rlayla

I actually got a very honest answer from this current student at Berkeley who emailed me congratulating me/offered to answer questions. I really appreciated that.

Agreed. I'm going to make this coffee Irish pretty soon.

Well, I just bought my first round of plane tickets, so I'll bite: I'm going to Michigan's weekend, which'll be March 12-13-14. But I have to miss the last day and spend the day traveling to Berkeley, which'll be March 15-16. I'm really counting on these visits because right now I'm torn between the two places. I'm really looking forward to meeting profs who work in my field (comparative Middle East, human rights, gender type of stuff) and see who I would most want to work with. Then I'm going to Columbus for OSU weekend in late March. I'm not really seriously considering OSU anymore, but my parents live there and I'm going to use it as an excuse for a vacation (don't tell adcomms that!!!) But even if I attend Michigan, I will always be a buckeye fan at heart. Those are the only places I've got into right now. I live in Montreal, so traveling is kind of a pain in the ass, but I think it's really worth visiting the place you're thinking of spending the next 7+ years of your life. Although I don't really know what to expect. Do current students like take you out hazing? Or do you spend the night in playing trivial pursuit? What about you?

good luck all those waiting on michigan! Also, it seems princeton has broken the seal. They're early this year!

I just got a phone call from a professor at University of Michigan, telling me I got accepted. He told me that they're admitting 25 students this year and are expecting 15. It seemed like it was a very informal phone call, but students weekend is March 13-15. yaaay!

Hey All, I have a question regarding funding and this terrible economy: So I was talking to my pops the other day about my offer from Berkeley, and he asked how the California financial squalor is going to affect my funding situation. I thought it wouldn't, given that they guaranteed me 5 years of funding. Then he asked what 'guaranteed' meant, and I realized I didn't really know. So here's my question: Is there any risk in schools taking away your funding for any other reason besides you leaving the school altogether? I mean obviously if you fail your exams and everything you're not going to advance. But would Berkeley ever take away my funding if California goes bankrupt? Thanks!

Hey, I was right! (About Michigan notifying today.) That never happens!

I wanna say, for my own sake, that they're not done notifying. But I feel like they are.

This time last year Michigan started giving out notices. Think today will be the day?

We all need to smoke a virtual joint right now.

I did poli sci undergrad at Uchicago, so if you have any questions about specific profs or the school in general, feel free to PM me.

I love the fact that Harvard Law is your plan B. You rock!

"University of Chicago is like unprotected sex. You're happy you got in but you're sorry you came." I think that was one of the more true slogans running around when I went there.

Congrats on Stanford!!

That's crazy. Are you an international student? Grad schools may not be able to do this anymore now that the interweb provides us with transparency.

Well, we have to do instructorships (aka TA) during 2nd and 3rd years I think. Other than that it's catch-free

Ladies and Gentlemen: I give you, the absurdity of the notifications process. Not only did Yale tease me heartlessly by waiting nearly a week to tell me after they told everyone else, but it was a REJECTION! Ha! Twisting the dagger after impaling me? Probably. Oh well, after the Berkeley acceptance yesterday I'm not too torn up about it. Oh yale... you so crazy.

Ooooh, stanford is starting to call people! EDIT: Which is weird now that I think about it cause its still hella early in California.

The bastards! Think today will be the day?

Yo, the email was from Jasjeet Singh Sekhon, Associate Professor and Chair, Graduate Admissions Committee. I'm comparativist, Middle East.

Hey All, I was notified like 180 seconds ago by email. Watch out!

I got in to Berkeley! ahhhhhh!!!!

I hate Yale. I hate Yale. I hate Yale. Can I just say...?

Hi there, welcome to our Yale in-limbo group. We both called all over the place but they wont' tell us anything besides that decisions have been made and it should be soon. We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything else. Good luck!

Thanks, Yosimoney, and congrats. Care to share your awesome field/stats/background with us?