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Communication/Media Studies Ph.D Programs Fall 2012--Apps, Decisions, and Waiting...


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On 2/14/2012 at 5:48 PM, jackspizza123 said:

Hi everyone! Long-time lurker, first time poster. I'm an applicant to UDub for Comm PhD and I saw a lot of rejections on the results survey (very sorry...). I've heard nothing at all, and I didn't get any e-mails. I checked the website and it just says "submitted." Has anyone here been accepted to UDub Comm PhD? Or, if not, does anyone have info on when we'll hear some news? I'm grateful to be in the running for a spot, but feel like I'm in the "purgatory" to which some of you are referring.

I'm wondering about this too. There's six or so rejections up but nothing else.

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@AlexGuermantes, one of the ways that I learned about my program's reputations, and more importantly who was getting jobs, was to Google the phrase "PhD, Name of School" (so for you it would be Ph.D North Carolina State University or NCSU) and see who came up. I agree with all the previous comments that you will need to make your own way in the academic world via networking, rigorous scholarship and publications, and I also think that some programs are better than others in preparing their students for that academic world. Try googling to see where folks graduating from that program are ending up, especially teaching vs. research institutions. It might not give you a full picture, but it could be one useful piece of the puzzle.

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Hi guys! I have a question about acceptances. I was accepted into UMASS-Amherst and I feel all sorts of pressure to accept it right away. Is there a time frame in which I have to accept it? It is the first school I have heard back from and it is an amazing offer but I don't want to rush into accepting before I hear back from other schools. I have also been accepted in UNC-Chapel Hill but I won't know about funding on this one for a couple of weeks. Should I call UMASS and ask? Can they resend the funding package?

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Hi guys! I have a question about acceptances. I was accepted into UMASS-Amherst and I feel all sorts of pressure to accept it right away. Is there a time frame in which I have to accept it? It is the first school I have heard back from and it is an amazing offer but I don't want to rush into accepting before I hear back from other schools. I have also been accepted in UNC-Chapel Hill but I won't know about funding on this one for a couple of weeks. Should I call UMASS and ask? Can they resend the funding package?

Call and ask if there is a deadline by which you need to notify them of your intent to enroll or not enroll. Explain that you are still waiting to hear from other schools and that you hope to make your decision soon, but that you can neither accept nor decline their offer just yet. They will (should!) be understanding. This is not at all uncommon. Congrats on your acceptance!

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Definitely ask. I'll bet all those accepted are wondering the same thing! The grad director at UMass is a really nice guy and I'm sure he'll be receptive to inquiries.

For what it's worth, it sounds like many in the first round of applicants from last year waited until mid-April to make their decisions. Of course, the department's policies may have changed between then and now.

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@tealover Re: responses... if your graduate school is signatory to the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution, then you have until April 15.

http://www.cgsnet.org/?tabid=201

Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.

UMass-Amherst is signatory to the resolution (the signatory schools are listed in the PDF).

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An update for anyone waiting on UConn info: I got a voice mail from the DGS tonight informing me of my acceptance (I'd already found out via the web site but had not gotten any formal correspondence from the university yet) and offering me a TAship. He didn't go into details in the voice mail--no dollar amount--but said the TAship would include health insurance and a stipend.

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@AlexGuermantes, are you the UMinn Comms posting on the results survey that's by post or by e-mail? I'm likely going to e-mail them anyway in a few days, since I've pretty much heard from all the schools I expected to get into by now, but I'm wondering if I should just wait on the post.

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@edost: Glad I'm not the only one obsessing. I can't leave my phone/laptop! Everytime I hear my phone chime, my heart stops. I just want it to end. Soon! I have seen the 3 acceptances on the boards, but not any rejections. What to make of that I wonder?

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@AlexGuermantes did you hear anything from Boulder? I haven't. There was an acceptance posted in the results section and now I'm driving myself crazy refreshing my inbox (and @monde, I am also ready for the obsessive anticipation to be over. My stomach is in knots).

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Just because I know people will ask when they see it on the results page, I was the one who got accepted at USC Annenberg. I'm kind of in shock at the moment, tbqh, but I guess if you have any questions you can PM me? Sorry, I don't really know the etiquette about this stuff, as this is my first application season and this was the first school I heard back from.

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@ Duva: Congrats!

I just received my rejection from UPenn and I guess the USC Annenberg will reject me, too :D But I am tired of waiting anyways, so bring it on Annenbergs!

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I emailed Minnesota because I already have two offers I am stoked about and they are the last ones I'm waiting on. They said I made the short list for rhetorical studies and that final rankings were going on now.

I hope that helps, or gives some perspective. Word should reach everyone soon.

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I emailed Minnesota because I already have two offers I am stoked about and they are the last ones I'm waiting on. They said I made the short list for rhetorical studies and that final rankings were going on now.

I hope that helps, or gives some perspective. Word should reach everyone soon.

Thanks, it does! I guess I might as well just e-mail them, then; I'd rather go on my first visit knowing if I'm in or out instead of waiting on pins and needles.

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@ Duva: Congrats!

I just received my rejection from UPenn and I guess the USC Annenberg will reject me, too :D But I am tired of waiting anyways, so bring it on Annenbergs!

Looks like there was a UPenn blood bath today. I was one of the casualties. Sorry to hear that you were too.

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Looks like there was a UPenn blood bath today. I was one of the casualties. Sorry to hear that you were too.

Yeah, U Washington has been pretty brutal too. I just have to keep reminding myself that the Results Survey isn't a representative sample. If it was, the entire world was admitted to UMass last week while I'm twiddling my thumbs still waiting to hear from them.

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Four days until the application deadline at UAlbany. Not that I'm counting, or at all impatient for some news. Nope, not me. I love uncertainty. It's super fun. I would have to apply to a program with one of the latest deadlines I've ever seen.

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Got my UPenn rejection this morning too- shucks! :wacko:

That's my first rejection. Still waiting to hear from everywhere else. Anyone have any idea when we should expect to hear from Northwestern and Madison Wisconsin? By the 24th maybe?

I guess I should have applied to more places but its so expensive!!!!!!

Oh well keeping those fingers crossed that there will be some good news from somewhere.

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@tealover Re: responses... if your graduate school is signatory to the Council of Graduate Schools Resolution, then you have until April 15. http://www.cgsnet.org/?tabid=201 UMass-Amherst is signatory to the resolution (the signatory schools are listed in the PDF).

Thank you so so much!! Takes a load off of me for sure!! I plan on calling in the morning as well!

Thank you mediamom!!!! :)

Thank you to everyone for your help!! I truly appreciate it!!

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Hi, all! Long-time lurker, first time poster, and after reading the results postings over and over again, I figured I needed some moral support here.

I feel like I'm in purgatory--I've heard not a peep from four schools (UIUC, IU-Bloomington, UW-Madison, and UMinn) and am currently freaking out. I've been accepted a couple of places, but no word on funding yet. ARGH. Why does this process have to be so frustrating?

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@ edost: I am sorry to hear from other casualties :(

@ iamhere: Awesome! I am really happy for you. How did UCSB turn out?

@ reterik: Try to stay on the bright side you "'ve been accepted to a couple of places"... That's a good start! It is going to work out somehow ;)

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