Northwestern

[nyghtfalls]

don't despair. i received a decision via email two days before the link even appeared on the ApplyYourself site. I'm sure they're doing rounds because I was notified on... Friday, I think? Other people I know haven't received any decision yet, whether accepted or rejected. have faith! :-)

[widefellow]

Any one heard from NWU today?

[ewurgler]

nada.

[kpearson]

Still no link on my page :-(

[pico]

Still no link on my page :-(

Mine either. I don't know what to make of it.

All the other programs that I haven't heard from also don't have any mention in the results listing.

I think I'd be much better off not knowing any of this.

[widefellow]

Are you guys who dont have results american or international?

[ewurgler]

Well, the results show mostly international but also an american reject.

I am american, have nothing.

My guess: waitlist. Perhaps they admitted a very small number due to funding precautions, and so they have a bulky waitlist?

I don't know, this is my optimism.

For those waiting--is northwestern a top choice?

[widefellow]

since just got rejected by UCSD, I have four rejections so far.

Northwestern is my last hope.

So Please! who holds the offers from NW and dont really want to go....please! (assuming that I am waitlisted)

...

[pico]

Are you guys who dont have results american or international?

I'm US.

Northwestern is a top choice. Of my other two top choices I'm still waiting on one (Washington) and was rejected from the other (Berkeley).

[slothy]

My guess: waitlist. Perhaps they admitted a very small number due to funding precautions, and so they have a bulky waitlist?

I think and hope this is right. My impression is that Harvard didn't extend offers to any more applicants than their target cohort size just in case, and I bet a lot of other programs are taking the same approach. I know that Duke only admitted 11 for a target cohort of 6, which seems rather conservative given the types of students I believe are in that 11. I also wonder if I'm not the only one who applied for more schools than I would have in a normal cycle given the economic situation; if so, that might help waitlists move along quickly now that almost all the top programs have extended some offers to their top candidates.

As for the other question, I would also say that Northwestern is a top choice but not my top choice - if they extended me an offer right now I'd say there's a 50% chance I'd end up taking it, but I'd of course visit and consider it alongside my other options.

[ewurgler]

Yeah--same here. I think I would love how the program is run, but there is no really great faculty fit. I would definitely visit along with my others.

[widefellow]

anyone contacted the department?

more news?

[pico]

Still a whole lot of nothing.

Maybe next week after they start getting some declined offers?

[widefellow]

I have sent them one inquiry email.

I know I am very impatient, but I have no choice.

lets see what they have to say. If they dont reply then I am rejected.

Cross your fingers man

[kpearson]

Yeah I think we'll start hearing back after they get some declined offers. But I'm glad you sent an email, let us know what they say!

[widefellow]

why you guys so sure that we are waitlisted?

[pico]

why you guys so sure that we are waitlisted?

I don't think anybody really has any idea.

My guess is that we're somewhere between 'pending' and 'waitlisted'. They've already accepted/rejected a good chunk of the applicant pool, and they're waiting to see how that will go before making more offers.

From reading other parts of this site and talking to professors, it seems like schools are being extremely cautious this year to not overenroll. I think that people are on average applying to more schools (for security), which makes the applicant pool larger and less certain for the departments.

Of course this is all just barely-informed speculation, but at least it takes the edge off of the waiting...

[danqing0411]

It's strange. I emailed the department to ask about my decision and they told me that they were now reviewing the files.

Here is the reply:

The admission committee is currently reviewing files and they will render decisions at the end of February and the beginning of March.

But I know some have already received offers.

have no idea about this process...

[ewurgler]

I had emailed the coordinator last friday, asked when I could expect a notification, and she said "we are currently putting them up on the website so keep checking."

My guess: they sent some out they know they want and do not want, and are now waiting for responses to send out a new batch. I think they don't tell anyone they are on a waitlist ever--they just don't tell you until they can give you an offer or a rejection. Lots of schools do this.

I guess just wait

[hardboiledegg]

I got two large envelopes today, one from the GS and one from the department. Funding - 20,500/five years, Visit day is April 1-2.

[chillinlikeavillain]

Oh, great, HBE. I should be receiving those soon then, too. Are you going to go to visit day?

[pico]

I got two large envelopes today, one from the GS and one from the department. Funding - 20,500/five years, Visit day is April 1-2.

Hey, congrats! Did the application website say anything before you got those envelopes?

[hardboiledegg]

I am still an undergrad, so if I can take another 2 days off from school I might be going! My professors are getting less tolerant.

The day after I got accepted (2/11) via phone, there was a letter of acceptance up on the application page.

[widefellow]

according to the results page, there were two waves of acceptances/rejections for 2008

however the second one (around March 8th) was only rejections.

... ...

[bold_brew]

Nope; I haven't heard anything either. (Been checking that online application like a hawk!)

The posted results show some activity has already been happening... perhaps the decision comes in waves? But of course I'm over-analyzing the situation. Oye, the joys of grad applications.