hopefulastro

Not awarded, not even an HM! IM: E/VG/E, BI: E/VG/E. I do not understand their process - how do some with lower ratings get HM or are awarded? Reviewer 1 also said I had an excellent GPA and reviewer 3 said I had very strong letters ☹️

Just got an email too — didn’t get it ☹️ Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Congratulations! Did they happen to say anything about the number of fellowships they’re awarding this year and/or number of applicants?

Same here! Does anyone know how they handle acceptances and rejections? If you’re rejected, do they let you know at the same time as the acceptances or do they make you wait for a while?

Hey! Yes, I'll be starting the Astronomy PhD program this fall ?

Really sorry to hear about your loss. Things are very unpredictable right now, so I don't think anyone can say yet what will happen to fall semester. I think the good news is that if things don't get better by then, universities will extend their closures through fall semester or however long it takes. Of course this isn't "good", but it would be necessary and would still allow students to do classes, research, and so on remotely, hopefully in a more comfortable and safe environment. I'm guessing your program will be in New York, as you say it's the hardest hit area in the US right now. But once things begin to subside in NY, the virus will still be spreading in various other cities at different rates, and perhaps a different city will become the new hotspot in the summer or fall. Since things are so unpredictable, it's possible that even if you decided to attend the other program instead, by the time fall comes around then that area might actually be worse off. A PhD is long - at least 5 or 6 years. I think it's the most wise to pick the program you would be happiest at and feel is the best fit for you, because the bulk of your time in the program will be spent after things return to normal. Hopefully there will be a vaccine within a year or so that will allow things to slowly return to normal, but in the meantime, I think there's a strong possibility that schools across the US could remain closed regardless of where is worst hit at the time. (btw, if you feel that you want to postpone starting a program all together for personal reasons, maybe you can look into deferring for a term or a year?)

I’m worried about the same thing. I accepted an offer for a PhD program in Ohio, but I currently live in California and my lease ends in June. I’ve done some virtual tours and would ideally want to sign a lease to begin in June so I can move directly there... but I realize that fall semester may end up being remote too. If it is, it seems like a waste to pay for rent and I could just live with my parents in Oregon during that time. So right now I’m just waiting to see what happens. Anyone else have the same feelings about fall?

I’ve been accepted to various Astronomy PhD programs and will be going to some of these prospective grad student open houses for the department. These will consist of a full day or two on campus - touring the campus and department, meeting with many faculty, eating meals with grad students and faculty, attending research meetings, etc. What should one bring to these visit days? Do people typically carry around a backpack or larger bag during the day with their laptop, notepad, etc? Or just something small instead? The main thing is I’m unsure if I should bring my laptop or not (I will bring it during my travels, but not sure if I should be carrying it around with me during the visit days). I will definitely at least carry a small bag with a notebook and pen, water bottle, my wallet, and some snacks. Any thoughts?