Fall 2013 Applicants?

[Laguna Niguel]

Anyone know anything about South Carolina? I saw one lonley admit on the results page. Did decisions already go out?

[Sophiekea]

FINALLY good news from CUNY !! What a relief!

YAYYYY!!!!! Congratulations!!!!

[PhDreams]

Yup, which is why I asked where telkanuru got his/her information. Some of the grad students in our department have known about their advisors' admits for two weeks now. But like pudewen, what I don't know is whether or not the mass email from the graduate coordinator has gone out yet. If it hasn't already (I think the posts on the results board so far suggests only informal contact from POIs), I'd imagine the email will be sent out soon since visiting days are usually in early March.

 

Is this for History or History of Am Civ?

[heulwen]

Thank you thank you 

 

I hope those who didn't hear anything yet will hear their good news pretty soon ! Hang in there guys !!

[lafayette]

It was Cornell - you called it!

YES! Congrats. And also regretting not actually betting on it.

[dr. t]

Where did you hear that?

 

Sorry this took a while to respond: from my history professor, at Harvard. To whit- there is a meeting with the deans this coming week at which point everything is officialized and approved.

Edited February 16, 2013 by telkanuru

[lafayette]

Congrats to the CUNY, Rutgers, and Cornell folk (and probably missing some!) Bet you all are having a lovely weekend (deserved!)

[Safferz]

Sorry this took a while to respond: from my history professor, at Harvard. To whit- there is a meeting with the deans this coming week at which point everything is officialized and approved.

 

Considering that several students have already been notified (informally) by their POIs, and my knowledge that many profs already know who their admitted students are, it sounds like the deans are more of a rubber stamp for decisions already made by departments   I'm sure the email from the graduate coordinator will follow soon.

 

I should also add that these informal emails are POIs who have jumped the gun -- I certainly didn't know anything until receiving the mass email from the graduate coordinator with details on the visiting days. If you haven't heard anything from Harvard yet, that doesn't mean anything right now.

 

Is this for History or History of Am Civ?

 

History.

[dr. t]

Considering that several students have already been notified (informally) by their POIs, and my knowledge that many profs already know who their admitted students are, it sounds like the deans are more of a rubber stamp for decisions already made by departments   I'm sure the email from the graduate coordinator will follow soon.

 

I should also add that these informal emails are POIs who have jumped the gun -- I certainly didn't know anything until receiving the mass email from the graduate coordinator with details on the visiting days. If you haven't heard anything from Harvard yet, that doesn't mean anything right now.

I don't think this is discongruous with anything I've said. I was more trying to get at not having information is not yet identical with not being admitted. I'm holding out hope because my POI is out of the country, for example.

[Goingcrazy]

Is it a major uh-oh if you didn't contact any of your POIs? I read that you should not contact them, but now am seriously sweating that decision.

[benedicite]

Newb question: What does a summer research stipend usually entail?

[LeatherElbows]

Is it a major uh-oh if you didn't contact any of your POIs? I read that you should not contact them, but now am seriously sweating that decision.

 

I know people who did and some who didn't. I think it depends on what you want to do, where you are applying, and how you craft the email as to whether or not it is a good idea. Since I have a pretty obscure research area, I only found a few close matches and ended up contacting all of them. It was nice because I found out one was retiring and another would be on leave. However, at one of the more exclusive schools, I got the sense that I was only annoying them with extra inbox clutter. Counterbalancing that, I got a really warm and friendly email from a professor I really respect. Case by case, maybe?

[lafayette]

Is it a major uh-oh if you didn't contact any of your POIs? I read that you should not contact them, but now am seriously sweating that decision.

I didn't contact any POIs. Don't worry about it, especially if you've already applied!

[Goingcrazy]

Thank you Leather and lafayette! Congrats on the acceptances for both of you! Hopefully I join you!

[czesc]

Thanks to everyone for your congrats and especially to those still waiting on acceptances - your time will come!

 

Goingcrazy, I only really talked to POIs at two schools (a combination of seeing them in person and via email). This doesn't seem to have meant anything with regard to my results so far; in fact, it looks like I might be rejected from both places (whereas where I was accepted/waitlisted I hadn't spoken to anyone). 

 

The advice I got about contacting POIs is that you never really know if it's helpful or otherwise. Apparently some profs are receptive, while others don't like people trying to circumvent the formal process, and others don't care. A prof from one of the schools I applied to told me that there have been years when no one they admitted had been in touch before they were admitted.

[New England Nat]

I would say you email a potential PoI to talk about something to do with their work sometime over the summer.  In septemberish you write a second email about being interested in their program.  If they respond positively you ask if they would be willing to speak on the phone.  Dont' bother talking to anyone after mid november.  Don't be offended if they don't reply.  Don't write too many emails and don't copy and paste from each email. 

 

Might help, might not.  They know what you are after from the first email but at least try to make it organic.

[erikmoorelaw]

It is interesting reading the different perspectives regarding contacting POIs. I don't think it is critical for success in the application process, but I thought it was helpful for me. I contacted a lot of people, told them very briefly about myself and what I was looking for and asked if they thought their department would be a good fit and whether they were taking on any more doctoral students for advising. I received many emails expressing appreciation for my questions and for my interest in their department and many POIs told me I was doing the right thing. Many suggested contacting others within their department, ususally giving me specific names. I don't believe this guarantees admission, and I did not approach these inquiries as my ticket in. I simply did not want to waste money on fees on schools I did not have shot at getting into because of fit. Faculty members were very upfront when they did not think I would fit in well, and I was very happy for their honesty and told them so. Some people did not feel comfortable advising someone with my interests and some just did not want to take on more graduate students. Some just never responded. I made some great connections, and received some very good advice and suggestions in these responses. In fact, I applied to several schools that I had no interest in until I was pointed in their direction through this process of emailing POIs. Just as important, I crossed a lot schools off my list as a result of this process of reaching out.

 

After I got all of my applications out, I followed up with those POIs of the schools to which I applied and thanked them for all their help in narrowing down my list of schools, let them know that I did in fact apply, and asked them to keep an eye out for my application. Most POIs told me to keep them informed about whether I did apply. So, I always approached it from the standpoint that they were helping me in this process. I was careful not to come off as looking for an inside track or unfair advantage.

 

But, in the end, I don't think it matters. It was just gathering information for me. My application package is what it is.

[LadyRara]

Emailing them can be really eye-opening. Most of these people are genuinely nice people and have a lot of wisdom. I would advise it. 

I was going to apply to some programs I thought were a great fit for me, but when I contacted a POI I was actually warned against certain programs (simply due to a refocusing of the departments). Seriously, contact them if only because they really do have an incredibly amount of wisdom.
Honestly, I met all the people I emailed before I actually emailed them. But most people are so sweet they are more than willing to offer up quick bits of knowledge. 
I was told by an amazing woman randomly on a flight (a department head at a great med school) they know us prospective students are the future of academia and they want it to be a great future for good works to flourish. 
:-)

Oh! And Congratulations to all the most recently accepted! I'm so excited for you guys!   

[Katzenmusik]

The advice I got about contacting POIs is that you never really know if it's helpful or otherwise. Apparently some profs are receptive, while others don't like people trying to circumvent the formal process, and others don't care. 

 

This is what I had heard.  I didn't contact professors because I didn't want to risk annoying anyone.  Figured my best foot forward would be my completed application.  

 

It would have been nice to get some inside info about whether or not certain profs were accepting students.  Possibly a few of my applications were dead on arrival without my having any idea.  But I generally applied to programs with multiple scholars whose interests intersected with mine -- I was looking for a good fit with the overall academic community, not just one individual.

 

We'll see how the no-contact strategy pans out, but I tend to doubt that acceptance turns on an email or two sent over the summer.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Katzenmusik

[benedicite]

Accepted at Georgetown! So excited. With funding and a very generous stipend. I'm looking forward to the campus visit.

[This is my Screen Name]

I think contacting POIs is more about seeing if the teacher is taking on students and determining fit than trying to gain an advantage in getting accepted.  I feel I got the entire range of responses from POIs in regards to their interest in my proposed project, and found out that "fit" is not always straightforward.

 

The other advantage is if a POI says they aren’t interested, it can save you time and money.  I crossed three schools off my list this way.  One of these POIs who said she wasn’t interested even suggested a couple schools for me, including one I had overlooked.

 

Finally, I was told if you don’t hear back from a POI, that shouldn’t stop you from applying to that school.

[Katzenmusik]

Congrats, Benedictite!  You're on a roll!  

[New England Nat]

There is a significant difference between trying to circumvent the process and intiating professional contact.  Professors know they will be contacted by perspective graduate students.  Sometimes they are quasi interviews.  Sometimes it's just a case of "I'm not taking anymore students".  The key is to let the professor control the narrative of the correspondance. 

 

But "hello I am x.  I have been working on Y project and I think it intersects with your work in these ways...." is part of a professional conversation. 

[czesc]

There is a significant difference between trying to circumvent the process and intiating professional contact.  Professors know they will be contacted by perspective graduate students.  Sometimes they are quasi interviews.  Sometimes it's just a case of "I'm not taking anymore students".  The key is to let the professor control the narrative of the correspondance. 

 

But "hello I am x.  I have been working on Y project and I think it intersects with your work in these ways...." is part of a professional conversation. 

 

Yes, I agree and this seems like the general attitude of most. I was just relaying what a prof told me about how some try to avoid interaction because they don't want to give someone who went a step beyond the formal process an unfair advantage. I don't think it militates against contacting POIs (since how could you know what their attitude is before you do?), but it may at least explain some of the no-replies.

Edited February 17, 2013 by czesc

[This is my Screen Name]

"hello I am x.  I have been working on Y project and I think it intersects with your work in these ways...."

 

I emailed a professor with exactly that prompt, except I used my name instead of X, and she thought I was trying to circumvent the process, which was actually great information.  Believe it or not, I did not apply to that school.