[CMU ECE PhD]

Hi,

I hadn't got ANY information from CMU about my PhD ECE application for Fall 2009. I emailed apps@ece.cmu.edu and got this response.. I think it is a polite reject.

From: Apps ECE

To: Karthik Ramgopal

Date: Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 3:45 AM

Subject: RE: Regarding ECE PhD application

Mailed-by: ece.cmu.edu

hide details Mar 31 (2 days ago) Reply

Hello,

We are truly sorry but it is unlikely that you will be accepted to our graduate program at this point, even though the faculty will continue to make a few decisions until the end of this week. If you have offers from other universities, we do encourage you to pursue them. We have had a considerable number of exceptional students like yourself but the department's resources and physical facilities impose limitations for the number of students who can be admitted.

Thank you for your interest in Carnegie Mellon University, and we wish you good luck in your future educational endeavors.

Lynne Smith

From: Karthik Ramgopal [mailto]

Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 10:42 PM

To: apps@ece.cmu.edu

Subject: Regarding ECE PhD application

- Hide quoted text -

Sir/Madam,

I am an applicant to the PhD program in ECE for the Fall 2009 session at CMU. I have not yet received any information from the department about the decision on my admission. Could you please let me know that by when the department is expected to announce it's decisions.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

Karthik Ramgopal

E-Mail: karthikrg.bits@gmail.com

Undergraduate degree (in progress): BE (Hons.), Computer Science and Engineering, BITS Pilani, India

I am posting this for the benefit of people who haven't yet heard from CMU.

[MSCS (no aid): Stan Vs Purdue Vs Wisc Mad]

What's your focus area? Like for Computer Arch. , Wisc is pretty good, and for systems Stan is the place to go.. thats what people say

[Wisconsin Madison Vs Michigan Ann Arbor Comp. Arch]

Well the title says it all. I have admits to PhD CS at Wisconsin Madison and MS CSE at Michigan Ann Arbor. No financial aid in both places. Which would be a better university for computer architecture wrt research? Even at UMich. most probably I'll end up pursuing a PhD post the MS.

Regards,

Karthik

[CMU ECE PhD]

I am an international applicant to the PhD program in ECE at CMU. I had't got anything from them till March beginning(not even a confirmation mail saying my application was received and they were processing it), so i mailed the graduate admissions co-ordinator. She responded back saying that i should get my decision by the end of March. I however, havent heard back from them. Did anyone here receive some info about their admissions to PhD ECE@CMU?

[Wisconsin Madison PhD CS Fall 2009]

I got the same and what seems to be the problem is that even if you find RA position, nobody garantees that you will continue to receive funding during all your studies.

For example, UIUC provides guaranteed funding for 5 years. If you get RA and professor's money run out, you will receive TA. I'm not so confident in case of wisc-mad

I have asked my college seniors, who are presently studying in Wisconsin Madison, and they said that once you get funded, it is only in the rarest of the rare cases that the funding is withdrawn. (Say you don't work properly or something similar) Otherwise the prof looks at your estimated years of study before taking a decision to fund you. At least this is the info I got.

[Wisconsin Madison PhD CS Fall 2009]

Hi,

I got an admit to the PhD CS program for the Fall 2009 session from the University of Wisconsin Madison yesterday by email. This is one of my dream univs and is well known for research in my area of interest (Computer Architecture). The mail however said that they were "unable to guarantee financial aid for me at the moment". I have also been strongly encouraged to mail professors there to ask about open RA positions (They said that as of now they have no TA vacancies). Being a student from india, it is impossible for me to even think about studying here without aid.. so I plan to mail professors and ask for aid.. Any pointers on what exactly should be included in the mail? I mean I should sound interested at the same time shouldn't sound desperate.. right?

This is just wishful thinking,.. but could the detailed mail which arrives later contain some funding information? I mean PhD is usually funded.. this is the 1st time I have personally heard of a PhD admit without funding.. Thanx

Regards,

Karthik