Jump to content

Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat


goldielocks

Recommended Posts

there's also no need to assume that you're rejected until you get actual notification that you are. many schools do rolling admissions, admitting the clear yes's and rejecting the clear no's in the first round, then working on the fuzzy group in between at later dates.

And the other thing to remember, especially if you are wait listed, is that if one of the higher ranked admits decides to go somewhere else, then that opens up that funding slot for someone lower on the list, preferably someone who is actually going to go to that particular program.

This happened with a friend of mine last year. His program could fund 2 incoming phd students, he was ranked #3. The other 2 accepted offers elsewhere and so that brought him up to #1, so he got a funded admit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll be applying to PhD programs in modern Korean history next fall but I've been browsing the history forums here for quite awhile. I finally bit the bullet and made an account.

Random question and sorry to sidetrack everyone from their grad admissions process (wish you all the best of luck!) I want to do intensive language study this upcoming summer. I have no formal background in Korean language (taking a beginner Chinese class currently). How did you guys go about studying your respective field's required languages and does anyone know of an intensive language study program that offers Korean (Chinese & Japanese dominates summer programs such as Middlebury)? Also any Koreanists out there in forumland?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll be applying to PhD programs in modern Korean history next fall but I've been browsing the history forums here for quite awhile. I finally bit the bullet and made an account.

Random question and sorry to sidetrack everyone from their grad admissions process (wish you all the best of luck!) I want to do intensive language study this upcoming summer. I have no formal background in Korean language (taking a beginner Chinese class currently). How did you guys go about studying your respective field's required languages and does anyone know of an intensive language study program that offers Korean (Chinese & Japanese dominates summer programs such as Middlebury)? Also any Koreanists out there in forumland?

I'm not a Koreanist personally but one of my siblings is. Quite a few universities here in the states offer intensive summer language programs in Korean...I'm thinking Michigan, UCLA, UChicago (I'm pretty sure, but double check that), and I'm sure there are others. There are also language programs at Seoul National University and Korea University over the summer that I'm aware of. Of course, there's also the Critical Language Scholarship but the deadline was in the fall - so that's something to think about applying for concurrently with your applications next fall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a Koreanist personally but one of my siblings is. Quite a few universities here in the states offer intensive summer language programs in Korean...I'm thinking Michigan, UCLA, UChicago (I'm pretty sure, but double check that), and I'm sure there are others. There are also language programs at Seoul National University and Korea University over the summer that I'm aware of. Of course, there's also the Critical Language Scholarship but the deadline was in the fall - so that's something to think about applying for concurrently with your applications next fall.

I actually applied to CLS and didn't get in. UChicago does have a Korean language study option but it is quite expensive and offers zero financial aid. Michigan and UCLA has summer language study in only Chinese & Japanese. I have considered travelling to South Korea for the summer but once again...very expensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello fellow UT Austin Rejects!!! And congrats to everyone who got in or wait listed!!!

I have to say it wasn't fun getting my first rejection, and UT was a school I thought I had good chance of getting into. It was the only school I allowed myself to get my hopes up for, just because I had heard some positive feedback through the grapevine. I think that just shows how in the end all the variables such as funding, hierarchal deference in the department, department needs, vision, and the fit and quality of those in the same subfield compared to you all play a role in whether you get in. You can't take it personal, even if that doesn't make it hurt any less.

It looks like things are pretty competitive this year. I guess that's why I applied widely.

Anyway, congrats again to all the accepts. And dear friends who didn't get in, I'm feeling your pain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for those who also applied to UCLA....I just was looking at the website and it's claiming notifications will not be available until mid-March.......ugh.

http://www.history.u...on-requirements

It makes me wonder what the point of the December 1st deadline was.

I wonder if this means Berkeley's decisions will be released comparably late?

Edited by owls
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if this means Berkeley's decisions will be released comparably late?

Also wondering the same. It makes me think that the departments may have received more applications than they had anticipated, or that the applicant pool is really strong and it's more difficult to choose. The recent financial cuts can also be another factor? Hmmm. I was really hoping to hear in the next week or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for those who also applied to UCLA....I just was looking at the website and it's claiming notifications will not be available until mid-March.......ugh.

http://www.history.u...on-requirements

It makes me wonder what the point of the December 1st deadline was.

I think this is what most departments say, regardless of when they in fact release decisions. That page was last modified on November 23, so it isn't a reflection of how the application review process is going at UCLA. I would guess it's just a general "by mid-March we'll have most decisions sent out, but acceptances will probably be out sooner" type of thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this is what most departments say, regardless of when they in fact release decisions. That page was last modified on November 23, so it isn't a reflection of how the application review process is going at UCLA. I would guess it's just a general "by mid-March we'll have most decisions sent out, but acceptances will probably be out sooner" type of thing.

Oh, I didn't notice that! Makes sense. I'm really tempted to just email my POI and ask....do you guys think that'd be appropriate? Or would it look bad?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for those who also applied to UCLA....I just was looking at the website and it's claiming notifications will not be available until mid-March.......ugh.

http://www.history.u...on-requirements

It makes me wonder what the point of the December 1st deadline was.

A lot of schools say they'll let you know in March, but actually notify most applicants in February. I think UCLA decisions went out in the third week of February last year, and there's already one acceptance on the results survey for this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

regarding people being surprised at the timing of UT's notifications, given previous years' patterns:

the faculty are human beings. they are busy and they have a lot of responsibility. you know what else happens during a spring semester? job searches (incredibly time-consuming for a whole department, even more so for those on the job committees), MA and PhD defenses, comps exams, budgetary planning and new-hire planning for the following year, fellowship distribution, on top of the usual research/teaching/service duties that last all year long. a department may be hiring 2 or 3 new professors in a single year and choose to push up or push back their timetable for reviewing grad student applications. while it can be helpful to deduce a pattern of when school X might notify you based on previous years' data, things are a little different every year. there is no need to lose sleep over hearing nothing from a school when your estimated date of their notification has come and gone.

there's also no need to assume that you're rejected until you get actual notification that you are. many schools do rolling admissions, admitting the clear yes's and rejecting the clear no's in the first round, then working on the fuzzy group in between at later dates.

also, try not to totally bombard graduate secretaries with phone calls. small programs get over 100 applicants, ones with larger incoming classes get closer to 400-500 applicants, and there's usually only one graduate secretary. if you have to call to avoid a nervous breakdown, be really nice and patient and grateful with them. these people will be very important to your survival in whatever program you ultimately attend, don't be the one that calls every week or two.

All is right in my world again ... SL to the rescue :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of schools say they'll let you know in March, but actually notify most applicants in February. I think UCLA decisions went out in the third week of February last year, and there's already one acceptance on the results survey for this year.

Agreed. Texas, for example, lists that its decisions would be available in early March...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love lecturing but hate grading (though it is a bit of a distraction these days). This is why I need to get my PhD, so I can go through the hell that is the tenure process and have TAs to do my grading! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

I don't think anyone on this board is even close to my specialization, but many applied to the same schools and I figured I would reveal myself (after being an anonymous lurker). I can offer some information I gathered from my pre-application "interviews" with faculty.

UCLA - only taking fully funded students this year, which means less acceptances, and an end to the stabbing your entire cohort in the back method of education (hopefully), decisions coming very soon

Pton - taking somewhere around 23 students

Toronto - only accepts a handful of international students, which includes American students... currently expecting to take aprox. 5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

I don't think anyone on this board is even close to my specialization, but many applied to the same schools and I figured I would reveal myself (after being an anonymous lurker). I can offer some information I gathered from my pre-application "interviews" with faculty.

UCLA - only taking fully funded students this year, which means less acceptances, and an end to the stabbing your entire cohort in the back method of education (hopefully), decisions coming very soon

Pton - taking somewhere around 23 students

Toronto - only accepts a handful of international students, which includes American students... currently expecting to take aprox. 5

For some reason, UCLA decisions "coming very soon" makes me incredibly nervous!

Thanks for the info.!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use