally not ranked that might allow you to have some success in academia such as SUNY-Albany and Oklahoma (these are the two non-ranked schools I applied to as safeties under the advice of a well-regarded professor in the field with whom I worked as undergraduate). That said, if you're looking to teach, the reality is that going to an unranked program will more often that not preclude you from this. I'm not saying it's fair, I'm not saying it's right, I'm not condoning it, but it's the reality. One might even say the harsh truth in what you so cynically refer to as the "real world"...hope that helps.

FYI, with MIT it appears that they notified some accepted applicants over the phone last year during the middle of the final week of February, with other applicants not getting any phone calls but finding Fed-Exed notices of acceptance in the mail towards the end of that week (and a few during the early part of the first week of March). Most of the other applicants were rejected via mail during the first week of March, and I believe one individual reported a waitlist letter during the second week of March. So yeah, basically it looks like this could be another one that will have people scratching their heads, but gives us an idea of what to expect in advance.

That's not what I'm seeing...it looks like one person has posted an acceptance, and it's gone unclaimed for days...

Oh...that was stupid of me! Glad to see you're still with us and offering your insight!

Ah, OK. Should have realized that from footer. Glad to see you're still with us!

Kind of weird how one of our core regulars on this forum, cpaige, appears to have deleted her account and to be MIA. Let's hope she didn't get too overwhelmed by this process...hope she's doing well.

Let me extend a hearty congratulations to everybody admitted to Princeton. That's a great accomplishment!

I just wanted to claim the Florida acceptance, in the event that anybody cared/was wondering. That's one I won't be attending, but it's nice to get the offer I guess.

Right, qazwerty makes a very good point. I appreciate everyone's well wishes, but it's true that what I need to have happen is not for at least one Rochester admit to say no (because then I'd be in for sure), but for them to fall just a tad below whatever their anticipated yield is (maybe 30-50%, I don't know what it normally is for different programs. I know last year, U of Minnesota ended up with a larger than expected cohort, as they admitted 30 expecting a cohort of 12, and ended up with something really high like 18. So yeah, it all just depends on what people decide to do. This gives me added incentive to wish all you Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UCLA etc. applicants the best of luck, as I'm sure that will affect the decision-making process of many current Rochester admits. But of course I'd wish you luck either way, just a thought though

Just got this reply from Roch's DGS when I inquired into my position on the waiting list (excerpt): Hi (my name), If we are able to admit more students, you would be the first student we would contact. It will come down to how many students already admitted accept our offer. Thus, all you Rochester admits, please definitely let them know if you decide to go somewhere else!

Well, my presumption of being waitlisted at Rochester has been confirmed. Just got an e-mail (seems kind of late for this on the east coast, huh?) from the DGS telling me: "I am writing to inform you that you have been wait-listed for admission to our Ph.D. program. We were very impressed by your application, and even though we are not able to offer you admission to our program right now, we may be able to do so before you need to commit to another program. If we were to admit you, your offer would be for 5 years of tuition plus a stipend of $20,000 per year for 5 years". Talk about a mixed message. But I guess it's true that with so few slots available it genuinely is impossible to admit every single person who is qualified. We'll have to see how things pan out...

Just called them. They told me some decisions have been made, some are still in the process. She pulled up my name and said "the only thing I can tell you is that you're still under consideration and you're pretty high on the list". Hmmm...well I guess we just have to keep waiting and seeing.

I just want to wish everybody who's waiting on a big decision this week the best of luck. I know how tough it can be to wait during the week, wondering when the answer is going to be there. The good news is that we'll probably only have to go through this routine this week and then the next two weeks after that. Once the first week of March is over, we'll be able to move on and talk about our visits, any waitlist drama going on with our schools, and of course the ultimate chapter- where we've decided to enroll this fall. I'm definitely relieved that we've only got a few weeks left, however, in this tough segment of the process. Again, best of luck to everybody!

Thx 4 that info, Wesson. Helpful for those of us on wait lists to know!

Keller- agreed. I'll call Monday to double check, as I have a low likelihood of attending given the schools I'm already in at and thus don't care if I look like a pestering a-hole. That said, I believe you're correct. The possible Harvard fake-outs and Princeton fake-outs have been played out, Yale has legit decisions, so some bozo is probably looking at the next set of fireworks he can potentially set off. I agree, let's not feed the beast!

Edu verified could be tough for some of us though. I graduated from Vanderbilt University in May 2008 and my e-mail account was deactivated September 2008. I (and many others who choose to work a few years between undergrad and grad) would thus not be able to post results. Agreed there has to be some way to screen people making stuff up though.