2020-2021 Application Thread

[MEESASOBOREDSA]

Can please somebody tell me what would happen if somebody accepts offers from two different universities at the same time? It is not me- I am still waiting for the deadline 15 April hoping to hear from York until then but my friend is doing it because he could not decide. There are people in the waitlist waiting and it won't be fair for them. I am just wondering is there a way that universities can prevent this such as acknowledging each other who accepted their offer?

Edited April 2, 2021 by MEESASOBOREDSA

[Theory007]

7 hours ago, MEESASOBOREDSA said:

Can please somebody tell me what would happen if somebody accepts offers from two different universities at the same time? It is not me- I am still waiting for the deadline 15 April hoping to hear from York until then but my friend is doing it because he could not decide. There are people in the waitlist waiting and it won't be fair for them. I am just wondering is there a way that universities can prevent this such as acknowledging each other who accepted their offer?

I doubt that most universities will have that knowledge. However, in the upper tiers it would not surprise me if adcoms across schools were in conversation with one another in order to admit as efficiently as possible. They all know one another anyway.

Having seen many people struggle through this process, I have fairly strong opinions about this stuff.

As you suggested yourself, the real problem is that it's really unethical to accept two offers knowing that one will ultimately have to return to one of the schools with some excuse. There are so many waitlisted people, sitting on the edges of their seats, waiting to hear back from somewhere. And it's devastating to have no where to go after after having been waitlisted for, say, three months. Maybe it is possible to admit people after they have been rejected from the waitlist, but it's not very nice for anyone. Besides, persons rejected from a waitlist (due to your friend's decision) may then make other arrangements and then accept other offers if they have any. So people who are re-admitted off the waitlist must now 1. either do what your friend did and turn down a school from which they had just accepted an offer, or 2, still due to your friends actions, loose out on (maybe) their dream school and stick with their original acceptance. And this is all because your friend could not decide between two offers. Your friend's actions may have pretty far reaching consequences and I would appeal to him by pointing these consequences out.

An even more serious problem is that your friend starts his career in political science by lying, or being deceitful at least, to a whole bunch of people who have decided to take a chance on him. Perfect strangers who wanted to give him an opportunity. It seems to me that people like your friend is not just a "person who happens to lie" at a moment, he is just a liar. And it would not surprise me if his general attitude is in favor of cutting corners and do whatever is expedient in any given situation. This does not bode well for a career in academia and I would hope that such a person would reflect on his priorities. I do not know exactly what it takes to succeed in academia (does anyone?) but I do know that the kind of attitude that your friend seems to embody will not get him far. Literally everyone sees through that stuff right away.

I said above that adcoms will likely not find out that one has accepted two offers - but if they do it would not surprise me for a moment if both programs retracted their offers. This should be deterrence enough. If I was you I would grab my friend encourage them to do the right thing. Besides, if your friend has a hard time choosing it's likely that the two offers are equivalent. So just pick one.

I don't mean to come across overly harsh, but the whole application process takes a psychological, and even physical, toll on so many people and what your friend is planning on doing makes this, already very difficult process, even harder for everyone.

[Theory007]

April 15th is approaching everyone and this is a very nerve-wracking time!!! Hang in there!!

I've both been rejected and accepted off a waitlist and know how tough the wait is. I was literally going insane checking and rechecking my email. It seems that most students with offers really do not make up their minds before April 15th so be prepared to wait another 2 weeks or so. In the unfortunate event that you do not get off the waitlist, you leave the application process with very important knowledge. There is a program out there that wants you and your chances should be good if you decide to apply again next year. My point is that if it does not work out, it's not all for nothing.

Anyway, good luck everyone!! I really hope you all get admitted to your program of choice!

[uncle_socks]

1 hour ago, Theory007 said:

I doubt that most universities will have that knowledge. However, in the upper tiers it would not surprise me if adcoms across schools were in conversation with one another in order to admit as efficiently as possible. They all know one another anyway.

I agree with the post at large but just wanted to highlight that schools are not in conversation in order to admit as efficiently as possible. If Princeton wants someone, and even if they know that person has say, a Harvard offer, Princeton will still make the offer. Likewise, admissions committees aren't constantly asking their colleagues at other schools "Has Bunnies accepted your offer yet? They haven't accepted ours." 

[MEESASOBOREDSA]

I do agree with the above comments. I am also telling him just pick one. Extra time he will get like 15 days or even a month won’t change anything his life but would have a huge effect on others. He is in the psychology department by the way- most political science applicants asked me the name of the schools. One reason, I guess, why he does this that graduate director from one university pushes him to accept or decline the offer as soon as possible even the deadline is the midst of April. It does not legitimatize his actions but he received four or five e-mails from the director. I think it is also weird but anyway I will tell him to decline other offer since those two universities, as you said, are not different that much from each other. Thanks everyone!! I will show him the comments too which can be harsh but maybe can make him decline the other offer!!

[Theory007]

26 minutes ago, MEESASOBOREDSA said:

I will show him the comments too which can be harsh but maybe can make him decline the other offer!!

Maybe I was too harsh but I don't know how to say what I think about this without being a bit harsh. And yes, it does suck that the DGS one place is pushing him to make a decision.

[StarkDark1]

32 minutes ago, MEESASOBOREDSA said:

I do agree with the above comments. I am also telling him just pick one. Extra time he will get like 15 days or even a month won’t change anything his life but would have a huge effect on others. He is in the psychology department by the way- most political science applicants asked me the name of the schools. One reason, I guess, why he does this that graduate director from one university pushes him to accept or decline the offer as soon as possible even the deadline is the midst of April. It does not legitimatize his actions but he received four or five e-mails from the director. I think it is also weird but anyway I will tell him to decline other offer since those two universities, as you said, are not different that much from each other. Thanks everyone!! I will show him the comments too which can be harsh but maybe can make him decline the other offer!!

The DGS isn't supposed to push applicants to make a decision before April 15th.  That's the whole point of all these programs having a deadline of April 15th.

[skullkid]

2 hours ago, MEESASOBOREDSA said:

I do agree with the above comments. I am also telling him just pick one. Extra time he will get like 15 days or even a month won’t change anything his life but would have a huge effect on others. He is in the psychology department by the way- most political science applicants asked me the name of the schools. One reason, I guess, why he does this that graduate director from one university pushes him to accept or decline the offer as soon as possible even the deadline is the midst of April. It does not legitimatize his actions but he received four or five e-mails from the director. I think it is also weird but anyway I will tell him to decline other offer since those two universities, as you said, are not different that much from each other. Thanks everyone!! I will show him the comments too which can be harsh but maybe can make him decline the other offer!!

Also, I fail to see the benefit of saying yes to two places. After all, you still are going to go to only one place. Worst of all, what he/she is going to say to "the other university" when the 15th comes? Ehmmm I am actually not going to go to your program, which I had said I would... doing that is far worse than just postponing the decision to the last minute (I think it is only "decent" to give your choice on the 14th -maximum- since there are other people on the line, but even wating that much with no strong reasons is not that good I guess, but it is possible and I am sure it happens).

I mean, the profession is small, so people know people, and it is a bad idea to start with "that reputation," not that you cant shake it off or cant correct the mistake. Actually, him/her can and should correct the mistake as soon as possible.

Any day that goes by in which you have misled the program administrators is wrong. If she/he cant decide, well, just flip a coin and be done with it! 

Edited April 2, 2021 by skullkid

[MEESASOBOREDSA]

1 hour ago, skullkid said:

Also, I fail to see the benefit of saying yes to two places. After all, you still are going to go to only one place. Worst of all, what he/she is going to say to "the other university" when the 15th comes? Ehmmm I am actually not going to go to your program, which I had said I would... doing that is far worse than just postponing the decision to the last minute (I think it is only "decent" to give your choice on the 14th -maximum- since there are other people on the line, but even wating that much with no strong reasons is not that good I guess, but it is possible and I am sure it happens).

I mean, the profession is small, so people know people, and it is a bad idea to start with "that reputation," not that you cant shake it off or cant correct the mistake. Actually, him/her can and should correct the mistake as soon as possible.

Any day that goes by in which you have misled the program administrators is wrong. If she/he cant decide, well, just flip a coin and be done with it! 

I am waiting for instance until the last minute as you said because of the reasons behind my control : I am waiting for one university to release the decisions. If I would accept any offers I got and if other university I am waiting accepts me later which I would prefer, things will get complicated again for the people in the waitlist.

 

I guess he was just stressed that director pushed him too much to make up his decision and after showing the comments he decided that he will decline the other offer!! It was a bit complicated story but now we are over. Thanks everyone!! I hope we all can hear all results soon.

[rash_sulganni]

On 3/31/2021 at 4:56 AM, comeonilliiowa said:

Has anyone yet to receive a status update from UC, Riverside? I've sent them an email to ask about my status update, but there was no reply. 

I am surprised you haven't heard from them. I emailed about my status more than a month ago; I received an offer in about a day or two after emailing. Eventually though I had to turn down the offer.

[StarkDark1]

If any of the theory admits to Michigan are planning on declining, please do so soon!  On the waitlist.  Michigan would be a dream.  Love the program.  And aside from that, my partner lives nearby.  ?

Edited April 4, 2021 by StarkDark1

[applicant45457]

I just moved off from the waitlist and got accepted at UGA's PhD program.  IR/subfield.

I'm so thrilled!!!!!

Edited April 5, 2021 by applicant45457

[StarkDark1]

40 minutes ago, applicant45457 said:

I just moved off from the waitlist and got accepted at UGA's PhD program.  IR/subfield.

I'm so thrilled!!!!!

Congrats!

[funfetti]

Has anyone on the waitlist heard anything from MIT? 

[loiewo]

Have anyone heard anything after accepting an offer? I accepted an offer and it's been radio silence since. I guess I expected them to reach out in some way but haven't heard anything about a visit day or anything like that.

[at7929]

Two questions here:

I applied to McMaster's Global Politics program, and in the application portal there is just a tiny "x" for denied, but haven't received any communication from the program.  I am sure that is a rejection, but it feels odd that there was no follow up email, or is that just the way it goes?

 

I have also been waitlisted at UBC, and just curious what the likelihood of getting off the waitlist is there, or if anyone else is in a similar boat?

Was really hoping to get into a program in Canada, but if its absolute rejection I was accepted in New Zealand.

[China_IR]

23 hours ago, at7929 said:

Two questions here:

I applied to McMaster's Global Politics program, and in the application portal there is just a tiny "x" for denied, but haven't received any communication from the program.  I am sure that is a rejection, but it feels odd that there was no follow up email, or is that just the way it goes?

 

I have also been waitlisted at UBC, and just curious what the likelihood of getting off the waitlist is there, or if anyone else is in a similar boat?

Was really hoping to get into a program in Canada, but if its absolute rejection I was accepted in New Zealand.

UBC does not have a waitlist, according to what they have informed me. And they have got enough acceptance already, not likely to use the "still-active" files.

[at7929]

9 minutes ago, China_IR said:

UBC does not have a waitlist, according to what they have informed me. And they have got enough acceptance already, not likely to use the "still-active" files.

Interesting- did you apply this year to UBC as well/are you in the "still-active" category?

 

I haven't received that information from the program- have you reached out to them?

[StarkDark1]

13 minutes ago, at7929 said:

Interesting- did you apply this year to UBC as well/are you in the "still-active" category?

 

I haven't received that information from the program- have you reached out to them?

I applied to UBC and haven't received an admission or a rejection.  I emailed the program, and they told me that although it's not impossible they will send out more acceptances, it's very unlikely.  Apparently they sent out most of their acceptances in one earlier wave.  We must be on some type of unofficial wait list.  

Edited April 7, 2021 by StarkDark1

[China_IR]

I applied to UBC, and emailed the program coordinator last week, given my master offer at Columbia requires me to respond by May.
He reverted to me saying that I should not wait for them.
This cycle is just brutal.
15R, 1W (UBC if you count that), 0 A(1 if you count Columbia unfunded MA).

[poliscihopeful2021]

Claiming an acceptance from UCLA in CP! 

Please DM me if you're an admitted student in CP from UCLA. 

 

3a/2w/8r

[HolyGinger]

Claiming a rejection from NYU. Finally!

[sherlock holmes/M]

14 hours ago, HolyGinger said:

Claiming a rejection from NYU. Finally!

Hi, Did u get any fund from UAlbany?

[HolyGinger]

12 minutes ago, sherlock holmes/M said:

Hi, Did u get any fund from UAlbany?

Yes I did

[sherlock holmes/M]

1 hour ago, HolyGinger said:

Yes I did

Congratulation on your acceptance!