Fall 2025 Applicants

[GCUSER2025]

I have used last year's LORs for this cycle. Will that negatively impact my application? Any idea on candidates who used old LORs and received admission offers?  

[Silsmh]

8 hours ago, voxanonyma said:

I was invited to interview with Harvard. I received the request from their graduate chair earlier today. I am absolutely stunned, in the literal sense of the word too. My Michigan interview I think went very well too, I felt great after. I don't mean to impose this upon you all, but my sweet dog I've been with since childhood died yesterday, he got sick incredibly suddenly and we had to make the horrible decision, and I was and still am just struggling with everything; he was my best friend, and I wanted him to come with me wherever I went next, wherever I settled to earn my PhD. And I still can't honestly accept he isn't going to be there. My first thought when I saw the message was how much I wished he were here to celebrate with me; I shared so much with him. So, in all, this news is something that is astounding to me. In both senses of what I have related, I really cannot believe it.

So stoked for you about both Michigan and Harvard! Congratulations! Also so incredibly sorry for the loss of your pet and family member and best friend  I understand. Sending strength. 

[GCUSER2025]

I have used the LOR from the last cycle for this cycle, will that negatively impact my application? Any idea of candidates who used old LORs and received admission offers? 

[voxanonyma]

18 hours ago, GCUSER2025 said:

I have used the LOR from the last cycle for this cycle, will that negatively impact my application? Any idea of candidates who used old LORs and received admission offers? 

One of my recommenders has written for me since undergraduate. I think it depends on your relationship to them. If it's someone whom you haven't really worked with in several years, as is my case, I think it's only helpful for them to write if they can speak to your qualities as a person outside academia, e.g. your track and growth that they've observed over time. But even in this case, you still want to make sure they are updating the letter at least a little; I don't think it would be a good look to use the same letter from prior years, especially if, let's say, it has a date on there that identifies it as old.

[GCUSER2025]

10 hours ago, voxanonyma said:

One of my recommenders has written for me since undergraduate. I think it depends on your relationship to them. If it's someone whom you haven't really worked with in several years, as is my case, I think it's only helpful for them to write if they can speak to your qualities as a person outside academia, e.g. your track and growth that they've observed over time. But even in this case, you still want to make sure they are updating the letter at least a little; I don't think it would be a good look to use the same letter from prior years, especially if, let's say, it has a date on there that identifies it as old.

True. I am also uneasy because of using the old LORs (since the universities I applied to said I could use it). I am just hoping that it won't affect my application. 

[balkanhag]

Has anyone heard from UC Berkeley's AHMA program? I think they usually send out their interview requests pretty early but I haven't seen anything on here or on the results pages (and obviously haven't heard anything myself lol) so I'm just wondering if anyone has any info? 

Edited 14 hours ago by balkanhag

[JMAurelius]

On 1/17/2025 at 3:50 AM, GCUSER2025 said:

I have used the LOR from the last cycle for this cycle, will that negatively impact my application? Any idea of candidates who used old LORs and received admission offers? 

I applied three times and one of the recommenders was the same all three times: all rejections the first round, a funded MA offer the second round, and a couple PhD offers the third round. So i really don't think that would be a factor in the decision process. Best of luck!

[GCUSER2025]

1 minute ago, JMAurelius said:

I applied three times and one of the recommenders was the same all three times: all rejections the first round, a funded MA offer the second round, and a couple PhD offers the third round. So i really don't think that would be a factor in the decision process. Best of luck!

I see. My last cycle's application was not successful, so I applied to the same universities again this cycle using the same LOR I submitted last year. So that was my concern, but thank you for your response, feeling better now. 

[voxanonyma]

2 hours ago, balkanhag said:

Has anyone heard from UC Berkeley's AHMA program? I think they usually send out their interview requests pretty early but I haven't seen anything on here or on the results pages (and obviously haven't heard anything myself lol) so I'm just wondering if anyone has any info? 

I have not heard from them yet or from Stanford.