Rick YG

@yc3107 @ghjk Hi guys (and girls) (trying to be p.c.), Thanks! I have not heard anything from UC Berkeley since the friendly but puzzling non-academic interview. I check the online application website (is there a separate website for posting decisions...?) frequently and there does not seem to be any update. Today I heard from the Columbia IEOR program director (through email) that I was admitted. The official letters are to be delivered by the School of Engineering (e.g., Dean's Office?) so it takes some extra days according to the director's email. In fact, last week, one faculty member already invited me for a Skype chat, telling me that I was (most likely) admitted and expressing his interest in working with me if I choose Columbia. I have applied to quite a few (PhD) programs in OR. Currently want to know more about the progress at UC Berkeley, Cornell, Stanford and MIT - have not heard anything from these schools. Best luck to everyone!!

Hi yc3107! I know a current PhD student at IEOR. He and many of his friends were admitted without going through an interview. But that was two years ago. I applied to UC Berkeley IEOR and was interviewed by a senior faculty member. She told me that she was tasked to interview the applicants and did not say anything about my standing/chance admission etc. She asked me MANY general "why" questions and did not ask anything about academics. It was a friendly "non-academic" chat and I was indeed puzzled. Perhaps she wanted to see whether I do speak English since I got a terrible 23/30 for speaking in TOEFL (due to a broken mic and a system breakdown in the middle of a recording session!!!). Apparently, my senior friends who were admitted to Berkeley IEOR were NOT interviewed. I was admitted to Georgia Tech ISyE (PhD in OR) without going through any "official" interview. I did contact one of the newly recruited faculty member (whom I happened to meet before and whose research interests me) before the application deadline, but that may or may not have helped. I believe whether there is an interview largely depends on the committee. Most schools do not have a fixed rule for that, I think.