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I don't think so. If it helps, I'm waiting for an email (although I know I already have an offer - applied early and they uploaded a decision letter in November but no email yet).

It can't harm your application - but the only way it will really help is if it's highly relevant to your proposed concentration. The more selective the employer, the better too since this implies you've met their tough hiring criteria.

What's up with the messenger bag / backpack obsession? Am I missing a crucial part of American campus culture here? Other than reward of actually getting to go to graduate school, I'll be getting myself a new computer - but probably once I get out there, since electronics are so much cheaper than here!

Haha, well, I did - although probably didn't need to, figured the £10 + postage was worth the additional peace of mind...if I get in, I'll ask for the spare ones back :-D

Aw man, terrifying. But yeah, thanks for the information :-)

Agree with all of those points! I'm stuck in some sort of an anti-productive stasis at the moment while I wait for the five remaining emails. Actually, it's even more unproductive during the week (when I'm supposed to be productive) at work - I check my personal email far too often because you never know what any single unread item could be... It's quite an adventure though, and adventures are fun so I shouldn't complain!

Are you sure your application was complete? (i.e. all letters submitted etc.) Last year my application to UT Austin was incomplete - because one of my letter writers forgot to submit a letter. They didn't contact me at all, and the status still shows as 'Under Review' - a year later. I didn't receive any acceptance or rejection email.

I think it won't be today. Last year they sent their emails out at (approximately) midnight GMT - it's well past that now and nothing. They may have changed their servers to run on Pacific time but that's unlikely! Another couple of weeks to wait I think :-)

My money's on either tonight or two weeks time (say the 29th). I think there's a slightly higher probability of it being the former - i.e. tonight.

Incidentally, if any of you are bored, this is an interesting insight into the Stanford admissions process: http://jackman.stanford.edu/papers/pa04.pdf I don't know how similar to the CS process it is. This email from the year 2000 is also interesting - http://lindholm.jp/src/chinf_adm.html - suggesting that applicants with NDO courses under their belt have to meet a lower threshold. (No idea if that's still true.)

UW Madison financially support their Master's students - although it's extremely competitive because of this. http://www.cs.wisc.edu/academic-programs/graduate-program

Haha, you're not the only one! I think we'll need some sort of therapy after this whole process is all done and dusted.

So I put your question out to one of my PhD friends there: He didn't know the completion rate - but perhaps you'd be best asking the department directly. I do think it would be easier to get into the PhD program having done the MPhil. An ideal situation would be if your MPhil supervisor is the person you want to supervise your PhD too!

Yeah - you're right. Historically they've given out decisions in mid March and reflected as much on their FAQ page (http://cs.stanford.edu/content/faqs#b12) - so I would assume that they've changed the date and we should take the new date as accurate. Argh. More waiting.

Historically they give out their decisions on the 15th/16th of March - although on their FAQ it says end of March. It's hard to say, although I'm going to be expecting an email this Friday at the earliest! Also your profile looks great - I'm sure you'll have no difficulty getting an offer - but

Supposedly employers consider a Cornell MEng at the same level as any other Master's degree - so from an employment perspective, it is equivalent. The only caveat is that there's no time for an internship - so you pretty much have to apply for jobs straight away (or very soon after you start) - when employers starting doing their campus recruitment rounds. Also, if I'm looking at the right course - the MSE at CMU is software engineering and not computer science? Presumably the two courses have different interests. Which of these do you prefer? Personally I'd pick Cornell - unless you have any particular reason to go for Carnegie Mellon (such as courses that are more relevant or more attractive to your interests).

I should have an interview here in the next few days - has anyone interviewed for the MEng program here? I have very little idea about what to expect - any advice would be gratefully received.

I'd pick UT Austin! Their department is as prestigious and has some great courses - plus the course seems more research focussed. I can't see how that would hurt, even if you are planning to go into industry straight afterwards. The program is considerably more established too. One of the lecturers I've been researching with did his Master's at UT Austin and went on to do a PhD at Cambridge and is now a lecturer in London. He speaks highly of the department.

UCSD looks like it's normally quite late to get back - last year this was around early April. There are only two decisions posted (both accepts) for this year - one of which I'm assuming is rustledjimmies. Both of the decisions listed are from American applicants. I'm waiting to hear back from UCSD and UC Berkeley too. I think MEng decisions at Berkeley are sent out later than their MS decisions. On their new timeline on the Admissions page, it suggests decisions will be sent out in March, which is earlier than last year. It also mentions interviews but I've yet to hear of or see that anyone has been interviewed...

Yeah - you can apply straight for a PhD here with a Bachelor's - but there's less choice - you pretty much have to specialise instantly. The funding situation is a little different too. At Cambridge, most of my friends who are funded aren't required to do any teaching / research assistantship as part of their funding. They do however supervise undergraduate students which is optional paid work - and is additional to the funding they receive from whoever backs them. This would probably mean you have more time for your own research. I have no idea how the funding situation works though, I believe my two friends there are funded by the group they're part of. Others are funded by companies - e.g. Microsoft. As Haggis says - most people tend to complete their PhD in 4 years (I've met just a single person who completed his PhD in 3 years and he's possibly one of the smartest mathematicians I've ever met). Incidentally, I don't know that any of my friends who are doing PhDs here had significant (if any) research experience before starting. This is a huge contrast to the (highly competitive) US admissions 'market' where it seems in order to get a PhD studentship in which you can learn how to research, you need to have already learned how to research... Honestly I've heard that graduate life in Cambridge is more relaxed compared to American institutions. Certainly this was the case of our undergraduate course (where exchange students would be amazed at the course load - or lack thereof). It's probably not that we didn't work as hard - it's more how the work was distributed. American degrees seem to have more constant assessment, where as Cambridge is a single shot of three or four exams at the end of every term. I think the exams are structured similarly for the Cambridge MPhil (but I may be wrong). Certainly I know many PhD students there who manage to have an active social / extra curricular life - which is dissonant with the (perhaps inaccurate) image of American graduate students working 80 hour weeks. BTW, if you'd find it helpful to speak to any current PhD students, I have two very good friends who are there now. PM me if you'd like to be put in touch.

Don't know if the Environmental Science admissions works in the same way as Computer Science - but I would assume it does since both are part of the SEAS. It looks they have posted (via snail mail) decisions - a lot of PhD acceptances came in early February. It looks like rejections get sent out in late March - so this indicates that you've either been waitlisted or rejected unfortunately. Also, they won't be emailing you nor will they give you your decision over the phone, so you'll just have to wait for the letter!

I think it's safe to assume either rejection or waitlisting at this point - at least, that's what I'm doing. We'll probably get a formal rejection at the end of the this month / early in April. I've written down that they have an intake of about 60 - but that maybe over the entire course.

See also this thread:

I don't think they're fake - I PMed one of the other board users who applied there and he got an acceptance, so I think one of those must have been his. There is a new dean of SEAS this year - so perhaps the admissions procedure has changed. Likewise - not optimistic at all.

I'm waiting for my letter too. I remember seeing somewhere on the Harvard website that they do not post decisions online or give them via phone - so I think you'll have to wait for the letter! Are you an international applicant? It could take longer for their letter to reach you...