NoMoreABD

umm... it does. But on the same page it says pretty clear that it's someone else. If you get to the program page from the school's menu, you get one thing (one program director and one paragraph about the program). If you click the tag saying PhD Urban Planning you get a different program page, with a different director and a different paragraph.

Look at this web page of Columbia. Who's the director of the PhD program in Urban Planning?! http://www.arch.columbia.edu/tags/phd-program-urban-planning This is actually one of the worst websites I've seen, for many reasons. Kind of disappointing, I mean, this is Columbia after all...

I found this instruction on Berkeley's architecture PhD admissions: Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) instead of the GRE. Domestic applicants may take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). There is no minimum required score. I am applying to 11 programs and this is the first time I see this, but I might have missed something, being flooded with info. Anyway, as an international student, I have taken both tests and now I am not sure whether to report my GRE scores to Berkeley. What do you think?

Due to public demand, this is a new thread for a new application season. So come on - bring all your anxiety and impatience here! Some UBC programs have a Dec 1st deadline. Anyone else started their wait already?

Here's my own experience: I know it's always best to start as soon as possible in order to establish a real dialogue. But sometimes you aren't really available and I think its worth to wait until you have time to find a good match. I started contacting POIs in August, and it has been a rather good experience. Most of them replied immediately. I waited until I had a good idea of what I'm going to write in my SOP, and I was also waiting to start a volunteering project I wanted to tell them about. It was worth it, because my emails had better contents than if I started sending them sooner. Eventually I got some very enthusiastic responses (hmm... we'll see how successful this process was only when I start getting answers on my apps ) So I guess, like everything else, it requires balance. Do it early, but don't hurry. If you need to wait to have something more substantial to base the relationship on, then it's worth waiting.

Hey all, So, this year I'm doing it a bit differently: I'm not just applying to 3 universities, with programs offering funding for only one international student... I'm increasing my chances, and I did find more programs that fit my research very well. I'm applying to 11 universities, including a couple I don't know much about, except of course for the specific program and faculty which is the reason for my applying there. Can anyone offer any tips or info on studying, and generally living as a PhD student (with a same-sex partner, I should probably mention) in any of these campuses or the cities they're in? UC Irvine Clemson, SC ASU (Tempe, AZ) Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks

Applying to 11 programs, paying international student application fee, sending GRE and TOEFL scores, ordering transcripts and sending them overseas: somewhere around 1,200$. Good thing my parents look at my PhD as an investment... j/k

I am also re-applying this year. Last year I applied for 3 schools. One of them said I was a very close second place. thanks... very helpful... At least it gave me some hope for this year and affirmation that I do know what I'm doing, more or less. This time I'm applying to 11 programs, hoping to get better results... I'd like to take this opportunity and wish everyone good luck! Let's hope this year is our year, we sure worked hard enough for it!

yes, that's what I thought. thank you guys!

Hey all, So this Berkeley professor has read my statement for PhD and liked it, and (after previously stating I'd be a good fit to the program) emailed me "let's meet to discuss this". Now, as he should know by now, I am on the other side of the globe... Assuming he doesn't expect me to fly to the West Coast before I even apply, is it ok if I suggest that we skype? Not sure how to respond to this... Any thoughts?

Hello there fellow applicants. So, I'm starting the process (again) for fall 2012. I sent a bunch of short introductory emails with a link to an article I published and my CV. It only stated my specific interest area and some info about me, didn't include any elaborate text on my proposed research. Anyway, one of the professors I contacted, asking whether he'll be interested in working with me, has replied that he wants to have a phone conversation, and offered two possible dates. Since it's such an early stage, it seems a little weird - isn't it? I have no idea what we're gonna talk about and how to prepare for this. I guess he'll want to hear what I plan to research, to see if it fits well to what he's working on. I'd appreciate any advice. I have a few days to get ready and I have no idea what the conversation is going to be about. Also, I've never talked on the phone with a professor from overseas whom I wish to work with, so any advice on "phone etiquette" :-) would be highly appreciated... Thanks! and.... I guess this post marks the beginning of the application season for me. Good luck to all of us!

Well, that's the end of the line for me - at least for now. Got an email saying that their efforts to "squeeze" me in have failed, and that I was a very close second, and that they encourage me to re-apply next year. Then another email from the Dean also encouraging me to re-apply. I will now turn to my plan B, with some job offers awaiting my decision. And I am definitely applying again next year! Until then - best of luck for all.

OK, now I am officially being TORTURED by this program: So after sending all these emails, and after not getting any response to the last email in which I asked about my status on the wait list, I sent yet another email stating (very politely) that I really need to know. And here's the response from the PhD Program Coordinator: "I have been holding off responding pending a final clarification from our Associate Dean. In principle, our quota for international students is filled, but there is a very small chance for more 'room'. I hope to have this confirmed shortly" I am now going to write once again to the Dean who's also my POI, just to make sure they're all on the same page over there. I can't believe this is not over yet!

Congrats! I'm happy for you. ...Meanwhile, it has been a week since I sent the last email to the program coordinator, asking about my status on the wait list - and I didn't even get a response! I am so beyond freaked out. They didn't even bother to reply to my email! Very soon I will need to commit to my plan B (already got two job offers awaiting my reply), and I feel completely lost and out of my mind.

Yes, York. Congrats! I contacted the Dean (my POI), who referred me to the Graduate Programs Recruiting and Liaison Officer, who told me I'm wait listed and referred me to the PhD Program Coordinator - who's in charge of the wait list - in case I had any questions. I might take your advice, or maybe contact both. Thanks!

bumping. Over 3 weeks since I was wait listed. No ranking, no time frame, nothing. All they gave me was the email of the PhD Program Coordinator. Do I contact them again? What do I ask? I just want to know they didn't forget about me, and how much longer do I have to wait for the final decision.

last call

Good luck. Let us know how it goes. I'm contemplating contacting the professor who's "responsible for the waiting list" (what does that even mean?!) and ask for a time line. It's been two weeks since they told me I'm wait listed.

final countdown

Why are they so bad in providing information? It took me forever to find out I'm waitlisted, and even now I have no idea if it's ranked, or - more importantly - when will they decide. Why can't they give a time frame?

I was wait listed for York U and only found out about it after emailing the program twice to check my status. They said nothing about whether it's ranked or where am I on the list... And - Nothing on when they expect to have final decisions. The email came on April 18. I guess there's still a long period of uncertainty for me to bare before I receive my rejection... Sorry, didn't mean to spoil the good mood of this thread! You guys give me some hope

OK, so apparently I'm not rejected yet . I am officially on a wait list for York. It took two emails and the help of a POI, but that's the response I got 4 days ago (I was on a trip and just saw the email today). Don't know how many people on the list, whether it's ranked, or when they expect to decide. I got the name of the Program Coordinator who's responsible for the list, and the POI is the Dean. Any suggestions on what to do next, if anything at all?

train ticket

mass production

Bad news for me - contacted a POI and got an informal rejection: "Hi [Foreign Guy], I haven't heard the results, but thought that the process for Fall 2011 had been completed. I am (or was) looking forward to working with you, as well. I've copied [Graduate students coordinator] so that she can give us a definitive response." Well, at least now I can go on with my life... Good luck to you all!