Medinari

Just wanted to update that I got an offer from CUNY! Will most likely accept since it’s my top choice program. 

I was waitlisted last year, so I can lend some insight to at least my experience.
I was very lucky in that my prospective advisor kept an open line of communication with me all throughout my application process, so I had a realistic idea of my chances of moving off the waitlist. She told me up front that she thought wanted to work with me, but that department received not only a record number of applications but an incredibly high quality pool of candidates (many of which were already connected to their prospective advisor's research) and that other profs had priority for new students. As a result they (accurately) predicted that the waitlist would not see much movement, but in practice  this can vary A LOT based on the program. (Think of those all-stars who are accepted to multiple top-schools).
I was notified that I was waitlisted in early March (emergency conditions in the state delayed application review last year, so this was concurrent with acceptances going out), and notified that the waitlist was closed in early April.
If you already have rapport with your prospective advisor, or if you are accepted elsewhere and it becomes a more time-sensitive situation to know, I think it's reasonable to ask their thoughts about your chances.
I'm currently waiting for the result of my second round application to this program and goodness is my anxiety higher this year.

I live Seattle-adjacent, and I find having a car helpful. If you are in the city proper, parking can be problematic and expensive (companies have learned they can charge you out the nose for garage spots in apartments), so it may depend on the area you actually settle down in. The places where having a car is more expensive happen to be the places with great public transportation. It's no NYC subway level, but it's pretty good.

Has anyone heard back on the waitlist situation? People with multiple offers are most humbly requested to please take their calls early. 

I am a current 2nd year PhD student at Columbia. The majority of grad students are currently on strike for a living wage, better healthcare, and protection from harassment and discrimination. I have been watching the process of our new graduate union try to bargain for our first contract for over two years. In these sessions, I have seen admin (and their sleazy lawyer, who charges $1,500/hr) do everything possible to stall negotiations, belittle us, and play down heartfelt testimonials that make clear why our demands are reasonable and necessary. Every time we've gotten a raise in the past, our Columbia rent magically goes up by a higher percentage. Our wages are not enough to live in NYC. There is no dental or vision coverage, and they recently removed the better health insurance plan option. The school has a terrible history with harassment and discrimination cases brought by both undergrads and grads (Google it), and at the moment they are doing everything possible to avoid meeting our contract demand about changing the investigation process to give more rights to the complainant (see link below).
We're entering the 3rd week of the strike, and Columbia has made very clear that they plan to not only doc our bi-weekly pay (which we receive for TA/RA work), but our academic stipends--yep, they are going to debit our student accounts, thereby jeopardizing course registration, degree progress, visas, and health insurance. We have a legal right to strike, but this later action constitutes illegal academic retaliation.
Long story short: I'm sure a lot of schools are as corrupt as Columbia, but I've just seen first hand how rotten this place is to the core. They only care about profit (their endowment grew $300 million during the pandemic alone), squeezing as much our of grad workers and adjuncts for as little pay as possible, sweeping bad press under the rug, and gentrifying Harlem with multi-million dollar campus expansions.
I encourage folks thinking about attending/applying to Columbia to express concerns to department chairs and administrators, and ask them why they insist on denying grad workers a fair contract: 
President Lee Bollinger officeofthepresident@columbia.edu, Phone: (212) 854-9970 Provost Ira Katznelson provost@columbia.edu,  +1 212 854 2404 GSAS Grad Admissions: gsas-admissions@columbia.edu  
https://gothamist.com/news/columbia-grad-students-strike-over-wages-and-harassment-policies-nyu-counterparts-vote-similar-actions

Agreed! Congrats to everyone who applied in not only such a difficult cycle but a difficult time to live through!!! It takes so much patience and determination to actually apply and wait out a cycle.
I’m happy to announce that I was accepted to Washington State university’s MA and PhD program with full funding, insurance, and a research assistantship  It was my top choice and I’ve accepted the offer although I still have yet to hear back from the other school I applied to.
Good luck to everyone still waiting to hear back! 
 

Hi All,
I am a primate behavioral ecologist and complex systems theory researcher, I look at social system evolutionary dynamics in cercopithecine primates. I am finishing my Master's in Primate Behavior at Central Washington University this spring. I applied to two PhD programs this cycle, Physical Anthropology at CUNY (not EEB relevant unless you work with primates), and Animal Behavior at UC Davis.
 
I interviewed for both programs. I was invited for interviews on 1/9/2021 for CUNY Physical Anthropology and for UC Davis Animal Behavior on 1/15/2021. I heard back from my potential advisor that I was rejected at CUNY on 2/11/2021 although I still haven't gotten an official rejection letter from CUNY yet. I heard back from UC Davis Animal Behavior on 2/23/2021 and found out I was accepted! Just wanted to let people in here know my results in case you applied to either of these programs. Don't lose out hope there is always a chance you will get in on the waitlist depending on how many people accept their offers!
 
Otherwise best of luck on the rest of your admissions processes!

It's been such a difficult year to apply. For all applicants, we all deserve a round of applause for applying this year and sticking with that decision, congrats to all of those who were accepted! Similar to previous year's trends, anyone want to share their happy news? 

Thanks!
I am waitlisted for a fellowship there, however, and there was no mention of a TA ship. Funding will be decided based on how many people turn down offers. 
 
I was admitted with funding to other programs, so I will likely reject their offer unless funding comes through - then I might consider. 

Here! Unless there’s another.
I got an email from my prospective advisor. He said an official letter would come soon. I’m cultural. 
 

I got good and bad news today: An interview invitation to UTSA, and a rejection from CUNY (physical). I didn't get an email about CUNY as a heads up for anyone else waiting, just saw the update on the portal.

Anyone with a CUNY invite who was physical anthropology? (I know most were cultural but a few were unlabeled and figured I'd ask).

 
I have not had any interview invites yet, but UC Davis (I applied animal behavior, not anth) did send out an email stating "We write to inform you that we expect that instruction and research operations will return to pre-pandemic, in-person delivery at the start of the next academic year in September 2021. " I think that's a pretty big stretch for them to call this early though. The email was labeled "UC Davis Graduate Admissions: Planning for Fall 2021" and my heart skipped a beat thinking it was an decision. Alas, just a general update.

Anyone with a CUNY invite who was physical anthropology? (I know most were cultural but a few were unlabeled and figured I'd ask).

 
I have not had any interview invites yet, but UC Davis (I applied animal behavior, not anth) did send out an email stating "We write to inform you that we expect that instruction and research operations will return to pre-pandemic, in-person delivery at the start of the next academic year in September 2021. " I think that's a pretty big stretch for them to call this early though. The email was labeled "UC Davis Graduate Admissions: Planning for Fall 2021" and my heart skipped a beat thinking it was an decision. Alas, just a general update.

@Medinari I had the same question. I’m not sure but I think CUNY’s BioAnth program runs on a different timeline than Cultural? Even the application deadlines were different with Cultural’s being two weeks earlier. Based on the results page, it looks like some applicants in Bioanth in the past were offered interviews early to mid February, and that decisions were typically given late February to Early March. Obviously I’m not 100% sure but I think the interviews/decisions are all from cultural applicants so far—wishing you good news in the coming weeks! 

Posting, more for a bump than having a strong testimonial. I stayed pretty engaged consistently, having gotten a BA in 2011, an MA in 2014, and then into another program in 2015 with another MA coming in 2016, then started PhD that fall. However, I know there are multiple folks in my program that were out for several years, one or two without having ever gotten an MA but still got into the program in their early 30s. So it seems very possible, and perhaps might even really benefit you when you apply. Programs want to know you really want to be there, you have the maturity/drive to finish, and have the ability to identify and pursue and interesting project. It sounds to me like all those things will apply to you, and when you contact faculty at the programs you're interested in, you should ask them if they can get you in touch with older students in their program to talk about their experience. As a side note, tt's often a good sign faculty are interested in your if they're game to send you along to chat with their students.