University of Iowa

[bullrosestorm]

Perhaps by including the "first round" note, they want you to hold off from accepting elsewhere until funding info has been released.

Not a bad insight, and hardly "blabbering." I'm one, as I imagine many are, that simply (financially) cannot justify accepting an offer without funding (but bless those of you who can, if you're out there). It seems a department would know this, and expect an offer without funding information to be received with justifiably reserved enthusiasm. (Excited and grateful though i absolutely am, I can't celebrate anything until funding news comes out, or I find myself the beneficiary of some wayward (really wayward...) Nigerian prince. This may be good news for the fiscally better-situated of the waitlisted.) I suppose the separation of the acceptance and the funding letters serves primarily to quash any impending uprisings among the eager (or, per the sometimes violent tone of these threads, really eager...) applicants in waiting. Maybe the departments aren't as tactless as we can imagine them to be? Or maybe they are, I don't know...

[crae]

I just posted a waitlist notification - from the letter, it sounds like they're expecting to admit many of those waitlisted. I could be wrong. I'll be writing soon to have my name taken off, since I've already accepted another offer. Still, this was an uncommonly kind and personal letter.

[wild_rose]

To those who were waitlisted at Iowa, have you heard any news?

[ecg1810]

To those who were waitlisted at Iowa, have you heard any news?

Not I. My ISIS status hasn't changed either. What about you?

Edited March 24, 2011 by ecg1810

[wild_rose]

Nope. And it's not like I haven't been compulsively checking either. Big sighhh.

Not I. My ISIS status hasn't changed either. What about you?

[Awin]

Not I. My ISIS status hasn't changed either. What about you?

Me neither! I don't think anyone's heard anything yet (?).

[ecg1810]

Me neither! I don't think anyone's heard anything yet (?).

I keep checking "Waitlisters' Paradise," only to have my ship of hope violently dashed against the rocks. . . to speak in understatement.

Edited March 24, 2011 by ecg1810

[byronlover]

I'm leaving tonight for a visit. I'll let you all know if I hear anything! Still no word on funding for me..

[wild_rose]

Thanks, and safe travels!

I'm leaving tonight for a visit. I'll let you all know if I hear anything! Still no word on funding for me..

[Awin]

How'd the visit go, Byronlover?

[byronlover]

How'd the visit go, Byronlover?

I got in tonight, but I'm not meeting with students until tomorrow night or with faculty until Monday (when I'm meeting with the DGS [Claire Fox], chair [Claire Sponsler], Florence Boos, and Eric Gidal). I'll let you know anything useful I find out!

[ecg1810]

I got in tonight, but I'm not meeting with students until tomorrow night or with faculty until Monday (when I'm meeting with the DGS [Claire Fox], chair [Claire Sponsler], Florence Boos, and Eric Gidal). I'll let you know anything useful I find out!

Thanks for keeping us posted, byronlover, and best of luck!

[ecg1810]

Dear Iowa--Please put us waitlisters out of our misery. KTHXBYE.

[ecg1810]

P.S. I like corn.

[byronlover]

Hi everyone! I'm sitting in the airport en route back from Iowa right now--so I'm updating as soon as I could.

I will be accepting my offer. Everyone I met during my visit was exceedingly kind: grad students, faculty, and administration alike. I also found out about funding while I was there. They have 13-15 spots total, and all will be funded. I was disappointed to learn that the tuition waiver does not include fees, so I will owe the school ~$1,300/year. That said, I was told many times how excellent the health insurance was, and that makes up for it, in my mind. It looks like people get ~$15,000-16,000 the first year for a 45% appointment, which will move up to a 50% appointment for years 2-5 (for entering students with MAs) or 2-6 (for BAs) and an increased stipend (in the $16,900-18,800 range).

The DGS and chair were both optimistic about Iowa's placement record, and confirmed what I had seen online: that the department tries to place its own PhDs in VAP positions if they are unable to get jobs. They also told me that almost all MA-entering students complete the degree within 5 years, 6 at most. In other words, there aren't a lot of students lingering.

If I can answer any questions, please let me know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for those of you who are waitlisted!

[ecg1810]

Hi everyone! I'm sitting in the airport en route back from Iowa right now--so I'm updating as soon as I could.

I will be accepting my offer. Everyone I met during my visit was exceedingly kind: grad students, faculty, and administration alike. I also found out about funding while I was there. They have 13-15 spots total, and all will be funded. I was disappointed to learn that the tuition waiver does not include fees, so I will owe the school ~$1,300/year. That said, I was told many times how excellent the health insurance was, and that makes up for it, in my mind. It looks like people get ~$15,000-16,000 the first year for a 45% appointment, which will move up to a 50% appointment for years 2-5 (for entering students with MAs) or 2-6 (for BAs) and an increased stipend (in the $16,900-18,800 range).

The DGS and chair were both optimistic about Iowa's placement record, and confirmed what I had seen online: that the department tries to place its own PhDs in VAP positions if they are unable to get jobs. They also told me that almost all MA-entering students complete the degree within 5 years, 6 at most. In other words, there aren't a lot of students lingering.

If I can answer any questions, please let me know. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for those of you who are waitlisted!

Thanks for keeping us posted, byronlover, and congrats on officially accepting this wonderful offer!

[Awin]

Anyone want to claim the acceptance-off-waitlist?