andrestoga

Hi, Thanks for your answers. Unfortunately, I can't ask him in person because my advisor is in a sabbatical so, that's why I'm planning to write him an email. This is also my first year as a graduate student so, I have seen my advisor like three times so far. I haven't found any defined vacation policies for graduate students so far. It's a good idea to propose the dates. Thanks! What do you mean by completely shutdown? Best,

Hi, I'm going to ask my advisor the dates I can go on vacations in December/Christmas because I wanna buy my flight tickets in advance to get them cheaper. I wrote this email but I don't if it is rude or not. Can someone give some advice please? Thanks. This is the text of the email:

Hi, I’m going to reject three PhD offers and I was thinking to write to each POI the following email: “Hi XXX, I finally made a decision. After thinking in what’s the best fit for my current research interest, I decided to decline the offer from XXXX. Thank you very much professor for all your time and support in this process. I hope we can collaborate in the future.” Is that ok? Or should I include the university I chose to attend? Thanks!

Well, in my acceptance letter says "This admission is made without an offer of financial support" and later it says "A limited number of Teaching Assistant (TA) positions are available each year and are awarded on a competitive basis.". My POI told me that he could debrief me quickly tomorrow about the financial support and that at the moment he didn't anticipate more documents would be mailed to me. He told me that 7 days ago. Best,

Hi, Currently, none of my admission offers offer me any funding but I will apply to a very good fellowship in my country that covers at least 90% if not the 100% of my expenses during the 5 years of the PhD program if I received it. The problem is that I will know the result of that fellowship until May 22. Far away from the decision deadline April 15. Meaning that I have to accept one of the offers I have available before knowing if I will receive the fellowship. Is it worth taking the risk? what would happen if I don't get the fellowship? What would the university think of me? By the way, two of the universities I have been accepted were notified that I had applied to this fellowship before they offered me admission so, I don't know if that influenced them to not offer me any funding. It's possible but I'm not sure. Best,

Thank you very much! A great suggestion indeed! Wow! I can't imagine that situation! so, are you saying that when I notify professor 'x' I should also notify 'y' that I turned down professor 'x'? Best,

It's likely but I will find out when I have the interview. By the way, she hasn't written me back yet so, maybe she realized that our research interest didn't overlap at all. Best,

Thank you all! I sent an email explaining my situation and see how it goes. Best,

I think in your case is better to say that you are not interested in their program. The professor who contacted me didn't tell me to check her webpage but I think it is almost the same case as you: wasting each other time. Best,

Hi, If schools only give you financial offer only after you accept their offer how do we suppose to choose which school offer us better funding? In the website of a university I have been accepted posted the following: "Accepting your admissions notifies the appropriate offices (Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Housing, and your academic department) that you are still interested in attending the university. You must accept your admission in order to register for courses, receive financial aid and scholarships or a housing assignment. You may decline your admission after accepting by contacting the appropriate Admissions office." Is it worth it to ask them if I will receive some financial support? Best,

That's true but the problem I have is that I'm thinking in turning down the offer of acceptance of this university so, imagine if they offered me money for my travel expenses and at the end I decided not to attend to their school... what should I do? Best,

Hi, In my three letters of acceptance I didn't receive any fellowship package. I'm relying in a fellowship of my country that will cover if not 100%, 90% of my expenses during my PhD. I read in the Don Asher's book that Schools try to get first-round aid offers formalized by April 1, at the latest, but some will run late. You can also ask when will you be notified for financial support. Furthermore, some universities will tell you for financial support until you accept your admission. Here is an example that I have of one of the universities I have been accepted: "Accepting your admissions notifies the appropriate offices (Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Housing, and your academic department) that you are still interested in attending the university. You must accept your admission in order to register for courses, receive financial aid and scholarships or a housing assignment. You may decline your admission after accepting by contacting the appropriate Admissions office." Hope that helps. Best,

Hi, I also was invited to a Open House but I'm an international student and I don't have money to cover all of the expenses of the travel. What should I answer? Best,

Hi, I'm going to turn down an offer of a professor of school 'x' who knows the other professor of school 'y' that I'm going to accept his offer. They normally collaborate in projects, they have the same nationality, school 'y' and school 'x' are about 2 hours of distance and they also studied in the same school. Should I notify professor of school 'x' about my decision to decline my offer or just decline it on the system? if so, what should I write? can you give some suggestions/advices please? Best,

Hi, I have been contacted for an interview by a professor who is not my POI. What should I do? Tell her that I'm not longer interested in their program? or the other way and take the interview? She is a professor who doesn't fit with my research interests. Best,

Hi, I have recently received an acceptance letter and my POI will call me in a few hours. What to expect in that call? I don't think it will be an interview because they already offered me an admission offer. I guess I can still ask him questions about the program and their research. I think I'll first thank him for the admission offer and then if he permits, I'll ask him some questions about their program and their research. I also don't want to accept their offer in this moment because I'm waiting for other schools results. What do you think? Best,

Hi, I just want to ask if technical interviews are common in the US? because I will have one and my POI is going to ask me about my knowledge in some courses I took during my undergraduate studies and one day before the interview he will send me a paper for me to study and he will ask me questions about it. He said that I would have 24 hours to study it. Previously, I had an interview with my POI. This will be my second interview with my POI. Not sure also if two interviews are common. Best,

Hi, Thanks for the ideas! I have some other questions: What questions do you ask for mentorship style? and how many mentorship style exists? Best,

Hello, I see that you three recommend that we should ask questions to professors about their research. Can you give some examples of questions to ask to a professor? What level of depth should be the question? specific to a particular topic in a paper? or in general about their research? Best,

Thank you very much for your suggestions and good wishes! Best,

Hi, I just emailed one of my POI and he just answered with a friendly email telling me that he was glad that I contacted him, my application looks good and he thinks that I have good chances to be admitted. He also tells me that the question is about whether he is able to find financial support for me. Finally, he tells me that I stay tuned and he should be able to give me more (hopefully good) news in the weeks to come. I am an international student and I have one question: Is necessary that he finds financial support for me in order to be admitted? because I can find financial support in my country but first I need to be admitted. I was thinking in answer him like these: Is it ok? Best,

Hi, Actually, some professors prefer to email them after you have submitted your application. Here is an example: "I am recruiting PhD students for Fall and Spring terms. Prospective PhD students should apply to UNR and then get in contact with me if you are interested in working in my lab. I prefer to be contacted by email, and please include a copy of your CV." This is one example but I can put more. I came across with four of these examples reading personal webpages of professors. I don't see any problem if in the email you just tell him/her about yourself and don't ask questions like: "Will you be my Ph.D. advisor?" I personally did it and one professor answered me. He updated me with the status of the admissions process. Moreover, some professors don't even look on your email because they receive a lot of emails, they are too busy or whatever. If it can harm you or not I'm not 100% sure. Also, have your read the Don Asher's book? Here is a quote: True, this is a recommendation when you are wait-listed but I think it is also with the intention of influence the admission process and it is totally valid. After all, you contact a professor because you want to be considered over thousands of applicants, before or after you have applied. This is my opinion. Best,

I don't know but you should see the program that you are interested, instead of the university ranks. Normally, the last deadlines are on January 15. Best,

Hi 2015hopeful, It's also the first time I'm applying to . I share those feelings too. One of these emails can change your life completely. I try not to think in that and focus on my immediate goals. I do that by assuming that all the universities I'm applying to are going to reject me. It's like the typical question for a graduate interview: "What will you do if you are not accepted into our program?" So, I'm doing other activities based on my life plan, without grad school, and preparing a better application, by correcting all my mistakes in this, for next application year. That's true! You can get prepare for what is coming! but If you are applying to a PhD degree you normally have interviews so, for me, it is not useful to know if someone with the same program as I has an interview in one of my target schools. Of course, if you can know beforehand the questions that they are going to ask you in the interview it will be very useful to prepare it. I've just thought of another reason: You can make school decisions if you know that certain schools are going to reject you. Best,

Hi, I just want to ask this question to the thegradcafe.com community: Why do many students want to know if universities are interviewing or accepting students? If you are being rejected you just wait for the official email of rejection and that's it. Why so many concern in those events? Is it useful to know beforehand that you are going to be rejected from a particular university? can you reverse that decision sending emails or making a call to POI or graduate advisor or doing something else? I just don't know. Sorry for my ignorance. Best,