socialpsych

Doesn't look like anyone else applied to Columbia (Management), but I scheduled a phone interview with them for tomorrow! I was surprised, because I wasn't expecting to hear until late Feb/early March...

So, this is definitely going to be one of those pathetic, reading-too-much-into-things threads, but here goes... What does it mean if a program calls you up and wants to chat on the phone, but it seems oddly unofficial? Like, fairly clear that they're not calling everyone they're interested in? When I was picturing the grad school process, I figured that if I got interviews, they would be on-campus interviews, the type where everyone comes on the same weekend. This phone interview thing is a little unexpected. I assume it means they are interested in you but not sure they want to go any farther (to on-campus interview or acceptance, depending on the program). Anything more specific than that?? Or are phone interviews just the same as on-campus ones?

My partner and I are hoping to stay together next year no matter what. Beyond that, we haven't discussed specifics...in the best case (for both of us), I will be able to stay right here, so he has said he doesn't want to discuss it for another month before I know more about what my options are. A wise decision, I think, but nerve-wracking for me...

This may not be a coincidence, for two reasons: 1) Both your enthusiasm and your results may be caused to some extent by your fit with the researchers at a given school. You may be more excited about schools where you are a better fit, and these are also more likely to be interested in you as an applicant. 2) If there is a big difference in ranking, especially if your apps asked what other programs you applied to, your safety schools may be worried you're not really interested and would turn them down anyway (since you're likely to get in to a more prestigious program).

I am hitting 'refresh' much of each day too, but surprisingly my nerves have calmed down a bit ever since I found out that some of my schools notify later than I thought and I'm not actually likely to hear anything for a few weeks. I didn't think this would make a difference, but it has. I feel just a little less like jumping out of my skin. PS, I would recommend getting an email client if you know how to set one up. I use Thunderbird and it saves me from having to "refresh" my email, because it checks automatically for me and makes a noise every time I get one.

My cohort is way bigger but classes are about the same size as what you said above. I go to a "medium-sized" school. So most people in the US do not have it that good!

I'm in the same situation. I don't need the info yet so I figure I will just wait and see if it comes on its own before, say, March. If not, I will ask--I think by that point it is perfectly appropriate to ask.

Thank you for saying that. I am looking for the perfect combination of 1) non-competitive non-angst and 2) having the slightest chance of finding a nice job (in CA) when I graduate!

Feelings are feelings! It's just not okay to act on your hateful feelings. :twisted:

Congrats to all of you!! Looks like an ASU interview invite too. Dang...so jealous of you guys

Well, I got in to a top-50 school, and I might go there, so...

MK, congrats on your acceptance first of all!!! I was a little surprised by some of the responses to this thread, since I'm in a similar situation, so I asked some current grad students and profs I know for advice. What they said was that I shouldn't worry about seeming uninterested. If I really don't have any questions, there is no need to be in touch before then. I am planning to get my questions about her mentoring style etc. answered when I see her and her students in person. One relevant detail: the program that accepted me has a visit weekend in about 6 weeks, and I said I'd go to that. Do you have plans to visit the campus? Since I already told the prof I would visit, we have concrete plans to communicate again in the future, so I just don't need any other info from her right now. Definitely, definitely respond to his email if you haven't already, but you shouldn't feel pressured to keep up a conversation if there is nothing you want to know about right now.

HA. Ditto. I don't believe that 2%...I have reason to expect that a couple of my programs will notify this week. Yay!!

I'm so glad there are people like you, to at least start to balance out the demand for warm and season-less places from people like me!

T, what I've heard is that young professors can make very good mentors because they're just out of grad school themselves and have the energy to get you involved in their work. They are also very motivated to do research and publish actively, because they still need to expand their CV in order to get tenure. On the down side, they might be busier/more stressed out, and they are also more likely to move while you are still in the program...so the important thing is to build a connection with a more senior person so that you will still have a place in the program even if your advisor ends up moving. This totally has nothing to do with the original topic you posted about, sorry...

I don't think you are being neurotic! The advice I got when I was trying to decide where to apply was, "Don't bother applying anywhere there is NO chance you will want to go. Otherwise, apply to as many places as possible." I plan to use the same philosophy to guide my decisions about where to visit/interview. Third place is pretty high on the list to just give up on without visiting. The question is really whether it's worth $300 to you, no? It sounds like you are pretty sure you would like to visit if it were free/convenient, but you are unsure how to weigh the costs and benefits...correct me if I'm wrong...

I think you should withdraw your app. You can imagine how happy someone who would otherwise have been waitlisted would be if there were now space to accept them because you withdrew! Congratulations, by the way!!

A few first-year PhD student friends who were extremely successful in last year's admissions cycle showed me their SsOP, and they were 1 - 2.5 pages. So I think you're fine!

Yeah. I think that's a different situation, but someone else asked about initials...

I vote no. I know a lot of professors who do this and I think it's just because they don't want to think about it. I mean, really...think forward to when you're done with your PhD. Won't it be at least a tiny bit weird to start signing emails "Dr. X"? I think that might push some profs to use initials or even their first name when signing emails, even with students they still expect to use their last name.

I have heard both--that you are on a waitlist, or that you have been rejected and they just aren't letting you know. I think people here tend to say that no news is better than rejection news (maybe just probabilistically?).

Here are some other things I'm planning to look for: 1. Is my advisor (aside from being smart and a good research fit) a good advisor? Does s/he care about mentoring as well as just getting his/her name on publications? This is SO important--a bad advising relationship can really make your life miserable. I speak from experience. 2. Are the students supportive of each other, or are they more competitive? This is actually something a prof who was interviewing me brought up! She said she went to a school where the students were supportive of each other, but it was basically an accident, because she didn't think about it when she was choosing a school. But apparently it really varies from program to program. 3. What is the rest of the department like? For example, while I am not interested in quantitative psychology per se, I would like to go someplace where there are knowledgeable quantitative folks around who can explain things to me, and where I may be able to get a minor in stats or something like that. 4. Is there any weird political issue or split among the faculty? In some departments these things happen. I think I'd just like to know beforehand. 5. Since my interests are somewhat interdisciplinary, will I be able to stay in touch with both of the research communities where I might want to look for jobs after I graduate?

Good point. Mine is connected to my undergrad institution and I have been a research assistant there for two years, so in my case, I think I really know. But this is admittedly a special case.

If you're not sure, you can always try to avoid it altogether. If you are emailing back and forth, you could start emails without any particular address, just to stay on the safe side...as in: Hi, Blah blah blah A little weird maybe, but some people write emails like that anyway, and it makes me feel better when I'm not sure what else to do. For example, I have been working as a research assistant for a professor in my field who is also a family friend. She signs emails with her first name, but since she never told me I could call her by her first name, and at the same time I would feel weird calling her Professor, I just avoid it as much as possible.

I have heard of some people emailing after April 15th if they haven't heard anything yet, but before then, I agree with other posters, I wouldn't do it.