Safferz

Once you're in, the POI will be in recruitment mode and probably do a lot of the talking to try and sell you their program. It's your opportunity to get to know someone you'll be working closely with, and ask absolutely *anything* you want and need to know to help make your decision. Some of the things I wanted to know were funding sources and programs available for language training, whether conference travel is covered by the department, if it's possible to take courses at other institutions in the area, what course(s) I'd probably end up TAing for, etc. I also wanted to hear more about the professor's current projects, what courses he/she is teaching in the fall and what the 2-3 other graduate students in my field are working on. Questions about living in the city and the department/campus culture is probably best left for the graduate students you get in touch with.

Some of us here were born in the 90s I wouldn't say it's quite like that! I remember thinking the first decision I received (a Northwestern rejection) was indicative of the quality of my application, and I felt that if I couldn't get into the lowest ranked department that I applied to, I had no chance in hell of getting into the 'top' schools. Having stellar numbers and qualifications is no guarantee of admission either. It's about what a department/subfield's needs are for a particular year, and what you have to offer as a candidate in relation to the field of applicants you're competing against for admission to that particular school. So it's not uncommon for someone to be rejected from a 'safe' school and get into a top one, simply because their application was exactly what the stronger school needed that cycle. So stay positive and don't count yourself out with your other applications, and remember that a new cycle with a new field of applicants to compete against can yield entirely different results if you decide to try again. It's fair to assume that most people that take the time to apply to graduate school are good at what they do and put together good applications, but once hundreds of strong applications are in, it's a crapshoot. Good luck everyone!

I'm not sure I agree with this -- there's no harm in making the correction, assuming it's done tactfully and without the expectation that they'll reconsider. Five courses is significant, at my school four history courses gets you a minor and seven is the major! I don't think it's a coincidence or typo that she said three either, knowing that two of your courses were grad seminars and could have been overlooked as a result.

Yo, stop hating on Canada Post. My dad is a postie!

Congrats to everyone who received good news! I think that may the case for lower ranked schools, but Berkeley is a top program that can certainly compete with the Ivies and Northwestern is one of the best for African history in particular. So I'm thinking they just didn't like my application

Don't give me ideas! But it all seriousness, anyone else going through a bit of a slump right now? I thought it was hard enough to focus and get things done during the wait, but the post-acceptance period is worse! I don't regret applying when I did, but times like these I really wish I took a year off for applications instead of trying to do this all in the midst of a full course load.

Well, I got an email that said there's a decision available and that led me to the decision page lol. Hope you have better news! And it was a great fit too! It was one of the only schools I actually contacted a POI for as well, and I received a pretty strange response at one point when he learned about my research interests, suggesting that I may not be able to do fieldwork in XYZ countries because it's entirely a war zone (wrong! I go there for summer holidays?). After that I kinda hated Northwestern for having a historian that is supposed to be a regional expert but seemed to have no grasp of contemporary realities on the ground

Looks like UCLA decisions are available, I just saw my rejection. Non-Ivy shutout

So great to hear that! And definitely get in touch with grad students there, they can be really important for giving you a sense of what it's like to be a student in the program (as well as answer your questions about living on the stipend, moving to NYC, etc). In other news, I'm flying to 'merica on Sunday morning for two campus visits and I have a paper to write before I leave

Gurrrrrrl. Get in line!

The host is the grandson of J.E Casely Hayford!

I mistakenly referred to the "funding package" (22k for Canadians, 31k for international students) as "stipend," but I don't see the issue with my comment -- tuition and fees *are* deducted from that amount to leave you with the 15k stipend, which is certainly not competitive compared to the American schools that UofT sees itself on par with. You can get external funding anywhere, so I'm more interested in comparing the basic packages that PhD programs have to offer. The fact of the matter is that UofT's funding package is why many top students choose to go elsewhere, something that was not lost on the adcomm members I've talked to.

Ahh forgot to say congrats to crater!! Love that school

IIRC they don't have tuition remission in Canadian schools, so they deduct tuition and fees from the already crappy stipend. I love my school but they lose a lot of great students because their funding just isn't as competitive as what American schools can offer.

I spent the longest week of my life in Columbus last spring. It's like the Cleveland tourism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY, but worse

Congrats roxelana, superrockr and cooperstreet!!

I'm expecting my UCLA rejection any day now

Congrats pugsley and runner!!

I wish I could vote this up more than once! AFB, you have such a wonderful spirit and I'm so glad this process hasn't discouraged you in any way. I KNOW you'll do great!!

Congrats CPetersen!!!

Well, my undergrad profs sign emails with their first names too. I always say "Professor ___" and will continue to do so with POIs until I'm asked otherwise.

I loved that book!!!

There's a recent book that argues most students don't actually learn in college, so I don't think this is a problem unique to summer courses. I can say that in my experience, most of my learning has been outside of classes, with the exception of a handful of professors that really pushed me. When I think about it, the summer courses I've taken have actually been better than most of the courses I've taken during fall or spring semesters, and I've had a lot more time to focus on the readings. No -- I've taken four. Summer is still a semester

Too bad

Congrats Sendiri!