caltecher

These programs don't have built-in updates. I was in regular contact with one of the POIs (he's teaching a class I took this quarter) but classes just ended and he was out of the country for our final presentations, the day after I got news. Seems like I'll just let it be. Too little too late.

I got an email a day or two ago that my paper has finally gone through all revisions and has been accepted for publication in Angew. Chem. It will be my first publication, and I'm only 3rd author, but it's some (I think) really cool, and possibly important research. (The journal said they ask the top 10% of submissions to submit a figure for the cover, and asked my team to, so maybe it's not just me?) I'm applying to MechE MS/PhD programs, and yes, this is a completely different field than I'm published in, but it's related to my end-goal for research (solar energy wooooo). I'm an Environmental Science and Engineering major now for undergrad. The question is, should I try to update my schools? I haven't heard back from 2 of 3 (from the search results, nobody else has heard back from these programs yet either). But, given that it's mid-March I'm guessing (hoping?) that I'll hear back from them probably some time this week. Is it worth it? I didn't mention the possible publication at the time of application because it wasn't a sure thing that it would even get submitted yet. It would almost make more sense to wait until the article comes out so I can just link to that, but I don't really know when that will be. What should I do?

About 3 weeks after I submitted my applications (around Christmas time), I had the most terrible dream. I dreamed that I got an email from MIT, telling me that I was one of the best applicants they had ever seen, and while they usually don't do this, they were going to offer me admission ahead of everybody else in the pack because my app was so good. I was ecstatic. Then dream me goes... wait a minute. My GPA was shit. I'm super unlikely to have actually gotten this feedback. At this point I realize I'm dreaming, so I wake up.... And of course I immediately check my email. There's an email from MIT Graduate Admissions in my inbox. Sitting in bed, my heart pounding, I open it and read it. It said something along the lines of they don't usually do this, but since I was one of the most un-qualified and terrible applicants they'd ever seen, they were sending me my rejection now so that I don't hold on hope. I start crying, would they really think /that/ poorly of me? My application wasn't that bad! Then, somehow, I realize that even if they thought this, they wouldn't put it in an email like this, it's far too non-diplomatic. At this point, I realize I'm still dreaming, so I wake up.... For real this time. I check my email again: nothing (of course not, it's the winter hols, nobody is going to be making admissions decisions now). I lay back in bed, completely and thoroughly mentally exhausted from my imaginary ordeal, and it's just 8am. Who knows, maybe I'm still asleep, and the (much nicer) rejection I got from MIT 2 weeks ago is just a dream?

I've heard some people say they will hear back by x date: how do you know?! If I had some sort of deadline, to know how long I'll be waiting still, I might be much more sane. Just about all of Caltech's other departments have notified already. According to the results page, some Meng and PhD in MechE from Berkeley have their decisions.

The schools I'm waiting on don't start spring break for another 1-1.5 weeks. :\ Going completely insane.