polyscinoob

I think the ranking stuff is pretty fascinating, Top 10 positive changes in rank vs score University 2013 Score 2013 Rank 2017 Score 2017 Rank Score Differential Rank Differential University of Pennsylvania 3.3 28 3.8 19 0.5 9 University of Houston 2.3 68 2.7 51 0.4 17 University of Oklahoma 2.1 83 2.5 61 0.4 22 Vanderbilt University 3.1 36 3.5 24 0.4 12 University of California—Davis 3.5 23 3.9 17 0.4 6 University of California—Riverside 2.5 54 2.9 48 0.4 6 American University 2.3 68 2.6 56 0.3 12 University of Massachusetts—Amherst 2.3 68 2.6 56 0.3 12 Georgetown University 3 40 3.3 33 0.3 7 Duke University 4.2 10 4.5 7 0.3 3 ----- University 2013 Score 2013 Rank 2017 Score 2017 Rank Score Differential Rank Differential University of Oklahoma 2.1 83 2.5 61 0.4 22 University of Houston 2.3 68 2.7 51 0.4 17 Vanderbilt University 3.1 36 3.5 24 0.4 12 American University 2.3 68 2.6 56 0.3 12 University of Massachusetts—Amherst 2.3 68 2.6 56 0.3 12 Temple University 2.2 76 2.4 65 0.2 11 University at Buffalo—SUNY 2.2 76 2.4 65 0.2 11 University of Connecticut 2.2 76 2.4 65 0.2 11 Georgia State University 2.1 83 2.3 72 0.2 11 University of Pennsylvania 3.3 28 3.8 19 0.5 9 If anyone is interested, you're more than welcome to the data set. USNews_rankings_dataset.xlsx

I've heard a lot of PhDs these days go into data science at big companies. Doesn't sound like a terrible fallback.

Interview for UCSB, I imagine acceptances will be going out the week after next.

I imagine two things are at play (although, I'm new to the admissions thing so feel free to correct me). 1.) This forum (and the results page) are not a representative sample of all the people who apply to grad school. The shoe-in candidates who aren't worried about getting in probably don't check this forum or post, (and thus we would never know if they got admission early in January). 2.) The early bird gets the worm. Admissions committees outside of the top 15 want good candidates too, early offers = higher likely hood they get those candidates to sign on.

Typo on the UCR one, haven't accepted it, but it's mine.