smt

wow, everyone disappeared. I don't really know that much about how to rank some of these programs, but I think U of T is considered an excellent program in Geography. It's probably the second best in Canada and would likely be considered in the peer group of most top tier Geography programs in the US or UK as well. Perhaps others would disagree with that assesment, but I think you have found yourself in a very good program. Congrats!

Thanks! I am excited and grateful. I only wish I was closer to some really big mountains... Who knows what really happened during my visits? I learned a lot in the process and I would do a lot of things different if I had to do it again. Visits seem to be highly encouraged, but if there is some bitterness in my tone it is only because I think sometimes professors don't respect the sacrifice of time and money that a visit requires. I know people are busy, but in some cases I thought that by reading the email that I spent hours writing someone may have saved me the trip. Instead, in some cases, I was encouraged to visit and THEN told that the prof was going in a different direction or just flat out ignored when I got there. I could definitely use some of those hundreds of dollars and weeks of my life back.

Ah, nevermind. I got an official rejection letter from UBC in the mail...which was sent out before they sent me that ambiguous email. So, speaking of why they couldn't just be straight about what the answer was instead of being all confusing... So, it's official, I will be at Rutgers next year. I feel fortunate to have gotten an offer with funding in this economy. But I don't understand how it was that I spent weeks reading mountains of the papers that certain professors wrote so that I could send out really smart sounding email introductions, and then went and visited four schools, and sending thank yous and corresponding with folks a lot only to have all four of those schools reject me and to have the two that I never even contacted accept me with offers. Go figure :? I guess maybe visiting isn't really all that important.

Yeah, I heard...: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17229 It doesn't seem hopeful.

I have one really great offer that stands above all the rest and I will likely take it. But I am still waiting to hear from one school and it happens to be my top choice. So, I finally emailed the grad sec at my top choice to see when I could expect to hear something and she replies: Our Grad Admissions Committee has made their decision on the first round of offers. Unfortunately, you were not among the candidates; however, we are waiting to hear back from the students and should we have additional funding, we will revisit our candidates and make a second round of offers based on these resources. If you have offers from other schools, it may be in your best interest to take those considerations into priority. So, it's not a waitlist...it's not a rejection...no dates...no indication of where I might be on the "second round list"... So what the heck IS it? Does this mean that I shouldn't expect to hear before April 15th? Does $150 and a flight across the country not even buy you a proper and timely rejection anymore? What should I do? Just give up? Ask for an ext from the school that is making me a great offer? Take the offer and break the commitment if I hear good news from my top choice? That last one seems really bad. I really have no idea what I should do with this one? Any thoughts?

Ok, I couldn't stay away till the first... I guess no one wants to talk about Vegas, Hal. :| I won't be going either since I'll still be in the field a few thousand miles away. Was that you that got into AZ? Whoever it was, congrats...it's a great program and I knew it would be tough getting in this year. Is anyone else still waiting to hear from half the schools they applied to?

Ah, screw it...I'm just gonna check back April 1st and see what awaits me. I've got travelling and work to do.

Oh, and Hal, Did you ever hear anything from Georgia about funding? Did anyone else?

Might I ask from where did your great offers come? My new theory about the U of A waiting game is that the person who posted received notice by email and was an International student. Perhaps they post mail folks in the country and email the rest. If it gets you through the day without checking your email every 10 minutes, I say it's a good theory.

I guess that could mean good news from UW. Now I see someone was accepted to U of A and I also didn't hear anything. This could all just mean that I have a last name towards the end of the alphabet.

Well, UW is quarter system too...but maybe they feel like they have to get into it sooner to compete for top students that are sure to already be contemplating their acceptences elsewhere. But I haven't heard a peep from UW. Who knows? Maybe there really is ZERO method to this madness!

There was that notice that someone had been accepted at UIUC a few weeks ago. It's weird if they make their PhD and Masters decisions so far apart, though. Or maybe that's normal. Still, seems like the committee should have met already.

I heard from Rutgers yesterday. I was accepted and they made a really nice offer with four years of funding. It's exciting news.

Yes, I did mean U of Arizona. Good to know they will be on the later side. When I went out to visit, they said that they would be accepting very few students this year...like 5 or 6. I really liked it there, but those seem like some tough odds.

Hey, I thought I would start this year's stuff. I noticed that I was the second to post that I had been admitted to UGA. I also applied to UW, UBC, UNC, UofA, and Rutgers, but haven't heard from them. Anyone got news? I'm getting excited.