Fall 2020 PhD Information Science/CIS/Data Science Applicants

[bananamuffins]

New here and have really enjoyed reading through the different threads. I'm playing the waiting game and didn't see any thread about PhD applicants in IS or CIS or data science so thought i'd start my own. I apologize if there's one out there and I just missed it. 

Wondering if anyone applied to the Fall 2020 Drexel PhD in Information Science and if you've heard anything? I missed the first consideration deadline of Dec 15th by 3 days because GRE scores hadn't been received but they got there on Dec 18th and I got an email from them that my app was complete and had been forwarded to the committee. Just wondering when I can expect to hear anything or if anyone here has applies to the same program?

This is my first go and I only applied to Drexel because of different constraints, so keeping my fingers crossed.

Nervous in solidarity with you all fellow 2020 applicants!! 

Edited January 12, 2020 by maryml2020

[HD12]

Hi! 

I applied to the University of Michigan PhD in Information and have been DYING waiting for some interview request. I am not hopeful though and this is the only program I applied to. I have searching to see if anyone got any feedback (interview requests, denials, etc...) to see if it is still early or I should hear something (the longer I don't, makes me pretty confident its a rejection).

[midnightblue]

Hey, people have begun hearing about interviews from the UMich InfoSci PhD program, just checked the 'Results' portal on here! Haven't personally heard back though

[bananamuffins]

Good luck to both of you and hope you hear something positive soon. I am in the same position as you HD12, Drexel is the only program I applied to. But I already have my list of programs to apply to for 2021 if this falls through. Fingers crossed for us all!

[TTZZ]

On 1/18/2020 at 2:56 PM, HD12 said:

Hi! 

I applied to the University of Michigan PhD in Information and have been DYING waiting for some interview request. I am not hopeful though and this is the only program I applied to. I have searching to see if anyone got any feedback (interview requests, denials, etc...) to see if it is still early or I should hear something (the longer I don't, makes me pretty confident its a rejection).

Same here! still waiting...

Though it's not the only program I applied to, it's on the top on my list...

Edited January 27, 2020 by TerranceZ

[betun]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am nervous in solidarity as well. I have received 2 interview requests so far and have not heard from other programs. Apart from this, one reject decision had arrived in December itself.

I applied to UMich InfoSci as well but have not heard back.

[WendyK]

Hi!

I applied to the PhD in Information Science at Drexel as well! I got interviewed a few weeks ago and still waiting for the decision...?

[bananamuffins]

On 2/20/2020 at 8:59 PM, WendyK said:

Hi!

I applied to the PhD in Information Science at Drexel as well! I got interviewed a few weeks ago and still waiting for the decision...?

HI Wendy

Did you have an interview with a specific professor or the whole admissions committee?  I have not heard anything or been invited for an interview so I'm feeling pretty discouraged. I did meet with one of the professors before I applied to discuss his research because I'm very interested in working with him. But I have not heard anything since I put my application in.  Good luck to you and let's stay updated if we hear anything!!!

[WendyK]

Thanks!! Good luck to you as well. I have interviewed with 3 professors, 2 of them I mentioned in my statement. I have not heard anything after the interview, but I'll keep you updated. I remember one professor mentioned that the decision would be made before the end of February, so hopefully we can hear something by this week!

[katzell]

Hi! I also interviewed for Drexel's program! I had an interview with three faculty members, one of whom I spoke to before I applied, at the beginning of Feb. Based on historical submissions we should hear back this week! 

[bananamuffins]

Hi katzell, Good luck to you as well and I really am hoping we hear something this week. I've been refreshing the portal all day today LOL. I did see an uptick in results from Drexel on thegradcafe page but nothing for the IS program.

[katzell]

lol same. This is also the only program I applied to and I'm not 100% sure I will go, but the anxiety is something haha. Hoping to hear back today!!

[bananamuffins]

UGH was so sure I'd hear something by yesterday 5pm.  Ah well another weekend of waiting and wondering....

[katzell]

not proud of myself for obsessively checking for the greater part of the afternoon! Hoping we hear soon!

[bananamuffins]

On 3/2/2020 at 5:06 PM, katzell said:

not proud of myself for obsessively checking for the greater part of the afternoon! Hoping we hear soon!

I completely 100% relate!

[WendyK]

I check the result page multiple times a day... hope we can hear back this week!

[katzell]

@maryml2020 I actually emailed the department coordinator today and she said that decisions should be released "Early March to Mid March at the latest" which isn't like.... news, but calmed me down a little bit!

[bananamuffins]

@katzell Thank you for the update! I wonder what the holdup is? When I emailed her at the end of January she said the decisions would be out mid Feb, now it's mid-March. Ah well, at least we have an update now.  Since Drexel is the only school I applied to it's not like their delay is holding me back from responding to someone else but I really would just like to know either way.

[betun]

It seems that everyone here is focused on Drexel. Best of luck!

I got accepted into UIUC and Penn State's iSchools so far for the Information Science PhD programs, and I have also interviewed with Syracuse but am yet to get the result. While, there are still schools I am yet to hear from, I do know that I am going somewhere this year.

[katzell]

Congrats @betun!! What do you think you're leaning towards?

[bananamuffins]

11 hours ago, betun said:

It seems that everyone here is focused on Drexel. Best of luck!

I got accepted into UIUC and Penn State's iSchools so far for the Information Science PhD programs, and I have also interviewed with Syracuse but am yet to get the result. While, there are still schools I am yet to hear from, I do know that I am going somewhere this year.

THAT'S AWESOME! Congratulations @betun, that must feel good, although no doubt now you enter the next phase of deciding which school you'll accept - good problem to have!

[betun]

On 3/5/2020 at 9:18 AM, katzell said:

Congrats @betun!! What do you think you're leaning towards?

Thanks, I don't know yet though if you had make me choose this moment, I would say UIUC because my probable future advisor reached out to me and has been very engaged in giving me information about the lab and the research and she is also very ope-minded about research ideas; so I think she might be a good match. Having said that, I am going to going learn more about the Penn State programs from students and faculty/

On 3/5/2020 at 6:20 PM, maryml2020 said:

THAT'S AWESOME! Congratulations @betun, that must feel good, although no doubt now you enter the next phase of deciding which school you'll accept - good problem to have!

Thanks! It does feel good because I am moving between streams, and it is not even my first transition. So, I did not know whether I would make it. That way, I am really glad that I saved an year.

[bananamuffins]

So after sending an email to the program manager to follow up I finally received a reply that I was not selected for the first set of interviews. She also said it was very competitive this year and they'll likely only be accepting a small cohort of students due to funding constraints and research matches, or something like that. She's hoping the official decisions come out soon but at least I have a sense that this one will be a no for me. It's the only program I applied to this year so looks like I'm out of luck for now.  Will update when the official decisions are out. Wishing everyone the best!!

[katzell]

2 hours ago, maryml2020 said:

So after sending an email to the program manager to follow up I finally received a reply that I was not selected for the first set of interviews. She also said it was very competitive this year and they'll likely only be accepting a small cohort of students due to funding constraints and research matches, or something like that. She's hoping the official decisions come out soon but at least I have a sense that this one will be a no for me. It's the only program I applied to this year so looks like I'm out of luck for now.  Will update when the official decisions are out. Wishing everyone the best!!

Aw I'm sorry maryml2020! Thanks for letting us know she said it'd be soon! Best of luck with any other opportunities coming your way!

[betun]

On 3/10/2020 at 5:08 PM, maryml2020 said:

So after sending an email to the program manager to follow up I finally received a reply that I was not selected for the first set of interviews. She also said it was very competitive this year and they'll likely only be accepting a small cohort of students due to funding constraints and research matches, or something like that. She's hoping the official decisions come out soon but at least I have a sense that this one will be a no for me. It's the only program I applied to this year so looks like I'm out of luck for now.  Will update when the official decisions are out. Wishing everyone the best!!

So sorry that you did not get in and this was your only application for this season. You must be disappointed but I wish you the best with your other efforts. If you wish to use this forum as a sounding board for your plans, absolutely do so. I for one am certainly curious to know more.