habanero

After I began to get single negative downvotes on random old posts ( etc). I dropped around ~10 positive votes in 1 day without posting any new information. Many of the downvotes have been on highly-rated old posts in very inactive threads. I, of course, don't mind people expressing their opinions--but I don't feel like that is the case here. Right after the linked thread ended, the negative user began voting down all of my new comments obsessively. I spoke to a mod, but they said that they were unable to do anything about it. I stopped caring, but I can't ignore it after logging in today and seeing that the user has gone so far back. I've tried hard to be a positive member of this forum, but it is impossible when a user is systematically stalking my posts. It's taking an emotional toll on me. It might be silly to want to rack up positive votes on an internet forum, but I don't care. If this kind of behavior were going on in real life, I'd be getting a restraining order.


To the rest of the awesome posters on here: thanks for everything. Best of luck in graduate school! Don't say anything to make that user upset, or they might do the same thing to you.

You could always volunteer 10 hours per week in a lab if you have no other options. Most professors would be glad to have the help.

After I began to get single negative downvotes on random old posts ( etc). I dropped around ~10 positive votes in 1 day without posting any new information. Many of the downvotes have been on highly-rated old posts in very inactive threads. I, of course, don't mind people expressing their opinions--but I don't feel like that is the case here. Right after the linked thread ended, the negative user began voting down all of my new comments obsessively. I spoke to a mod, but they said that they were unable to do anything about it. I stopped caring, but I can't ignore it after logging in today and seeing that the user has gone so far back. I've tried hard to be a positive member of this forum, but it is impossible when a user is systematically stalking my posts. It's taking an emotional toll on me. It might be silly to want to rack up positive votes on an internet forum, but I don't care. If this kind of behavior were going on in real life, I'd be getting a restraining order.


To the rest of the awesome posters on here: thanks for everything. Best of luck in graduate school! Don't say anything to make that user upset, or they might do the same thing to you.

GATech already had their recruitment weekend for PhD prospectives. I don't know about UMich, unfortunately.

ANDS!: I am sure you mean well, but many of your posts seem to have a severely negative tone. I was drawn to TheGradCafe.com for the supportive and positive environment. I think that many other posters feel the same way about this forum. In the future, I would prefer that you refrain from responding to my posts if you cannot be cordial.

So its nearing the end of February and still...no word. My application status still reads as "under review." So I've gotta ask...is there any chance that I could still hear something in the first two weeks of March? I know panicking is sort of the standard around here and my case isn't exactly special...but I'd love to hear something from anyone who knows. Regardless of whether the words are a mercy killing or words of encouragement, I'll take anything at this point. UCI kids or people who have received acceptance here before please help me out!

@Sigaba

Wow... I am sorry. I really do not mean to seem pompous or thump my chest at anyone. It was a genuinely confusing thing to happen, and I turned to this forum for answers.

I understand how miserable this whole process is and I genuinely appreciate people's responses to my question. If anything, I wish Columbia would hurry up so that I can give my responses to Harvard + UPenn so that they can potentially get people off their respective wait lists.

I will not be contacting BU, because I can only imagine how busy their Admissions Office is at this time, and I think they have more important things to do than to try to explain to me why they rejected me.

Thanks for all your responses, I apologize if I've offended anyone by seeming pompous (it really was not my intention). Case closed.

sick brags all around in this thread

Pompous thread.

Let's hope your cousin does not stumble upon this thread.

Did you get into NYU social psych? If so, I will see you there! Personally, I'd rather get married after grad school... Who can be ready at such a young age? Not me!

What was the email? I was in a very similar position. My first email simply asked if the rec could write me a letter. The second email was around 4 paragraphs long and detailed why I wanted the letter and the research I'd done for the prof. It got a response within a day. I'd wait a little bit, but make your second email very formal and act very professional when asking.

I took the exam on the 19th of September (so after you did) and my scores were bounded by 800 (V 740-800 and Q 730-800 blechhhhh). Maybe some exams are more experimental! It's possible that some students got an exam that ETS was more 'sure' of and others got material that was far more 'experimental'.


Um, I should stop trying to crack the GRE scores! Endlessly poring over the same info probably won't help me....hahaha!

Don't feel bad! You can improve your scores with practice. Re-register for the GRE and study a lot under similar conditions. Take many timed practice exams. You will be able to do it!!! The pressure is now off, anyways--you scored below what you wanted and the world didn't end! You will be fine. Programs are fine with taking the GRE more than once. Additionally, they KNOW that those who are taking the new exam are at a disadvantage. I have faith in you!

@ThePoorHangedFool, I don't think she was trying to gloat. She said that she didn't know much about the GRE.

Congratulations on your excellent verbal score! I am sure that your Q is fine for most programs you'd want to go to!

Yeah, it seems that the people who would study hard probably self-select for forum posting!

I've always been 'the baby' and got my undergrad degree at 19. I totally understand your fear, but you will be a novelty. People aren't going to be envious of you unless they are very shallow and petty. Please enjoy yourself! You will do well. Make sure to get some friends your own age lest you become too serious! haha

No difference. American employers don't differentiate between the two if you do very well during your time there, especially since both programs are comparably decent. Choose the one which offers the better financial package.

Bats, don't think of it like that! Maybe you have been placed on the waiting list, or maybe they have not even gotten to your application yet! Perhaps they have just offered spots to those who they already knew would be getting in (i.e. those who had already worked with the professors or those who came with funding)!!! Don't lose hope until May. Some schools are just very slow with the whole process.

A little less than the other schools, maybe, but it did mesh.



Thanks for the support and sweet words, y'all. I apologize for the wallowing post.

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you are being recommended for admission to the Department of Computer Science










- Master of Science (MS) program at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign beginning with the Fall 2012. With successful completion of the MS program, you can petition and with departmental approval continue on for the PhD program.

Acceptance letters are beginning to make their way to students (as we can see from the survey). Instead of an acceptance, did you get a rejection? How are you holding up?


University of Illinois-UC offered me an unfunded Masters instead of a funded PhD. It was terrible to get the email, particularly because it said that I had been "accepted". Naturally, this is what my eyes gravitated to first. I rapidly fell from extreme elation to intense depression. I'm worried that this is a sign of things to come, and I'm about ready to quit my job and run away to Mexico. It's upsetting that a 330/340 GRE, excellent GPA, and 3 extremely good letters with a year+ of solid research experience isn't even sufficient to get me a spot on the wait list! I certainly always knew that 100% rejection was a possibility, but the prospect of having it become reality isn't exactly pleasant.

STAY STRONG!

So, I accepted a school and it is now final. It was my dream school, but I also got accepted to a few other top schools. My mind has been racing--is it the right decision? I mean, I know that it is (otherwise it wouldn't have been my dream in the first place), but when does this feeling of "OMG THIS IS MY TERMINAL DEGREE DID I DO THE RIGHT THING" go away?

Durham is not boring (ok, compared to being near San Fran, nearly ANYTHING will seem boring...haha), and Duke is a great school. I would take the money and go to Duke. Do you really want to be working 20 hours a week if you don't need to be?


I guess it depends on just how much better Berkeley is. Please, do you have any other information?

Go by which department is a better fit. You couldn't go wrong with either school.