Corrupt application process?

[pyoslp]

Hi all,

I'm applying to MS programs in speech pathology. I'm taking prerequisite courses at a certain school, and am currently taking a class with the Graduate Admissions Coordinator. She's proven herself to be both an inept professor and a corrupt one (playing favorites, giving easier exams to one section of the class, complaining to them that she doesn't like our section and that we "take the class too seriously" and "ask too many questions", not knowing the material herself or being able to answer our questions, etc, etc, etc). She's made threatening remarks that we should stay on her good side because of her position. She's also made it pretty clear that she doesn't like me.

Last night, at 9:00 PM (two hours after I replied to another email of hers with something that was very polite and well thought out, but still probably angered her), the whole class received this email:

"Please let me know if you are applying for grad admission for spring, and if you are applying, how interested you are in attending."

Now I'm freaking out--Is this at all normal? Is she even allowed to ask a question like this? Is our response going to be part of our application file? Is she going to use it against us in class? I really wouldn't put anything past her. There's a rumor that she got someone kicked out of the program for filing a complaint against her with the school, which might not be true, but is still scary.

I just really can't see any legitimate use for our responses. If she were only asking how many people were applying, I could see how it might be a logistical thing, seeing how many applications are going to come in next week. But this feels like something that we're going to be judged on. If she WILL be taking this into account when looking at our applications, then people outside of our class don't get a chance to respond, so we're being evaluated based on a different set of application materials.

Is there a right way to respond to an email like this? After all that I've been through with this class and professor, I'm probably going to delay my application one semester so that I can apply to other schools at the same time (and for financial reasons, which I'll blame it on when people in the department ask). I have a few friends though who really do want to get in for spring, who don't know how to respond. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Strangefox]

What an unpleasant situation! I really feel your pain

I thought that graduate coordinators are just that - graduate coordinators. They are not professors. So this is new to me. Can a person be a professor and act as a graduate coordinator at the same time?

If she is a professor, are you sure you want to study in a program with such faculty??? If they keep her, may be they all are corrupt?? I would reconsider applying there, if I were you.

If you apply - she won't be the only one deciding your fate, so I don't think the way you answer her last letter will matter.

[eklavya]

Is there a right way to respond to an email like this?

she's devilishly flaky, that's for certain. the main thing to consider here is that do you really want to go to a program that has a teacher like her? forget her awful behavior for once. but if she's a terrible teacher, do you really think you will excel at this particular dept where (i assume) she will be teaching you?

now as to why she's asking you all the schools you will be applying to, it's hard to tell. she could be plotting a devious plan man, who knows! if i were you, i'd not tell her squat. there are people who want to know what's going on in other people's lives so that they can munch on the information, and live off it... you know, those guffy/gossipy types. moreover, there are people whi want to ruin things for others because they envy the progress. in her case (and if she really is THAT terrible), she might not have good intentions regarding your future, my friend!

my advice: lay low, finish the class, apply elsewhere, and get the hell outta that place.

I thought that graduate coordinators are just that - graduate coordinators. They are not professors. So this is new to me. Can a person be a professor and act as a graduate coordinator at the same time?

no, grad coordinators can be professors. this is how it is in most schools because the school/dept wants professors to develop those 'managerial' skills. some extremely rich schools might have grad coordinators and profs as two separate entities, but it's not very common.

[kaykaykay]

a, I think if she sees your file anyway, you have to tell her that you are applying (she may get angry if you do not), I would probably try to go to her office hours and try to "ask her advice" in person. I would be as naive and innocent as possible, as I would have no idea she could hate me.

b, I would probably not tell her where else I am applying even if she asks, just a few places if absolutely necessary. I do not think she could have any influence on the outcome but she can give you horrible remarks.

c. I would talk to another prof that you are close to about her class (not her per se, they will probably not talk to you completely honestly), if she is that bad, maybe everybody hates her and the fact that she hates you can even help with your appplication. Just be very professional and try to set your anger aside, .

I had taugh teachers who played easy and hard on two groups of students, but usually being in the hard group was a good sign. Also I had profs who changed their whole attitude to me after some office hours conversation, when they saw that I am genuinly interested in their subject, and/o if they heard I was applying to grad school. That said I also knew terrible teachers, so these are just my ideas.

[kaykaykay]

Oh and of course tell her you are 150% interested in attending! if you are taken you can still change your mind. MAybe there is some financial issues and she just wants to get a sense about how many possible applicants there may be before securing spots from the grad division!

[pyoslp]

Just to clarify: She isn't explicitly asking which other schools we're applying to, just how "interested" we are in actually attending. Which almost confuses me more--who is going to say "eh, I could take it or leave it"? Why does she want a dozen gushing emails about how interested we are? Or do you think she's implying that she wants to hear "I'm so serious, this is the only school I'm applying to"?

I am really questioning whether I want to go there at all, as I would definitely have to take classes with her in the future. There's another professor there who I really love, so that makes it hard. Overall I've heard that the department is quite a mixed bag.

She's told us that as the coordinator, all applications pass through her first, and that without her OK no one else even sees your application. I'm not sure if that's true or not. The only reason I think I even have a shot there is that the other professor is really pulling for me, and would ask her about my application.

Also I had profs who changed their whole attitude to me after some office hours conversation, when they saw that I am genuinly interested in their subject, and/o if they heard I was applying to grad school.

Someone I know went to ask her for more info about her area of research, and was completely blown off. The professor actually said that she did enough research to get famous and get tenure, "doesn't do that stuff anymore", and refused to talk about it.

[Bukharan]

This sounds like a tough situation. I suggest you do everything as it should be done - be polite and respectful in all e-mails you send - and keep track of everything in case you need to present those e-mails later.

There is not much else you can do in this situation. Show the best side of yourself! She is probably not the only one responsible for admissions so you do have a shot if you really want this.

[kaykaykay]

So what I meant was thar she might have to demonstrate something to the grad division. Like they want to eliminate the subfield, cut all grad students, cut research money etc. And she can say: look just in my class Blabla 240 there are 50 people interested in applying and they are serious. Proof : your letters... If the department misses out on something because you did not send her a letter when you are actually applying, she may get very furious.

Well, I guess it is better not to talk to her if you estimate that she will blow you off, in stressful times that can be terrible. But often profs do not care enough about students to seriously to plot evil deeds against them, and one-on- one she may turn out to be a human. (and if not than there is a god chance that other "human" profs will also know the situation)

[pyoslp]

So what I meant was thar she might have to demonstrate something to the grad division. Like they want to eliminate the subfield, cut all grad students, cut research money etc. And she can say: look just in my class Blabla 240 there are 50 people interested in applying and they are serious. Proof : your letters... If the department misses out on something because you did not send her a letter when you are actually applying, she may get very furious.

Hm, you may be right about this. But since the department gets hundreds of applications a year and has a 10% acceptance rate, my guess would be that they're trying to expand rather than fight off cuts. It would just be for hiring faculty, though, since speech path doesn't fund grad students.

But often profs do not care enough about students to seriously to plot evil deeds against them

Ah, but I've witnessed her plotting evil deeds. I was warned before taking this class that she's incredibly vindictive, but I didn't listen. Sigh... At least I've learned something about this department, right?

[Strangefox]

At least I've learned something about this department, right?

Yeah, enough not to apply there! Just try to imagine studying there for TWO years having this terrible woman around! It will be just like living in hell! Is that really worth it????

Edited December 3, 2010 by Strangefox