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Posted

In this case, I guess it's speaking of American/theory, for not many comparatives have come out.

I don't recall seeing any Berkeley IR admits either (maybe I just missed them?).

Posted

I don't recall seeing any Berkeley IR admits either (maybe I just missed them?).

No, I haven't seen any either. I'm IR, and an international student, so my results could take longer... maybe? .. I have more or less given up hope on Berkeley (going in to self-preservation mode).

On another note - I've been masochistically lurking through this forum for the last two weeks, and I can't believe how many schools many of you have applied to! Seriously, where did you find the time to research and customize your application materials to so many top programs? Not to mention the money for application fees.. I feel a bit behind the program, here. This whole American grad school thing is a completely foreign world to me. If I don't get admitted, I'm really going to have to step up my game next year.

For those who are curious, I've applied only to the Phd at Berkeley, an MA at Carleton (Ottawa), an MA in media studies at The New School and an MFA in Documentary Studies at Ryerson. I've read some posts from a few of you worrying about what to do if this round of applications fails, and those last two are my alternative to political science academia - something creative.

Posted

No, I haven't seen any either. I'm IR, and an international student, so my results could take longer... maybe? .. I have more or less given up hope on Berkeley (going in to self-preservation mode).

On another note - I've been masochistically lurking through this forum for the last two weeks, and I can't believe how many schools many of you have applied to! Seriously, where did you find the time to research and customize your application materials to so many top programs? Not to mention the money for application fees.. I feel a bit behind the program, here. This whole American grad school thing is a completely foreign world to me. If I don't get admitted, I'm really going to have to step up my game next year.

For those who are curious, I've applied only to the Phd at Berkeley, an MA at Carleton (Ottawa), an MA in media studies at The New School and an MFA in Documentary Studies at Ryerson. I've read some posts from a few of you worrying about what to do if this round of applications fails, and those last two are my alternative to political science academia - something creative.

I applied ten, and it did take lots of energy and time. Nevertheless, I can't help worrying I might get rejected by all of the.

Posted

I applied to 9 schools and I am already starting to come up with a Plan B. If I don't get in this year, I don't think I'll reapply next year. I already have an MA. Maybe it would be best for me to continue working as an analyst, but maybe somewhere else :)

Also, considering I only have one rejection so far (please, please God let it stay that way) I think a lot of my lack of confidence is coming from seeing the results board. Somehow my mind can't process that someone getting rejected or accepted to a school I didn't even apply to has no bearing on the decision about my own application somewhere else.

I think I am going to try to ban myself from GradCafe on Monday and see what happens.

Posted

I am not claiming a Northwestern acceptance, but I am claiming the "Hello and congratulations on your invitation to visit Northwestern University during our Applicant Visit Weekend, March 3-6, 2011."

The email is notably lacking any mention of being accepted to the program. It is just an invitation to visit, but I'll take it as a very good sign.

Posted

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I just got an invitation for Northwestern's visiting weekend without ever receiving an acceptance letter. I'm a little confused, but am just hoping that this means an acceptance... I also just saw on the Results page that apparently I'm not the only one who had this experience.

Posted

Also, considering I only have one rejection so far (please, please God let it stay that way) I think a lot of my lack of confidence is coming from seeing the results board. Somehow my mind can't process that someone getting rejected or accepted to a school I didn't even apply to has no bearing on the decision about my own application somewhere else.

The independence of irrelevant alternatives axiom should save the day :)

Yeah, I'm such a nerd.

Posted

I've missed all the Northwestern rejections so far, but haven't heard anything. No notice of a decision being made on ApplyYourself or the gradstatus page.

I'm freaking out.

Posted

Also, considering I only have one rejection so far (please, please God let it stay that way) I think a lot of my lack of confidence is coming from seeing the results board. Somehow my mind can't process that someone getting rejected or accepted to a school I didn't even apply to has no bearing on the decision about my own application somewhere else.

My 2¢:

As my screen name would indicate, I'm hardly in a position to counsel anyone not freak out. All last week before I got my first acceptance I was literally vibrating with nervous energy, but now that I've gotten one, I guess I see the process a little differently.

First, the odds of getting into any program are ridiculously low, at least mathematically. Now this is still a little confusing to me, because while a school like Stanford might get 500 applications and only admit 10 students, it's hard to judge the calibre of that huge number of 500 people. Are there 500 equally qualified and wonderful candidates, from which 10 are just so SUPER AMAZING that they are accepted (which would give anyone a 1/50 shot of being admitted. Ouch.) or were there maybe 100 people who applied for the heck of it, 200 people whose stats are really bad, 50 people who didn't fill out the form properly, and therefore only 150 viable candidates? Who can say, but that's something I often think about.

Also, I was fortunate to have a conversation with a former professor of mine who is currently on the adcom for his school. He reminded me that he personally had rejected people who had perfect stats (4.0, 1600 GRE) and admitted people who were less than perfect based upon their letters of recommendations and personal statements. So there's no mathematical formula for "getting in" to a school.

While I don't find any of these musings particularly comforting, they are something to consider because they all add up to say that there's no way, as far as I can discern, of doing this "right" or doing it "wrong." Sure there are certain low-level improvements one could make (spell checking, getting good letters), but I don't think that anyone here has mastered the art of applying to graduate school because each school is so different in what it looks for.

And I think the other thing to remember is that at least the professors with whom I have spoken remind me that they look at each student individually. Another person's acceptance doesn't make yours more difficult; just like someone else being rejected doesn't make you particularly more or less likely to be so.

Anyhoo, just my two cents on the thoughts that've been going through my head about this whole process.

Posted
On 2/11/2011 at 2:21 AM, Livio88 said:

On the result page there is a WashU acceptance!! Anyone claiming it?

God, that's my favorite school.

Three Washington acceptances have been posted. I'm guessing they're all out by now since they were notified electronically.

 

Posted

Ok, I have the solution to everyone's problem...

All we need are goats, virgins, a voodoo doctor, spells and a volcano. We make the proper sacrifices to the grad-school spirits and all will be well! :wacko:

Posted

Congrats to the Northwestern admits!

Harvard's PEG is a different program with a different adcomm. I know because I accidentally submat my application to PEG and then had to frantically petition the helpful people at Harvard to channel it the right direction.

Posted

So Ohio State and Wisconsin are staying quiet today?

Seems like it. Still a few hours until close of business, though.

Posted

Yeah, Harvard PEG is a different program, and a really awesome one at that. I didn't apply, because they accept <3% applicants. But their faculty committee is such a concentrated ball of awesome it's ridiculous. Congrats to whomever wants to claim those admits.

Posted

So Ohio State and Wisconsin are staying quiet today?

I received my acceptance from Wisconsin two weeks ago. They normally send them all out at once by mail, so I'm not sure there will be any more.

Posted

I received my acceptance from Wisconsin two weeks ago. They normally send them all out at once by mail, so I'm not sure there will be any more.

Oh, that's unwelcome news. Did your online status change? That's what I've been checking, and it still says 'pending'.

Posted

Oh, that's unwelcome news. Did your online status change? That's what I've been checking, and it still says 'pending'.

No, no change. Just the letter.

Posted

So Ohio State and Wisconsin are staying quiet today?

A bunch of acceptances of Wisconsin were posted last week. I'm not sure if Wisconsin's acceptances are all sent out. Still have some hope in mind.

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