perpetualalligator

@ecy I looked at the results from the past couple of years (2016-2018) and it seems like all interview requests go out on the same date. Also there was only one interview post for 2017 but two acceptances (3 if you count one from the anthropology and middle eastern studies program but that might be a separate thing?). Idk this is driving me insane!!

Well, shit nevermind

Does anyone know what’s the deal with Harvard interviews? I’m seriously starting to think that interview requests actually came out on time (based on last year’s results they should have gone out last week) but those “successful” people don’t waste their time here ?

Congratulations! Did the email say anything about the department eventually reaching out with more information? If not I would maybe wait a couple of days and see if the department sends anything and then email the department and not the POIs asking about the visit weekend. I think that department people in general might be more involved in the logistics part of the admission than professors but I guess that depends on the school.

@pmcolI appreciate your overall optimism so much. Reading your posts always makes me feel less anxious. I just wanted to thank you. I am sure many other people feel the same way

just realized I forgot to add CUNY to the list of schools that interview as part of the application process

I apologize if this sounds ridiculously ignorant, I am not American, but how would the shutdown delay interviews for private universities like Harvard and Yale? I'm just curious and the delay compared to last year is killing me. I JUST WANT TO KNOW! Why can't schools at least be predictable when it comes to decision dates?

Do you know when they’ll send out invites? Is one does not get an interview email is that an implied rejection?

@GenericResearcher That depends on the programs you apply to. If you check out the results section you can get a general idea of when schools usually release decisions and interviews. Also considering that April 15th is the general deadline to accept or reject an offer I would assume that it is safe to make plans then. I wouñd assume too that most admit visit days would have happened by April but it really does depend on the program. I would check on that before making any plans. Btw update un NYU interview: Around the top 5 BioAnth applicants are invited to an interview weekend, and any Skype interview is usally informal so if you don’t get an interview request from them there’s still hope!

LMAO I mean you don't deserve an interview at Harvard if you don't let everybody know ?

@LetsGetThisBread YES! It's been so slow and last year this week was so busy. It's so weird. I am starting to think that maybe the people getting offers are those who are not on thegradcafe 24/7 ?

I made the thread, do your thing!

In a futile attempt to reduce anxiety and speculation a few people thought it would be useful to create a thread where we (present and future Anthro applicants) list schools that interview as part of the application process. As some of you might have figured out, programs do interview for many different reasons: some do it as part of the selection process (which means that if you do not get an interview request, you might as well expect a rejection), others just use it as a way to get to know the applicant either because they're kind of on the fence about them or they are just so impressed by them that professors think that if they reach out early in the process the applicant will be more likely to choose them, or many other reasons I haven't mentioned here. Anyways sometimes it is not the end of the world if you do not get an interview. Feel free to use this space to talk about (Anthro) interviews, share experiences you've had interviewing at different schools, and any information what is the purpose of the specific interviews. With that said, if you do not get an interview request from these schools you have (probably*) been rejected: WUSTL (Washington University in St. Louis) UC Berkeley UVA (University of Virginia) Notre Dame Duke Harvard (?) Johns Hopkins NYU (intermittently) UPenn Yale (?) *This list is not exhaustive, add schools that are not included and this is not definitive. Sometimes admissions policies change or it depends on the discipline.

@bonesandbakesWelcome to hell! I did not apply to Penn or know any Penn people but I looked at the Penn results for past years and I don't really have a concrete answer for you. I did notice that the person who did specify what area they were interested in said they were BioAnth and others have mentioned being on a (long?) shortlist. Based on previous years it doesn't seem like they're formal interviews but maybe potential supervisors reaching out to applicants that really stood out? Also the Penn Anthro Website doesn't say anything about interviews as part of the process, so I wouldn't think that not getting an interview request implies a rejection. I think that very few schools do formal interviews as part of the application process. Off the top of my head I can only think of CUNY, Berkeley, Duke, Notre Dame, and maybe Harvard (the website does say that you don't necessarily need to be interviewed to be accepted but previous years' results kind of say otherwise)? Also when did you Skype with your potential supervisor? Did you reach out to them? If they reached out to you that could count as an interview. I think it would be useful to have a thread where we make a list of schools that formally interview and like what it means to get an interview for schools that do not usually interview? What do you all think? Is there already a thread like that? Idk.

You're definitely not alone. I am an emotional mess. Like you, I am so nervous all the time even though I am feeling quite positive (I'm usually a negative, self-deprecating person, so for me this is kind of weird). However, yesterday I was so anxious and overwhelmed I was absolutely useless at work. I felt horrible. Applying to grad school is just a roller coaster, and the uncertainty/possibility just messes you up. The good thing is that we have a space like this to just let it all out so that's something right? Best of luck everyone!

I feel the same way. I have received a couple of emails from POIs at schools that usually do not interview and I don't know what they are supposed to mean. I feel excited because that means I actually have a chance but also the idea of having to choose between schools and actually talking to POIs is terrifying. What if I look better on paper? What if I mess up the interviews? Am I even ready for grad school? Will I make the right decision? I am trying to balance out my feelings but I can't seem to find a middle ground. I used to be trying to not get overly excited in case I didn't get accepted but at the same time I would be so disappointed if I didn't get into a PhD program. I am really scared about getting in too. I just have a knot in the pit of my stomach. ?

@LetsGetThisBreadlol I did the same thing and I agree with you. I also saw that in some years (2013) they actually do two rounds of interviews and actually fly a couple of people to NYC. I think that's probably for like top applicants or something. I don't understand why I'm so nervous. I completely expect a rejection considering that so many people have applied and in previous years like 7 out of 400 people are accepted (I wish I knew that before applying). ?

I agree with you! I think that putting rejections in the back burner is just rude and inconsiderate. Rejections are quite generic so I don't think it would be a lot of work to send an email saying "sorry you didn't get in" at the same time they email acceptances or do interviews. It's better for everyone in my opinion but that's just me (or my anxiety). I was also seeing that Berkeley has been sending out interview requests. Good luck to all the Berkeley applicants. Based on my obsessive research on the results page Harvard interviews might also come out sometime this week or next so it's getting very real. I am so nervous. By the way I just saw this bad boy in the results page: Since a lot of us are applying to NYU, I thought it would be a good idea to share it here. I don't really remember whether or not interviews are part of the application process, but what do you all think this means? Are we all screwed??

Does anyone know who the UIUC acceptance is or wants to claim it? Also if that mysterious soul sees this do you mind sharing your POI's initials? Something tells me that they might never appear but I hate it so much when people use the results page to ask this stuff and I refuse to do it.

@pyramidstudsMe too! Unfortunately it doesn't really help with the anxiety, if anything I feel that time goes by slower as I anticipate the decision dates lol. Has it helped you? Also this website can be so eyeopening. The first time I applied I was so clueless about the process and even now I am learning so much. It is insane the amount of stuff you just don't know if you don't have any mentors or anyone to guide you through the application process.

Sorry for spamming so much, but I found this is in the results page and since some people where wondering about Duke it seems like all interview requests have gone out ? . By the way what´s the deal with notifying people about rejections much later? Wouldn't it be easier to just send a mass email at the same time they send interview requests? It just seems unnecessarily mean to not give people closure when a rejection is already implied. I find it so annoying.

@pyramidstuds I am so sorry to hear that The waiting for decisions part is definitely the worst, but also you are not alone in this. We are all freaking out and constantly refreshing this site so welcome to the abyss! I also completely get the feeling of panic; before I got the Illinois decision I was thinking that I wouldn't get in anywhere (still haven't but I try to stay optimistic). Is this your first time applying? As you probably might find out as you read the threads in this forum, sometimes it takes more than one try to get in, this for instance is my second time applying. I know that really does not help but also that does not mean that you are not good enough or smart enough and you definitely should not feel ashamed or embarrassed. For the most part it really depends on whether or not the department thinks your research will mesh well with their interests and even then they might not have the funding. It sucks, but it's not personal (even though it feels like it), and most of the time it's out of our control. I hope this helps a bit, feel free to pm me if you want to talk and also there are a bunch of threads where you can vent and talk about your worries in here so feel free to just get things off your chest! Best of luck! Here are some threads that I found useful:

@Lemonsour123 The letter I got says that they "have sent the first round of offers" so that might mean that acceptances might be on their way, or they are sending them later? I mean no one has posted an acceptance so who knows? Also at least you have an acceptance I'm still stuck in limbo... By the way does anyone know what to do if waitlisted? Is there anything I can do like send an update with information that can help my application or idk a video crying and begging them to accept me?

Got my first decision! Waitlisted at UIUC, I’m kind of hopeful, at least it’s not an outright rejection, right? I am so not ready for the rest of the schools though...I am so getting rejected from Harvard and NYU ?

This happened to me too! I waited a couple of weeks to see if they would eventually process my scores. When they didn't, I sent the admissions office an email with a screenshot of the order receipt and like every other piece of evidence that said that I had sent them my GRE scores before the deadline (I applied to their Anthropology program and it had a Dec.1 deadline), and so far I don't think it has affected my application(?). I think CUNY is just having trouble processing GRE scores. I doubt that it will affect your application. Good luck everyone!