PI sent email that he wants me... still haven't heard from school

[therealtotodile]

Hi all.

 

Hope everyone isn't pulling out there hair like I am.

Background: working in industry(illumina), applied in home city to only one program, SDSU (bioinformatics)

So I ended up getting a tour from a PI, and then an email back from said PI noting that the lab is interested in me. Unfortunately, its already April 18th, and I have yet to hear back from SDSU.

So I have a couple questions...

1. Is it a good sign that the professor has asked me to join? Could that affect my acceptance in a positive way?

2. Anyone know the deadlines for SDSU?

3. I didn't submit all of my materials for the program until THE DAY of the deadline. I think that this may be part of the reason I haven't heard back, as Its only been 18 days. Does this make any sense??? or am I kidding myself?

 

Thanks for reading!

Best of luck to all!!

 

The realest Totodile

[samman1994]

1) yes and yes. Professor could try and convince committee you're a valuable asset, and that may be enough for them to accept you

2) No. All I can find online is the deadline to submit materials is April 1st. Although you should easily be able to call/email them and find out. 

3) Depends on the deadline. If the deadline is months down the line, it might be that they haven't even reviewed your material. However, it doesn't have anything to do with whether you submitted a month before deadline, or a few days. They will view all the applications a good time before the deadline, and send out acceptances a bit before the deadline as well. 

 

If the deadline is coming up, and you have not heard from them, then unless the PI is willing to fund you completely (i.e. they want you bad enough and have funding), then you're either on the waitlist or have been rejected. As stated, it all depends on the deadline. I would personally call and just ask them if they've already sent out acceptances. Good luck!

[indecis]

Does the PI have his/her own funding to support you? If so and the PI told you "welcome to the lab", you are most likely fine. PIs have a lot of leeway to recruit their students if they are using their own grant money. They've basically adopted you and are paying your stipend and tuition out of their grant. The department has an incentive to allow PIs to use the grant to bring in students that are essentially costing the department no money.  As long as you meet the minimum entrance requirements for university and the department, admission is almost a formality. I've even seen a PI go through a process to obtain a waiver for the minimum requirements when there was some compelling reason why they should over look. 

Edited April 19, 2018 by indecis

[therealtotodile]

Thank too both of you for the answers.

 

Definitely some good insight. I guess my next step is to contact graduate admission and see whats up... hopefully this professor will come out swinging for me.

 

Good luck too all!

 

The realest Totodile

[karlFrick]

On 4/20/2018 at 12:10 AM, therealtotodile said:

Thank too both of you for the answers.

 

Definitely some good insight. I guess my next step is to contact graduate admission and see whats up... hopefully this professor will come out swinging for me.

 

Good luck too all!

 

The realest Totodile

did you eventually contact you PI? what was his response? have you eventually got to hear about your status?

i am still waiting for an admit decision from the ucsd-sdsu joint phd