radiomars

Yeah, I'm doing Bio. Just wanted to make sure. Congrats on your interview, best of luck! I think it's definitely a good step forward and I hope it goes well for you! I definitely prepared for this just as I would for formal interviews (complete with a notebook full of notes), but it's a little less intimidating since it's more informal and laid back. They're even putting on a tour of the city and a graduate student social, so I think it might even be fun.

Can I ask which subdivision of Yale Anthro you applied to?

Yeah, it's a weird situation. Official acceptances haven't gone out, but they're doing a "Recruitment Weekend" and showing applicants around the city/school/etc. Everything's paid for, which is nice, and makes me think an acceptance is on the horizon, especially since I've known the POI for a few years and he seems eager to have me join the program.

Official acceptances for UCSB have come out via email, just FYI.

This is just cruel!

I've been officially accepted to my fourth choice and am being recruited by my third choice school at the moment. Is it dumb to feel guilty about all this? They really want me to go to their schools, but I'm pretty much waiting for the official acceptance from my second choice (I already received an unofficial one) and have yet to hear from my top choice. I kind of feel like I'm leading these other schools on. But obviously they know I applied to more than just their programs, right? Halp.

Hey there, this might be better suited in the Anthropology subforum. It's under "Social Sciences".

In past years, they've sent out notices the end of February and only Sociocultural seems to do Skype interviews in early Feb.

That's excellent news! Congrats & best of luck.

I am losing my damn mind.

All or nothing.

I've applied to UBC for Social Psychology and will be at a Recruitment Weekend next week in beautiful Vancouver. Pretty excited.

Nothing from Yale yet, as far as I know, but I'm applying to Bio.Anthro. I think only sociocultural does Skype interviews.

With every day that goes by, I delve deeper and deeper into imagining my future life at my top choice (which I have yet to hear from). I'm feeling positive about it, and I think there's a good chance I'll get in, but there's always a chance I won't. I'm at the point of no return now - like, if I get rejected, it will be pure devastation. Can't stop. Every day makes it worse. It also doesn't help that I've already told a bunch of people that I'm feeling good about my chances and setting up the inevitable "So did you hear back from X University?" questioning. Which would be a nightmare if I didn't get in. Ugh, why did I do this to myself.

Hey guys, I already have a BS in Anthropology from a well-renowned state school in California, and applied again for graduate studies in the same department. It's a fantastic program that fits my research interests to a tee (maybe because I was trained there), and I recently caught word that I'll be admitted for Fall 2013. I'm a little concerned about heading back to the same faculty and research ideas as it seems like a better strategy to expand my connections and expose myself to a new school. However, the other schools I'm choosing from are all good, but not as great a program as my alma mater. Any advice?

I'm sorry to hear that! Just try to shake it off and hope for the best with the rest of them. Best of luck.

I'm currently operating under the amazing notion that I will actually get to choose which program I want to go to, as it's looking like I might get into all four. This is opening up a whole new set of problems for me. The main tussle in my mind is whether to go back to my alma mater for the PhD, which is an entirely perfect program, absolutely perfect for me, but the same school and faculty I've been working with for four years. The alternative is most likely an Ivy League with a much smaller program that's more specialized, but a great stipend and benefits, and in a different geographic region which would open up a whole new area to network in. Not sure what to do.

Sent a thank you card out to POI at top choice after campus visit. His response: "Thank you for the lovely card! That was very considerate of you! We certainly enjoyed your visit also and hope that it results in even better things to come. I'll keep you posted as the admissions process runs its course." I kind of wish "hope" could have been "know" or "guarantee", but alas. I think it's a good sign.

Thank you! I'm feeling really great about this application cycle, but still hoping to hear back from my top choice soon. I went for a campus visit and sent the POI a thank you card. He responded today with this: "Thank you for the lovely card! That was very considerate of you! We certainly enjoyed your visit also and hope that it results in even better things to come. I'll keep you posted as the admissions process runs its course." Is it okay to be guardedly optimistic?

Received an email from my old adviser saying that UCLA Anthro adcom is currently reviewing apps and that I should feel comfortable with my chances. Not too shabby.

It's been a long, arduous process but I really hope everyone takes a second to acknowledge just how much work and energy they've had to put into this dream and how proud they should be of themselves. This is it, the final stretch! And as soon as decisions are in, this whole exhausting process will be some far-off memory we never think about. Stay strong stay optimistic, and do something a little nice for yourself as a reward for all your hard work!

One official acceptance so far with promises of a huge multi-year fellowship if I choose them. Notbad.jpg, but not my top choice so we'll see how the rest of the decisions unfold.

I recently went to a campus visit at my top choice. I had been corresponding with the POI for months and when we met in person, he said he felt like he already knew me. Various happenings: tons of positive feedback on my recent publication, being introduced to the faculty as a "distinguished visitor", POI saying he is "extremely optimistic about the future", faculty member on admissions committee telling me I'm a good fit for the direction they are expanding the department in, a lot of wine and dining paid for by the school, one of the grad students saying she hopes the department's penchant for alcohol doesn't drive away an "extremely smart" applicant like myself, and an actual hug goodbye from POI and POI's wife. I felt the need to itemize the details. I feel guardedly optimistic but I have told several friends about my impending acceptance and now I feel like I may have jinxed it.. So stressful. Just tell me if I'm in or not! Honestly, it seems cruel&unusual to put me through a 14-hour campus visit like that and not let me in....

Just got my first acceptance! My fourth-choice school, but it's not a bad start!

None of my schools have formal interviews but I have had two campus visit / informal interviews already. Huge tip: make sure to read at least some of the work of faculty you'll be meeting and relevant questions. Take a notebook to take notes. You are kind of interviewing the school, too. figure out your advisor's advising style, whether or not your stipend is enough, when they expect you to TA, about student life, foreign language requirements and more. They mostly asked me specific questions about my research, everyone had read my statement of purpose and some had read my writing sample. Yale straight up asked me which other schools I'm applying to and what my opinion is of them, and also why I chose not to apply to certain other schools.