PhDudette

Hello all! I just sent a PM to someone with this info, but figured for the common good--and to correct some of the statements on GradCafe from memories of my own thinking about whether to attend--I should add to this forum. I am a MAPSS alum who had a 1/2 tuition scholarship and who had to take out student loans to pay for the rest. Attending was the best decision I ever made. When I applied to PhD programs the first time, I received no PhD offers (there are several reasons for this), but I was really considering not going to MAPSS since everyone denigrates the program on GradCafe and calls it a "cash cow." I felt like it might be some joke going to the program. But, if you work extremely hard, it can pay off immeasurably. This round, with the MAPSS degree, the story changed completely: I received 5 funded PhD offers, including 3 at ivy league schools (one of which is #1 in my field). Since PhD offers are fully-funded these days, I feel like the investment literally pays back with funded offers, not to mention that I did get a job and have been able to pay off a good amount of loans just this year. Most people, I will admit, decide in that MAPSS year that they don't want to do a PhD though, so you'd have to be comfortable with the idea of taking out loans if you decide the PhD is not for you. Also, not every PhD application story is the same as my own--everyone has different experiences so nothing is a guarantee. BUT, every year MAPSS gets people who didn't get many (if any) great PhD offers and then every year they churn out students who get accepted into the top programs their next time around. And I cannot stress enough that it is completely how much you put into it: MAPSS gives you the access/chance to be seen by the top scholars in your field, but then the ball is in your court after that. But if you're a really serious student then you shouldn't listen to those on GradCafe who usually don't even go to the school, or who are undergrads with tangential experience. MAPSS has a wonderful placement rate that you can be a part of if you work for it! And I am happy to meet with anyone visiting the campus for more information if you're interested.

Some advice for everyone wanting to get off of a waitlist: as soon as you find out you're on one for one of your top choice schools, send a nice email back to whomever contacted you and say how excited you are about the school and the possibility, that the school is your top choice, and be sure to include in the email what other offers you have. Also, say that you are willing to--and do--send along any offers from other universities that you receive, as you receive them from there on out. Other than those things, I would not recommend calling to inquire on the status. Good luck!

Myself! Have you thought at all about whether to live in grad housing or away from campus? It seems like there's not much life outside of campus. Probably this is more of a PM kind of question, though!

If you are interested in that period, you may be in luck with them soon! I am also that period. I did not go through an interview but received an informal offer, so no need to worry about the not-being-called-for-an-interview part. The other poster is correct, they seem to check in periodically with a candidate to see whether they think they will accept (presumably) to make sure they are maximizing the number of offers that they can make. Since they do this, they end up basically contacting students on a rolling basis through February, it seems. Good luck!!

The person waiting for CUNY: What subfield are you? Also, I am in the boat of waiting for Indiana!

I think Gradcafe is good and helpful, but I don't think people are very cognizant of the effect they might have on people in their ways of responding to acceptances, etc. People are just bragging to strangers and making others feel worse in the process when they post things like "Accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Chicago - eek how do I decide?!?!?" People can be like this on facebook too, though. But it is actually nice to know as soon as possible about where an app stands, since sometimes rejections can take a long time to send out (for me it is, anyway)

Have any of you all noticed a consistency in where you get in ranking-wise? Mine have been all over the place--I think it underscores a lot of the randomness of the admissions process.

Anyone know how the U of C admit found out? Email from department or from advisor?