hobokennojokin

So fellow rice visitors.. What'd you all think?

2 or 3 weeks?!?!?!? THIS IS MADNESS! two to three weeks it is.

To an extent, I feel the same way. Having gotten rejected across the board last year, it seems surreal that only a year later I will have the opportunity to choose from two great programs to pursue a Ph.D. in a discipline I love. That said, it almost seems like the nervous paranoia that surrounded getting into grad school has now subtly been replaced with the paranoia of doing well in grad school. I feel like I've spent every last minute since hearing of acceptances pouring into my reading and trying to be as fully prepared as possible. But still, feels better than absolute uncertainty

Richard Florida has written some works that might get at some of what your interested in. Has some interesting theories on creative class and urban regeneration.

Seconded! Also very curious as to what's going on with Harvard.

@thisslum: thanks for the post! I'll be sure to take note of those many good points.

This thread has really taken an interesting turn! While we're here, maybe you guys can help me with a breakdown of two schools I am considering-- Indiana and Duke. My interests currently lie broadly in stratification, with interests in race, education, and urban. Again though, I see myself as open to flexibility. Any thoughts?

@rising_star: I think you're completely right about displaying the capacity form sound research questions. I was thinking specifically of being careful not to get so so very specific, especially if the particular niche you want to study fits well with a few, or even just one faculty member in the department. Who knows if that professor's research interests have moved on? Either way, the way I would play it would be just like you said, to mention a general subfield and then list possible research interests you may be interested in pursuing.

My take on this is that contacting POI's is a double edged sword. If you strike a chord with a certain professor, certainly that works in your favor. But I also get the feeling that these types of exchanges run the risk of "putting yourself in a box." I think it's a danger for junior scholars to be too specific with their research interests because research interests change all the time, especially for those of us who have yet to gain exposure at the graduate level (this may be a bit different for applicants w/ their MA). Just my two cents.

I think Plan B's matter here too.. fortunately for me I had a good back-up plan of doing another year for the current fellowship that I'm on. Pushing back grad school another year would have been painfui, but it would have allowed me to gain another year of research experience and possibly get a CV started with a publication or two. All this considered, I took a shot at "murderers row" and applied to all top 20 schools. Definitely risky, but with the job market these days, I think definitely justified.

From all the positive reviews I've heard about UCLA from both faculty and members of this forum, I wish now that I had applied. That being said, my heart's on the east coast and it would have killed me to be so far. But still.....

Thanks for the clarification guys. This wait is brutal. Penn is the last school I'm absolutely anxious about hearing from. baaaaaaah

Does anyone else's Application Status say "Incomplete" on applyweb? I may be being a bit paranoid here, but just thought i'd double check

I didn't receive an email. I actually glanced at the results survey and saw someone had put up a post. I then neurotically checked and saw my decision hahaha

@giacomo: I suppose that there could be a discussion here about the fungibility of "rankings", but yes, I did get into Indiana and Duke, both of which I am excited about! It's already been stated on this forum but I do think that there is a lot of room for variability when it comes to schools you do and do not get into. My sense is that (to a certain extent) it's a crapshoot really with any of the top 20 schools. Different schools have different criteria, so who knows where one will land. Best of luck to you giacomo!

Ohio State decisions are posted on the website! Unfortunately a rejection for me, but all in all, not too bummed about it. Hope others on this forum fare better!

I wanted to get a sense of which schools people thought were "up and coming", in the sense that in the past 3-5 years they have been producing high quality job placements, doing highly lauded research (and by virtue publications), have young productive faculty, etc. The schools I have heard this most about from both faculty and other graduate students are NYU, UT-Austin, and Notre Dame (positioned to make a push into top 25). Not my own personal judgment, just what I've heard. I wonder if any of you have also heard this about other schools? If so, which ones? And if anyone wants to venture a guess about which schools are on their way down... well.. I guess that can go here too (anybody this bold!? haha)

Looks like a first wave of acceptances must have indeed gone out. I can only hope to be in the second! Congrats to you both!

I applied to a litany of other schools but after considering "unofficial rejections" (not included in original batch of acceptances) and those no longer in the running, I'd say I'm still waiting to hear from Penn, Princeton, Chicago, Harvard, and Northwestern. My interests lay broadly at the moment within stratification, soc of ed, and urban. How about yourself?

You were spot on! Got my acceptance email just now as well! Whoohoo!

hopefully this means that when we do hear, if it's an acceptance we'll also be able to get funding details at the same time as well. If it's a rejection on the other hand....... That said, it seemed to me like interviews were more of a vetting process to make sure all nothing was seriously out of whack with the applicant. I want to say that most (if not all), interviewees will be accepted. I hope I don't have to eat my words on this one. That will hurt.

Received an email from James Moody today-- March 29th and 30th, airfare and hotel expenses covered. Sweeeeeeet

I imagine we'll receive details in a couple days. I was thinking about calling the department but I figure it's still pretty early. On the other hand, that funding package? "Is this real life?"

Haha I like the idea. And no, I do not. What makes you ask? I'm always up for new music recommendations though.

Time to chalk this up as an unofficial rejection on the big board. Congratulations to those that received good news!