Graduate department recommends admission...

[magicfc07]

I applied to a PhD chemistry program, and received a letter on April 4th from the Graduate Department stating they were pleased to inform me they had recommended that the Graduate school admit me into the Fall 2011 class for their program. In addition, the letter also stated my official admission would come directly from the Graduate School. As of today (April 27th), nothing has arrived in the mail or shown up in my e-mail regarding my official acceptance. I e-mailed the graduate recruiter a couple weeks later to check up on the situation (just in case my letter was lost in the mail), however, he told me they were still situating out the funding/support. Is it possible the Graduate Department wrote a generic letter, and there's a chance I will receive my official letter and funding from the Graduate Department rather than the Graduate School? As well, does it appear that I have been accepted? Finally, has anyone else been down this road, and how long did it take for you to receive your official letter after receiving your informal letter of acceptance from the Department? Thanks all; I feel as if I may just be impatient, but I would truly appreciate any helpful information!

P.S. - I am from the US, and did apply to a US PhD program.

[Eigen]

The letter will probably come from the graduate school (not department) in most cases, and I doubt the initial letter was completely generic.

There's a good chance you'll be accepted, but a departmental recommendation for acceptance doesn't always ensure acceptance- the Dean of the school gets the last day.

I'd just keep in close contact with someone at the department, but there's not really anything they can do to hurry the process along much.

[KreacherKeeper]

The letter will probably come from the graduate school (not department) in most cases, and I doubt the initial letter was completely generic.

There's a good chance you'll be accepted, but a departmental recommendation for acceptance doesn't always ensure acceptance- the Dean of the school gets the last day.

I'd just keep in close contact with someone at the department, but there's not really anything they can do to hurry the process along much.

This happened to me and it ended up ok. What happened was that you have been recommended and then it has to go back in another pile to get entered into the computer and processed and then you get a letter. Or at least that was how I understood it. This is not 100% since if you do not meet the minimum requirements for admission, but in general I think you are ok.

I freaked out too, btw!

[Eigen]

Other than some minimum requirements, the only other thing that can come into play is some measure of politics between the departments and the dean.

But yeah, if the departments recommending you for admission, unless something happens and funding falls through, you shouldn't have any problems.