How long should I expect?

[Cloneclub]

My top choice school had an application deadline on 1/15. My current institution had an error on my official transcript. I contacted the coordinator and everything was fine. But my official transcript got to admissions on 1/25 and I was told it had been sent off to the potential advisor I have been speaking with, who has already agreed to supervise me and put in a letter with the committee. So, questions:

1) I know it's been a week, should I have heard something by now? (If this seem rediculous, trust me I find it rediculous as well and I have to endure being in my own head).

2) With a 1/15 deadline, when should I expect to hear anything?

3) In bio programs what impact does the faculty and having someone agree to take you, usually have on admissions?

 

[MPA_App]

2 minutes ago, Cloneclub said:

My top choice school had an application deadline on 1/15. My current institution had an error on my official transcript. I contacted the coordinator and everything was fine. But my official transcript got to admissions on 1/25 and I was told it had been sent off to the potential advisor I have been speaking with, who has already agreed to supervise me and put in a letter with the committee. So, questions:

 1) I know it's been a week, should I have heard something by now? (If this seem rediculous, trust me I find it rediculous as well and I have to endure being in my own head).

 2) With a 1/15 deadline, when should I expect to hear anything?

3) In bio programs what impact does the faculty and having someone agree to take you, usually have on admissions?

 

Can't speak to your specific program but my understanding is that admissions timelines are generally 6-8 weeks so I wouldn't expect anything right away! I would wait until mid-month (easier said than done!) and then shoot the coordinator an email asking about the general timeline for decisions. If you spoke to the coordinator and everything is fine with your transcript, then it's fine! Believe them!

[Cloneclub]

Thanks for the speedy reply ? I know patience is not my strong suit. I think I'm also just worried that somehow even getting a faculty member and affiliate faculty member to agree to take me on won't be enough. They said there were ample TA-ships this year, which I should feel optimistic about. 

Some of my anxiety is the black box way this operates. My app went to the faculty member first, not the committee. Hearing that and I just read to much into it I guess.

[MPA_App]

2 hours ago, Cloneclub said:

Thanks for the speedy reply ? I know patience is not my strong suit. I think I'm also just worried that somehow even getting a faculty member and affiliate faculty member to agree to take me on won't be enough. They said there were ample TA-ships this year, which I should feel optimistic about. 

 Some of my anxiety is the black box way this operates. My app went to the faculty member first, not the committee. Hearing that and I just read to much into it I guess.

Oh, I totally understand. I am generally a fairly calm person, but I do well when I understand how processes work. The fact that I only have a general timeline and that I have zero control over the process is what's making me really crazy. Even having a concrete decision date would be helpful in that I could stop hitting refresh every fifteen minutes, just in case. I'm just trying to find ways to keep busy at work and am making myself go to the gym and yoga a lot more to keep me moving and focused on other things...maybe that can help, too? Good luck!