Diverchica

So I just (accidentally) checked my status by calling to see why all of my materials weren't up on the apply yourself website, and the woman told me that, in fact, my app is currently under review by the committee, and I should be receiving a decision very soon. VERY SOON?!?! How soon is very soon? Gah I hate this month.

Hey everyone, I applied to the Duke MEM/CEM program for Fall 2010. Their admitted students weekend is march 26/27. Anyone else apply here? The results section says people started hearing the 12th of Feb (This week!) in previous yrs. I don't want to get ahead of myself though, if anyone else has applied here, when do you expect to hear back? Just looking for other opinions! Thanks, K

Quick question: I've called schools to make sure they have all of my materials, because many of them have the "apply yourself" interface, and it still is saying that my gre and trancripts are missing. After calling two schools, they both told me that all of my materials are there, but the people who are manually updating the system are behind. Does this hold up the admin process? For instance, if they're not matching all of my materials, are they still sitting in one place, and not yet forwarded to the department? Thanks! Kat

All I know is that many programs I've contacted (wildlife/natural resources) departments are all short on funding and many aren't taking new students

This is fun. I also have crappy GRE scores... I took them twice, and my verbal went down 100 points! Gah! and since I absolutely refuse to give that company more money, I'll have to deal with the outcome. Also, I second on that MAJOR #2 business during the test. Test anxiety will do a number to the bowels. I applied last year, and got rejected across the board. FINALLY, I want to go into marine science, but I'm getting married and moving with my husband inland to the Army base where he's stationed. Therefore, i'm geographically limited to ONE state, three grad schools. Not to mention, the main marine labs are 3 hours away from where he'll live! meaning, the first year I can commute an hour every day if I take classes at main campus, but, any way you slice it, I'm living apart from him for a year (possibly the only year he's not facing a 12 month deployment and will be home).

Yes, he definitely knows i'm appying again, and his response was, 'you were so close last time, I'm glad you have the patience with this system. With funding in hand I would have your company right now...' His response was phrased really vaguely so I have no idea what that means. I guess I can just guess that he's interested............ but now I dont' know how long I should wait before I ask him about my status. I don't want to be a bother, but theoretically, once my app gets through the admin board, it should go right to him, correct?

I applied to grad school last year, and a lack of funding was the main factor for why I didn't get in to work with one of my 'potential' advisors last year. Well, I applied to work with him again. He recently said 'You were so close last time, please try again. I'm glad you have patience with this clunky system.With funding in hand, I would have your company right now so maybe we can be more successful' (by the way, have no idea what that means. Does he have money? doesn't he? whatever). Anyway, I looked online last night on a job board, and he's soliciting undergrads to work in his lab for the summer and paying them. I know the adcom doesnt meet until this week and first round letters go out the first week of Feb. My question is, if he's already soliciting people to work in his lab, is this a good sign for me? Should I be contacting him for an update? Grr the agonies of waiting.

I'm also in the same boat. My recommender seems to think her life and committments are more important than mine, even though I asked her months in advance, and reminded her as well. She told me two days before theyw ere do, that she was going to 'deal with them today,' and then never did them. I proceeded to email and call, and no response. She had given me an award for best work at her Center for the previous year! Luckily I had a backup, but still going to hurt me. grr..

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!

I know exactly how you feel. This is my second round, and last year I felt "led on" by a prospective advisor. She was told me "we really want you to come here" and, "it seems like a perfect fit," etc etc. I got my hopes up, and then she informed me that she was choosing between myself and another applicant. She even told me I was offered a 1 yr assistantship by the addmission committee, but she had to choose, and needed to know if I would definitely come if offered admission. Needless to say she chose the other student. Well, here I am again. This time, I have the attention of another professor from a different school, who seems just as interested as the woman from last year (an MS program), as well as two professors on separate occasions (from a professional masters program) telling me that he "really thinks I'll get in" and the other saying he'd be "shocked if I didn't get in." I find myself trying my hardest to think the worst, so I wont feel the dissapointment again if the worst should happen. I know this probably doesn't help you to hear about my let downs, but just know you are not alone! Being asked to come back by the professor before you even left the office is a great sign! I think there are more good experiences than bad after a professor expresses THAT strong of an interest in a student. Being a veteran of the application process helps as well, or so I've found. Also, the waiting is most likely just making you freak out even more than you normally would. I guess I'm just trying to say, do as I say not as I do. Try to immerse yourself in something else that's productive. Reading helps me. I'm also planning my wedding, so that makes the time pass. You'll find out before you know it. Also, I know a lot of admission committee meetings get canceled and rescheduled many times. Don't stress!! There's my two cents

Hi All, This is my second round applying to grad school. Let's just say my first round was somewhat experimental..... This year, I'm applying for admission to the the Duke Nicholas School, Coastal Environmental Management (CEM) program (masters). I work for a state coastal program, so I'm hoping my fit will be just about what I need to get in. Anyone applied here/been accepted from here before? if so, what did you get your bachelor's in/what were your GRE scorse? I've heard that the professional masters is a lot different than getting an MS, and that professor contact is not as important here, as you're somewhat addmitted like you were in undergrad (no advisor funding). The only postings on the results board are acceptances so I'm hoping that's a good sign! ha. Just hoping for any sort of advice on the matter. Thanks, Kat