Stanford coming soon!

[panasic]

Did anyone apply to Stanford? What are your research interests?

Looks like their notifications went out February 5-10 last year. Getting close... very nervous

I applied with interesst in race and immigration as well as social demography.

[panasic]

It's interesting. It doesn't seem like that many people on this board applied to Stanford this year. They sent out acceptances first weekend of February the past few years. Definitely crunch time now... Did anyone else apply? Any news?

[Darth.Vegan]

Also if/when people find out, could you post some info regarding the stipend. Silicon Valley is ridiculously expensive even to me, and I live in Honolulu!!!!

Edited February 3, 2012 by xdarthveganx

[sciencegirl]

yes... a bunch of e-mail acceptances went out today...

[giacomo]

brag about your acceptance, you chosen ones! i hear stanford is a paradise!

[sciencegirl]

lol.. @giacomo.. actually I was one of those from the results board that got an acceptance e-mail and don't really know how to react. It's a bit of a shocker since I had assumed that I was a no-go from Berkeley which then snowballed into my insecurity about not getting into UCLA.. which led to all sorts of weird feelings of rejection last week even though I haven't received any rejections yet.

Anyway, I was hoping that others would chime in first since I honestly feel really weird getting in. I had set my sights on UCLA as my top choice thinking that this was a reasonable goal. So I did not think that I would make the Stanford cut, hence I hadn't even considered the program seriously. I've been trying to get work done all day but in a weird state of shock.... so I hope this doesn't come off as bragging.

[socscholar]

SO EXCITED!!

Also seriously shocked. It feels surreal. I had COMPLETELY written off Stanford as not going to happen. So yes, I am now on cloud 9!!

Also, the hints about their funding package sound like the best I've heard of this app season. Wooo! Cali!!

[sciencegirl]

congrats socscholar!!! Yes.. I saw the e-mail in my inbox and started freaking out there since it basically just read "Stanford doctoral admission" in the subject line. And yeah, we will know about funding details next week but it seems as if its going to be pretty unbeatable.. they've already guaranteed 5 years no tuition, years 1 and 5 on a fellowship and 2,3,4 combo TA/RA, with 3 years guaranteed summer... they are a pretty loaded private so I'm curious as to how it compares to others.

had not even thought about moving to the bay area... @socscholar, so you think its your top choice right now? Its hard for me at this point to not think how it doesn't move into that spot...

[panasic]

Was it a personal email? What are your stats, accepted ones?

[sciencegirl]

@panasic... I venture to say you have better "stats" than mine: 650V, 750Q, 3.7GPA. Part of the reason I'm surprised about the admit is because while the scores are good, I've seen many posters here with higher GRE scores and 3.9 GPAs etc. I think there is a cut-off rule with these things with the elite level programs, and that past a certain point, the SOP and "other" are more important than "stats". I re-read my SOP this afternoon, and realized reading it in hindsight after not looking at it for 2 months, that it was to my surprise well-written, focused and edited well (I spent 3-4 months working on it, and workshopped it with friends and advisors quite a bit)... of course I could read it now with a sense of relief knowing that the adcom had liked it.

And yes, it was a really pleasant somewhat personal e-mail. The school really knows how to make you feel special (blush).

Did you hear anything back yet? I'm still perplexed by Berkeley. Nothing from them - though at this point, I'm pretty sure I'd pick Stanford over Berkeley anyway if I happened to get in there (unless someone else thinks otherwise for some reason and that I should consider Berkeley over Stanford.. I did notice more people had it as their top choice/dream school).

Edited February 5, 2012 by sciencegirl

[panasic]

@sciencegirl ... thanks for the info! what are your research interests?

[sociology27]

As far as the Stanford/Berkeley decision, it realllllly depends on your specialization. I don't know why Stanford over Berkeley would be an obvious decision though (except for possible funding). Berkeley is a much cooler location (in my opinion) that palo alto. Plus you get a more activist campus, which should be a plus for sociologists I would think. And rankings wise, they might as well be even, though USNEWS gives the overall lead to Berkeley. But again, I think it comes down to specialization.

also, Berkeley's program is huge, as in numbers, so I think you're going to get a wider array of professors and students; both of which I consider a plus. (it was my dream school. I say was because it looks like I didn't get admitted, and dreams tend to dissipate as quickly as they appear; but still a great school).

[sciencegirl]

immigration/migration, social stratification, social psychology mostly.. though my research encompasses a broad swath of fields... and is interdisciplinary as well. My background is actually in American Studies and Ethnic Studies.

Re: the Berkeley thing.. I probably didn't get in anyway, but my thoughts would be funding, and larger cohorts may also mean that you get lost among other students more and have less time with faculty who have to oversee more students.. I had a few conversations with some grad students at various programs I applied to... there was a very lukewarm response from the Cal student I spoke with.. there was some grumbling about funding and the lack of the program being able to hire more professors to replace some that have retired or will be retiring soon.. again, the budget/funding thing.

But I agree that it isn't a clear cut decision - rankings wise the two are pretty up there. And honestly, I'm not even worried about it, since I finally got into a program and it happens to be Stanford. whew!

[Darjeeling]

Congrats to people who were accepted so far! That's really exciting!

Just curious people's thoughts on if you didn't receive an email yesterday if that means you weren't accepted.

It seems from (albeit limited) past grad cafe results that the acceptances were sent out within a day or two of each other. But hoping there's still a shot for the rest of us...

[socscholar]

They are expecting a cohort of around 14, but I am unsure of how many first round acceptances they sent out. Visit days are March 15-16, so I imagine they will inform all accepted students in the next week to give them time to plan accordingly.

Maybe there's a second wave to come?

[sciencegirl]

It's really hard to say... my guess is that they probably made the final decision by Friday and devoted yesterday to notifying people since there were 4-5 admits on the board? But then again, notifying and sending out all acceptances in one day might be a lot of work and it will be somewhat staggered over the next few days?

@socscholar... that's what my e-mail said too which I thought was really high for a cohort target.. which is why I might have thought that they meant to say they had a target admit cohort of 14.. (since immediately after they talked about how hard it was to choose candidates...) but a target of 14 incoming seems awfully high and much higher than in all the years past.. which led me to think that they meant they had a target of 14 admits as opposed to a target of incoming 14 (which means they would have to admit 15-25?).. thoughts?

[panasic]

rejections for stanford are being posted. haven't received mine yet... what does this mean?

[sciencegirl]

did the rejections all come in a blanket e-mail/at the same time? maybe they have an informal wait list and are holding off on a few people? does anyone who got a rejection e-mail want to help @panasic and share time and form of e-mail?

[allhandsonthebadone]

[panasic]

@sciencegirl: thanks

@allhandsonthebadone: just waiting on the bad news myself....

[panasic]

A bit curious...people who haven't heard yay/nay yet: what are your interests?

Edited February 7, 2012 by panasic

[panasic]

Does anyone want to claim today's Stanford acceptance?

[jenjenjen]

I can claim that one. Received a personalized email from a professor today, and said he hoped to talk to me on the phone within the next few days. My interests were in race, ethnicity, inequality and gender. Mentioned they had 188 applicants and wanted a class of 14.

Edited February 8, 2012 by jenjenjen

[socscholar]

other admits, did you get the funding letter?

$$$$$

Best offer I've seen. Maybe better than Princeton's... I can't wait to visit!

[sciencegirl]

Yes... I mentioned this to some people in PMs who were wondering.. but it's probably the best offer out there... not sure the details of places like Yale, but the total numbers easily surpass what I was expecting and anything I've seen posted so far. @socscholar - you leaning towards Stanford? or trying to feel out "fit". I was comparing the numbers to other schools' offers that I've gotten and it would be impossible to turn it down.