pikatopia

All very helpful - thank you!! Just wondering though...I've been in contact with a potential advisor (and also the GAC chair one of my top choices) since last Spring. We've exchanged quite a few emails - this was before my interest in that program was even really cemented - and met/lunched at a conference last Fall. He has been very adamant about my coming to visit the campus, but our last email exchange was a "Happy Holidays"...obviously, right before the holidays! I don't know...I'm not contacting him because my application is now in and I'm fairly sure they are "processing"...but I don't want to burn any bridges by not getting in touch! I would just hate to put him (and me!) in any kind of awkward position.

I'd be interested to know if there is any protocol on this, as well! I almost feel awkward contacting potential advisors while they are going through the application process...and especially if they are on the actual Grad Admissions Committee!! I wonder if it's good to remind them of your existence or if it's simply annoying-ish because they are so busy right now?

I wouldn't worry about notifying schools about this...you can update it appropriately on your CV. If anything, listing it as "submitted" shows grad schools that you are putting effort into conferences, which (I think) says quite a bit.

I applied to both of those universities, but to a very very very different program! Since UW-Seattle was due so early (12/15), I would hope that they'll be sending notice out shortly... Do you happen to know how UW-Seattle notifies??

Argh -- I feel your pain! I only JUST found out about the program that has all my research interests nicely packaged...after having all materials/scores/transcripts/letters sent to the other one. I've been on the phone/email a LOT...and had to pay GRE scores twice...ughhh. And the deadline was 1/15. I already have an acceptance elsewhere, so I'm not freaking out about this as much as I would be otherwise...but it is still a giant headache!!

...Basically I'm just wondering how accepted students are "ranked"?

I think it differs from place to place - as do many other parts of an application...I was told directly (by the few Grad Admissions Chairs that I asked) that whether you waive or not has absolutely no influence on their decision. I just didn't want to waive my right to (perhaps someday maybe want to) see something that determines such a big part of my future. However, that being said - right now, I would not read any of them if given the chance...

Updating the results page was one of the most satisfying parts of my day .

I didn't waive my right to read them ... basically, I didn't check the box that said "never reading these letters ever". It's funny though, one of my references told me what another had said as her conclusion and it was something along the lines of, "I would welcome the chance to have her as a colleague." AAAAHHHH!!! So flattering...I think it's interesting that they chose to share what they had written. I feel very fortunate to have such amazingly supportive faculty behind me .

I started with a looooong list of 15-17 schools...slowly researched and whittled it down to 10...and reached my final number of 6. But then!, my advisor told me about two others she strongly recommended for me (why tell me a week before the deadline??!?!)...so last minute, I threw two more applications together....for a total of 8. I'm comfortable with that number...though often wonder if I should have just applied away to 16...aahhhh.

Hi everyone! I got an acceptance today from what I kind of considered my safety in the beginning (but as I researched the school more, had convinced myself I would never be accepted - the mind is a funny thing!)...I can easily say that it has SO NOT made the wait any less painful!! I just want to knowwwwwwwww already!! I have to admit, I was very VERY surprised to hear back so soon - as from my obsessive perusing of this board, saw that most of my field's acceptances (and schools) did not send out until late Feb/early March. Fingers crossed for everyone!

UC-Santa Barbara, UC-San Diego, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, UMass-Amherst