TMP Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 I did ApplyYourself for Penn and they sent my decision via e-mail that gave me a link to a site that gave a PDF file of my rejection letter. So you might either hear via e-mail or actual postal if the school doesn't have a page for you to check your status. Fantastic day for all Penn applicants last year, I remember... 15 people had posted REJECTED before I did.
misterpat Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 It doesn't seem we have many Penn applicants this year. Maybe that's why...
riss287 Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 I haven't noticed anyone else applying to 4 out of the 5 schools I've applied to either. Not really surprised, except for Delaware. Many psych people have heard back from them, but all the history people from last year didn't find out until March. The deadline was Dec. 1st. Does it seriously take three to four months for them to decide whether to accept/reject you? I mean GEESH. They should put me on one of those boards. I'd expedite the whole process. Get some things done!
limeinthecoconut Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 Some of the schools I applied to seem to be running late this year. Usually, news of first acceptance go out by around 6th/7th Feb, but so far, there's been no news on grad cafe. The last couple of days, my heart skips a beat every time I get a new e-mail notification.
ohheygradschool Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 Belated congrats to everyone who's posted about acceptances on the last few pages. I just did serious catch up reading in this thread. My gradcafe usage is up significantly this weekend because I'm expecting to hear from Yale history of sci/med in the coming week. Needless to say, I am terrified. I feel a bit odd posting along with all of you guys because I'm not history-history, but rather a different department with different admissions stats. Still, solidarity regardless! Let's hope the 2nd week of Feb is a good one.
misterpat Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 I haven't noticed anyone else applying to 4 out of the 5 schools I've applied to either. Not really surprised, except for Delaware. Many psych people have heard back from them, but all the history people from last year didn't find out until March. The deadline was Dec. 1st. Does it seriously take three to four months for them to decide whether to accept/reject you? I mean GEESH. They should put me on one of those boards. I'd expedite the whole process. Get some things done! I almost applied to Iowa, but decided not to. I think it was application burn-out that made me not do it, as it would have been the final school.
riss287 Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 It's actually my first choice school. But it'll be a while before I hear from them. At least a month I think.
habu987 Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 Hey everybody, Not sure who out there is waiting to hear back from UNC-Chapel Hill for history. Anyways, I've been in email contact with the head of the military history department there. He said that they are working on the final decisions over the next few weeks. My best guess would be that those of us who applied there will have to wait until March to hear anything back. Why can't Carolina let people know the same time every other school does?
misterpat Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 It's actually my first choice school. But it'll be a while before I hear from them. At least a month I think. I didn't mean last school as in last choice, just so you know. It just happens to have a Jan 15 deadline, so it would have been the last place I applied.
riss287 Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 I didn't mean last school as in last choice, just so you know. It just happens to have a Jan 15 deadline, so it would have been the last place I applied. Oh, I know. I didn't think you meant last choice. And as for the Chapel Hill thing, it must have something to do with the south and the midwest, because Iowa is going to be in March as well! So I guess we'll all just hang in there together!
futurePhD Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 Hey everybody, Not sure who out there is waiting to hear back from UNC-Chapel Hill for history. Anyways, I've been in email contact with the head of the military history department there. He said that they are working on the final decisions over the next few weeks. My best guess would be that those of us who applied there will have to wait until March to hear anything back. Why can't Carolina let people know the same time every other school does? Carolina seems to have always been a litter slower in notifying people, but I think this year their decisions are going to be especially difficult. As you may know, there is a massive budget crisis in North Carolina, and its likely that graduate school funding will take a hit. Its quite possible that they still don't know how many offers they will be able to make.... I'd be surprised if we hear anything in February. Moreover, and you can take this for what its worth, but I was also told by someone in the department that they had an unusually high acceptance rate last year, thus leaving fewer spots open for Fall 2009. Putting all of these factors together leaves me less than optimistic about my chances for UNC.
Dirt Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 I almost applied to Iowa, but decided not to. I think it was application burn-out that made me not do it, as it would have been the final school. I was thisclose to applying to Iowa (for modern Europe), but was very disappointed by a campus visit. Two of my five appointments stood me up. (One e-mailed me later to apologize; I never heard from the other.) Another professor--whom I was referred to by the Grad Studies director--outright refused to meet with me. Almost everyone I talked with, faculty and students alike, seemed stressed and unhappy. There were some other issues too, but I won't get into them in a public forum. Just my experience, of course, but it was enough to drive me off.
Nikki Posted February 8, 2009 Posted February 8, 2009 Hey everybody, Not sure who out there is waiting to hear back from UNC-Chapel Hill for history. Anyways, I've been in email contact with the head of the military history department there. He said that they are working on the final decisions over the next few weeks. My best guess would be that those of us who applied there will have to wait until March to hear anything back. Why can't Carolina let people know the same time every other school does? I applied for military history too so that's good to know. I'm starting to freak out - I haven't heard from any of my schools yet!
riss287 Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I was thisclose to applying to Iowa (for modern Europe), but was very disappointed by a campus visit. Two of my five appointments stood me up. (One e-mailed me later to apologize; I never heard from the other.) Another professor--whom I was referred to by the Grad Studies director--outright refused to meet with me. Almost everyone I talked with, faculty and students alike, seemed stressed and unhappy. There were some other issues too, but I won't get into them in a public forum. Just my experience, of course, but it was enough to drive me off. Wow, that's kind of disappointing to hear. I'm not visiting until/if I get accepted. Although, I've talked to the head of the department, my specific professor, and the secretary and they (esp. the secretary) all seemed very helpful and kind. I'm sorry you had that experience though. I wonder why that professor refused to meet with you. That's ridiculous. I went on "rate my professor," which I know isn't completely accurate, but most of the history people got bad ratings except for the one I want to work with... so who knows.
misterpat Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 I went on "rate my professor," which I know isn't completely accurate, but most of the history people got bad ratings except for the one I want to work with... so who knows. RMP is inaccurate for determining which professors are no good, since students will dislike a professor for a bunch of things typical of undergraduates (e.g. "too much reading bro"). But I think it's pretty reliable for professors who get excellent ratings.
riss287 Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Exactly. I had a professor in undergrad whom everyone despised (well, the lazy ones), but I loved because he pushed me and I had to work hard. But that's just me. I was trying to look for professor ratings just for graduate students, but I couldn't really find anything.
chris Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Hello everyone. This is my first post. I've got an admission(with the funding) from UCSD at last Saturday. It was my top choice, but I am worry about a stability of financial support from UC. Focusing on japanese colonial period in Korea, I'd like to explore diverse aspects of east asian history in post/colonial period. I am also applied to the Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, etc., so looking forward to listening good news from other schools.
John_E Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Scenario: you've been accepted to your top choice. But there's no funding. If you go anyway, what are the odds of 1. Paying the first year, and successfully applying for funding (ie TAship, etc) for the following years? One of the profs in my dept did this, at Brandeis, and it worked out. But they admit it was a gamble. Does this vary by school? 2. Finding some other way to remit tuition--going on the university's jobs website and, say, working as a GA for another dept. I did this myself the first year of my MA program, b/c the dept did not offer me funding the first year. It worked out great. I did get a TAship the second year. Does this happen at PhD, or again, does it vary by program?
older and wiser Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Consider an acceptance without funding a polite rejection. Unless you are independently wealthy, do not pay for graduate school.
Auzzfest Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Quick UCSB update for anyone who is interested. My parents got the admission letter in the mail, which includes an invitation to their recruitment evening on March 5th and 6th, the name of the advisor currently assigned to me, and mentions that I have been nominated by several faculty for funding. It says that funding decisions hope to be made on or before February 27th. If anyone else ends up going to the recruitment weekend please let me know, because I live in Colombia and will not be flying back for any visits. Would love to get your impression of the department.
Dirt Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Consider an acceptance without funding a polite rejection. Unless you are independently wealthy, do not pay for graduate school. Ditto that. The advice I've always heard is that you choose the best-ranked school *that will give you funding*, and that sounds very reasonable to me. If I can't find someone willing to take me on as a TA or RA for a few years, what does that say about my future prospects for *real* employment in academia? Even with funding, we're all taking our chances. Sure, maybe you can stick it out for a year and then find something, but in my mind that's quite a gamble. Personally, I won't (i.e., can't) accept any offer that doesn't come with a pretty decent financial package--I have a wife and baby in tow, and those silly people expect to eat! Now, I did do the first year and a half of my M.A. without funding, but I was going to school part-time and working full-time.
synthla Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Quick UCSB update for anyone who is interested. My parents got the admission letter in the mail, which includes an invitation to their recruitment evening on March 5th and 6th, the name of the advisor currently assigned to me, and mentions that I have been nominated by several faculty for funding. It says that funding decisions hope to be made on or before February 27th. If anyone else ends up going to the recruitment weekend please let me know, because I live in Colombia and will not be flying back for any visits. Would love to get your impression of the department. Well I'll be there tomorrow, so I'll let you know what I think. I seem to be in a bizarre predicament. After they had decided to support my application, I was invited by the professors in my field to visit and meet them. Not that big of a deal because UCSB is not far from me, but I had sort of assumed that I would either officially be admitted, or rejected and the visit cancelled, by the time the date rolled around. Not so apparently. So this will be interesting/awkward, and potentially a great waste of time, which I'm not pleased about.
Auzzfest Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Why don't you email them and politely ask if they still consider it essential to meet with you. If your in or almost in they will certainly tell you to come. If not I am sure they would be as upfront with you as possible, so you don't waste your time. However it is interesting that they scheduled a meeting with you if they know there will be a recruiting weekend in less than a month. Anyways I hope it works out, and please let me know your impressions.
synthla Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Why don't you email them and politely ask if they still consider it essential to meet with you. If your in or almost in they will certainly tell you to come. If not I am sure they would be as upfront with you as possible, so you don't waste your time. However it is interesting that they scheduled a meeting with you if they know there will be a recruiting weekend in less than a month. Anyways I hope it works out, and please let me know your impressions. Ironically, we only finally settled on a date last week. Given that decisions seemed to be imminent, I made the mistake of thinking that the invite constituted an informal notification, with the formal notification something that would come in due time. Otherwise, why waste their time given that the only people I'm meeting with are those who supposedly are already supporting me. Not meeting with anyone whose mind I can change (for the better at least!). They did mention the recruitng weekend in March as a possibility, but I'll probably be unavailable on those days.
slawkenbergius Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 Condolences to all the people rejected from Yale. I hope your other applications go better.
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