Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[SapperDaddy]

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.

[Zephyr99]

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?

[telemaque]

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.

[Zephyr99]

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.

[sandyvanb]

The reject was me. It really sucks being the first rejection I've had.

Sorry to hear that Duke! I felt the same way about MSU...

[Curlicue]

SapperDaddy- I think we are in the same geographic field. The only school we have in common is UW though...

Also, if the rest of this application season goes like today, I am going to buy myself a new car as a consolation prize.

[diplodocus]

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.

[Lms13]

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.ucla.edu/academics/graduate/admission-requirements

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

[owls]

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 February 2, 2012 by owls

[Lms13]

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.

[telemaque]

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.

[Lms13]

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?

[telemaque]

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?

Personally, I'd leave it alone. You'll know soon enough

[Safferz]

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.

[oseirus]

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 :-)

[schlesinger1]

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...

[sandyvanb]

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!

[Lms13]

Personally, I'd leave it alone. You'll know soon enough

Haha thanks. It is kind of tempting, though. But this board is good for asking these types of things.

[crater21]

Looks like it was another eventful day on the thread! Congrats to everyone who got acceptances and other happy news!

For those who weren't so lucky, chin up! I'm sure good news is just around the corner.

[Roxelana]

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

[owls]

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.!

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

Looks like it was another eventful day on the thread! Congrats to everyone who got acceptances and other happy news!

For those who weren't so lucky, chin up! I'm sure good news is just around the corner.

You gotta quit your job and join in on the fun Crater!!

[crater21]

You gotta quit your job and join in on the fun Crater!!

I know!! Honestly, this week I have been so unproductive at work because I keep thinking about applications! We're discouraged from browsing the internet for non-work related activities, so I can't even get my fix here!

[uhohlemonster]

I...can't...wait to hear back from somewhere!

Suspense is killing me!

[A Finicky Bean]

is in a similar vein - although way more dramatic. And I do not advocate any of his extreme remedies.

Haha nice.