spcgsw96

This sounds like a dumb question but I just got a really lovely email from an assisstant professor at one of my top choices. He signed off with his first name but it would be best to address him in my reply as “Professor X”, right? I usually wouldn’t ask but all three of my LOR profs have told me to address them by their first names when I stayed in touch with them post graduation and I’d noted that one of my TAs when I was an undergrad addressed the prof by his first name. I’m guessing I begin w “Professor X” though and maybe later would move on to first names if prompted. Ugh, I’m culturally conditoned to feel extremely uncomfortable addressing professors by their first name lol but wasn’t sure if this was expected of grad students.

I got a really friendly email from a Vanderbilt grad student asking if we could set up a time to talk over skype or facetime! It may be because I’m an international student though so it would be necessary to negotiate the time difference

Claiming a Vandy interview but by a grad student (which I prefer tbqh) but not sure if that’s a bad sign?

To anyone with the: To date, no decision has been made on your application. Please note that most decisions on graduate admissions for fall term are made in the months of March and April and therefore you should not anticipate a decision much before that time period. for UCLA it doesn't necessarily mean it's a waitlist or rejection. Had that notice as my decision until today but just received a letter of acceptance!

I'm not sure how accurate this is but I was given the impression that NYU is a little more quant focused than other places (as, I was told, is Harvard [can someone confirm? I found the math section on the app troubling too lol]) which is why I didn't apply there since I am very 'qualitative'

Umass Amherst acceptance + 5 yr funding! I do love them for putting what the result is in the title of the email instead of the forebodingly ambiguous "Result"

Checked the link just now and same with me. I doubt I would choose it over Michigan anyway but I hate this feeling of being in limbo--and on that note why the uncharacteristic silence from Berkeley?

Why on earth are the Berkeley rejections taking so long this year??

Also told the same thing about my undergrad institution

Same Are they just deciding between waitlist/reject? It's unlikely that they're going to be sending out any more acceptances... right?

I am so unspeakably thankful to my undergraduate professors. I know my recommendations must have been amazing because I cannot believe I was accepted to Michigan with no publications or even TA/research experience (or any big A "Academic" experience at all tbh... didn't even do a senior thesis). If anyone is in a similar situation feel free to message me as I had so much help and advice and would be more than happy to pass on the favor now. I think my letters of recommendation must have played a huge part. My SOP was quite strong too and very much in debt to two of my professors being honest and telling me my first draft was trash* *Not the exact wording they used lol; mostly that draft was about my personal experience and read more like an undergraduate application essay.

I've been reading the letter over and over ever since I got it haha. I half expect it to disappear or for it to have been sent to the wrong person or for me to realize I actually read the whole thing wrong and it was a rejection letter after all

OMG Michigan acceptance with full scholarship I've been crying with happiness the past half hour lol I was honestly terrified I wouldn't get in anywhere Edit: Theory subfield!

If you don't mind my asking, how did you ask them? It seems like it might be a little awkward to just email them to ask what my results are when I'll probably know in a few days max (not saying your correspondence was awkward, just not sure how to go about it myself).

Do you guys think all the UCLA admits are out? Really bummed about this one because I thought I had a good correspondence with a POI there...

I got an email to check my portal and instead of the third link (rescind[?] your application, or some such) there was an option to 'View Decision' and a letter saying I was waitlisted. Good luck! I know the process of waiting is so nerve-wracking...

Waitlisted but at this point I'm happy about even that

Must. Stop...

Yes I applied for the Chicago MAPSS program so crossing my fingers for that one too!

Lowish cumulative GPA (3.68) because of some personal issues in my freshman/sophomore year, although I have around 3.85~3.9 my junior and senior years (and the institution is US news top ten). I know my LORs are strong (I really connected with my professors in my senior year/they expressly told me they would be happy to write "strong" letters without my asking) and one of them is from an enormous figure in Theory. They all helped look over my SOP too. My SOP is strong but I think my Writing Sample could have been better. I think my main problem is that I have zero research experience as I didn't originally plan to study PS or go to graduate school at all. I was an International Studies major and planned to go into something "practical"*/law school and only really encountered Theory later in my undergraduate degree... I find it so intellectually interesting and cannot imagine doing anything else now but a career in academia was by no means something I deliberately prepared for since my freshman year and I'm sure this puts me at a huge disadvantage. Very worried about this aspect of my application tbh... *So instead of RA experience I have stuff like... a paid internship at the art department of Vogue lol. Very much debated on whether or not to even include that, ha.

Not exactly but quite close (170 verbal, 168 quant, 6.0)

Can tell you with certainty that perfect GRE scores aren't enough

Thank you so much for this reply—I really needed to hear this from someone who knows the PhD process. I am very sure that this is what I want to do (I best be, as it's not like I expect much monetary motivation haha) so will definitely reapply next cycle in the worst case scenario. I am really glad to hear it worked out well for you and congratulations!

Exactly haha, cannot imagine how I will feel if I end up with 0/20... Also requesting "Regret" and "Many Qualified Applicants"

Logically know that it only takes one and I applied to 20 (lol) but can't stop myself from seeing this beginning as an ominous portent. Ack. Does anyone know if they send out emails over the weekend? I just want some certainty (I said, in what I later realized was a state of blissful ignorance.)