coonskee

Then go for the job - you'll be able to save a bit more money for a PhD program, if you get in, as well

Exactly. Good luck!

Why don't you just email the DGS and ask for an extension on the decision? Say you're relaly interested in their offer, but waiting on notification from other schools and want to make the most informed decision you can.

I've heard about schools sending overnight FedEx packages with decisions, so maybe? Fingers crossed for you!

There's a lot of debate around whether you should send thank-you notes - I'm definitely in the pro camp; it shows you care about the program and appreciate the time of those interviewing you/helping you with the process. In terms of reading papers, it doesn't seem so much a formality as a good investment of your time. You want to be as prepared as possible for your interviews, right? And if you have read papers, then it seems wise to indicate that you have taken an active interest in the PI's research. You don't HAVE to, but doing so will only reflect well on you Past that, I'd say regular formalities apply - your pleases and thank-yous, being polite to EVERYONE, not getting too drunk in front of profs, etc.

Same with CU integrated bio - interviewing 65-70 people for 30-35 admissions, with interviews also fully funded. But other programs have post-interview acceptance rates of almost 100%, and the one you mention sounds like it could be one of those

Sounds like my mom when I was applying for undergrad -- I found ou I'd gotten into Columbia U (my dream school)-- I opened the site, screamed, ran out of my room saying "I GOT IN!!!!!!!!" -- her response: "oh." parents are great

I'm quitting my current lab in June/July (can't decide which yet - need to balance how much I need money with how much I want a break!), and going to spend the summer casually reading through some POIs' research (the program I'm going to attend does rotations), plus doing a lot of non-science-related reading, since I know I won't have a whole lot of time to do so once I'm living in a lab.

Another way to spin it: If he's already written two letters for you, the third will be easy! He'll be able to refer back to the other two for the "backbone" of the letter, and then tack on a paragraph or whatever about your next accomplishment. Don't worry about it - as long as you get along well, he's not going to stop wanting to write a letter for you. Unless you kill his firstborn child or something in the meantime. You might have some trouble then.

Because you're getting such mixed messages (school email vs GA), I'd say that you ought to treat it as a glitch. Not saying you didn't get in, but there's no point in getting your hopes up, just in case. You'll get a status update soon - just try to breathe!

And I'd do something completely different I agree with the above that your extended family... well, they kind of seem like a bunch of jerks (sorry). But I'd go a different route - I'd kill them with kindness. If you go to the wedding and they make comments about what you earn, don't get upset - smile and respond casually. The most elegant thing to do? Turn it around on them without appearing to do so! "Gosh, you make so little money compared to everyone! " "Yes, I suppose I do - but I'm good enough that I'm being paid to get my degree, so I can't complain too much! " And if you can slip in some long, academic word that they certainly won't understand (like Sarahmarie suggested) - well, that won't hurt either Don't be snide, or snappy - because nothing will annoy them more than you not giving a sh*t what they think. And you won't be the cause of a rift in the family - it'll be on them, and they'll know it. Just my two cents

The plus side: at least you actually managed to have a conversation with them first instead of just sitting breathing into the phone like a psychopath serial killer!

The one that killed me every time I checked the application website for my program was "The application deadline has now passed," which made me panic and think I hadn't actually submitted the app every time I checked the website, even though I knew my application had been submitted and was complete.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm officially freaking out on the inside that this will happen to me too.

I don't really see why you would be panicking so much over this Seems pretty clear-cut to me! I was also in the same boat of "I-got-an-unofficial-acceptance-and-I-can't-quite-believe-it"; my advice: don't break out the champagne till you get the official letter, but stop stressin gout.

I want updates on fes_alum's story! Have you gotten word back? I hope you got in!

I think you've done all you can do. I've been told that, if a university is your first choice, you should state that explicitly and say that you would definitely attend if offered a place; however, since you already sent a letter of continued interest, I wouldn't send anything else, unless you get a fancy achievement in the meantime (e.g. a paper of yours get published, or you earn a pertinent prize at school, or something). If anything, I'd say wait until mid- to end of March to write them again saying you're still very much interested. It's good to be aggressive, but not good to be annoying!

Email hte prof once more today, and if you don't hear anything by monday, email the recruitment office, imho

When I interviewed at my program, I was given the following advice from several professors (including the director of the program!): tell people it's your top choice. You can email the director of the program, for example, and tell him flat out that, if they give you an offer, you will definitely accept it. It won't guarantee you entry, but it might bump you up a little higher on their list. That being said, obviously don't lie just to get the admit - that'll burn you some bridges if you end up declining the offer.

I'm so sorry for your father - he's in my thoughts and prayers. I wouldn't mention it explicitly to interviewers, but if you may be stepping out for calls, I would advise you to tell the graduate secretary person, so she can pass on the information to your interviewer(s) before you get there, maybe?

I carried a nice leather folder with my notes, a notepad, and my CV in it to my interviews (one afternoon in a weekend-long event). Nobody needed to see my CV, but I liked having it there just in case (be prepared!). I left the folder in the hotel room for the rest of the weekend, though - no need lugging it around for non-interview events!

TO add to that, I've heard that one shouldn't go to a school for one POI alone - if things don't work out, and there's no one else in the dept whose work you're interested in, you're kind of screwed. So yes, be transparent, and keep your options open!

When I interviewed at CU Integrated, a prof told me that the general breakdown is they accept 25% off the bat, reject 25% off the bat, and the rest are put in purgatory and they slowly go through the list at whatever rate. I presume that this means that if they see an abnormally high rate of immediate acceptances, then they might accept off the waitlist slower; if they aren't getting any yeses and/or are getting lots of nos, they might power through the waitlist a bit faster. I do know the director of the program said that they never send out all their acceptances at once, because they're aiming for a class of 8-12 - if they send out 30 acceptances all at one and over half of the people end up saying yes, they're kind of screwed in terms of funding etc. Also, the breakdown for my program was: between 60-70 being interviewed; expecting to send out 30ish acceptances for a class of 8-12.

Yes, I was. Sorry, should've been more clear in why I said that - I guess what I meant to say is that, since CU sees the use of a powerpoint as a crutch in the qual exam process (hence the need for a chalk talk), i figured that some interviewers (regardless of school) might see the use of powerpoint slides in an interview as a crutch, like you don't know your research well enough to just straight talk about it. Please let that make sense.

This has nothing to do with your post content, but I've seen you post dozens of times, and never looked at your picture with more than a glance. I have thought it was a picture of something that looks like Jar Jar Binks every single time you posted. I only just realized it's a cat. Perhaps I shouldn't be getting a PhD.... </off-topic>