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


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In less cheerful news, I was rejected from UW-Madison. At least I know everything now, though. Congrats to all who were accepted!

THIS.

Now that I've heard from Madison (whomp whomp), I can make a decision. So, thanks for the rejection, Badgers, but it's working out in my favor!

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MediaMom, congrats on UAlbany!

I've been accepted to UConn! I've been offered a 20-hour TAship - sounds like a lot. During my MA, I taught for just 4 hours a week.

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MediaMom, congrats on UAlbany!

I've been accepted to UConn! I've been offered a 20-hour TAship - sounds like a lot. During my MA, I taught for just 4 hours a week.

Yay! Congratulations. My TA offer at UConn was the same - 20 hours - but I'm assuming that will include time spent holding office hours and working on class prep. At most they could only have you teaching six credit hours, right?

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THIS.

Now that I've heard from Madison (whomp whomp), I can make a decision. So, thanks for the rejection, Badgers, but it's working out in my favor!

whomp whomp indeed. God, that was a shitty form letter, and a bizarre send-off! Something like "people we reject end up doing really well in graduate programs elsewhere."

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strange, a lot of people seem to have heard from Madison (according to the results page) and I just went and checked my online status also and- no word. AAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhh.

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I've just been rejected from UAlbany, but I'm fine with it, since this would have been my last choice safety school anyway, and I've been accepted to two programs.

By the way, does anyone know what's going on with Rutgers? I just noticed they had a recruitment event a few days ago for 27 admitted students. I haven't heard a word from them, and the status website still says "no decision". Should I assume I've been rejected because I wasn't invited? 27 admitted students sounds like a lot - there probably isn't much of a chance they'll accept more.

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It's not over until it's really over...

I didn't apply to Rutgers. 27 does seem like a lot but who knows how many people will accept their offer. Do you know how many people went to the event at all?

I just saw your Albany result on the results survey and had to grin because you chose "other", too. That's definitely a missing option on that survey: "American with international degree"

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edost - Sorry to hear about Albany, but as you said, it wasn't your first choice so all is well. I think we'll all land where we're meant to eventually.

I did not apply to Rutgers but I have a good friend whose PhD is in communication and information sciences from Rutgers and I know that they have a large program and do admit somewhere between 25 and 30 people at a time. If you haven't heard anything yet I'm guessing perhaps you've been waitlisted, and as people who were invited to that visit weekend decline the offer, they'll start to pull names from the list. It can't hurt to email them.

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Agreed- and they charge a pretty hefty app fee don't they? That's what prevented me from applying, I had run out of money and chose two schools with lower fees instead of the one with a high fee.

Meanwhile, Northwestern and Madison- what the heck is taking them soooo long? I keep getting paranoid that they've informed the accepted candidates and everyone's being real secretive about it.

Yale too, I know they've sent their acceptances out last month but cant be bothered to let the rejects know.

I have to agree with you (and Saviya) on USC. I'm really disappointed by the way the department has handled things. When I applied there for my MA, I don't recall having any issues. But maybe that's because I was admitted.

Since people here have confirmed that acceptances have gone out, I e-mailed to confirm that I was indeed rejected. No reply. I e-mailed again. No reply. Is that the kind of service a massive application fee gets you? I understand that it's a busy time of year, but to not reply altogether is (to me) very rude. I'm unimpressed.

And it definitely makes me appreciate the departments that have been responsive and kind, and continue to be as I go through this process.

Oh, one more question. How do people feel about courtesy deadlines? I was given one by a school that admitted me and I'd really like to honour it for them by responding by the end of next week. Unfortunately, I have a couple of schools that haven't gotten back to me with a decision yet. And three of the four (the fourth being USC) have confirmed that I'm still under consideration. It feels weird to make a decision before hearing back from absolutely everywhere, especially given the fact that I spent $1200 on applications, but I also don't know if I can both honour the courtesy deadline and wait for each school. It seems like 95% of people have heard back by now, so I don't know why/how I find myself still waiting!

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brancan, I have heard back from two programs (one accept, one waitlisted), and am still waiting to hear back from four (two are international, one of which has a reputation of notifying WAY late and the other of being sporadic), so I am also in the same boat in terms of waiting.

Congrats to all accepted, and good luck to those who are waiting.

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@ brancan:

I couldn't make the decision without knowing unless the school you're still waiting to hear from is not one of your top choices anyways. Otherwise I'd wait (although it sucks) but I know that as soon as I'd go through a rough patch at my chosen school I'd start asking myself: What would've been?

My mom always says: 'If only' and 'would have' are dead and long gone but I do regret some decisions I've made and I don't want to regret this one :)

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Oh, one more question. How do people feel about courtesy deadlines? I was given one by a school that admitted me and I'd really like to honour it for them by responding by the end of next week. Unfortunately, I have a couple of schools that haven't gotten back to me with a decision yet. And three of the four (the fourth being USC) have confirmed that I'm still under consideration. It feels weird to make a decision before hearing back from absolutely everywhere, especially given the fact that I spent $1200 on applications, but I also don't know if I can both honour the courtesy deadline and wait for each school. It seems like 95% of people have heard back by now, so I don't know why/how I find myself still waiting!

Brancan- I had a program I really like give me a courtesy deadline. I've heard from all programs, still waiting on funding from one. I plan to tell them that I am strongly considering their program, but I don't feel comfortable making a decision until I hear from all schools regarding funding. I also plan to include any outcomes that would affect my decision to attend that school (e.g. a giant fellowship offer from another program).

Edited by LaBrunaFurba
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Brancan- I had a program I really like give me a courtesy deadline. I've heard from all programs, still waiting on funding from one. I plan to tell them that I am strongly considering their program, but I don't feel comfortable making a decision until I hear from all schools regarding funding. I also plan to include any outcomes that would affect my decision to attend that school (e.g. a giant fellowship offer from another program).

Thanks for this. I think that's a really good way to go about it.

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By the way, does anyone know what's going on with Rutgers? I just noticed they had a recruitment event a few days ago for 27 admitted students. I haven't heard a word from them, and the status website still says "no decision". Should I assume I've been rejected because I wasn't invited? 27 admitted students sounds like a lot - there probably isn't much of a chance they'll accept more.

I attended the recruitment day- the admitted number of students was so large because there are three differen tracks within the School- Library Science, Comm, & Media Studies (the former two get funding, whereas Media studies barely gets anything). Funding is what a lot of people were talking about being a big decision factor for acceptance, myself included. Seems like an amazing program but without funding, meh.

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I have just received an email from the program director at USC that I have been put on a waitlist and most likely will know the results within the last few days before the April 15 deadline. He told me he sent out notifications for the waitlist today, so I hope many of us have heard something from him. I'm actually glad to at least hear something. I have already assumed a rejection, and made plans to consider my offers after hearing from GWU decision next week. Since USC is one of my top two choices, there's nothing I can do but hold off accepting other offers until I hear the definite yes or no from them.

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Hi Ville, I ditto you in every word ;)

I got the same email and I am totally excited. I thought I was already rejected... Ahhh. My fit with the program is very good so I am waiting for news...

Edited by Saviya
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I have just received an email from the program director at USC that I have been put on a waitlist and most likely will know the results within the last few days before the April 15 deadline. He told me he sent out notifications for the waitlist today, so I hope many of us have heard something from him. I'm actually glad to at least hear something. I have already assumed a rejection, and made plans to consider my offers after hearing from GWU decision next week. Since USC is one of my top two choices, there's nothing I can do but hold off accepting other offers until I hear the definite yes or no from them.

Thanks for the update! I already assumed rejection, so now I guess I know. Since they don't answer my e-mails at USC, at least someone is keeping me informed. :D

Congrats on the waitlist. I don't think I could wait until April 15 to decide, but that's just me. I want to make a decision soon, let the school know, get my immigration paperwork started, and start looking for somewhere to live. Another month of indecision might have killed me, so perhaps it's for the best I didn't get this e-mail!

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@Mediaphile and Saviya what program did you apply to at Northwestern? I saw that posted in the Results Search (I've been waiting forever to see something up there), but when I checked it just now mine still said that nothing had been posted. Just checking to see if we applied to the same program.

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I applied to MTS too. I was a little bummed by the news especially as I had gotten such a warm response to my pre-admission queries that I was sure it was a shoe in- but then they went so quiet the minute I applied that I guess I saw it coming. Saviya is right about fit, plus, I've been consoling myself with the thought that with such a media focused program it might be hard to find employment later on, maybe its better to study media in a comm program that offers more depth and range of opportunities for future research and teaching? I don't know, this is why I also applied to anthro and socio programs.

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received rejection from NYU on Friday. not too broken up about it. still waiting on USC and a couple of international schools. i can feel myself getting closer to a decision...

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