2022-2023 Application Thread

[wywen]

1 hour ago, Gabbiew said:

Is this normal? Anyone having the same issue? A little panicked right now.

I just checked. Same here! I guess it's normal? 

[anonymousvulture]

14 minutes ago, Obscurepun said:

This may be a silly question but to what extent does a grad schools ranking play in post graduation job hunting? I know it plays a significant role in other types of grad programs, like law school, but am not sure how much to weigh fit vs ranking.

My impression is that pedigree matters, much like the gre, in a kind of negative way. A good one won't guarantee anything, a "bad" one will make your life harder. But it's a case by case thing. For instance, would you trade UC Davis (25) for Brown (41)? Much more money, east coast networking between Boston and DC could perhaps make for the difference in rankings. No cali sunshine though, and a big rankings gap. Would you trade Ann Arbor for UChicago? 6 spots, but a much cooler city (imo) and you're already in the top 10 anyway. Anyways, the mkt is rough all over the place. Your personal happiness will matter, the amount of money and job market support your dept could offer matters (for instance, as a foreigner, you could have a better phd if you don't have to TA out of the gate, ie, you could use one year to adapt to language etc) also matters a lot. Places like Ohio, UMD and Rice offer great methods/programming skills, which help with the nonacademic job market. Lots of variables!

[juliacar]

If you want to go into academia proper after this, my understanding is that rank is quite important in that regard 

[Obscurepun]

Thanks both! (Still have not figured out how to reply to comments- apologies). Definitely looking to enter academia after, so this is good information. Perhaps a consideration for March once all the cards are down (and hopefully options to choose from).

[anonymousvulture]

Also check the placement page of programs. The more honest and upfront the better. Saying the program has placed in the past on x, y and z means very little If, on average, the placement is not academic. Places like UNC chapel Hill keep a good record 

Edited February 1, 2023 by anonymousvulture

[TerribleTowel]

6 minutes ago, Obscurepun said:

Thanks both! (Still have not figured out how to reply to comments- apologies). Definitely looking to enter academia after, so this is good information. Perhaps a consideration for March once all the cards are down (and hopefully options to choose from).

Definitely talk with people and look at the "job placement" section on each program's website. Look at placement by year, not just the list they compile overall, since things have gotten more competitive recently. It's becoming more common to do a post-doc after finishing a phd in order to place better. Using Brown as an example since someone just mentioned it, looks like recent grads have done postdocs, gone into industry, and worked as visiting or temporary professors. The few who make it directly into academia tend to work at smaller schools like Lehigh University and Cal State - Chico (which both still seem like good placements to me), though someone did place at U Washington in 2021.

As long as you're willing to do a postdoc and go into industry if things don't work out after trying the market for a few years, I think it's worth getting a PhD

[TerribleTowel]

Also, to some degree, placement is affected by the location of your PhD program. If you go to Emory, for instance, that increases the likelihood that you'll place somewhere in the South. Whereas at UCLA you might place somewhere in Utah or Idaho. I think this is because programs tend to have connections to schools around them, or at least be more familiar with schools that are closer by. So that's not to say for sure that you'll place within the region, but your odds go up a little bit.

[Aztec]

24 minutes ago, Obscurepun said:

Thanks both! (Still have not figured out how to reply to comments- apologies). Definitely looking to enter academia after, so this is good information. Perhaps a consideration for March once all the cards are down (and hopefully options to choose from).

You just need to click "quote" on the comment you want to answer...

[theorysc]

Anyone have any advice on how to relax and not check my email every 10 seconds? I've been going into my office to try to focus on something else, but it is absolutely is not helping. Still 0 for 9 on applications. 

[Obscurepun]

Thanks! This is helpful and good to consider. I’d prefer to work on East coast I think so that may be worth considering. Is this a reason at all to steer away from Midwest schools (Michigan, NW, U Chicago, etc) due to fewer options compared to more populated areas of the country?

[Crossed_fingers]

Since UNC's placement has been brought up, does anyone know where to find a detailed version like that many other programs post (alumni name, where they work know, maybe where they placed initially/advisor/subfield/etc)? I found the list of recent placement institutions on their website but can't find anything more helpful/detailed. 

[qampus]

8 minutes ago, theorysc said:

Anyone have any advice on how to relax and not check my email every 10 seconds? I've been going into my office to try to focus on something else, but it is absolutely is not helping. Still 0 for 9 on applications. 

Don't check your email. In fact, how does one check their email these days? Don't all the incoming "letters" automatically (=instantaneously) appear on the screen(s) of your device(s) once they are delivered?

My gmail is installed on both my iPad and iPhone, so I am immediately made aware when an email flies in... )))

[TerribleTowel]

2 minutes ago, Obscurepun said:

Thanks! This is helpful and good to consider. I’d prefer to work on East coast I think so that may be worth considering. Is this a reason at all to steer away from Midwest schools (Michigan, NW, U Chicago, etc) due to fewer options compared to more populated areas of the country?

Those are fine! A top ten school (i.e. Michigan and U Chicago) will place you well, so you don't need to worry as much about location. Recent NWU grads have placed at U Illinois - UC and Toronto (plus a loooooot of postdocs and visiting positions). Where you study doesn't lock you into staying in that region, but it can give a little boost. 

Keep in mind that the East coast also produces more PhD graduates, so it won't necessarily be easier to stay on the East coast. I'd say don't worry too much about this! Especially if you do a postdoc, that'll affect where you ultimately end up

[TerribleTowel]

9 minutes ago, Crossed_fingers said:

Since UNC's placement has been brought up, does anyone know where to find a detailed version like that many other programs post (alumni name, where they work know, maybe where they placed initially/advisor/subfield/etc)? I found the list of recent placement institutions on their website but can't find anything more helpful/detailed. 

UNC doesn't make that available. You can always ask them, though, especially if you are an admitted student.

[Obscurepun]

Not super fired up about the prospect of doing a post-doc as I’d like to be making a regular salary when graduating (I am not K-PhD), but understand this may be a “must” by the time we graduate. I’d love some stability haha, tired of moving.

[appigeohd]

22 hours ago, h97i said:

I'm new to this grad cafe business and this seems like the thread to be at since all info science threads are quiet.

Any news on information science programs at Cornell/UMich/Illinois/UPenn? Its much later than previous years and everything remains pretty quiet on the results page. One or two interviews here or there but not at the volume there was in previous years.

Thanks!

Hi there, Cornell sent out a bunch of interview invitation yesterday afternoon. I hope you received that… Umsi already sent out there offer yesterday evening. Actually I know ~10 people who applied umsi and all of their focus are HCI(CSCW, social computing). None of them got any interviews, which is weird. UIUC already sent out some interview invitations.

[polisci320]

2 minutes ago, appigeohd said:

Hi there, Cornell sent out a bunch of interview invitation yesterday afternoon. I hope you received that… Umsi already sent out there offer yesterday evening. Actually I know ~10 people who applied umsi and all of their focus are HCI(CSCW, social computing). None of them got any interviews, which is weird. UIUC already sent out some interview invitations.

My heart DROPPED until I realized this was not in ref to poli sci. Phew!

[PolGrad]

2 minutes ago, polisci320 said:

My heart DROPPED until I realized this was not in ref to poli sci. Phew!

Same for me. I also applied for Cornell Phd Program.

[Crossed_fingers]

4 minutes ago, polisci320 said:

My heart DROPPED until I realized this was not in ref to poli sci. Phew!

I didn't realize it wasn't Poli sci until I read your comment

[MooseTracks]

Chicago released around this time last couple years right? The silence✌️?

Edited February 1, 2023 by MooseTracks

[icedamericanopolitics]

I applied to: Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Michigan, MIT, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, UCLA, UNC, and Yale. I have heard back from ONE school so far (WL @ Duke). Someone pls tell me that results are just coming slowly and this means nothing ?

[theorysc]

3 minutes ago, icedamericanopolitics said:

I applied to: Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Michigan, MIT, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, UCLA, UNC, and Yale. I have heard back from ONE school so far (WL @ Duke). Someone pls tell me that results are just coming slowly and this means nothing ?

My list is very similar and I've heard nothing so don't stress! It's definitely not just you. 

[juliacar]

Means nothing. No way not one of us (a self selected very qualified bunch) would have heard of any were out 

Edited February 1, 2023 by juliacar

[marxford]

15 minutes ago, theorysc said:

Anyone have any advice on how to relax and not check my email every 10 seconds? I've been going into my office to try to focus on something else, but it is absolutely is not helping. Still 0 for 9 on applications. 

My current strategy is to try and ignore this process for as many hours as humanly possible. I've been trying to limit my fruitless logins and refreshes to 10 a day by keeping score, but most importantly, doing other things! Focusing on the people and activities around me - rather than the looming virtual abyss of an institution somewhere I would potentially attend in the future.
And when I feel I really want to immerse myself into this world of academia that I am so passionate about (and the reason I'm so desperate to hear back), I read more about my field and soak in that knowledge and those mechanisms that I find so fascinating. 
That practise especially helps me to put things into perspective; maybe I'll be accepted this year, but if not, I can find another way to do this for a living and fulfil this dream.  

[theorysc]

4 minutes ago, marxford said:

My current strategy is to try and ignore this process for as many hours as humanly possible. I've been trying to limit my fruitless logins and refreshes to 10 a day by keeping score, but most importantly, doing other things! Focusing on the people and activities around me - rather than the looming virtual abyss of an institution somewhere I would potentially attend in the future.
And when I feel I really want to immerse myself into this world of academia that I am so passionate about (and the reason I'm so desperate to hear back), I read more about my field and soak in that knowledge and those mechanisms that I find so fascinating. 
That practise especially helps me to put things into perspective; maybe I'll be accepted this year, but if not, I can find another way to do this for a living and fulfil this dream.  

That's great advice! You've inspired me to close GradCafe for the day. Thank you!