coonskee

I had a very similar experience. We were also told to fly in Thursday afternoon-evening (check-in was starting 3pm if I recall correctly). I spent the evening studying and talking to my roommate, who was freaking awesome. Everyone was two to a room, and roommates were always of the same sex. Friday, we had a breakfast-cum-information-session led by the program director with presentations by some faculty members. This was followed by a campus tour and tour of student housing, then lunch with grad students, then four back-to-back, half-hour interviews. Interviews were quite relaxed (in my case), and I really hit it off with one of the faculty members - I'm so excited about his research! We had a little time off to go back to the hotel and relax, and then we had dinner with a bunch of current students and faculty, which was really fun. We were invited to go out drinking afterwards, but there was absolutely no pressure (my roommate and I had been up since about 6am that day, and at 10pm we were already passing out ). Saturday, we had a brunch with current grad students and a smattering of faculty, then we got to run around the city together. After that, we had dinner with students, a show, and then went out and partied (though the last part was obviously not mandatory). In case it's not clear: Saturday was pretty much only prospies and current students, which was really nice. Sunday had nothing at all, so we just checked out and went home willy-nilly (which was the only awkward part about the weekend for me - I drunkenly said bye to everyone I'd met on Saturday night, but I wish I'd seen more people on Sunday!) I have to agree with the fact that the entire event was REALLY friendly and it didn't feel competitive at all - I've actually kept in touch with four of the people I met that weekend! There were approximately 30 of us present, if that helps any.

Disregard this post! Nothing to see here.

Oh that's just cruel!! I bet she's plotting with the University to make it as stressful as possible. Conspiracy theory, anyone?

There was a young wannabe-grad Who thought, "Gosh, my life is so sad! I wake up every day and do nothing but pray That the news today won't be so bad."

See, you'd think it doesn't change... but I checked the survey once before i left for work and once when i got to work and somebody had posted a rejection from the program to which i'm applying! So now I'm even MORE antsy...

I brought my CV just in case for my interview. None of the profs needed it (they had the files on their computer) but I felt better having it just in case!

THat's kind of crappy - why don't they send the rejections for interviews with the acceptances?

Good luck!!

I don't think so Saying "But I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" - yeah, that'll look bad But politely inquiring whether you'll receive further information on who your interviewers will be is totally okay, imho!

I know the AdComm for my school is meeting this week. Blergh!!!

Oh that's awful... i don't know hwy adcoms would think that's a good idea. "Hmm, yes, let's call them and see how long they can hold back tears!"

If s/he doesn't get back to you in time, definitely read up on your POI's stuff, as well as the work of two or three Profs in related fields, I think. Good luck!!

That sounds just cruel for the four that didn't get accepted... I hope they don't know those stats. Got an email from a POI at my dream school (/the only school I applied this season) "Don’t worry, preserve those nails, I can’t officially say you are in, but.... You are in a really good place with very strong support! " I'm half squeeeeeeeeeeee-ing on the inside, and half worrying it's some cruel jape to get my hopes up only to crush them with a cruel rejection letter. Like, "Yeah, you were so close, but in the end we decided not to take you. Sorry. Lulz."

Sounds professional, small style irk: "I received your letter concerning the program yesterday and I very much appreciate the acceptance into the program." YOu have program twice in one sentence which has always been a personal pet peeve.... Perhaps, "I received your letter yesterday, and I am very grateful/very much appreciate the acceptance into the program" or some such? Sorry, I've grown up correcting my dad's translated business documents - I see a text and I immediately go into "POLISH EVERYTHING" mode.

only 10,000? psh. n00b.

I wonder what this will mean for students applying to college. When I was applying for undergrad, I only chose one place in the US - but I know a lot of people were applying to several, and using the same essay for different universities' applications. I wonder whether this will have any effect on candidates' chances now, since TurnItIn saves the essays that have been uploaded?

Oh my God you just made my day.

Sorry, guess I didn't tell the whole story, and I probably should have used a different tone. I am aware that I'm incredibly fortunate. My frustration is with the fact that she she dubs me as completely freeloading (as in, parents giving me allowance to live off of while I only attend classes, as if I don't actually work my ass off at a lab job for fifty to sixty hours a week). The back story: The woman of whom I'm speaking actually went to law school, graduated, then decided to return to serving because she didn't feel like being a lawyer. She treats her step-dad with little to no respect, even though he's the main breadwinner in the house, and he makes much more than my parents do. She's an incredibly vicious person who talks down to every single one of our family friends (the parents have known each other since they emmigrated from Poland; the children have almost all known each other from birth). A single mother in an unskilled job who's struggling to make ends meet? Hell yes she deserves to question my self-sufficiency, because I know I've had it good. A woman who turned down a very good career path because she preferred the easy life of serving and living at home with as little responsibility as possible? Especially one who tends to talk back to my parents as well?Totally different story. She gets no respect from me. I understand why you'd misinterpret what I'm saying, since I gave no indication of back story Lesson learned for next time!

I'd say email him today in the evening. That way, you've given him ample time to contact you in case he got busy,but you won't seem like you don't care enough to pursue the thing.

Yes. Hahahah. "Yeah, I KNOW they said they definitely won't send any results before next Monday, but what if they changed their minds?" *refresh*

I went to a weekend like this last month (feels weird to say that about January haha). One day of interviews, plus breakfasts, lunches, dinners; one day of exploring the city and being entertained. It's really, really fun, but it's still an interview weekend. Every program is different; some accept almost all the students they invite to these things, some less than half. That means you have to be polite and engaged - don't walk in there assuming you're accepted already. Definitely read up on the faculty you've indicated you're interested in working with - show them you're into the program! It's a really strange (and really fun!) balance of you showing them how awesome you are, and them showing you how awesome they are.

Guess some dedicated gradcafe-ers will have to submit a dummy application and see!

Troll all the grad students! I would have thought more that the inside would say "In order to accept you to this program, we need you to fulfil this one last [Herculean] task in the next week. Thanks!"

"So that our hearts can explode! \o/" Um, main one: "Will this be on the final?"

Mayan riviera