Purled

Yeah, this began to occur to me as I re-read it - I think it was the accidental use of "rather" for "whether" that made me slow down and digest this a bit. Itchy trigger finger this time of year.

"The Department of Government at Cornell University is progressing along with the review of 393 applicant files. We will notify students that are accepted via e-mail immediately and all others will be sent a letter around the 2nd week in March. Best of wishes and good luck to everyone!"

house call

play time

I've heard of this backfiring quite a bit, actually. I wouldn't risk it, but to each his own.

I received an email notifying me that a decision was available the morning after the link was added to my application, so I guess just keep checking your inbox. No news isn't definitely good news, but at least it isn't bad news. It's just no news. I've pretty much chosen to assume that my own lack of decisions is an indication of being wait-listed or hotly debated over - mostly so that I don't go completely nuts trying to predict outcomes I can no longer affect. No rejection = still in the running. I hope!

If you log into your application, at the bottom of the screen you should see a link that reads "your application decision is now available online." Click the clicky. Good luck!

Awesome, congratulations!!

Johns Hopkins; in addition to the department's stellar ranking, Jane Bennett places a particular focus on the development of pedagogical skills . Other than that, I have no idea - it's not a skill set that PhD programs focus on, as others have said.

false arrest

Anyone besides me still waiting to hear from NW? I saw the new results this morning on the train and spent the rest of my commute bracing myself for the rejection, but I'm still hitting the No Decision wall.

I completely understand. I had my originals Fed Exed and signed for, and they were marked as Not Received. It took several emails and a phone call, and then they were "found" and my status updated. Arg. I know there are a lot of applicants this year, but c'mon! They were signed for!

Have any admits heard anything from UVA regarding funding, or, well, anything, really? An admit weekend? I'm not wholly comfortable getting in their face regarding money a mere day after they sent out responses, but I haven't heard anything from the department, yet - just the grad school.

Yeah, still too chicken. This long a wait, it can't really be good news, can it?

The FAFSA is intended to determine the degree of need you will experience for the following school year, termed you Expected Family Contribution (EFC). When you move from a professional to a student income, your need-based aid, specifically your EFC, is affected by the "first year penalty." That is to say, for your first year in grad school, your EFC will be artificially high due to your previous year's tax return. There's not much that can be done about it; every gets dinged on this the first year. Some people (who wisely plan ahead)(not me)(whoops) either spend the year before they apply working at a low-paying, highly satisfying job (i.e. non-profit sector), or they travel, or whatever - they reduce their income. Other people, well, don't. Another option might be to sink a lot of your liquid assets into equity - this is handy, especially right now, only if you currently hold a mortgage on your home. Caveat: the FAFSA excludes real estate holdings from its EFC calculus, but the Profile aid application does not. Some schools use only the FAFSA, some require the Profile, as well, especially highly ranked private universities. There isn't really a way around filing the FAFSA. If you don't, then you'll get whatever money your department offers you, but you'll be ineligible for a host of other funding options. The balance of your tuition will be solely your responsibility. You're much better off filing than not filing. Also remember, departments generally award merit-based funding - they don't take into account whatever the FAFSA determines your EFC to be. Need-based funding, however, is generally based directly on your FAFSA. Hope that helps.

For my dentist appointment. For the last vacation I'll take for years. For my (very late) delivery of Cabinet Quarterly. Hey, thanks for asking this question - it's nice to refocus, if only momentarily.

Should you wait for the department to contact you after receiving an acceptance, or should you reach out and say Hi once you know you're in?

Ice is broken; in at UVA, no funding info, but very relieved and happy and kind of shaky. I'm sorry for those who got dinged. Some days you eat the bar, some days the bar eats you. Bring on April.

Northwestern appears to have gone silent for the day. Someone on the results board claimed to have called the department directly on Friday, and was told that remaining decisions would go out "next week, probably Monday or Tuesday." So, not today, I guess. I've been braced for the rejection, but not for the wait.

playing possum

boob tube

Yeah, but, maybe the name-dropping balances out the !!!. I'm inclined to believe it - UVA should be notifying this week or next week.

secret society

Samesies. Sigh.

house dress