2021 Application Discussion - Film & Media Studies / Cinema Studies

[jk25]

5 hours ago, jkv152 said:

From what I saw on the results page, someone had mentioned that PhD applicants will hear back in March. 

I would think that is the absolute latest deadline. In earlier years, results were out in Jan.

[graceful]

Saw someone post an acceptance for Berkeley’s film studies! Wondering if it was someone on this thread (congrats if it was!!)?. Did not hear back myself and wondering if all acceptances were sent out today. 

[ShivD]

3 hours ago, graceful said:

Saw someone post an acceptance for Berkeley’s film studies! Wondering if it was someone on this thread (congrats if it was!!)?. Did not hear back myself and wondering if all acceptances were sent out today. 

Oh really? Could you please point out what search terms you used or link the results page for this? 
I just tried searching "uc berkeley film studies/ uc berkeley film and media studies" ... it only shows me results as old as ones from 2018. 

In any case, I also did not hear back from them. Must mean then it is a rejection?! ?

[graceful]

21 minutes ago, ShivD said:

Oh really? Could you please point out what search terms you used or link the results page for this? 
I just tried searching "uc berkeley film studies/ uc berkeley film and media studies" ... it only shows me results as old as ones from 2018. 

In any case, I also did not hear back from them. Must mean then it is a rejection?! ?

I just searched “Berkeley” and it’s one of the most recent posts. Under film studies I believe. Yes I knew this was definitely an incredibly competitive program so I’m not surprised. But sad nonetheless....

[ShivD]

Just now, graceful said:

I just searched “Berkeley” and it’s one of the most recent posts. Under film studies I believe. Yes I knew this was definitely an incredibly competitive program so I’m not surprised. But sad nonetheless....

Right. I just searched the full string "University of California Berkeley Film Studies" and finally got it. Gradcafe search mechanism is quite funny lol "UC Berkeley Film Studies" wasn't showing it. 
Anyway, same... I had no specific hopes, even though I think I have a great match with the program (my writing sample had much to do with Mary Ann Doane's work on desire)... but even though people there were enthusiastic about my project, they had clearly said that funding for international students is *severely* limited. So I stopped thinking about it much :P.

[lingc35]

14 hours ago, graceful said:

Saw someone post an acceptance for Berkeley’s film studies! Wondering if it was someone on this thread (congrats if it was!!)?. Did not hear back myself and wondering if all acceptances were sent out today. 

Hi, yes for some reason it wouldn't let me select film and media studies under the field when I submitted my result. 

I got an email last night saying that my official letter and funding package would arrive in early March and that they would love to chat soon over zoom to give me more information. 

I'm very shocked at how admissions is playing out for me. The schools I thought I didn't stand a chance at (mainly because of fit and the things faculty are interested in) are the schools that I've been accepted to so far. Very strange. 

[jkv152]

1 hour ago, lingc35 said:

Hi, yes for some reason it wouldn't let me select film and media studies under the field when I submitted my result. 

I got an email last night saying that my official letter and funding package would arrive in early March and that they would love to chat soon over zoom to give me more information. 

I'm very shocked at how admissions is playing out for me. The schools I thought I didn't stand a chance at (mainly because of fit and the things faculty are interested in) are the schools that I've been accepted to so far. Very strange. 

Congrats! So it sounds like an informal interview just to get to know you a bit more regardless of your acceptance. That's so exciting. What other programs did you apply/get accepted to if you don't mind me asking?

Berkeley is a dream for me. I'm still holding out hope!

[graceful]

37 minutes ago, jkv152 said:

Congrats! So it sounds like an informal interview just to get to know you a bit more regardless of your acceptance. That's so exciting. What other programs did you apply/get accepted to if you don't mind me asking?

Berkeley is a dream for me. I'm still holding out hope!

Sounds to me like it is a guaranteed acceptance with details on finding and official letter later. I saw the same thing happen with someone from UNC for their phd program - phone call with news of acceptance than specific funding details later. 
If so, congrats to you @lingc35!! It’s an amazing program and I’m sure your acceptance is very well deserved. 

[lingc35]

20 minutes ago, jkv152 said:

Congrats! So it sounds like an informal interview just to get to know you a bit more regardless of your acceptance. That's so exciting. What other programs did you apply/get accepted to if you don't mind me asking?

Berkeley is a dream for me. I'm still holding out hope!

I only applied to one cms department which was Berkeley.  I also applied to Harvard art history (accepted), Columbia art history (interview), UChicago English (waitlist), CUNY art history (interview), and Princeton art history (haven't heard). 

Best of luck! I hope you hear soon. 

[jkv152]

44 minutes ago, lingc35 said:

I only applied to one cms department which was Berkeley.  I also applied to Harvard art history (accepted), Columbia art history (interview), UChicago English (waitlist), CUNY art history (interview), and Princeton art history (haven't heard). 

Best of luck! I hope you hear soon. 

Amazing, congratulations! Do you have a preference for a program based on your research interests?

[lingc35]

10 hours ago, jkv152 said:

Amazing, congratulations! Do you have a preference for a program based on your research interests?

I honestly don't know given that I wasn't expecting to hear from any of these schools, let alone be accepted so I need to fully wrap my head around what each of them have to offer academically. 

The advice I've heard is that you should consider which schools give you the most money overall so I'm waiting to get all of the financial aid packages before really considering overall intellectual fit. 

[Kim2016]

16 hours ago, lingc35 said:

Hi, yes for some reason it wouldn't let me select film and media studies under the field when I submitted my result. 

I got an email last night saying that my official letter and funding package would arrive in early March and that they would love to chat soon over zoom to give me more information. 

I'm very shocked at how admissions is playing out for me. The schools I thought I didn't stand a chance at (mainly because of fit and the things faculty are interested in) are the schools that I've been accepted to so far. Very strange. 

Congrats!!! I'm also waiting to hear back from Berkeley but I was told by my PI earlier before applications that they will only accept 3-4 cohorts this year. I'm curious how many ended up applying to UCB this year. 

[Kim2016]

Anybody applied to the University of Washington Seattle Cinema and Media Studies program here?  

[ACKru]

Has anyone been accepted to UT RTF Film and Media PHD for 2021? The "deadline" for admissions said February 15th, but I'm still holding out hope unless anyone here has been accepted... Haha ahhhhhhh

[jkv152]

11 hours ago, Kim2016 said:

Anybody applied to the University of Washington Seattle Cinema and Media Studies program here?  

I have and I believe there was someone else in this thread that applied too. Good luck to you!

[Kim2016]

49 minutes ago, jkv152 said:

I have and I believe there was someone else in this thread that applied too. Good luck to you!

Nice! On the status page it says decisions will be out by mid-March but based on last year's results it seems like they make their decisions by end of Feb. Have you spoken to any of your POIs or DGS before applying to the program? 

[Elusively]

4 hours ago, ACKru said:

Has anyone been accepted to UT RTF Film and Media PHD for 2021? The "deadline" for admissions said February 15th, but I'm still holding out hope unless anyone here has been accepted... Haha ahhhhhhh

Hi ACkru,

 

I was invited for a casual interview with the committee of UT Austin RTF Film and Media Ph.D. on January 30. The interviews seemed to take place between Monday February 1st and Wednesday 3rd. I think it went quite well for me. I asked them when I would have an official response, and they said it should be 2-3 weeks after the interview. Good luck!

 

I have other informations as well if it helps anyone.

I had an interview with the University of British Columbia for the Ph.D.  in Cinema and Media Studies. I was invited on January 14 and the interviews seemed to take place between monday January 25 and wednesday January 27. They got back to me 2 days after and asked me to apply for a special UBC scholarship to help with funding, but there hasn't been official offer yet. They emailed me again a couple of days ago, telling me I would hear back in a few weeks.

I was officially accepted into the University of Toronto's Cinema Studies Institute Ph.D. without any interview on February 5. They want to meet me to tell me about the offer.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Elusively

[ACKru]

9 minutes ago, Elusively said:

Hi ACkru,

 

I was invited for a casual interview with the committee of UT Austin RTF Film and Media Ph.D. on January 30. The interviews seemed to take place between Monday February 1st and Wednesday 3rd. I think it went quite well for me. I asked them when I would have an official response, and they said it should be 2-3 weeks after the interview. Good luck!

 

I have other informations as well if it helps anyone.

I had an interview with the University of British Columbia for the Ph.D.  in Cinema and Media Studies. I was invited on January 14 and the interviews seemed to take place between monday January 25 and wednesday January 27. They got back to me 2 days after and asked me to apply for a special UBC scholarship to help with funding, but there hasn't been official offer yet. They emailed me again a couple of days ago, telling me I would hear back in a few weeks.

I was officially accepted into the University of Toronto's Cinema Studies Institute Ph.D. without any interview on February 5. They want to meet me to tell me about the offer.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Ok, congratulations!! Is UT your top choice if you don't mind my asking?

[Elusively]

2 minutes ago, ACKru said:

Ok, congratulations!! Is UT your top choice if you don't mind my asking?

Thank you! It is one of my top choices but I am waiting to have an official offer and to see the funding before making a decision. I will definitely update you once I've made up my mind, since I've also applied to other universities I haven't heard from. They did mention they had a waitlist and that people needed to give an answer by April 15 to see if they were moving forward with the waitlist...

[ACKru]

4 minutes ago, Elusively said:

Thank you! It is one of my top choices but I am waiting to have an official offer and to see the funding before making a decision. I will definitely update you once I've made up my mind, since I've also applied to other universities I haven't heard from. They did mention they had a waitlist and that people needed to give an answer by April 15 to see if they were moving forward with the waitlist...

Super big congrats, that's really impressive, also thank you for being so transparent! I feel like the waiting process leaves us in the dark for so long. I'm going to assume I have been rejected based on no waitlist or interview letters... BUT thank you for responding so I can stop checking my email every 5 seconds

[Elusively]

Just now, ACKru said:

Super big congrats, that's really impressive, also thank you for being so transparent! I feel like the waiting process leaves us in the dark for so long. I'm going to assume I have been rejected based on no waitlist or interview letters... BUT thank you for responding so I can stop checking my email every 5 seconds

I'm really hoping for you that you have at least been waitlisted. If not, I hope you have other amazing options. It's such a frustrating and looong process. I've been checking my email non stop as well. I just try to remember that it's quite subjective and that sometimes it's more a question of fitting with someone in the faculty than of your actual work, especially at the Ph.D. level. There are also funding issues for many universities due to Covid which makes it hard to take as many students. Good luck!

[fossati]

I received an acceptance to USC earlier this month.

I haven't heard back from anyone else, except a rejection from UCSB and Duke Comp Lit. 

Edited February 12, 2021 by fossati

[Elusively]

38 minutes ago, fossati said:

I received an acceptance to USC earlier this month.

I haven't heard back from anyone else, except a rejection from UCSB and Duke Comp Lit. 

Was your acceptance to USC for the master’s or for the PhD? Congratulations!

[m00dyjewel]

Just got a rejection letter from Stanford PhD in Art History (FMS). Wanted to drop the info here in case anyone is waiting to hear from that program. 

[fossati]

44 minutes ago, Elusively said:

Was your acceptance to USC for the master’s or for the PhD? Congratulations!

Hey! It was for the PhD program. 

They said I got an early acceptance, so I am fully expecting some people might not hear back until later. 

Best of luck to everyone!