brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Is it just me or does Chapel Hill seem kind of random? Not to doubt the poster... but it seems out of place.
whirlibird Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Tomorrow is gonna be a super busy day I bet. If grad school decisions are anything like the proverbial snowball, I'll bet alongside you. Is it just me, or do decisions thus far, in general, (perhaps with the exception of you Madison folks) seem to be coming in more sporadically than last year's stats might have predicted? Like trickles, not one big whoosh. There's just still so much uncertainty hovering about.
wuerzburg Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 If grad school decisions are anything like the proverbial snowball, I'll bet alongside you. Is it just me, or do decisions thus far, in general, (perhaps with the exception of you Madison folks) seem to be coming in more sporadically than last year's stats might have predicted? Like trickles, not one big whoosh. There's just still so much uncertainty hovering about. Maybe its connected to the fact that their dealing with the new GRE scores and trying to compare candidates with old and new scores for the first time. Just a thought.....
whirlibird Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Maybe its connected to the fact that their dealing with the new GRE scores and trying to compare candidates with old and new scores for the first time. Just a thought..... That's not a bad theory; it's certainly a new variable. I'm sure each school has a bajillion apps to go through, too, since we're still seeing recession application numbers. Though why these things would affect the staggered way in which decisions are coming out, I don't know. Instead of rolling admissions, we're seeing rolling decisions! I would expect that there's just a lot of deliberation going on and they want to let candidates they're sure about know the decisions as they come...?
CafeAuLait12 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 I found out today Duke lost Gelpin to Ohio State. That was one of my POI's lol. Where did you here that Gelpi is leaving? He is one of my POIs too.
brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) That's not a bad theory; it's certainly a new variable. I'm sure each school has a bajillion apps to go through, too, since we're still seeing recession application numbers. Though why these things would affect the staggered way in which decisions are coming out, I don't know. Instead of rolling admissions, we're seeing rolling decisions! I would expect that there's just a lot of deliberation going on and they want to let candidates they're sure about know the decisions as they come...? Yea, I've thought of it as maybe being similar to the primary system in presidential elections... increasing pressure to frontload. You want to snatch up your candidates as soon as possible. (And that makes sense, given that you may end up feeling more warmly predisposed to the first school to admit you. Or at least more likely to commit to a visit if it's the first offer you have, even if it's not your top pick.) So as your peer programs start admitting earlier, you feel the need to match or beat them at the game. That, or programs are becoming more compassionate and are trying to ease our anxiety. But I jest... edit: Congrats, btw, on the great news yesterday! Edited February 2, 2012 by brent09
whirlibird Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Yea, I've thought of it as maybe being similar to the primary system in presidential elections... increasing pressure to frontload. You want to snatch up your candidates as soon as possible. (And that makes sense, given that you may end up feeling more warmly predisposed to the first school to admit you. Or at least more likely to commit to a visit if it's the first offer you have, even if it's not your top pick.) So as your peer programs start admitting earlier, you feel the need to match or beat them at the game. That, or programs are becoming more compassionate and are trying to ease our anxiety. But I jest... edit: Congrats, btw, on the great news yesterday! That's a very good way of explaining it. Well in. And thanks very much! Where all did you apply, again? Because I want to be your friend. This is not sarcasm. Edited February 2, 2012 by whirlibird
kolja00 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Where did you here that Gelpi is leaving? He is one of my POIs too. http://www.duke.edu/~gelpi/
CooCooCachoo Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) UMich just rejected someone with phenomenal statistics. I know this person might have had a shoddy letter and references - and I didn't even apply to this uni - but I feel increased pressure. Edit: obviously I don't mean to offend this person; all I am saying is that if even those with near-perfect stats in terms of GRE and GPA need to worry, everyone else should positively be shaking in their boots. Edited February 2, 2012 by CooCooCachoo
balderdash Posted February 2, 2012 Author Posted February 2, 2012 Woah, Mich just crushed some hopes and dreams. Sorry to all those who were victims. Did anyone get good news from them?
brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 UMich just rejected someone with phenomenal statistics. I know this person might have had a shoddy letter and references - and I didn't even apply to this uni - but I feel increased pressure. Which stats?
PoliSci27 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) UMich just rejected someone with phenomenal statistics. I know this person might have had a shoddy letter and references - and I didn't even apply to this uni - but I feel increased pressure. Earlier, I got a bunch of negative reputation points for being skeptical about self-reported stats. You are right though; those were incredible stats. Assuming they are real, it just reinforces the idea that the whole package is important. Rather than being a comforting fact, it is nerve-wracking. I don't have a clue what my LORs look like. BTW, sorry to all the guys who just heard back from UMich. It looks brutal. EDIT: The stats referenced were a 4.00 GPA, 730V/780Q, and 5.5W. Edited February 2, 2012 by PoliSci27
brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Earlier, I got a bunch of negative reputation points for being skeptical about self-reported stats. You are right though; those were incredible stats. Assuming they are real, it just reinforces the idea that the whole package is important. Rather than being a comforting fact, it is nerve-wracking. I don't have a clue what my LORs look like. BTW, sorry to all the guys who just heard back from UMich. It looks brutal. EDIT: The stats referenced were a 4.00 GPA, 730V/780Q, and 5.5W. Those are real. And the letters were good. SoP might have been weak. But really it comes down to a <5% acceptance rate. Was hesitant about UM anyway, applied b/c it's what you "do" in political science. Stings, but moving along... edit: Congrats to anyone who eventually gets in. I hear Ann Arbor is a great town! Edited February 2, 2012 by brent09
CafeAuLait12 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Whelp, there goes Michigan for me. It's okay though, I didn't think the fit was that great. Still have many more to hear from... Congrats to anyone who was accepted!
Max Power Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 i'm part of the michigan blood bath. not sure how great the fit was, but it would have been better to be accepted than rejected potbellypete 1
brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 i'm part of the michigan blood bath. not sure how great the fit was, but it would have been better to be accepted than rejected Meh, Michigan is awesome, but it's also a very tough place to be, from what I hear. I'm not sure I want to spend five years fighting other top students for faculty attention. But yes, would have been nice to have the option. When do you expect to hear from Columbia?
Max Power Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 everything you say about michigan is true, but i could have gotten into going to games in the big house for five years. i grew up on michigan football and went to a college with no serious football program to speak of. i expect it'll be another couple of weeks before columbia makes decisions
CooCooCachoo Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Those are real. And the letters were good. SoP might have been weak. But really it comes down to a <5% acceptance rate. Was hesitant about UM anyway, applied b/c it's what you "do" in political science. Stings, but moving along... edit: Congrats to anyone who eventually gets in. I hear Ann Arbor is a great town! Sorry Brent, see my editing of the post. Didn't mean for the post to have an insulting/accusatory ring to it. Sorry to hear you didn't get in, but your stats should put you in good stead at most places. Edited February 2, 2012 by CooCooCachoo
blackcoffee64 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 I was part of Michigapolypse as well. whirlibird 1
catchermiscount Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Nothing from Rochester this week, and probably nothing until the end of next week (at best). Sorry to not help with heightened anxiety. potbellypete, RWBG and El Serge 3
saltlakecity2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) I applied to U Mich but wasn't part of the wave of rejections. I haven't had any communication from them yet, actually. Any ideas what that might mean? So far I haven't heard jack from UCLA, Duke, or U Mich. I'm starting to wonder if I hallucinated submitting my applications... Edit: for those rejected from U Mich - does it show your new app status on your UM Friend account page? Edited February 2, 2012 by tergellian
bauhaus Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 I got an automatic email from Duke today saying that "this message will be sent on a regular basis, whether your application is complete or not, until you have received a final decision on your application. If you have already received an admissions decision letter from Duke University Graduate School, please disregard this message" and then it list the application materials they ve recieved. what is that supposed to mean? btw how can you check ones stats on the results page? g
brent09 Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 I got an automatic email from Duke today saying that "this message will be sent on a regular basis, whether your application is complete or not, until you have received a final decision on your application. If you have already received an admissions decision letter from Duke University Graduate School, please disregard this message" and then it list the application materials they ve recieved. what is that supposed to mean? btw how can you check ones stats on the results page? g I assume it means that no decision has been posted. I hate those e-mails; makes my heart jump every time I see one. As far as results, just mouse-over the red dots.
edost Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 I got an automatic email from Duke today saying that "this message will be sent on a regular basis, whether your application is complete or not, until you have received a final decision on your application. If you have already received an admissions decision letter from Duke University Graduate School, please disregard this message" and then it list the application materials they ve recieved. what is that supposed to mean? btw how can you check ones stats on the results page? g It doesn't mean anything. It's just an automated e-mail to all applicants. I've been getting those messages from them every 10 days or so ever since I submitted my application a few months ago. If you hover your mouse over the red diamond, you'll see stats. Not all entries have them.
Secret Squirrel Posted February 2, 2012 Posted February 2, 2012 Can we assume that all Stanford acceptances are out so that I can stop worrying about it?
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