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Fall 2012 Season


Veilside1

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I'm at Arizona now. They're still really, really behind. They've had a few faculty meetings about the issue, and from what I've heard look for responses in the week of the 19th at the latest. Next week is our sping break, so a good deal of the finalizing of things will take place then.

Also, check the website regularly. I found out that I was accepted days (I think about 4-5 days) before any email came from who was the Department Head then.

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I just wanted to jump in to share my joy-- I got into Columbia's Classics PhD program! I did an in person interview earlier this week. I don't have a masters degree, and I went to a top 100 university in the south. So, don't despair if you don't have a huge cv or a degree from a top ten school. I wish you all the best of luck!

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I just wanted to jump in to share my joy-- I got into Columbia's Classics PhD program! I did an in person interview earlier this week. I don't have a masters degree, and I went to a top 100 university in the south. So, don't despair if you don't have a huge cv or a degree from a top ten school. I wish you all the best of luck!

Damn! Impressive! You give the rest of us hope :).

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Is it bad form to accept a school and then change your mind later if you receive a better offer at the last minute?

I think that the answer is yes. I say that because it is often the case that if school 'A' makes you an offer, and you accept, they cannot redistribute the funding. So, by accepting and then declining you are not only eliminating the chance for someone else to receive an offer, but you WILL be remembered by institution 'A' for bad reasons.

However, if you feel that school 'B' is a far better choice, then I would suggest contacting school 'A' immediately (I suggest calling anonymously) to see how their particular funding works. It is possible that some schools actually can redistribute funding, but from what I have been told countless times by profs, once a student accepts the money is as good as spent and cannot be offered to someone else.

In short, it is bad form. Very bad form.

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I think that the answer is yes. I say that because it is often the case that if school 'A' makes you an offer, and you accept, they cannot redistribute the funding. So, by accepting and then declining you are not only eliminating the chance for someone else to receive an offer, but you WILL be remembered by institution 'A' for bad reasons.

However, if you feel that school 'B' is a far better choice, then I would suggest contacting school 'A' immediately (I suggest calling anonymously) to see how their particular funding works. It is possible that some schools actually can redistribute funding, but from what I have been told countless times by profs, once a student accepts the money is as good as spent and cannot be offered to someone else.

In short, it is bad form. Very bad form.

Thanks for sharing that. If that is the case, then how do schools make offers after the April 14th deadline? If people wait till then to decline offers, then it'll be too late to offer them to anyone else, right?

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Thanks for sharing that. If that is the case, then how do schools make offers after the April 14th deadline? If people wait till then to decline offers, then it'll be too late to offer them to anyone else, right?

No, I think you're confused.

There are two categories of accepted students:

1. those who have been offered amission, and have accepted the offer.

2. those who have been offered admission and have not yet accepted.

So, yes, students who are #2 have until April 15 to give a final answer, you, as all #1's have already told them an answer and therefore are bound to the funding offer.

People who are waitlisted often wait into April when those who have said nothing are finally giving their final 'yes' or 'no.'

You have already given a 'yes' so the funding has been applied to you, as opposed to being just set aside for you if you want it.

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Trust me, I really wish that things were simpler, and that a school could easily and simply re-allocate the money, but for some reason they are not able to do so.

I also wish that I had better news to report to you, and do feel bad for you and what must be a frustrating and stressful situation.

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Schools can offer to waitlistees once people begin declining offers. April 15 is a deadline that you have to give an answer, but a school can still offer any available funding well into April, and even, as I've heard it happen before, in to May as well. The money can be assigned up to the beginning of the next fall semester, but once someone "claims" it, it is gone.

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Trust me, I really wish that things were simpler, and that a school could easily and simply re-allocate the money, but for some reason they are not able to do so.

I also wish that I had better news to report to you, and do feel bad for you and what must be a frustrating and stressful situation.

Oh, don't worry Veilside, I haven't accepted any schools yet. I just want to clarify how this all works. But thanks for being so considerate. =)

Actually, let me see if I can phrase my question better. Say I am waiting for funding from School #1, but I then accept School #10 close to April 15th. Then I hear on April 16th that someone from School #1 has declined an offer and funding is now available for me. How could I possibly accept that since it is after deadlines? If everyone waited till April 15th to make their final decisions, then the offers that were declined would be useless at that point. Am I understanding this correctly?

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Well, that is definitely a good question. I think that it is possible for there to be situations where applicant A is accepted at school 1, but is waiting to see if his waitlist option comes through at school 2, and that there is applicant B who is accepted at school 2, but is waiting to see if his waitlist option comes through at school 1... Or even for there to be a series of students who, in a circular fashion, are all waiting on the next person.

I think that to a certain extent these things happen, especially since if you get into one Ivy, you probably have multiple offers from top schools, and , in effect, are clogging up the process for everyone else who is waitlisted. But. I think that there is always enough movement to keep things going.

As far a your particular question, I think that on say April 12-13, of you're still waiting to hear from someone contact them and let them know that you really want to go there, but need to reply to other schools. Trust me, they know the situation and might be able to give you a concrete answer early. But, some schools will just eliminate you by April 15 if you have said nothing. I think you'll be fine, since once people have done all their visiting and thought about it, there will be movement and you should know if the school you really want can accept you or not well before April 15.

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Well, that is definitely a good question. I think that it is possible for there to be situations where applicant A is accepted at school 1, but is waiting to see if his waitlist option comes through at school 2, and that there is applicant B who is accepted at school 2, but is waiting to see if his waitlist option comes through at school 1... Or even for there to be a series of students who, in a circular fashion, are all waiting on the next person.

I think that to a certain extent these things happen, especially since if you get into one Ivy, you probably have multiple offers from top schools, and , in effect, are clogging up the process for everyone else who is waitlisted. But. I think that there is always enough movement to keep things going.

As far a your particular question, I think that on say April 12-13, of you're still waiting to hear from someone contact them and let them know that you really want to go there, but need to reply to other schools. Trust me, they know the situation and might be able to give you a concrete answer early. But, some schools will just eliminate you by April 15 if you have said nothing. I think you'll be fine, since once people have done all their visiting and thought about it, there will be movement and you should know if the school you really want can accept you or not well before April 15.

Ah, that's good to know. Thanks! I am certainly hoping that I won't have to wait until the last minute to make a decision. Good to know that there should be movement well before April 15th. This whole application process feels like a huge waiting game. It's my first round applying to PhD programs. Never imagined it would be this nerve-racking!

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I've asked this mutiple times, and I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but has anyone here heard any word from Michigan's ancient history program (IPGRH)? Attia has given some info, but surely some other people here at least know someone who has been rejected, waitlisted, or accepted.. right?

If you'd rather not post publically, feel free to message me.

Thanks.

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Just to throw in a little more info regarding how to accept decisions and deal with waitlists:

I would very openly contact the school where you are waitlisted. Some have very strict protocols for dealing with the situation. For example, I once spoke to a Prof at UNC-CH and she told me that if someone declines a spot on April 14th at ten minutes til midnight they don't have time to offer the spot to someone else on the waitlist, suggesting that some schools just stop the game come April 15th. Others might be more flexible.

All that being said, many students will likely make up their minds after going on different campus visits (which will all be over after March or the first few days of April). It is in good form to notify the schools you are declining as soon as you know (and make sure to tell them where you have accepted) as soon as you have decided. Things on waitlists might be slow from now until the end of March, but after that the clogs in the pipes will likely be cleared.

Ultimately, I don't think its a bad thing to openly discuss this process with the POI at the various schools. It helps them to know where else you have offers and your the degree to which you desire to be taken off a waitlist.

Good luck to you and Veilside I really hope you hear something soon from IPGRH!

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Has anyone heard good news about Boston University MA's? I saw a bunch of rejections were posted but no acceptances. Now I'm worried that my application was not completely submitted or something...I emailed the department early last week just to confirm that it was but no one has emailed me back. Arg- this whole process is making me very neurotic.

Edited by thespecial1
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