2018 Acceptance/Rejection Thread

[Arendtlover]

47 minutes ago, iunoionnis said:

Me too. Did you perhaps get an interview before getting on the waitlist? 

no ):  I emailed Sean Kirkland. He told me they sent out 7 offers and waitlisted 10 people, but from those 10 waitlisted 5 were interviews and 5 were not. The once interviewed are first. That means I am between the 6-10 on the waitlist... Not very likely to get in. In addition, if the ones on the back of the waitlist make it to the top, they will be interviewed as well. I will have to sit down and wait until April 14th.

What about you? Did they interview you? 

[shadowyBeing]

12 minutes ago, Goonasabi said:

Random comment: For what it's worth for those still waiting to hear back from Virginia: the committee has not made final decisions about applications, despite sending out an initial round of acceptances (and at least one wait list). It seems as if they are waiting to hear back from those who have received offers before moving on in the process.

So feel free to continue to cling to your futile hope,  philosophy mortals.

Now if only I could get intel like this about British Columbia. I've got nothing. And nobody seems to know what is going on with their waitlists.

[thehegeldialectic]

18 minutes ago, Arendtlover said:

no ):  I emailed Sean Kirkland. He told me they sent out 7 offers and waitlisted 10 people, but from those 10 waitlisted 5 were interviews and 5 were not. The once interviewed are first. That means I am between the 6-10 on the waitlist... Not very likely to get in. In addition, if the ones on the back of the waitlist make it to the top, they will be interviewed as well. I will have to sit down and wait until April 14th.

What about you? Did they interview you? 

No, Kirkland emailed me more or less the same information, but you seem to have gotten a better estimate of the numbers from him.

 

[LORDBACON]

9 minutes ago, SophiaIsBae said:

It really is all about your writing sample and letters of rec. Fit matters, too, but less than I initially thought. 

 

7 minutes ago, iunoionnis said:

I would agree, and add that the fit of a department isn't always easy to figure out. 

Thanks, y'all. It's puzzling as two of my letter writers read the sample and both thought it was a good piece of scholarship.  Perhaps I wasn't a good fit;  or perhaps it was the mismatch between sample (aesthetics) and AOI (Kant, mysticism, ethics, and Nietzsche).  Or maybe being a non-traditional student has a part in it.  Well, it's not over til it's over.  May you all find a happy match. 

[thehegeldialectic]

5 minutes ago, LORDBACON said:

Thanks, y'all. It's puzzling as two of my letter writers read the sample and both thought it was a good piece of scholarship.  Perhaps I wasn't a good fit;  or perhaps it was the mismatch between sample (aesthetics) and AOI (Kant, mysticism, ethics, and Nietzsche).  Or maybe being a non-traditional student has a part in it.  Well, it's not over til it's over.  May you all find a happy match. 

Sometimes it's just a dice roll. 

[syn]

38 minutes ago, LORDBACON said:

 

Thanks, y'all. It's puzzling as two of my letter writers read the sample and both thought it was a good piece of scholarship.  Perhaps I wasn't a good fit;  or perhaps it was the mismatch between sample (aesthetics) and AOI (Kant, mysticism, ethics, and Nietzsche).  Or maybe being a non-traditional student has a part in it.  Well, it's not over til it's over.  May you all find a happy match. 

Without having any other information than what you've provided, two things might throw up flags. One, and I'm in the same boat, is that you're a non-traditional student.  I've intentionally not brought up that fact about myself in my SOP/SOI.  I didn't want it to potentially be a negative differentiator.

Secondly, your sample is in aesthetics.  Unless you applied to an aesthetics-heavy department, that AOI hasn't looked that great on the job market for a number of years now.  I believe, according to a recent sample, there were just two jobs with that AOI last year.  If that's the case, even though it isn't your AOI, they might be judging that as such based on your sample.  (I also wrote a paper and attended a conference for aesthetics even though it isn't even remotely an AOI of mine.  I made sure to essentially bury it in my CV.)  Since much of the prestige in a program is based on graduate placement, it would make sense that few programs take on students with AOIs with few placement opportunities.

Regardless, good luck and I hope something comes through!

[be.]

58 minutes ago, LORDBACON said:

 

Thanks, y'all. It's puzzling as two of my letter writers read the sample and both thought it was a good piece of scholarship.  Perhaps I wasn't a good fit;  or perhaps it was the mismatch between sample (aesthetics) and AOI (Kant, mysticism, ethics, and Nietzsche).  Or maybe being a non-traditional student has a part in it.  Well, it's not over til it's over.  May you all find a happy match. 

Did you mention mysticism in your personal statement? That AOI strikes me as one that analytic-ish departments (e.g., UCSD and Baylor) might frown upon. 

Edited March 2, 2018 by be.

[thehegeldialectic]

41 minutes ago, be. said:

Did you mention mysticism in your personal statement? That AOI strikes me as one that analytic-ish departments (e.g., UCSD and Baylor) might frown upon. 

Do they not have anyone working on the mystical tradition at UCSD? I remember their faculty being pretty big. 

 

Edited March 2, 2018 by iunoionnis

[Schwarzwald]

NYU is being inconsiderate at this point.

[LORDBACON]

45 minutes ago, be. said:

Did you mention mysticism in your personal statement? That AOI strikes me as one that analytic-ish departments (e.g., UCSD and Baylor) might frown upon. 

I did, and there are reasons I'm inclined to agree with that analysis.  Now that you mention it, it seems like a great AOI to keep quiet about, with rare exceptions.  Thanks for that insight.  Maybe I'll get lucky and UCSD (and UCR) will follow Baylor and at least waitlist me. 

1 hour ago, syn said:

 One, and I'm in the same boat, is that you're a non-traditional student.  I've intentionally not brought up that fact about myself in my SOP/SOI. 

Secondly, your sample is in aesthetics... Since much of the prestige in a program is based on graduate placement, it would make sense that few programs take on students with AOIs with few placement opportunities.

Regardless, good luck and I hope something comes through!

Agreed- NTS status is another good thing to keep quiet about.  I disowned aesthetics in the SOI but there's no guarantee they are catching that every time; and if they don't, then your insight shows how they'd have a good reason to fast-track my app to the trashpile.  Thanks for the counsel- it makes a difference in my hypothetical future approach to getting in with one of my dream departments.  NTS unite, and good luck!   

Edited March 2, 2018 by LORDBACON

[CogSciRob]

1 hour ago, LORDBACON said:

 

Thanks, y'all. It's puzzling as two of my letter writers read the sample and both thought it was a good piece of scholarship.  Perhaps I wasn't a good fit;  or perhaps it was the mismatch between sample (aesthetics) and AOI (Kant, mysticism, ethics, and Nietzsche).  Or maybe being a non-traditional student has a part in it.  Well, it's not over til it's over.  May you all find a happy match. 

I'm a non traditional student, in my 30s who owned a successful small business for 8 years.   I made sure to include it in my statement, focusing on how the experience will make me a better student.  I don't think being non-traditional is a problem; it's all how you frame it. 

 

As far as fit goes, from what I hear it's very important.   They often rank all the applicants and then fill in slots going down the list.   If the first ethics person is number 35, they may get in, while someone in the top 5 for metaphysics doesn't if 1-4 were the same AOI.  There's a lot of luck involved. 

[ThePeon]

Now I'm confused, I'm seeing acceptances, waitlists, and rejections for Boston University, but I have heard nothing and in the portal it still just says my application was submitted, no decision posted.

[thehegeldialectic]

16 minutes ago, LORDBACON said:

Now that you mention it, it seems like a great AOI to keep quiet about, with rare exceptions. 

I mean, if you're applying to programs that don't have people who work on Theresa Avalia, Meister Eckhart, Neoplatonism, etc., they might wonder why you're applying there to work on mysticism. But I think that, if you want to work on mysticism, you should try to find somewhere strong in medieval philosophy. 

There's a ton of great work being done on mysticism right now. A lot of it intersects with feminist studies as well. It's definitely worth doing, you just have to target the right programs. 

Edited March 2, 2018 by iunoionnis

[ThePeon]

4 minutes ago, Hopeful22 said:

Hi- 

Does anyone know how to interpret this situation? Two people (including me) were interviewed for a specific POI at a PhD Pysch program. The other person was accepted, and I was sent an email from POI saying that they are waiting to hear how many slots they will have. The other person will not be accepting the offer. I've been told it is still possible that they will have to wait to hear back from all students (across the dept.) who were given offers, and that if this person chooses not to go, it does not necessarily guarantee me the slot. I was wondering if anyone else has been in this situation or has heard of this situation. Does anyone have an idea of how likely it is that I could gain admission?

This is the philosophy acceptance thread, I doubt we can provide much insight here! Try looking at this subforum for psychology: https://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/8-psychology/

[CogSciRob]

5 minutes ago, Hopeful22 said:

Hi- 

Does anyone know how to interpret this situation? Two people (including me) were interviewed for a specific POI at a PhD Pysch program. The other person was accepted, and I was sent an email from POI saying that they are waiting to hear how many slots they will have. The other person will not be accepting the offer. I've been told it is still possible that they will have to wait to hear back from all students (across the dept.) who were given offers, and that if this person chooses not to go, it does not necessarily guarantee me the slot. I was wondering if anyone else has been in this situation or has heard of this situation. Does anyone have an idea of how likely it is that I could gain admission?

I'm also in psych.  It's possible that the open slot may go to another lab, but you have a better shot with the other person declining.  Not every PI has a guaranteed grad student.  It all depends on funding availability and department organization.

[LORDBACON]

17 minutes ago, ThePeon said:

Now I'm confused, I'm seeing acceptances, waitlists, and rejections for Boston University, but I have heard nothing and in the portal it still just says my application was submitted, no decision posted.

Same story here.  Awaiting fate.  Floating in the indeterminate ether. 

 

17 minutes ago, iunoionnis said:

I mean, if you're applying to programs that don't have people who work on Theresa Avalia, Meister Eckhart, or Neoplatonism, they might wonder why you're applying there to work on mysticism. But I think that, if you want to work on mysticism, you should try to find somewhere strong in medieval philosophy.   There's a ton of great work being done on mysticism right now... It's definitely worth doing, you just have to target the right programs. 

This is a sensible point.  I was going for non-Abrahamic mysticism, which UNM seems quite fond of.  Paradoxically in eschewing the medieval mysticism path I've essentially committed myself to a unicorn hunt.  Hmm.  This is greatly helpful- thanks! 

Edited March 2, 2018 by LORDBACON

[Hopeful22]

10 minutes ago, CogSciRob said:

I'm also in psych.  It's possible that the open slot may go to another lab, but you have a better shot with the other person declining.  Not every PI has a guaranteed grad student.  It all depends on funding availability and department organization.

Thanks. You wouldn't have an idea of how much of a shot I now have (with the other person declining), do you? The lab is a newer lab. POI only has one other student but not sure if this makes a difference. I don't know how this department makes their decisions- nobody I've spoken to seems to know. 

[Neither Here Nor There]

2 hours ago, Arendtlover said:

no ):  I emailed Sean Kirkland. He told me they sent out 7 offers and waitlisted 10 people, but from those 10 waitlisted 5 were interviews and 5 were not. The once interviewed are first. That means I am between the 6-10 on the waitlist... Not very likely to get in. In addition, if the ones on the back of the waitlist make it to the top, they will be interviewed as well. I will have to sit down and wait until April 14th.

What about you? Did they interview you? 

How are they going to have time to interview on April 14th? they have to set them up first. Give me a break. If a spot open, just pick someone from 6-10 who has an AOI that would be an asset and let it go. 

[LORDBACON]

12 minutes ago, CogSciRob said:

I'm also in psych.  It's possible that the open slot may go to another lab, but you have a better shot with the other person declining.  Not every PI has a guaranteed grad student.  It all depends on funding availability and department organization.

 

4 minutes ago, Hopeful22 said:

And do you think I should contact admissions or is there really nothing I can do but wait

Welcome.  You've found the Philosophy forum!  You should be able to find the information you're looking for here:

https://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/8-psychology/

[be.]

36 minutes ago, Schwarzwald said:

NYU is being inconsiderate at this point.

I broke down and emailed them today. I was told that decisions would be released “in the next week.”

Edited March 2, 2018 by be.

[wasteland]

Does anyone know when Stanford and/or UNC will release their decisions? And is Arizona done sending out acceptances?

[incredulous_stare]

Anybody else who hasn't heard back from Columbia?

[Metanoia]

4 minutes ago, incredulous_stare said:

Anybody else who hasn't heard back from Columbia?

Me. I'm guessing the rejections are taking their time to be sent out. 

[seabiscuit87]

Is Boston university done sending out acceptances and waitlists?

[shifgrethor]

14 minutes ago, wasteland said:

Does anyone know when Stanford and/or UNC will release their decisions? And is Arizona done sending out acceptances?

Last year Stanford released acceptances around the 4th of March, so they should be out by early next week