Welcome to the 2012-2013 cycle

[mutatismutandis]

Another LTL/shameless free-rider deciding to join the discussion. 

I got an admit to Penn two weeks ago but haven't heard anything from them since... anyone else having this experience and is anyone else here planning to attend the visit weekend? As time continues to pass without hearing from other programs, it's becoming increasingly likely that Penn will be my pick.

Same here. Going to reach out and let them know that I'm interested in attending.

[Policy_wonk]

UW admit! Good luck everyone!

[frankentheory]

UW admit! Good luck everyone!

Congrats!

[theapolsci]

Argh no word from UW. This process is pretty horrific.

Edit: BUT, more importantly, congrats to the admits!!

Edited February 17, 2013 by theapolsci

[BornAndRaised]

UW admit! Good luck everyone!

Congrats!! Sub field, please?

[TCJ2060]

Does anyone know if Brown's had a visitation weekend in years past?

[xcrunner]

Anyone claiming the UWashington admits? My productive Sunday has just gone to hell.

As has mine, and due to the time difference I wont be going to bed at a reasonable time either!

[theapolsci]

Congrats!! Sub field, please?

And in addition: were you one of the people who had an interview?

[TorrentOfArdentPathos]

Hello,

 

I am planning on applying next cycle and was curious about the discussion of contacting POIs or DGSs on the previous page.  

For those of you getting in to programs, did you contact?

If so, what did you say/ask?

[Policy_wonk]

Congrats!! Sub field, please?

 

 

And in addition: were you one of the people who had an interview?

 

Subfield: American! And yes, I had a brief interview last week. 

[BornAndRaised]

What schools do you guys think we'll get this coming week? I'm thinking Indiana-Bloomington, Princeton and Yale. 

[Littlej8]

What schools do you guys think we'll get this coming week? I'm thinking Indiana-Bloomington, Princeton and Yale. 

According to last years results Michigan State was supposed to be much earlier in the process and SUNY Binghampton was supposed to send out results last week. I would not be suprised if either of them started next week. Obviously these are the two I am still waiting on. Well that and UNC but I have no idea what they are doing.

[xcrunner]

Subfield: American! And yes, I had a brief interview last week. 

Congratulations! I'll be checking my emails constantly today - I applied for IR/IPE.

[kaykaykay]

Well agree with adaptations on that contacting the DGS is not always useful. Especially if the program is big they will have a lot of responsibilities. Often the graduate student advisor can be a better resource of information. As for POIs it may be useful to ask them about whether they will have sabbatical soon, are they interested in taking students. I sent an email to a professor who did not reply, but I did not take it personally. Overall I thought it was not very useful to email POIs because admission committees decide on the students and I did not really know what would be the reason to contact them. In this field it is not expected that students contact POIs. I got into places where I did not contact anyone. It was totally fine. As much as I talked to other people who got admitted they did not contact professors either, but my sample on admit weekends is really not representative.

Of course the size of the program can be a huge factor in how much time the DGS or POIs have to talk to you(also the time of the year) but apart from that a responsive program may indicate that they attentive to students. If you are looking for small programs which are very personalized maybe you should apply to the universities where they paid a lot of attention to your application especially if you decide to apply to less well known places.

[clangeroo]

Hello,

 

I am planning on applying next cycle and was curious about the discussion of contacting POIs or DGSs on the previous page.  

For those of you getting in to programs, did you contact?

If so, what did you say/ask?

 

I did not. Anywhere. It felt awkward and forced to me in many cases.

[doctoralgrad23]

I did not. Anywhere. It felt awkward and forced to me in many cases.

You got Maryland admission. Congrats..

 

Still waiting here.

[RiffRam]

Subfield: American! And yes, I had a brief interview last week.

Eek. I applied for American also, but didn't have an interview. Hope starting to fade.

[runner12]

Hello,

 

I am planning on applying next cycle and was curious about the discussion of contacting POIs or DGSs on the previous page.  

For those of you getting in to programs, did you contact?

If so, what did you say/ask?

 

I was advised against contacting professors, and did not contact any.

[Jeremyrgs]

This is true for me as well. I haven't heard anything else officially about penn, although a professor did email me afterwards. I'll likely be attending the weekend!

 

 

I did not get an e-mail from anyone other than the DGI, and until I get more word from them I will be perpetually worried that they sent the acceptance to the wrong person and will soon inform me that I was not, in fact, good enough for them. The acceptance told me what the size of the stipend, but I really want to know the details regarding TA/RA duties. Penn people, mind sharing subfields/ research interests?

[alittlebitofluck]

I was advised against contacting professors, and did not contact any.

 

Ditto.

 

Though one of my letter writers contacted people at most of my schools.

Edited February 17, 2013 by alittlebitofluck

[xcrunner]

Hello,

 

I am planning on applying next cycle and was curious about the discussion of contacting POIs or DGSs on the previous page.  

For those of you getting in to programs, did you contact?

If so, what did you say/ask?

I have contacted both in the past, I have found it to be helpful when narrowing down programs. Some can be very helpful (one recommended a different university which he thought to be a better fit for me and indeed it is!) others have been less helpful. As long as you are sincere in gathering academic information, and not just looking for admissions figures there is no harm in contacting a POI or DGS.

[clangeroo]

I have contacted both in the past, I have found it to be helpful when narrowing down programs. Some can be very helpful (one recommended a different university which he thought to be a better fit for me and indeed it is!) others have been less helpful. As long as you are sincere in gathering academic information, and not just looking for admissions figures there is no harm in contacting a POI or DGS.

 

This. I think this is so important - if you have a question, ASK. But if you are contacting them just to be like "oh hi you have research interests, so do I..." then I think it is just...I don't know, I was advised against that by multiple people.

 

Edit: To docgrad - yees, thanks! Sorry, I meant I didn't contact POIs anywhere, at all, 'cause it felt weird to me.

Edited February 17, 2013 by clangeroo

[Doorkeeper]

What schools do you guys think we'll get this coming week? I'm thinking Indiana-Bloomington, Princeton and Yale. 

 

I don't believe Harvard has started getting back to admits later than the 22nd in any of the past 3-4 years.

[ThisGuyRiteHere]

This. I think this is so important - if you have a question, ASK. But if you are contacting them just to be like "oh hi you have research interests, so do I..." then I think it is just...I don't know, I was advised against that by multiple people.

 

Edit: To docgrad - yees, thanks! Sorry, I meant I didn't contact POIs anywhere, at all, 'cause it felt weird to me.

I agree with this. I just introduced myself, told them my GPA/GRE, my research interest and asked about the program. It was literally a 4 sentence email, but as I previously said It helped when I did. My thing is dont be scared to talk to people and just network.

P.S. I read a book yesterday called Getting What You Came For about PhD/Grad School Success and the guy who wrote it went to Stanford and it turns out this point was discussed. He said it can help your cause or do nothing. It wont hurt your cause though. A key point someone mentioned earlier, it depends when you do it. I did this in October when trying to figure out where to apply. Also, if they are not taking on students and that is the only person you fit with, you just saved yourself an application fee and can use it somewhere else.

Edited February 17, 2013 by MarketMan257

[doctoralgrad23]

I agree with this. I just introduced myself, told them my GPA/GRE, my research interest and asked about the program. It was literally a 4 sentence email, but as I previously said It helped when I did. My thing is dont be scared to talk to people and just network.

P.S. I read a book yesterday called Getting What You Came For about PhD/Grad School Success and the guy who wrote it went to Stanford and it turns out this point was discussed. He said it can help your cause or do nothing. It wont hurt your cause though. A key point someone mentioned earlier, it depends when you do it. I did this in October when trying to figure out where to apply.

Actually, I talked a PhD from Chicago(IR) about this contact phenomenon and he said if you contacted 'the prof' at least 5-6 months before the application and discussed about your topic and your plans, it would help. but contact efforts after october and december make them laugh because they easily understand that you just need an admission offer. Therefore, contact thing does not guarentee anything mostly..