2021 Application Thread for Communications Program

[ShivD]

On 1/16/2021 at 9:51 AM, Kim2016 said:

Just heard from Northwestern Screen Cultures program that they will invite finalist for interview on campus or virtually by end of Feb. 

Thanks s lot! That's very helpful then to know to not keep checking emails every few hours lol

Did anyone hear anything about NYU MCC's timeline?

 

 

 

 

 

[Redd12]

14 hours ago, Dartmouthbrian said:

Right on! What's your top choice and what are you wanting to study?

I want to study computer-mediated communication, more specifically the social media use. I don't have a top choice yet, they are all good programs. I am just waiting for their decisions lol

[TheLifeofBrian]

35 minutes ago, Redd12 said:

I want to study computer-mediated communication, more specifically the social media use. I don't have a top choice yet, they are all good programs. I am just waiting for their decisions lol

I hear that. My background is in social media and content. I’ve worked in both content and social since about 2009 with everyone from Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft to startups and creative agencies. I currently oversee social for a tech startup. 

[jujubean]

23 hours ago, Dartmouthbrian said:

I hear that. My background is in social media and content. I’ve worked in both content and social since about 2009 with everyone from Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft to startups and creative agencies. I currently oversee social for a tech startup. 

Fellow social pal here! I've been in social since college and been running it for Nike in LA the past few years!

[TheLifeofBrian]

9 minutes ago, jujubean said:

Fellow social pal here! I've been in social since college and been running it for Nike in LA the past few years!

?? 

[Redd12]

On 1/17/2021 at 1:37 PM, Dartmouthbrian said:

I hear that. My background is in social media and content. I’ve worked in both content and social since about 2009 with everyone from Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft to startups and creative agencies. I currently oversee social for a tech startup. 

wow your work is so cool! 

[TheLifeofBrian]

9 minutes ago, Redd12 said:

wow your work is so cool! 

Thanks. I’m honestly over it and can’t wait to get back into school.  

[MomoTodoroki]

I’m in the middle of a convo over on Reddit re: sharing the names of POIs and I just wanted to express gratitude to our group here.

Everyone has been so supportive, (seemingly) genuinely happy for others’ acceptances, collaborative and non-competitive. 

Even though some of us are applying to the same programs (and even spoke with the same POIs), I firmly believe everyone will end up exactly where they belong. ??

[MomoTodoroki]

Anyone else have a variety of research interests but focused on one for the purpose of streamlining your thoughts in your SOP? Are you worried about how that will play out should you get accepted under a specific POI but end up leaning towards the other research topic through your matriculation?
 

Both of my interests fall under digital media for sure, but kind of vary, lol. 

[Freekayak]

9 hours ago, MomoTodoroki said:

Anyone else have a variety of research interests but focused on one for the purpose of streamlining your thoughts in your SOP? Are you worried about how that will play out should you get accepted under a specific POI but end up leaning towards the other research topic through your matriculation?
 

Both of my interests fall under digital media for sure, but kind of vary, lol. 

I’m pretty sure that’s a common concern. Personally, I’m not worried about having multiple research interests, instead I am really hoping that the first year courses and conversations with faculty members would give me greater clarity on the topic I want to focus on. 

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by Freekayak

[NJGrad2025]

On 1/14/2021 at 2:33 PM, Dartmouthbrian said:

Heard back from UConn today, they offered full funding. Super excited.

 

Anyone heard anything from other schools? Crossing my fingers for everyone.

Amazing!! Congrats

[NJGrad2025]

On 1/10/2021 at 4:30 PM, chidi321 said:

Interesting perspective but I don't think this is unique to the Global South - seems overall like a digital divide issue. 

What are your interests? Why are you solely focusing on Rutgers? 

I'm currently getting my Master's at Rutgers so I'm familiar with the program and some of the professors. I'm interested in network communication and many of the faculty at Rutgers are leaders in this area. It's also a very supportive and collaborative environment. Which school is your top choice? 

[Redd12]

21 hours ago, Dartmouthbrian said:

Thanks. I’m honestly over it and can’t wait to get back into school.  

That is awesome! Hope we all get in the programs we like.

[Redd12]

21 hours ago, MomoTodoroki said:

Anyone else have a variety of research interests but focused on one for the purpose of streamlining your thoughts in your SOP? Are you worried about how that will play out should you get accepted under a specific POI but end up leaning towards the other research topic through your matriculation?
 

Both of my interests fall under digital media for sure, but kind of vary, lol. 

I heard some Phd students changed their research topics in the first year (sometimes even the whole direction). So it probably will be fine? It may be better for efficiency or publication purpose if you concentrate on one topic earlier though (which I am also struggling with lol)

[MomoTodoroki]

I ask because my programs seem to vary in terms of how they handle first year students. One program doesn’t match us with a POI initially. They told us that they expect us to transform over time and find other topics we’re interested in based on courses that we take. Students there shared that they changed their research interests vastly throughout their matriculation. 
 

I guess my concern lies in the programs that are not (or rather, may not be) as fluid. I’d hate to be matched with a POI based on what’s in my SOP and end up leaning towards another topic that they are not familiar with. I’m sure this happens regularly and programs have systems in place to make that transition a seamless process.

[chidi321]

8 hours ago, NJGrad2025 said:

I'm currently getting my Master's at Rutgers so I'm familiar with the program and some of the professors. I'm interested in network communication and many of the faculty at Rutgers are leaders in this area. It's also a very supportive and collaborative environment. Which school is your top choice? 

oh nice! you can be the Rutgers informant heheh 

[MZC]

Hi! 

New here

My interests: the intersection of tech and human rights, specifically, data ethics, privacy, and surveillance.

Applied to Cornell InfoSci, UPenn Comm, NYU MCC, and a few history of science programs. 

Has anyone on this thread heard from Cornell Info Sci? I noticed on the results page that some interview requests were sent out yesterday. Anxiously waiting...

Edited January 20, 2021 by MZC

[Kim2016]

10 hours ago, MZC said:

Hi! 

New here

My interests: the intersection of tech and human rights, specifically, data ethics, privacy, and surveillance.

Applied to Cornell InfoSci, UPenn Comm, NYU MCC, and a few history of science programs. 

Has anyone on this thread heard from Cornell Info Sci? I noticed on the results page that some interview requests were sent out yesterday. Anxiously waiting...

Welcome to the thread! 

Your interests are similar to mine as well! I see we have a mutual program - Upenn ASC.

Good Luck!! 

[HDJTX]

Hey y'all, I'm new here. Just graduated from a small uni with a BA in PoliSci. I had a 3.9 GPA, no GRE score. My research interests are media and democracy, political engagement, and partisanship. I applied to two programs:

University of Minnesota, MA Mass Comms

University of Iowa, MA Mass Comms 

Both have faculty I'm very interested to work with. I had planned on applying to U of Washington before they decided not to take a cohort. Though I live in TX, I skipped UT as I'm ready for a change of scenery. Does anyone know when these two programs (Iowa/Minnesota) make decisions? I haven't seen anyone else here list these schools. The application deadlines were super late (Jan 10th/15th) so I'm curious how much longer it might take them. 

[LCZ]

Hello! I am a little late to the game here and I have never been on GradCafe, but I study crisis and resilience in organizational communication. I applied to 7 Ph.D. programs. 

Mizzou

Boulder

UT Austin (Accepted!)

George Mason

UPenn Annenberg

Cornell

Nebraska

I am NOT a patient person but I am excited that at least something has happened. It's getting close to when we should start hearing from most. Any one else studying something similar?

Edited January 24, 2021 by LCZ

[doctoralwannabe]

6 hours ago, LCZ said:

Hello! I am a little late to the game here and I have never been on GradCafe, but I study crisis and resilience in organizational communication. I applied to 7 Ph.D. programs. 

Mizzou

Boulder

UT Austin (Accepted!)

George Mason

UPenn Annenberg

Cornell

Nebraska

I am NOT a patient person but I am excited that at least something has happened. It's getting close to when we should start hearing from most. Any one else studying something similar?

Congratulations on UT Austin! Was there an interview? I'm guessing you applied to their communications program? May I ask which track?

[ldye]

6 hours ago, LCZ said:

Hello! I am a little late to the game here and I have never been on GradCafe, but I study crisis and resilience in organizational communication. I applied to 7 Ph.D. programs. 

Mizzou

Boulder

UT Austin (Accepted!)

George Mason

UPenn Annenberg

Cornell

Nebraska

I am NOT a patient person but I am excited that at least something has happened. It's getting close to when we should start hearing from most. Any one else studying something similar?

We applied to similar programs! I study organizational communication and also applied to UT Austin (Accepted!), Cornell, and Mizzou! Have you spoke with any of the faculty at those programs? Have you gotten any information from Mizzou or Cornell? 

I spoke with a faculty member at Mizzou who was unsure about the number of funding offers they can make because they are extending the funding on some of their current students whose graduation was delayed because of COVID. I imagine many programs are having to manage that. 

Hope we end up in the same program, that would be cool! 

[sdas123]

Hey! I have applied to Wisconsin-Madison's Communication Arts PhD program! Has anyone received an interview invite yet? Very anxious! 

[Truthseekerhuh]

On 12/12/2020 at 10:44 AM, doctoralwannabe said:

Hey guys! 

I've also applied for a communication phd for fall 2021. (Columbia, USC, UPenn, UT Austin, Northwestern, NYU, Cornell, WIsconsin-Madison) 

Does anyone know if there is normally an interview for USC Annenberg? or any other information on other schools? USC is my top choice so I wanted to see if anyone knows whether they conduct interviews. 

I've read a lot of the posts from previous years and I believe Columbia University and UMich don't conduct interviews. 

 

Thanks! 

 

Hi! I've also applied for UWM, communication science. May I know which track you want to go to? Have you taken the interview? (I see one conducted an interview on the result page) Or do you know anything about their interview traditions? Thank you! :)

[Kim2016]

6 hours ago, ldye said:

We applied to similar programs! I study organizational communication and also applied to UT Austin (Accepted!), Cornell, and Mizzou! Have you spoke with any of the faculty at those programs? Have you gotten any information from Mizzou or Cornell? 

I spoke with a faculty member at Mizzou who was unsure about the number of funding offers they can make because they are extending the funding on some of their current students whose graduation was delayed because of COVID. I imagine many programs are having to manage that. 

Hope we end up in the same program, that would be cool! 

Congrats on UT Austin! 

I'm still waiting to hear back from mine (applied to RTF though not Comm. Studies)