Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[oseirus]

I wonder if it's too late to "accidentally" bump into a POI at this stage of the game?

[CageFree]

Two of my POI are on leave. One said he would not be back until April-May so I doubt he'll have much input; the other one was/is on maternity but was very much part of the committee.

Edited January 28, 2012 by teachgrad

[crater21]

I contacted POIs at every school beforehand, but only for informational purposes. As others have pointed out, it's helpful to know if professors are taking on new students or to ask questions if you have any special circumstances. One of the schools (Cornell, I think) explicitly states on the Graduate Admissions page that students are "strongly encouraged" to contact potential supervisors.

That being said, I know several people who got into the programs of their choice without having contacted anyone at all.

[Kelkel]

I know it would have been useful to do so. When I went back to the school's websites to write my SOPs two POIs at different schools were listed as on leave for the next year (that weren't when I did my initial research). Luckily, however, both of those schools I had other options. I basically said something like, "I would like to work with professor x. I am also interested in the work in professor z even though he will be out of the country next year."

Figured it couldn't hurt.

[oseirus]

That being said, I know several people who got into the programs of their choice without having contacted anyone at all.

Hope!

[goldielocks]

Condolences to the WashU rejection!

[crazedandinfused]

On 1/28/2012 at 7:01 PM, goldielocks said:

Condolences to the WashU rejection!

I echo that

[Safferz]

On 1/28/2012 at 7:01 PM, goldielocks said:

Condolences to the WashU rejection!

Sorry to hear that too. I didn't know you guys in the US get mail on Saturdays!

[oseirus]

Condolences to the WashU app. and yes we get mail saturday

[Kelkel]

Sorry to hear that too. I didn't know you guys in the US get mail on Saturdays!

We do! Which means 6 days a week of mail checking obsession if you expect a school to notify that way. It's horrid. I know.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

• alleykat,
  
• ADMITedlyLucky,
  
• Loimographia,
  
• crazedandinfused,
  
• Prospect,
  
• telemaque,
  
• goldielocks,
  
• doodle26,
  
• iamincontrolhere-haig
  

These are the users presently reading this forum at 8 pm on a Saturday night (myself included)...

...not that we're caught up in this or anything...

Edited January 29, 2012 by ADMITedlyLucky

[Loimographia]

I was actually otherwise occupied! I just bought a new video game that has consumed my day. So I'm really not that terrible, i swear! I was not lurking (until just now >.> Now I just have no excuse.) Then again, playing a video game at 8 o'clock on a Saturday night isn't really that great either, huh

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

I suppose it may have been in poor taste for me to 'out' the actual users, I was just struck by how many names I saw at the bottom...

...how quickly the quiet turns into the storm...

[Safferz]

I suppose it may have been in poor taste for me to 'out' the actual users, I was just struck by how many names I saw at the bottom...

...how quickly the quiet turns into the storm...

I've seen over 20 users at certain points in the day last week! It's fascinating how the traffic on this website really spikes in February, when just a month ago we had a pretty dead forum.

[Kelkel]

I always feel like someone is judging me when I'm shown as on this forum throughout the day. That's normally what makes me close the tab and do something else for a while.

[goldielocks]

Yes, I usually just have the tab open and running in the background, too, even when I'm not home. But I also have a serious problem with checking this site over and over and over again.

God I hope this week is better than the last.

[goldielocks]

Everyone is so quiet tonight! I see you lurking...

[goldielocks]

Am flitting among thesis writng, class reading, and Grad Cafe watching. Exciting Saturday.

This is what I'm doing, exactly. All three.

[Simple Twist of Fate]

I appreciate the comments about POI contact. It's just that I would feel more comfortable about things if I had built some sort of relationship with a POI or a few. Maybe it's not rational, but neither are about 80% of the things flowing through my head these days.

And yes, I am unashamedly on these boards at 10:00 on a Saturday night... My girlfriend's working tonight and I'm too tired to go out, so here I am.

Just saw "War Horse" which is better if you don't compare it to war movies, and just pretend it's an (inappropriately violent) children's movie.

[Singwaya18]

I wonder when everyone will hear from Northwestern? I'm so nervous about that one....

[goldielocks]

So I think I'm going to start making a list for myself, of the things I will not do when I'm a prof and prospective grad students contact me.

1. I will not send one sentence responses.

[SapperDaddy]

I have kids, so therefore no life.

[goldielocks]

I wonder when everyone will hear from Northwestern? I'm so nervous about that one....

If it helps, I know that they've been looking over apps for a while now, and probably will send out short list decisions beginning the end of next week.

(Edited to add: I mean the end of NEXT week, like February 9-10, I'm guessing.)

Edited January 29, 2012 by goldielocks

[Singwaya18]

So I think I'm going to start making a list for myself, of the things I will not do when I'm a prof and prospective grad students contact me.

1. I will not send one sentence responses.

HAHAHAHAH I love that you said that. It's always mildly disconcerting when a response is rendered in that fashion....

But thanks, yeah...one of my professors at the moment was saying NU is notoriously difficult. They accept only 14 to 15 people. And I see you applied to UIC? That's where I am at the moment. Who did you apply to work with? I've taken several classes on Britain with Prof. James Sack, who actually is the one who was talking to me about NU.

[goldielocks]

2. I will not respond to prospective students at 2:30am. One POI did this to me - she lit into me for contacting her and trying to influence the admissions decision (this was in September)! I wrote back and explained my intentions, interests, etc. She wrote back and apologized profusely for clearing out her inbox so late at night. She was embarrassed by her tone AND by all of her typos!

OUCH! Probably wouldn't make the best advisor, I'm guessing...