FALL 2020 BUSINESS PHD APPLICANTS

[moral luck]

Update: Rejected from Sloan. Not surprised. To those in micro OB: don't worry TOO much about quant scores if you scored low. I scored under 50th percentile and still have been accepted to top tier (ivy and ivy like) institutions. Good luck everyone.

[usphd1920]

On 2/11/2020 at 9:13 PM, Accepted2020 said:

Well its been an interesting week already, as my 1 application has been converted to 1 interview and 1 acceptance.

Congratulations!!!

[usphd1920]

On 2/7/2020 at 10:55 AM, DoktorDoktor said:

I updated all of those to the result section. Some schools reached out to me and asked whether I'm committed to going there before making the decision as well. Didn't know they would do that?

Congrats on the acceptances!!

[usphd1920]

5 hours ago, moral luck said:

Update: Rejected from Sloan. Not surprised. To those in micro OB: don't worry TOO much about quant scores if you scored low. I scored under 50th percentile and still have been accepted to top tier (ivy and ivy like) institutions. Good luck everyone.

Congrats on you acceptances!!

[usphd1920]

I agree not being too concerned about quant scores if applying to OB.  I too scored in the 54 percentile in quant and have been accepted by universities where I have research fit!

[Accepted2020]

10 minutes ago, usphd1920 said:

I agree not being too concerned about quant scores if applying to OB.  I too scored in the 54 percentile in quant and have been accepted by universities where I have research fit!

Approximately what ranking were the programs you were accepted? Just curious as my quant was very similar, but I didn’t apply extensively due to geographic limitations and all but one nearby program seemed a stretch. 

[usphd1920]

2 minutes ago, Accepted2020 said:

Approximately what ranking were the programs you were accepted? Just curious as my quant was very similar, but I didn’t apply extensively due to geographic limitations and all but one nearby program seemed a stretch. 

They are not Ivy or top schools.  They are specialized programs that are not offered by the top schools.  These are specific fit for my background.  I am a non traditional student and have extensive work experience.

[jash]

Just had a moment of "perspective" that I thought I'd share. I'm making myself the tiniest bit crazy checking this and other forums/results. The REALITY is, between my first interview and what will likely be my last, IT'S BEEN 3 WEEKS. That's NOT a lot of time. Also, by the end of NEXT WEEK, I'll very likely hear from school(s). If not, I'm well within my rights to 1) check in on my application or 2) assume I'm somewhere on the "not quite waitlisted so... maybe" list.

I definitely underestimated the stress everyone talks about going into this waiting period, but all in all... it's gonna be fine. For all of us, no matter what.

[doughdough]

28 minutes ago, jash said:

Just had a moment of "perspective" that I thought I'd share. I'm making myself the tiniest bit crazy checking this and other forums/results. The REALITY is, between my first interview and what will likely be my last, IT'S BEEN 3 WEEKS. That's NOT a lot of time. Also, by the end of NEXT WEEK, I'll very likely hear from school(s). If not, I'm well within my rights to 1) check in on my application or 2) assume I'm somewhere on the "not quite waitlisted so... maybe" list.

I definitely underestimated the stress everyone talks about going into this waiting period, but all in all... it's gonna be fine. For all of us, no matter what.

I completely agree.... Ive been super stressed checking emails and gradcafe results and now all these forums. My interviews were in early january and nothing nothing since except that i might have interviews coming.. 

i do also think that whatever happens its fine.. if it doesnt work out then its not meant to be!

[jash]

Then again...…. just how "short" are these school short lists I wonder...….

[instajar]

Hi everyone, I was just rejected from my top choice, and I was wondering what other people think are the best ways to improve one's application for future years. Has anyone had success with this or heard what worked for others? E.g. getting a Master's degree, trying to get publications in medium-tier journals of the discipline, working with a well-known professor and getting a letter of recommendation. Of course I know if there's a specific quantitative issue, such as low test scores, then that should be a focus.

[Dfrost]

19 minutes ago, instajar said:

Hi everyone, I was just rejected from my top choice, and I was wondering what other people think are the best ways to improve one's application for future years. Has anyone had success with this or heard what worked for others? E.g. getting a Master's degree, trying to get publications in medium-tier journals of the discipline, working with a well-known professor and getting a letter of recommendation. Of course I know if there's a specific quantitative issue, such as low test scores, then that should be a focus.

Damn that sucks, sorry to hear that!! It definitely may not be because you are not qualified. Interesting Reddit post from an Adcom member here: https://www.reddit.com/r/gradadmissions/comments/ayzqqj/i_was_the_chair_of_the_admissions_committee_heres/ 

I think that the most important thing is a good research fit with the faculty. You might be able to demonstrate that you fit really well if you do a research based master's degree with a thesis on that subject and a publication would certainly be beneficial if possible (this can be harder in some disciplines than in others). As an added benefit, you would probably be able to net another solid letter of recommendation from this as well. Then again, a Master's program is no small commitment of time.

If I may ask, are you planning to not accept offers from the other institutions that you applied to or are you just preparing for the worst case scenario?

[instajar]

7 minutes ago, Dfrost said:

Damn that sucks, sorry to hear that!! It definitely may not be because you are not qualified. Interesting Reddit post from an Adcom member here: https://www.reddit.com/r/gradadmissions/comments/ayzqqj/i_was_the_chair_of_the_admissions_committee_heres/ 

I think that the most important thing is a good research fit with the faculty. You might be able to demonstrate that you fit really well if you do a research based master's degree with a thesis on that subject and a publication would certainly be beneficial if possible (this can be harder in some disciplines than in others). As an added benefit, you would probably be able to net another solid letter of recommendation from this as well. Then again, a Master's program is no small commitment of time.

If I may ask, are you planning to not accept offers from the other institutions that you applied to or are you just preparing for the worst case scenario?

Thanks! Yeah, I am considering that approach with a Master's program. I know it's a big time commitment, but I'm not sure I have a better option if what I really want to do is become an academic.

I'm just preparing for the worst case. I still haven't heard back from most programs (and there's nothing in the Results). I could also start another PhD program but leave after completing the Master's if I would have a better research fit with another school.

[Dfrost]

10 minutes ago, instajar said:

I'm just preparing for the worst case. I still haven't heard back from most programs (and there's nothing in the Results). I could also start another PhD program but leave after completing the Master's if I would have a better research fit with another school.

That's fair! I sincerely hope you hear from some of them soon! I think the waiting in ambiguity is the hardest part 

[instajar]

Just now, Dfrost said:

That's fair! I sincerely hope you hear from some of them soon! I think the waiting in ambiguity is the hardest part 

Thanks! I'm curious what other people think about switching PhD programs. Like if you get into a 'safety' school, but not your top choice, does it make sense to go to the safety school and re-apply for the top choice? Or is that too much of a risk of burning bridges?

[Dfrost]

4 minutes ago, instajar said:

Thanks! I'm curious what other people think about switching PhD programs. Like if you get into a 'safety' school, but not your top choice, does it make sense to go to the safety school and re-apply for the top choice? Or is that too much of a risk of burning bridges?

I had a program tell me that basically because the first two years are just coursework, if students wanted to leave after that because academia wasn't for them (or they failed comps) the school would just give them a master's instead and they could move on with their lives. I've also heard though that some schools don't take transfer students and therefore you would have to start the whole thing over again in which case it might be better to just finish the last few years and start researching whatever you want when you get hired at a school after finishing.

If its that big of a gap in quality though it could be worth it I suppose. Especially because you could apply and if you don't get in again just stick with your current program and they never have to know. If you did burn bridges, it would be unfortunate, but at least you would have a brand new set of connections at the institution you really wanted to go to.

[Accepted2020]

1 hour ago, instajar said:

Hi everyone, I was just rejected from my top choice, and I was wondering what other people think are the best ways to improve one's application for future years. Has anyone had success with this or heard what worked for others? E.g. getting a Master's degree, trying to get publications in medium-tier journals of the discipline, working with a well-known professor and getting a letter of recommendation. Of course I know if there's a specific quantitative issue, such as low test scores, then that should be a focus.

In my case, I doubt I would have been considered for the program I was accepted to if I hadn’t done a TA/RAship during my MBA program. I had pretty average UG grades and mid 600s GMAT. I worked on a paper as an RA that was published in a mid tier journal, and it didn’t hurt that some of my recommendation letters were from profs that used to work for the program I’m going to before moving on to the same place I got my MBA. Also, I have nearly a decade of industry experience and couple years adjuncting. All of that kinda rounded out the profile I think and made up for some of my deficits. 

[futureOBdr]

I am just dying here!!! Seeing that people have gotten interviews and have been accepted/rejected is really starting to bother me. I haven't heard anything from any of the schools that I applied to. No interview, no rejection, and no acceptance. Has anyone heard anything from the OB programs at Stanford, USC, or UC-Irvine? I'm trying to decide what step I should take next because I just graduated in December with my MBA with an emphasis in HR Management. It really doesn't make sense to get a "permanent" job if I am going to move from Nevada to California for a PhD program. But not hearing anything at all--I am in such limbo!! I'm doing a couple of filler jobs to try and get some money to pay my bills, but I'd really like to know what my status is so that I know what to do. Hearing that the Stanford message was most likely a system error has really taken the wind out of my sails--I'm afraid that I won't be accepted anywhere now.

[jash]

4 hours ago, instajar said:

Thanks! I'm curious what other people think about switching PhD programs. Like if you get into a 'safety' school, but not your top choice, does it make sense to go to the safety school and re-apply for the top choice? Or is that too much of a risk of burning bridges?

I was told not to apply to schools I didn't want to attend. I say that to suggest that if you KNOW you don't want to go to that school, it may be bad form to go with the hope of transferring out. These communities are small and they all talk, so that could backfire. To your first question, first off sorry to hear you've been rejected by your first choice! It can't hurt to reach out and ask why. They all say they can't provide direct feedback to everyone but if you mention that it was your first choice they might be willing to give you some information. Next you can ask to be added to the waitlist (one of my recommenders said to do those things if I don't get in this go around). Lastly, instead of immediately attempting to get into a masters program maybe try to find the professors that you really want to work with in that program and reach out. Talk to them about their research, see if you can work in their labs, and eventually ask them for advice on what might make you a more compelling applicant. That was advice given to me by a separate recommender to get research experience after years in industry before applying.

Hope you find their words helpful and good luck!

[jash]

1 hour ago, futureOBdr said:

I am just dying here!!! Seeing that people have gotten interviews and have been accepted/rejected is really starting to bother me. I haven't heard anything from any of the schools that I applied to. No interview, no rejection, and no acceptance. Has anyone heard anything from the OB programs at Stanford, USC, or UC-Irvine? I'm trying to decide what step I should take next because I just graduated in December with my MBA with an emphasis in HR Management. It really doesn't make sense to get a "permanent" job if I am going to move from Nevada to California for a PhD program. But not hearing anything at all--I am in such limbo!! I'm doing a couple of filler jobs to try and get some money to pay my bills, but I'd really like to know what my status is so that I know what to do. Hearing that the Stanford message was most likely a system error has really taken the wind out of my sails--I'm afraid that I won't be accepted anywhere now.

I'm not applying for OB but students in a different program at USC have told me that if I don't hear anything by the end of next week it's ok to reach out with an email to politely check on the status of my application. Good luck!

[HLB]

9 hours ago, instajar said:

Hi everyone, I was just rejected from my top choice, and I was wondering what other people think are the best ways to improve one's application for future years. Has anyone had success with this or heard what worked for others? E.g. getting a Master's degree, trying to get publications in medium-tier journals of the discipline, working with a well-known professor and getting a letter of recommendation. Of course I know if there's a specific quantitative issue, such as low test scores, then that should be a focus.

Hi, I think a masters degree is a big commitment so if possible, you should check the profile of current phd candidate in your top choice school or better yet reach out to them for information before commit to that. I do agree with @instajar that research fit is the most important and if you can get a research project going you can reach out to the professors of that uni from platforms like research gate. You can also check for conferences where you have the chance to network with the faculty of that uni

Im sorry you got rejected but the admission process is quite biased and complicated so don't feel too down.

Edited February 15, 2020 by HLB
Grammar

[HLB]

Congrats everyone who got accpetances!! Sorry for the lazy post

[mgmtphd]

7 hours ago, futureOBdr said:

I am just dying here!!! Seeing that people have gotten interviews and have been accepted/rejected is really starting to bother me. I haven't heard anything from any of the schools that I applied to. No interview, no rejection, and no acceptance. Has anyone heard anything from the OB programs at Stanford, USC, or UC-Irvine? I'm trying to decide what step I should take next because I just graduated in December with my MBA with an emphasis in HR Management. It really doesn't make sense to get a "permanent" job if I am going to move from Nevada to California for a PhD program. But not hearing anything at all--I am in such limbo!! I'm doing a couple of filler jobs to try and get some money to pay my bills, but I'd really like to know what my status is so that I know what to do. Hearing that the Stanford message was most likely a system error has really taken the wind out of my sails--I'm afraid that I won't be accepted anywhere now.

I just got rejected from USC (received email to check the website..), they didn't even interview me. I think my research fit was not quite good with them. 

[Dfrost]

8 hours ago, futureOBdr said:

I am just dying here!!! Seeing that people have gotten interviews and have been accepted/rejected is really starting to bother me. I haven't heard anything from any of the schools that I applied to. No interview, no rejection, and no acceptance. Has anyone heard anything from the OB programs at Stanford, USC, or UC-Irvine? I'm trying to decide what step I should take next because I just graduated in December with my MBA with an emphasis in HR Management. It really doesn't make sense to get a "permanent" job if I am going to move from Nevada to California for a PhD program. But not hearing anything at all--I am in such limbo!! I'm doing a couple of filler jobs to try and get some money to pay my bills, but I'd really like to know what my status is so that I know what to do. Hearing that the Stanford message was most likely a system error has really taken the wind out of my sails--I'm afraid that I won't be accepted anywhere now.

Hope you hear good news soon! If it makes you feel any better, one of the professors told me that "no news is good news" because it means they haven't rejected you yet and you are probably still being considered (or alternatively they haven't even gone through all the applications yet)

[maverick__]

@futureOBdr  I also applied for UC Irvine (OB) and I haven't heard anything yet either. Hopefully, no news is good news like @Dfrost said. The waiting period is more torturous than I had anticipated, but it sounds like that is magnified with your situation. I think there is still reason to stay optimistic until the end of February, a lot could happen in the next two weeks. Congratulations to all those who have received interviews and acceptances! Ph.D. applications are quite the wild ride, and it is great to hear that some of you have received some positive (and life-changing) news!