2020-2021 Application Thread

[The Converse]

Just now, afjackie said:

Srsly. I'm not even sure Northwestern is my first choice anymore, I just want to know for certain so I can cross it off the list and move on with my decision making! 

Haha, exactly.  There becomes almost this obsessive quality about just wanting to know.  It was like that with Berkeley, where it wasn't my first choice and I pretty much knew I didn't get in, but you just want to get the process over with. 

[afjackie]

1 minute ago, The Converse said:

Haha, exactly.  There becomes almost this obsessive quality about just wanting to know.  It was like that with Berkeley, where it wasn't my first choice and I pretty much knew I didn't get in, but you just want to get the process over with. 

Right! After finishing an interview with one of my top choices today, I spent the rest of the afternoon listing the variables I could isolate to help decide which program would be best for me (i.e. department and advisor fit, collegiality, access to outdoor and social activities, financial support/stability, etc), ranking each variable by importance, and then ranking each school for each variable, and then finally weighting the variables accordingly and coming up with a final sum for each school. I'm clearly obsessing a little bit and just want to know what my final choices are so I can obsess even more about my variables

[StarkDark1]

A bit off topic, but does anyone know how a PhD in Canada affects your job prospects in the USA?

For example UBC has a great reputation, and is probably equal to the #25 to #35 range in the USA.  But if you get your degree there, will it make it harder to find a job in the USA?  Haven't heard back from UBC yet, but it's something I'm considering.  

[polisci_gal]

Just now, StarkDark1 said:

A bit off topic, but does anyone know how a PhD in Canada affects your job prospects in the USA?

For example UBC has a great reputation, and is probably equal to the #25 to #35 range in the USA.  But if you get your degree there, will it make it harder to find a job in the USA?  Haven't heard back from UBC yet, but it's something I'm considering.  

Also curious to hear thoughts on this too. 

[spotted]

Wanna wish everyone goodluck with whatever happens! This has been a tough week for me but I know I can't assume anything yet with what I have left. Has time just been so slow for everyone else? This process is exhausting, I almost wanna say the waiting and rejections are more mentally tasking than when I was doing the applications back in November! 

[raabs]

1 hour ago, Crossed_fingers said:

To those accepted at CU Boulder, did you all receive interviews?

Yes, they are interviewing all candidates to ensure a very good fit (seeing as it's so competitive this year). 

[guest789]

11 minutes ago, StarkDark1 said:

A bit off topic, but does anyone know how a PhD in Canada affects your job prospects in the USA?

For example UBC has a great reputation, and is probably equal to the #25 to #35 range in the USA.  But if you get your degree there, will it make it harder to find a job in the USA?  Haven't heard back from UBC yet, but it's something I'm considering.  

I saw a twitter thread on this a few months ago, let me dig it up... he went to UBC.

 

[Indeed]

I received something like a waitlist from WUSTL, saying that they cannot offer an admission right now but will contact me when they have a better picture of funding and entering class in few weeks

Edited February 12, 2021 by Indeed

[HolyGinger]

Just received a rejection from Penn State.

[nivy25]

1 minute ago, HolyGinger said:

Just received a rejection from Penn State.

+1.

[AHD]

20 minutes ago, Indeed said:

I received something like a waitlist from WUSTL, saying that they cannot offer an admission right now but will contact me when they have a better picture of funding and entering class in few weeks

I received the same letter and it seemed to me like a wait list, but I wasn't sure until now.

If anybody here was accepted but knows he or she will not attend, then please notify the graduate school asap for our sake! It's my strongest fit and I would be extremely happy to go there, it would be a dream come true. 

[The Converse]

6 minutes ago, HolyGinger said:

Just received a rejection from Penn State.

Did you receive a rejection email from Stony Brook?  Did they just forget to reject me?

[pol_real]

18 hours ago, polisciii said:

Well then you should certainly evaluate your desire to go to graduate school; you don't go to grad school because you want a job--no, you do it because you love the subject so much you cannot see yourself doing anything different for the next 5 - 7 years. You should only go if you really love it, and pursue it for its own sake, as an end in itself.

you are joking right? Hahaha. A PhD is a path towards a career just like other. And just like any other career you should do it because you are good at it and not because you feel "love the subject". You can do the things you love on your free time...

[HolyGinger]

1 minute ago, The Converse said:

Did you receive a rejection email from Stony Brook?  Did they just forget to reject me?

Yeah I received a rejection email yesterday. 

[pol_real]

43 minutes ago, Indeed said:

I received something like a waitlist from WUSTL, saying that they cannot offer an admission right now but will contact me when they have a better picture of funding and entering class in few weeks

same

[StarkDark1]

Almost 5...  doubt we'll hear back from Northwestern.  ?

[nivy25]

I called Northwestern, they said they’re in the process of sending every decision out. It takes time cause they have a specific system that puts in every person’s name I guess. I’m assuming it’s an automated system for rejections at this point. They said it should be entirely complete by Monday hopefully. Idk if it’s like a rolling thing where rejections will keep flowing or if it all goes all at once.

[mmads]

46 minutes ago, The Converse said:

Did you receive a rejection email from Stony Brook?  Did they just forget to reject me?

I can't speak for Stony Brook but had the same situation with BU, where people got rejections and admits and I was just hanging out with nothing. Emailed them and they responded saying I was waitlisted.

[icemanyeo]

2 hours ago, gradpumpkin said:

Question- if something changes about our profile that would be beneficial in admissions, do you think it's too late to let some of the late-February notification schools know and would that be a good idea? For example, if I got nominated for a big award would it be smart to tell Yale or Cornell? I'm not sure if they would take it under consideration at this point in the cycle. 

I submitted my Fall Term grades to Yale earlier in January but I'm not sure the committee got it since that was so late in the process. You can always try and submit through their document portal though!

[icemanyeo]

My life these past few days has just been cycling between watching impeachment trials and checking gradcafe/twitter/my inbox ?

[The Converse]

3 minutes ago, mmads said:

I can't speak for Stony Brook but had the same situation with BU, where people got rejections and admits and I was just hanging out with nothing. Emailed them and they responded saying I was waitlisted.

That's classy. I am sorry that happened.

[suovren]

I also received the "waitlist" email from WashU. I will take my name out of consideration though as I would prefer Rochester over WashU. 

[mmads]

28 minutes ago, The Converse said:

That's classy. I am sorry that happened.

Thanks. It's all good, though; still have some hope, I guess? Might be worth checking with Stony Brook, too, if you (like me) hate the limbo.

[gougou]

Claimed a Maryland interview, CP subfield.

Claimed an accept or waitlist of Arizona State (the email said I am in either offer list or waitlist...Uh)

Claimed official rejection from PSU and MSU.

Claimed an admission offer from University of Florida.

[spotted]

36 minutes ago, gougou said:

Claimed a Maryland interview, CP subfield.

Claimed an accept or waitlist of Arizona State (the email said I am in either offer list or waitlist...Uh)

Claimed official rejection from PSU and MSU.

Claimed an admission offer from University of Florida.

did you get the maryland invite yesterday or today?