ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 My thoughts exactly! If they don't get ahold of you, it's probably not news that you want to hear! And, yes, UT Austin would be amazing. It's hard to imagine a program better suited to my interests. Plus, being from Portland, OR, I can't help but feel an attraction to Austin. I sure hope the stars are alligned on this one. Also, as an aside, I've heard that grad programs are much less likely to admit students who completed their undergraduate degree at the same university. Perhaps that was a major factor in this particular student's case. I've been told that's kind of an old school vs. new school debate between professors. One of my advisers who got her PhD 4 or 5 years ago said it's very "old school" thinking that a program wouldn't want to keep their undergrads. She said that it can be a positive for a student if that student is already well known in the department and the professors like/get along well with that student. Her mentality was if you know you can work well with someone, and you know about their personality and various work habits, then it is less of a risk giving a position to someone that you already know well of then some hardly known person. On the contrary thought, I also spoke with a professor at my university that is very "old school" (she's been in the department for 30+ years I believe) and she strongly advised me to not attend grad school where I got my bachelors.
Supernovasky Posted January 23, 2012 Author Posted January 23, 2012 If one of their acceptance criteria is "how many times does this student log in with his EID to check his status?" I'd be a shoe in. Palito 1
sociologyplease Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 @Palito, As an aside, I'm also from (and currently living in) Portland and considered applying to UT Austin because I felt the town would be such a great match, ha. Portland will be hard to leave-I'm been accepted and recommended for full funding to the one M.A. program I applied for, so leaving Portland is now certain for me and I'm already nostalgic.
Palito Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 I just spoke with Evelyn, the Graduate Coordinator for the Sociology program at UT. It seems that I was a competitive applicant, but that the faculty member that I expressed interest in is beyond overextended, and no other faculty in the Political Sociology subfield was able/willing to oversee my research. This is an epic bummer, but at least I had a great conversation with some really positive feedback about how competitive I am as an applicant. I feel surprisingly hopeful in spite of the fact that I just found out I won't be attending my top choice.
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 I just spoke with Evelyn, the Graduate Coordinator for the Sociology program at UT. It seems that I was a competitive applicant, but that the faculty member that I expressed interest in is beyond overextended, and no other faculty in the Political Sociology subfield was able/willing to oversee my research. This is an epic bummer, but at least I had a great conversation with some really positive feedback about how competitive I am as an applicant. I feel surprisingly hopeful in spite of the fact that I just found out I won't be attending my top choice. Sorry to hear that although there is, like you said, some positive to what you found out. Who was your POI?
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 Palito : What does your UT Austin admissions status from their website reflect?
Palito Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 My admissions status still reads: "in review". I should also say that I recently spoke with a friend who HAS received an offer of admission to this same program. Decisions are definitely being made, ya'll.
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 Sounds like they are being made on a case-by-case rolling basis, and that not all decisions have been made yet... judging from the acceptance we got up there, the acceptance from your friend, and your knowledge of your rejection. This isn't some "batch of acceptance/denial" emails that have been sent out. I spoke to one professor I've contacted. She said the applicant pool was very competitive, but did not have information on my status and that's all she told me. Did you call Evelyn or did she call you? Or was this over email?
Palito Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 Under the heavy weight and gnawing nervousness of hearing about my friends acceptance, and wondering if it were even possible that UT would admit two students from with Bachelor's degrees from Portland State University in the same year, I called her. I knew that, at best, I would only find out if I was still being considered, but I just had to know. It was genuinely nice to hear feedback from someone who knows.
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 Under the heavy weight and gnawing nervousness of hearing about my friends acceptance, and wondering if it were even possible that UT would admit two students from with Bachelor's degrees from Portland State University in the same year, I called her. I knew that, at best, I would only find out if I was still being considered, but I just had to know. It was genuinely nice to hear feedback from someone who knows. Ah, alright. Well, I see why you called. I'm just going to let the process play out.
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 Palito, who was your POI? Thanks for all the info by the way
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 And did you report a rejection via email just now? Because someone did in the results section.
RumHam87 Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 And did you report a rejection via email just now? Because someone did in the results section. That was me. I emailed the grad coordinator and she told me I had been rejected.
Supernovasky Posted January 24, 2012 Author Posted January 24, 2012 That was me. I emailed the grad coordinator and she told me I had been rejected. Ok, so they pretty much have rejections, they just haven't sent notifications to those who they have rejected yet. I'm going to wait and keep my fingers crossed in hope. Hopefully this works like Schrodinger cat... I am neither accepted or denied until I open the box. I'm going to let them tell me whats up when they are ready... lol.
RunMilw Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 I just found this website/forum, but I was accepted to UT last Friday and offered 5 years of funding. Research interests: Qualitative sociology, sex/gender, culture
Supernovasky Posted January 25, 2012 Author Posted January 25, 2012 Was it you who reported that Jan 20th acceptance?
Supernovasky Posted January 25, 2012 Author Posted January 25, 2012 Looking like acceptance emails may have gone out on the 20th-21st... I wonder if they are done, or if they are still deciding on some applicants.
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 I've got that feeling that if you haven't heard back with an acceptance that we're part of the rejection pile.
Supernovasky Posted January 25, 2012 Author Posted January 25, 2012 I've got that feeling that if you haven't heard back with an acceptance that we're part of the rejection pile. I hope this isn't the case. The professor I spoke with DID say that "All decisions will be made within the next 2 weeks." So there is a possibility they are undecided on some as of yet.
hobokennojokin Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 Talked to a UT prof at SSSR who said they are pretty certain no candidates for soc of rel will be accepted this cycle. Not sure if that helps/hurts but for what it's worth I thought I'd throw that out there
Supernovasky Posted January 25, 2012 Author Posted January 25, 2012 Alright, that helps, I was not soc of rel... Thanks for the inside info! lol
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Talked to a UT prof at SSSR who said they are pretty certain no candidates for soc of rel will be accepted this cycle. Not sure if that helps/hurts but for what it's worth I thought I'd throw that out there Edited January 25, 2012 by ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid
ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 Whats up with the picture? lol My entire statement was based around religion basically. Religion with power, social movements, and theory. The picture perfectly captures my reaction to that post it quoted haha
Palito Posted January 25, 2012 Posted January 25, 2012 THisSlumgullionIsSoVapid: I also used a religious trope in my SOP, though mine developed a theory of my own intellectual trajectory as influenced by the diverse religious cultures and doctorines that I was exposed to growing up. It was meant as a kind of nod to Weber's basic argument in "The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism". However, I was told during my chat with the Grad Coordinator at UT that the religious tone, which was limited to the first paragraph, may have put me in a category as a scholar focused on religion. It just so happens, as skyehigh alluded to, that scholarship on religion within the department has been on the decline in the last few years. The coorelation between these two things may explain why I didn't receive an offer of admissions. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya'.
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