ksgrad Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 I noticed that someone added a "wait list via postal service" notification to the results board today. If you're reading this, had you heard this news prior to receiving the letter? My boyfriend applied to the English department at Buffalo, but hasn't heard anything. We're trying to get into different programs at the same schools, so I'm checking out the English boards as well, since he refuses to look at this site (which is probably smart!). Thanks to anyone with news...
TeamCoco-Bollo Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 Has anyone still not heard anything from Buffalo. My status still says "not reviewed" on the website.
QuentinComp Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 Has anyone still not heard anything from Buffalo. My status still says "not reviewed" on the website. I have still not heard. I e-mailed this past Monday and received a very prompt, personal response that stated not all decisions have been made as some PhD applicants are being reviewed and may be offered MA spots. They said they would know something "by the end of next week." Hope that helps, and good luck! I would LOVE to receive an MA offer from Buffalo.
TeamCoco-Bollo Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 I have still not heard. I e-mailed this past Monday and received a very prompt, personal response that stated not all decisions have been made as some PhD applicants are being reviewed and may be offered MA spots. They said they would know something "by the end of next week." Hope that helps, and good luck! I would LOVE to receive an MA offer from Buffalo. Definitely fills the silence a bit, although I already have an MA in English so I don't know if if that consideration applies in my case. Here's to hoping, eh?
QuentinComp Posted March 11, 2011 Posted March 11, 2011 Definitely fills the silence a bit, although I already have an MA in English so I don't know if if that consideration applies in my case. Here's to hoping, eh? Hmm, I am not sure then. You could e-mail them - I messaged Professor Hammill, Director of Admissions. He seemed very nice and understanding.
mcglaven Posted March 14, 2011 Posted March 14, 2011 Wow, they are still reviewing apps? I had just assumed they had forgotten about sending me an official rejection letter, but that is interesting news. I guess given that they have an enormous department it makes sense. Does anyone know the size of Buffalo's yearly cohorts, either Masters or PhDs? I applied for 6 PhD programs (only have a BA), yet was accepted instead to Temple's MA with a generous fellowship. But, everywhere else (Stanford, UCIrvine, Brown, Minnesota) turned me down. Unless I hear from Buffalo soon I will just accept at Temple, but I'd really rather hear sooner than later.
spartaca Posted March 14, 2011 Posted March 14, 2011 Wow, they are still reviewing apps? I had just assumed they had forgotten about sending me an official rejection letter, but that is interesting news. I guess given that they have an enormous department it makes sense. Does anyone know the size of Buffalo's yearly cohorts, either Masters or PhDs? I applied for 6 PhD programs (only have a BA), yet was accepted instead to Temple's MA with a generous fellowship. But, everywhere else (Stanford, UCIrvine, Brown, Minnesota) turned me down. Unless I hear from Buffalo soon I will just accept at Temple, but I'd really rather hear sooner than later. I did my MA at Buffalo a few years ago. While there, I also worked in the English dept's grad admissions. Based on numbers while I was there, which could be out-dated because of funding cuts, they had 16 lines of funding for PhD admits. MA cohorts were in the 25-35 range. Buffalo is a school that has a "cash-cow" Masters reputation, but it should be said that rejected PhD applicants without MAs are not automatically offered admission into the MA program. Despite the MA's lack of funding (if you're super lucky, and I mean super, you might have a chance at teaching comp your second year--express interest to the current comp director to increase the odds), I'd encourage anyone who receives an admission offer to seriously consider it. If you're willing to take out loans, Buffalo's a very cheap place to live, and I was able to work part-time and still get my reading, research, and writing done. It's a rigorous department, and those who choose to go on for PhD-level study generally have luck. In my MA cohort alone, two stayed at UB, one went to CUNY, another to Duke, another to Berkeley.
QuentinComp Posted March 14, 2011 Posted March 14, 2011 I did my MA at Buffalo a few years ago. While there, I also worked in the English dept's grad admissions. Based on numbers while I was there, which could be out-dated because of funding cuts, they had 16 lines of funding for PhD admits. MA cohorts were in the 25-35 range. Buffalo is a school that has a "cash-cow" Masters reputation, but it should be said that rejected PhD applicants without MAs are not automatically offered admission into the MA program. Despite the MA's lack of funding (if you're super lucky, and I mean super, you might have a chance at teaching comp your second year--express interest to the current comp director to increase the odds), I'd encourage anyone who receives an admission offer to seriously consider it. If you're willing to take out loans, Buffalo's a very cheap place to live, and I was able to work part-time and still get my reading, research, and writing done. It's a rigorous department, and those who choose to go on for PhD-level study generally have luck. In my MA cohort alone, two stayed at UB, one went to CUNY, another to Duke, another to Berkeley. Thank you for this info - I am still waiting to hear from Buffalo - but I am HOPING to get into the MA program. If this becomes an option, could I PM you about your experience there? The decision would most likely be between an MA there and a PhD program somewhere else, so it could be a tough one to make. Thanks again for the info!
fj20 Posted March 14, 2011 Posted March 14, 2011 Regarding Buffalo's decision process: if you haven't been notified by them yet, I'm pretty certain it means they're considering offering you an MA spot--but not a PhD spot. I was in this position last year, and when I called to ask they said that "PhD admissions had been decided upon a long time ago," but not MA admissions.
spartaca Posted March 15, 2011 Posted March 15, 2011 Thank you for this info - I am still waiting to hear from Buffalo - but I am HOPING to get into the MA program. If this becomes an option, could I PM you about your experience there? The decision would most likely be between an MA there and a PhD program somewhere else, so it could be a tough one to make. Thanks again for the info! Yes, absolutely PM me if you'd like to know more! (I'm heading east for spring break in a few days, though, so my reply might not be prompt--just a heads-up)
QuentinComp Posted March 15, 2011 Posted March 15, 2011 Yes, absolutely PM me if you'd like to know more! (I'm heading east for spring break in a few days, though, so my reply might not be prompt--just a heads-up) Thanks! Although, there have been a few MA acceptances and I did not get one yet, so I am wondering if I was rejected. Hmm. I hope not. I am pretty sure I'd choose Buffalo's MA over my other option at this point. Here's to hoping!
KRC Posted March 15, 2011 Posted March 15, 2011 Put me out of my misery Buffalo... pleeeeeeease. "Not reviewed" yet? Come on!
entertext Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Put me out of my misery Buffalo... pleeeeeeease. "Not reviewed" yet? Come on! Yes, yes, yes. Only school I'm still waiting to hear back from. Good luck to you!
QuentinComp Posted March 16, 2011 Posted March 16, 2011 Yes, yes, yes. Only school I'm still waiting to hear back from. Good luck to you! I am still waiting to hear as well. Nothing in the mail today. When I e-mailed last Monday, I was told that they would know by this upcoming Friday. I am wondering if I should e-mail again or just wait it out. If I were accepted to this program I would choose it over my other current acceptance. Ahhh! Hope you hear good news soon!
QuentinComp Posted March 17, 2011 Posted March 17, 2011 So I broke down and e-mailed them AGAIN today... hoping I get a reply soon.
QuentinComp Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 Is anyone going to visit Buffalo? I am certain I am going to attend, and wondering if it is worth a trip. There is no official visitation or anything like that, but they said that visits can be arranged. It would be on my own expense, but I would kind of like to meet some people there and just see the school. Does anyone have any advice on this? Thanks.
kittie Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 Hello! The Classics thread is quite dead and so I jumped over to the English side of things. I hope no one minds. I was accepted into Buffalo around mid-Feb for a Classics Phd. Around a week later, a group email was sent out to all 7 of us inviting us to visit on March 4th. They even offered partial reimbursement of travel expenses. I didn't go to the visit because I live so far away and I had already decided that I was going to Buffalo. I made it official two weeks ago. I looked at the other email addresses and I did some major google stalking! (Too creepy? Maybe. But I don't care. ) I was able to track people down just by using their email addresses. It seems that all of us have MAs in Classics. I'm not sure if this is a requirement of my department or of Buffalo in general. I think they sent out phd offers as early as possible and then constantly email us to figure out whether we are attending. As soon as they know how many phds are coming to their department, then they figure out how much leftover money they have for MAs. And that is why MAs are left hanging until the very end. So hang in there, people! It's not over till it's over. Hey Spartaca! Do you think it's a good idea to live on campus the first year? Know anybody who needs a roommate?
ryanweb Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) Buffalo is fantastic! (I had to resist the temptation to bust out the all-caps to make my point.) I'm actually living in Buffalo now, though I didn't get accepted to either the PhD or MA program. I'll be headed elsewhere this fall, but I just wanted to take a brief moment to dispel any doubts or preempt any potential naysayers. After a little over six months now, I really love it here. Maybe compared to some college towns or big cities, it has a little more grit or is on a strange borderland between the East coast and the midwest. But it's really a fantastic place to live: it's excitingly diverse with a strange small-town/blue-collar sort of candor; it's close to some wonderful natural scenery and places to visit (not just Niagara Falls!); and, for literary/artistic purposes, it's pretty unbeatable. Perhaps it would be a let-down if you're coming from NYC or or Chicago or some such place, but if you take a look at the events listed on the Just Buffalo literary calendar or find some of the arts and music listings, you might be surprised how much gets packed into a month or even a week. I've heard people from places like Baltimore or Philly compare one month of Buffalo events to an annual listing of events in their home town. And it seems that the University has been doing a pretty good job of engaging local organizations and cultural groups with their resources and events, in spite of the quasi-modernist campus being isolated out in the inner-ring suburbs. All in all, I'm rather bummed to have to move away! I hope those who are headed to UB this fall or still considering it will engage this place and the wonderful people living here. I think you will find it a good place to be. Edited March 21, 2011 by ryanweb spartaca 1
QuentinComp Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 Buffalo is fantastic! (I had to resist the temptation to bust out the all-caps to make my point.) I'm actually living in Buffalo now, though I didn't get accepted to either the PhD or MA program. I'll be headed elsewhere this fall, but I just wanted to take a brief moment to dispel any doubts or preempt any potential naysayers. After a little over six months now, I really love it here. Maybe compared to some college towns or big cities, it has a little more grit or is on a strange borderland between the East coast and the midwest. But it's really a fantastic place to live: it's excitingly diverse with a strange small-town/blue-collar sort of candor; it's close to some wonderful natural scenery and places to visit (not just Niagara Falls!); and, for literary/artistic purposes, it's pretty unbeatable. Perhaps it would be a let-down if you're coming from NYC or or Chicago or some such place, but if you take a look at the events listed on the Just Buffalo literary calendar or find some of the arts and music listings, you might be surprised how much gets packed into a month or even a week. I've heard people from places like Baltimore or Philly compare one month of Buffalo events to an annual listing of events in their home town. And it seems that the University has been doing a pretty good job of engaging local organizations and cultural groups with their resources and events, in spite of the quasi-modernist campus being isolated out in the inner-ring suburbs. All in all, I'm rather bummed to have to move away! I hope those who are headed to UB this fall or still considering it will engage this place and the wonderful people living here. I think you will find it a good place to be. An annual Buffalo Chicken Wing festival? I am so there! I am going to visit soon, and as I have said before, am almost certain that I will attend. I am coming from Boston/Cambridge, but I am actually looking forward to leaving a major city. I have ALWAYS wanted to see Niagra Falls. Anyways, Ryanweb, could I PM you with a few questions re: areas to live in/avoid, etc.? Thanks, I am very excited for this program!!
mcglaven Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Regarding Buffalo's decision process: if you haven't been notified by them yet, I'm pretty certain it means they're considering offering you an MA spot--but not a PhD spot. I was in this position last year, and when I called to ask they said that "PhD admissions had been decided upon a long time ago," but not MA admissions. Ah, so you were right. According to their website, which I just checked, I was accepted into the MA instead. There is nothing on the application page about funding, though. Has anyone else who got into the M.A. heard anything about funding or no funding, or even a tiny bit of funding? Also, anyone have an idea of the costs with loans, from out-of-state?
QuentinComp Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Ah, so you were right. According to their website, which I just checked, I was accepted into the MA instead. There is nothing on the application page about funding, though. Has anyone else who got into the M.A. heard anything about funding or no funding, or even a tiny bit of funding? Also, anyone have an idea of the costs with loans, from out-of-state? Congrats! I was told no funding for M.A. This is where I looked to see tuition, which was the same as a sheet they included in the acceptance packet: http://studentaccounts.buffalo.edu/tuition/spring.php Hope this helps!
mcglaven Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Congrats! I was told no funding for M.A. This is where I looked to see tuition, which was the same as a sheet they included in the acceptance packet: http://studentaccoun...tion/spring.php Hope this helps! Thanks! I haven't gotten the acceptance packet yet, which I assume will go to my parents' address (in another state) anyway. I've moved twice since applying to schools... getting documents together is always a mess. I wish that stuff was all digitized. Well, I guess some of it is, like this.
entertext Posted March 30, 2011 Posted March 30, 2011 I'm wondering if any one else got accepted into the MA program and is considering attending? The lack of funding scares me.
QuentinComp Posted March 30, 2011 Posted March 30, 2011 On 3/30/2011 at 3:32 PM, entertext said: I'm wondering if any one else got accepted into the MA program and is considering attending? The lack of funding scares me. I am fairly certain I am going to attend the MA program at Buffalo. It is by far my top choice out of the choices I have available. No funding definitely sucks, but I am VERY lucky to be in a fortunate position where I can pay for the MA (I had money saved for undergrad, but ended up not having to pay for undergrad). I feel confident enough that the MA at Buffalo will lead to a funded PhD somewhere, perhaps because it is the perfect program for my research interests. Hope that helps!
entertext Posted March 31, 2011 Posted March 31, 2011 On 3/30/2011 at 6:13 PM, QuentinComp said: I am fairly certain I am going to attend the MA program at Buffalo. It is by far my top choice out of the choices I have available. No funding definitely sucks, but I am VERY lucky to be in a fortunate position where I can pay for the MA (I had money saved for undergrad, but ended up not having to pay for undergrad). I feel confident enough that the MA at Buffalo will lead to a funded PhD somewhere, perhaps because it is the perfect program for my research interests. Hope that helps! Congrats! I'm also almost certain I'll be attending. But I will have to rely entirely on loans. It's my top choice too.
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