Welcome to the 2012-2013 cycle

[ThisGuyRiteHere]

I guess we know to look at all times now due to the 9/12am admit

[Quigley]

The UNC email was a generic message from the graduate school saying that any information about funding and campus visits would come from the department at a later time. Logging into their status checker still says no decision available but if I log into the application itself with the UNC pin ID, thats where the decision letter is available to read. I was surprised that it came at midnight in their time zone but it was right on the button so maybe because it was computer generated? The Davis email was a personal note from the grad coordinator during work hours. I'm really hoping that everyone here also receives good news soon if you haven't already. Good luck everyone. PS Chaetzli - I love the proton/electron/neutron signature!

[chaetzli]

PS Chaetzli - I love the proton/electron/neutron signature!

Thanks! I just wish I could start adding names in the proton section 

[Tupamaros]

So, what colleges shall we be hearing from next week? Wisconsin, UCLA, Duke maybe, any shouts?

[PhDhopeful2013]

So, what colleges shall we be hearing from next week? Wisconsin, UCLA, Duke maybe, any shouts?

By my guess, I'd add Michigan and the rest of UNC to your list....

[sm321]

Congrats to those who have heard something back from UNC!

 

I have a stupid question... what's the UNC status check website? I only have the application website (where you use the UNC pin). 

[PhDhopeful2013]

Congrats to those who have heard something back from UNC!

I have a stupid question... what's the UNC status check website? I only have the application website (where you use the UNC pin).

Not a stupid question! I was going to ask the same thing...

[Quigley]

Congrats to those who have heard something back from UNC!

 

I have a stupid question... what's the UNC status check website? I only have the application website (where you use the UNC pin). 

 

Thank you sm321.  Here is the site I had been using to check my status. I think I had to go through some registration process to set up access.  The application site you are referring to (through ApplyYourself) is the one that actually has my acceptance letter though.

 

https://sso.unc.edu/idp/Authn/UserPassword

 

I got to that page by going here: http://admissions.unc.edu/Apply/Portal.html and you will find this link:

 

Already submitted your application and created your UNC Guest ID? Log into MyCarolina for Applicants. Please refer to the Guest ID Registration instructions that we emailed you after you applied. Email us at unchelp@admissions.unc.edu if you would like us to re-send your instructions.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Quigley

[PhDhopeful2013]

Thanks for the info, Quigley!

[sm321]

Yes, thank you!! I never received any of this information after applying.

[Quigley]

No problem

[alittlebitofluck]

By my guess, I'd add Michigan and the rest of UNC to your list....

 

I would think that this week will bring more FSU notifications, along with updates from MSU, and Iowa (maybe). After writing this, I realized that many of the schools to which I applied will not notify from quite some time. (At least, according to the results board . . . ) How I yearn for the end of February!

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Thank you sm321.  Here is the site I had been using to check my status. I think I had to go through some registration process to set up access.  The application site you are referring to (through ApplyYourself) is the one that actually has my acceptance letter though.

 

https://sso.unc.edu/idp/Authn/UserPassword

 

I got to that page by going here: http://admissions.unc.edu/Apply/Portal.html and you will find this link:

 

Already submitted your application and created your UNC Guest ID? Log into MyCarolina for Applicants. Please refer to the Guest ID Registration instructions that we emailed you after you applied. Email us at unchelp@admissions.unc.edu if you would like us to re-send your instructions.

 

What are the UNC admits' subfields?

[Quigley]

What are the UNC admits' subfields?

 

American subfield

 

I would think that this week will bring more FSU notifications, along with updates from MSU, and Iowa (maybe). After writing this, I realized that many of the schools to which I applied will not notify from quite some time. (At least, according to the results board . . . ) How I yearn for the end of February!

 

Maybe more from Ohio State and Illinois too?

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Congrats Quigley! I hope to hear soon - would be an amazing school to go to.

[ThisGuyRiteHere]

I am going to guess UNC & FSU

[alittlebitofluck]

Maybe more from Ohio State and Illinois too?

 

Right. That would make sense. I certainly got the impression that Illinois had more offers to make. On the other hand, I have no sense of OSU's strategy here. It does seem that they are releasing acceptances in waves, however . . . though not field specific, which makes me wonder why they are notifying some before others. It is probably senseless to try to understand any of this, though.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Right. That would make sense. I certainly got the impression that Illinois had more offers to make. On the other hand, I have no sense of OSU's strategy here. It does seem that they are releasing acceptances in waves, however . . . though not field specific, which makes me wonder why they are notifying some before others. It is probably senseless to try to understand any of this, though.

 

Perhaps they had their "absolutely" choices, and now they're working through their "probably," then "maybe," etc.

[alittlebitofluck]

Perhaps they had their "absolutely" choices, and now they're working through their "probably," then "maybe," etc.

 

You might be correct. That theory has certainly been advanced during prior cycles. I simply fail to see the logic in it. Put another way, I do not why they would necessarily notify their favorites first. After all, few individuals will likely make any decision regarding where they will attend until near the April 15th deadline. Perhaps they assume that an early notice might sway opinion? I don't know.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

You might be correct. That theory has certainly been advanced during prior cycles. I simply fail to see the logic in it. Put another way, I do not why they would necessarily notify their favorites first. After all, few individuals will likely make any decision regarding where they will attend until near the April 15th deadline. Perhaps they assume that an early notice might sway opinion? I don't know.

 

It would give them more time to sell the program, would be my guess. Start direct contact with the student ASAP, sell the funding package, potentials, city, etc.

[polisciftw]

There are a couple of reasons to notify your favorites first for a department's perspective. First, for the true "starts" on an admission cycle, they may get invited to attend a large number of open houses. Given the fact that there are only 6 weeks in between March 1st and April 15th, the number of weekends/open houses an individual can attend is limited. Forcing people to commit to attend your open house early prevents them from contacting another open house.

Second, a department might want only 10 people to matriculate. However, they assume that if they like a student, that *other* departments will certainly do so as well. As such, they admit more than the number they hope will matriculate. Of course, this whole process has restricted information so it may be that all 30 people they admit receive offers from no other department and all choose to enroll in University X, but that is highly unlikely. So, a department uses an early admit to signal A) their commitment to a given student in a rank ordering of students (i.e. we would very much like *you* to attend) and as a means to get a sense of how far down in its list of suitable students it needs to admit to yield 10.

EDIT: Some departments do this by admitting students in waves and getting information from them about their likelihood of attending. Others seem to admit in one fell swoop but put many people on the wait list as a means of enhancing their chances of getting the yield they want.

Edited January 26, 2013 by polisciftw

[alittlebitofluck]

It would give them more time to sell the program, would be my guess. Start direct contact with the student ASAP, sell the funding package, potentials, city, etc.

 

 

There are a couple of reasons to notify your favorites first for a department's perspective. First, for the true "starts" on an admission cycle, they may get invited to attend a large number of open houses. Given the fact that there are only 6 weeks in between March 1st and April 15th, the number of weekends/open houses an individual can attend is limited. Forcing people to commit to attend your open house early prevents them from contacting another open house.

Second, a department might want only 10 people to matriculate. However, they assume that if they like a student, that *other* departments will certainly do so as well. As such, they admit more than the number they hope will matriculate. Of course, this whole process has restricted information so it may be that all 30 people they admit receive offers from no other department and all choose to enroll in University X, but that is highly unlikely. So, a department uses an early admit to signal A) their commitment to a given student in a rank ordering of students (i.e. we would very much like *you* to attend) and as a means to get a sense of how far down in its list of suitable students it needs to admit to yield 10.

EDIT: Some departments do this by admitting students in waves and getting information from them about their likelihood of attending. Others seem to admit in one fell swoop but put many people on the wait list as a means of enhancing their chances of getting the yield they want.

 

Ah. Thank you both for those helpful posts. Apparently, I had no idea what I was talking about. I stand happily corrected.

[polisciftw]

I'd also guess that calculating the ideal admit-to-yield ratio is the rationale behind interviews at schools like Emory. The faculty are not likely to be judging you as an individual, but more trying to assess the likelihood that you will attend so that they can optimally structure their lists.

[RWBG]

There are a couple of reasons to notify your favorites first for a department's perspective. First, for the true "starts" on an admission cycle, they may get invited to attend a large number of open houses. Given the fact that there are only 6 weeks in between March 1st and April 15th, the number of weekends/open houses an individual can attend is limited. Forcing people to commit to attend your open house early prevents them from contacting another open house.

Second, a department might want only 10 people to matriculate. However, they assume that if they like a student, that *other* departments will certainly do so as well. As such, they admit more than the number they hope will matriculate. Of course, this whole process has restricted information so it may be that all 30 people they admit receive offers from no other department and all choose to enroll in University X, but that is highly unlikely. So, a department uses an early admit to signal A) their commitment to a given student in a rank ordering of students (i.e. we would very much like *you* to attend) and as a means to get a sense of how far down in its list of suitable students it needs to admit to yield 10.

EDIT: Some departments do this by admitting students in waves and getting information from them about their likelihood of attending. Others seem to admit in one fell swoop but put many people on the wait list as a means of enhancing their chances of getting the yield they want.

 

Sorry about the negative reputation point, I meant to select "quote" and misclicked...

 

I do not believe what you've described here is the norm for political science Ph.D admissions. As I seem to recall a professor on here noting at some point (I forgot whom), admitting people in waves/waitlisting a lot of students creates divisions in the cohort right off the bat that most departments try to avoid. Waitlists are usually quite small, and one or two students at most are taken off them. Also, I don't think any school "forces" students to commit to an admit weekend; students can hold off confirming their attendance until other schools admit them, etc. Moreover, I haven't heard of any school (again for political science Ph.D programs) actually contacting students in between waves to assess their likelihood of attending before determining how many others to admit. 

[polisciftw]

Sure, it could well be that I am wrong. I'm not currently on an admissions committee. But I do know several people who are, and I am describing the process that I am familiar with at three universities. I doubt admitting people in waves creates any palpable waves in a cohort.

And schools certainly force deadlines to commit to their opening student weekend either by setting an RSVP deadline or offering a maximum travel reimbursement. That makes it more difficult to book trips at the last minute. While schools are certainly open (I'd hope!) to students visiting outside of the visiting students weekend, there is certainly competition. Schools do want you to make an informed decision instead of being disappointed later, but they also want their top picks.

I'm not suggesting that schools contact people on wait lists, but that agreeing to attend an opening student weekend provides useful information to a department about how likely their first round candidates are to select their school. If, for instance, no student admitted in the first wave commits to attending the weekend, then that is critical information that will likely prompt a department to update its second round offers.

Nothing I say should be taken as the gospel (or even accurate) about all programs, which are all heterogeneous and have their own traditions. But the incentives for a department to get as many of its first round picks exist for all departments, and they do take steps to maximize their yield.

Edited January 26, 2013 by polisciftw