2020 FALL APPLICATION VENTING THREAD

[lkaitlyn]

2 hours ago, SOChelp said:

Just looking for some general advice. I RSVP's to a visitation but now have gotten into schools higher on my list so I am thinking about backing out just because I can only take off so many Fridays. Would this be seen as rude? Also any recommendations on how I should word the email. 

Well that's a good situation to be in! Too many acceptances is never a bad thing.

Totally your call. I would say that if you don't go, you should turn down the school entirely (and ASAP) because you shouldn't go to a school you don't visit but visit others, and maybe they could extend the offer to someone else before visit day if you did it sooner rather than later. If you can make it work, though, and the schools are reimbursing you for travel, it might be worth it to check it out if it's still in the running at all. A lot of people in past years have talked about switching their decisions after visits, and this is the next 6-7 years of your life.

If you do message the school, I'd write something like "Thank you for considering me for your PhD program and inviting me to your Open House. In the past [insert time since you RSVP'ed], I received a few acceptances I didn't expect from [actually name the couple other schools, IMO], and after thinking about my options, I realized that these other programs make the most sense for my needs and goals. I therefore wanted to make sure I informed you I would be declining my spot in your program immediately so you can perhaps extend your generous invitation to another applicant. I apologize for any inconvenience, and again, thank you so much for the opportunity to learn more about your program."

Edited February 8, 2020 by lkaitlyn

[PoliticalSociology]

1 hour ago, SOChelp said:

Just looking for some general advice. I RSVP's to a visitation but now have gotten into schools higher on my list so I am thinking about backing out just because I can only take off so many Fridays. Would this be seen as rude? Also any recommendations on how I should word the email. 

Yeah, you gotta do what you gotta do, and it sounds like you can only go to the ones higher on your list. I'd try to be slower to RSVP in the future, but for now, I'd just send a polite, brief, and straightforward email. If you want to keep the option open, you could say, "..but I'm still interested in your program and may ask for a call in the future once I have my options laid out in front of me."

[lkaitlyn]

16 minutes ago, PoliticalSociology said:

Yeah, you gotta do what you gotta do, and it sounds like you can only go to the ones higher on your list. I'd try to be slower to RSVP in the future, but for now, I'd just send a polite, brief, and straightforward email. If you want to keep the option open, you could say, "..but I'm still interested in your program and may ask for a call in the future once I have my options laid out in front of me."

Personally I disagree with the last piece. If you know this isn't even in your top 2-3 of programs you were admitted to, you should let the spot go sooner rather than later. Someone on the waitlist may even be admitted soon enough to be able to attend the visit. It's your call, but that's my two cents. (This changes if you're only able to attend a single visit; then maybe keep the school in the running. But if you're going 2-3 other places, keeping this seems excessive. You can only enroll in one.)

Edited February 8, 2020 by lkaitlyn

[sd3322]

2 hours ago, SOChelp said:

Just looking for some general advice. I RSVP's to a visitation but now have gotten into schools higher on my list so I am thinking about backing out just because I can only take off so many Fridays. Would this be seen as rude? Also any recommendations on how I should word the email. 

Disagree with most people here. I don’t think you should jump the gun and turn down an offer so quickly. You don’t know how you’ll feel after you visit these other schools. Perhaps you’ll realize they are not good fits and a program you decided not to visit is a better fit. Keep your options open. These programs must be used to conflicting dates. Perhaps you can propose scheduling some phone calls in lieu of a visit. 

[PoliticalSociology]

Just to add one point on this topic of school visits, you can try to have a Skype call with faculty of interest or grad students. I expect if schools have given you an offer, then that probably won't be too much to ask. You might even be able to schedule an off-day visit to the school!

[SOChelp]

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. The situation I was in was largely due to the fact that the school had given a very early deadline to RSVP. After receiving information about the open house I was given 6 days to make a decision, and since they were reimbursing all travel costs, and at the time it was the only school I had been accepted to I thought why not. Since then I, very surprisingly, got into both of my top choices.  You guys gave wonderful advice from both sides so I'm gonna sit on it for a few days but if I decide not to go, just reject the program entirely in order for other students to get a chance. I just wish they had given more time for students to RSVP! 

[annetod]

1 hour ago, SOChelp said:

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. The situation I was in was largely due to the fact that the school had given a very early deadline to RSVP. After receiving information about the open house I was given 6 days to make a decision, and since they were reimbursing all travel costs, and at the time it was the only school I had been accepted to I thought why not. Since then I, very surprisingly, got into both of my top choices.  You guys gave wonderful advice from both sides so I'm gonna sit on it for a few days but if I decide not to go, just reject the program entirely in order for other students to get a chance. I just wish they had given more time for students to RSVP! 

Perhaps I'm missing something, but the solution seems super obvious to me: tell the school you're no longer able to attend the visit day but you're still interested in the program.

Go visit your top 2 choices, if you love one/both, then enroll in one of those. If you don't like either of them, then just figure it out from there: you can circle back to the original school and try to have some phone calls or visit on your own, and make your decision after that. 

[sluggerotoole]

22 hours ago, SOCGRAD2020 said:

Anyone know around when UC Davis and USC will notify people? I saw one post from USC a while back but nothing overall really.

I was also confused by the USC thing, not sure whether that one post meant they notified people on 25th Jan. I also applied for the Communication PhD at USC and there's been nothing from that course on the board either, so don't know whether USC are just running late this year or what! 

[lkaitlyn]

22 minutes ago, sluggerotoole said:

I was also confused by the USC thing, not sure whether that one post meant they notified people on 25th Jan. I also applied for the Communication PhD at USC and there's been nothing from that course on the board either, so don't know whether USC are just running late this year or what! 

I did not apply to USC but did some digging through the Results board. Historically they have sent out acceptances around the 25th of January and rejections near the end of February, with some people hearing nothing until April (which I guess is their version of a waitlist). Not sure if it will be the same this year, but that's what has happened historically.

[0102030405]

36 minutes ago, sluggerotoole said:

I was also confused by the USC thing, not sure whether that one post meant they notified people on 25th Jan. I also applied for the Communication PhD at USC and there's been nothing from that course on the board either, so don't know whether USC are just running late this year or what! 

I applied for the Population Health and Place PhD program between the Sociology, Preventative Medicine and the Spatial Institute départements. Historically they’ve given out acceptances in mid-late February. I know this isn’t the Sociology program though but could just be the department reviews things later 

[sluggerotoole]

2 hours ago, lkaitlyn said:

I did not apply to USC but did some digging through the Results board. Historically they have sent out acceptances around the 25th of January and rejections near the end of February, with some people hearing nothing until April (which I guess is their version of a waitlist). Not sure if it will be the same this year, but that's what has happened historically.

I did notice it's always around 25th, but since there was only one post this year I wondered if it would be later. Oh well! We'll find out soon enough, I suppose! 

Congrats on your admits so far!! 

[lkaitlyn]

Just now, sluggerotoole said:

I did notice it's always around 25th, but since there was only one post this year I wondered if it would be later. Oh well! We'll find out soon enough, I suppose! 

Congrats on your admits so far!! 

Fingers crossed for you! It seems like there are a lot less for some schools in general — Berkeley there were only 3 acceptances posted (?!). I don't know if it's the site glitches, programs admitting fewer, acceptances coming out in waves (not for Berkeley, obv), or something else.

[PoliticalSociology]

1 hour ago, lkaitlyn said:

Fingers crossed for you! It seems like there are a lot less for some schools in general — Berkeley there were only 3 acceptances posted (?!). I don't know if it's the site glitches, programs admitting fewer, acceptances coming out in waves (not for Berkeley, obv), or something else.

I've also noticed this and find it strange. My guess is it's overall trends in reporting to gradcafe. The nature of graduate school admissions doesn't seem like it should change that much in a single year.

[jessieara]

Hi, I'm a newbie here. Just wanted to say hello to everyone.

I saw somebody posted that they got admitted to Boston University on the Result page. Could those who got admitted please claim their admits? I haven't heard anything from BostonU since I submitted my application. Seeing those acceptance being posted got me kind of worried.

Thank you so much!

[PoliticalSociology]

Based on previous years, I think Cornell and NYU might send out acceptances this week! Good luck, everyone!

[PoliticalSociology]

1 hour ago, jessieara said:

Hi, I'm a newbie here. Just wanted to say hello to everyone.

I saw somebody posted that they got admitted to Boston University on the Result page. Could those who got admitted please claim their admits? I haven't heard anything from BostonU since I submitted my application. Seeing those acceptance being posted got me kind of worried.

Thank you so much!

Welcome! One post is always hard to interpret. It looks like there were three on the Result page on Friday, so that probably was a wave of acceptances. And in 2019, it looks like rejections came out only a day or two after acceptances. So maybe you'll hear back in either case tomorrow? Good luck!

[lkaitlyn]

29 minutes ago, PoliticalSociology said:

Based on previous years, I think Cornell and NYU might send out acceptances this week! Good luck, everyone!

Yep, this week should be Cornell, NYU, Michigan, Stanford, Harvard acceptances ... eek. Sending everyone good vibes as well! And let's remember that whatever happens, it doesn't define our worth. ♥️

[0102030405]

Hi all! 
A non-admissions question but was wondering if anybody had any reading suggestions on social networks? I’ve got quite a lot of free time for the next few months and I’m starting to become more interested in this research area so wanted to do some reading to see if I want to take this area further.

[KatThomp]

1 hour ago, 0102030405 said:

Hi all! 
A non-admissions question but was wondering if anybody had any reading suggestions on social networks? I’ve got quite a lot of free time for the next few months and I’m starting to become more interested in this research area so wanted to do some reading to see if I want to take this area further.

Do you mean social networks as in community and social capital or as in social networking (internet, social media)? If you mean communities and social capital I'm TAing a class right now that is reading Alienated America, which is a book by a conservative author on the issue of alienation in the US and it talks about creating social bonds between people and communities. It's pretty good, but some parts are very opinion-heavy as opposed to data-heavy. 

[DeadAccount]

3 hours ago, 0102030405 said:

Hi all! 
A non-admissions question but was wondering if anybody had any reading suggestions on social networks? I’ve got quite a lot of free time for the next few months and I’m starting to become more interested in this research area so wanted to do some reading to see if I want to take this area further.

I'm taking a Social Networks class right now for fun and we are using the 4th addition of Social Network Analysis by John Scott as our textbook. It covers the history, main theories, and research techniques of SNA pretty well and serves as a good introduction to the field. I don't think it's a bad book at all, especially if you're into reading textbooks like me ? (plus it's a lot cheaper than some alternatives, although probably not quite as good as those)

Edited February 10, 2020 by SocAnth_Lou

[0102030405]

2 hours ago, KatThomp said:

Do you mean social networks as in community and social capital or as in social networking (internet, social media)? If you mean communities and social capital I'm TAing a class right now that is reading Alienated America, which is a book by a conservative author on the issue of alienation in the US and it talks about creating social bonds between people and communities. It's pretty good, but some parts are very opinion-heavy as opposed to data-heavy. 

It was the former, sorry for not clarifying! Oo thank you for this. 

1 hour ago, SocAnth_Lou said:

I'm taking a Social Networks class right now for fun and we are using the 4th addition of Social Network Analysis by John Scott as our textbook. It covers the history, main theories, and research techniques of SNA pretty well and serves as a good introduction to the field. I don't think it's a bad book at all, especially if you're into reading textbooks like me ? (plus it's a lot cheaper than some alternatives, although probably not quite as good as those)

Thank you for this. Weirdly I actually own this book, I'd just never noticed. Will definitely start reading this!

[soc2310]

On 2/9/2020 at 7:48 PM, lkaitlyn said:

Yep, this week should be Cornell, NYU, Michigan, Stanford, Harvard acceptances ... eek. Sending everyone good vibes as well! And let's remember that whatever happens, it doesn't define our worth. ♥️

Us and the schools not releasing admissions decisions just yet:

[lkaitlyn]

48 minutes ago, soc2310 said:

Us and the schools not releasing admissions decisions just yet:

 

Real. Michigan said they "should be out by the end of the week."

[2ms1234]

4 hours ago, soc2310 said:

Us and the schools not releasing admissions decisions just yet:

maybe tomorrow will be a big day!?! 

 

I hope so anyway ?

[lkaitlyn]

1 hour ago, 2ms1234 said:

maybe tomorrow will be a big day!?! 

 

I hope so anyway ?

I always remember watching the threads in past years going "Jeez, how do people have so little patience?" I think how late everything is this year is karma for me wondering that. Arg. Sorry I cursed it.

Edited February 11, 2020 by lkaitlyn