is it possible to get rejected from the graduate division of a school if you got recommended for admission by the department

[frenchdude]

I just heard back from the University of Hawaii Asian Studies department, and they said that the review committee recommended me for admission and it will go to the Graduate division for review and then they would forward my status.

Is it possible for the graduate division to reject me even if the program to which i applied to accepted me and recommended me for admission?

[sociologo]

Possible: yes. Common: I don't think so.

[cunninlynguist]

It is a very unlikely occurrence, and one not done arbitrarily or based on a subjective review of your application. If the graduate school has requirements that you do not meet, or there are critical materials missing or incomplete, then a rejection will come. For the vast majority of applicants, there's nothing to worry about. After all, it's in the department's best interest to admit students who would be able to attend, and they are (usually) aware of what the graduate school needs for final confirmation.

[Physwimic]

In the rare cases it does occur, you can also usually petition the grad division to revisit the issue. One of my friends did this and ultimately got the decision over turned.

[ANDS!]

I just heard back from the University of Hawaii Asian Studies department, and they said that the review committee recommended me for admission and it will go to the Graduate division for review and then they would forward my status.

Is it possible for the graduate division to reject me even if the program to which i applied to accepted me and recommended me for admission?

Absolutely. Usually procedural though; i.e. you included wrong transcripts, or forgot to send in GRE scores, etc. . . I doubt it is "rare", since human error isn't rare. What I doubt is rare that a grad department would not want to work with a person.

[frenchdude]

thanks everyone- so having sent the right transcripts and the GRE scores, i should be ok- right?

[spunkrag]

Hawai'i f*cked me for the same reason when i applied for my MA. I get the feeling that no one knows what the hell they're doing over there. Not getting into UH is a benefit to you, though.

[frenchdude]

Just wondering- what happened to you? I heard that it is very rare

[psychgurl]

After being accepted by the dept I applied to, they told me they lost my transcript. They just had me send in another one, and everything was fine. Oh yeah, and the online application never made me pay back in December. They requested a check after realizing I never paid in the first place (I was confused by not paying...but there was never a paypal thing at the end of my application). That was fine too. I think the only reason the graduate school wouldn't accept you is if you lied about your transcript or something huge like that. I am an example of not having a technically "complete" application, and everything worked out just fine.

[ktel]

There was someone on this forum that had their application rejected at this stage, because they had uploaded a diploma instead of a transcript. The university didn't ask him to correct his mistake, just flat out rejected him. I'm not sure what happened in the end, I know he was working with someone at the university to try to lobby to get him in if he provides the correct transcript. Long story short, it's rare but it can happen

[crazypork]

Yah I have also heard of this happening to someone

[looking_for_the_rainbow]

I've never herd of it happening, however anything is possible. At most, the graduate school will grant you provisional admission given that you have an excellent GPA during your first couple of semesters.

[stell4]

I've heard of the grad school turning down apps that were recommended by the department if the apps had sub 3.0 gpa or if the gre's or toefl are below the average accepted.

I was also first recommended by my department and have a sub 3.0 (3.0 is the min requirement). My now adviser told me that the grad school doesn't always accept recommended students with sub 3.0's. My department wrote me a letter of rec to the grad school and I made it in.

[Usmivka]

It can and does happen if there is a higher level of administration that decides on finances. A department can want you, but they may not have the money to take you--even programs where you are paying are partially subsidized by the school and undergrad population. So maybe they have low enrollment, or the state cuts funding (very likely given the budget in fact)--then the department may want 3 students but only get money for 1. My program regularly "wants" many more students than it can actually support. Until you have it in writing, there is no contract requiring them to support you--you're just another line item on a budget.

Now all of that said, it would be a very crummy department that actually told you they wanted you before knowing if they were likely to be able to finance you. My bet is they have it all worked out for you to come, and are just waiting for somebody to dot the 'i's and cross the 't's over at admin. But bug them to make sure!

[TropicalCharlie]

Frenchdude- I am leaving the islands to start my MS program on the mainland this fall but did not attend UH. Just curious, did you apply to the Manoa or Hilo campus? Is UH your first choice? Congrats on your departmental admission and good luck!

[WalterSobchak]

Hello, friends. I registered just to share my horror story with all of you.

 

Last Monday (February 9th), I received an email from the program director of Duke University's Medical Physics program congratulating me on being "recommended for admission" by the "Medical Physics Admissions Committee" to the M.S. program in medical physics. Furthermore, the email (along with an additional email from someone else in the department) formally invited me to participate in an open house for admitted medical physics students being held on the weekend of March 6th - a trip that was to be fully paid for by Duke (up to $500). I was even sent a formal itinerary for the open house and I was explicitly encouraged to make travel arrangements (in my case, book plane tickets) ASAP in order to keep the cost of the trip to a minimum. I was incredibly excited because Duke was one of my top choices. I told my parents. I told my girlfriend. I immediately booked a round-trip, non-refundable (after 24 hours) plane ticket.

 

After all,  I was in . . . Right? WRONG. Five days later, I received a short email from the same program director explaining to me that the graduate school had decided NOT to heed the recommendation of the Medical Physics Admission Committee and that the decision was final.

 

So . . . it can happen. 

Edited February 17, 2015 by WalterSobchak

[Mr. Impatiently Waiting]

Hello, friends. I registered just to share my horror story with all of you.

 

Last Monday (February 9th), I received an email from the program director of Duke University's Medical Physics program congratulating me on being "recommended for admission" by the "Medical Physics Admissions Committee" to the M.S. program in medical physics. Furthermore, the email (along with an additional email from someone else in the department) formally invited me to participate in an open house for admitted medical physics students being held on the weekend of March 6th - a trip that was to be fully paid for by Duke (up to $500). I was even sent a formal itinerary for the open house and I was explicitly encouraged to make travel arrangements (in my case, book plane tickets) ASAP in order to keep the cost of the trip to a minimum. I was incredibly excited because Duke was one of my top choices. I told my parents. I told my girlfriend. I immediately booked a round-trip, non-refundable (after 24 hours) plane ticket.

 

After all,  I was in . . . Right? WRONG. Five days later, I received a short email from the same program director explaining to me that the graduate school had decided NOT to heed the recommendation of the Medical Physics Admission Committee and that the decision was final.

 

So . . . it can happen. 

 

 

Damn that's crazy! So sorry to hear that. 

[grad_wannabe]

what a horrid nightmare, walter. man, between this and the CMU switcheroo debacle, it's been one hell of a decision season. 

[bbdd2]

thanks everyone- so having sent the right transcripts and the GRE scores, i should be ok- right?

I think you're just nervous.

Relax... You're in.

[bbdd2]

I did get an email from the university of Florida detailing admission decision alongside Fulbright funding from my program of choice only to find out it was addressed to someone else and was mistakenly sent to my email.

 

Was devastated to find out that admissions decisions had being taken.

Called the director and he said the adcom would sit in a few days....Never heard back

Human errors suck.

[brown_eyed_girl]

Hello, friends. I registered just to share my horror story with all of you.

 

Last Monday (February 9th), I received an email from the program director of Duke University's Medical Physics program congratulating me on being "recommended for admission" by the "Medical Physics Admissions Committee" to the M.S. program in medical physics. Furthermore, the email (along with an additional email from someone else in the department) formally invited me to participate in an open house for admitted medical physics students being held on the weekend of March 6th - a trip that was to be fully paid for by Duke (up to $500). I was even sent a formal itinerary for the open house and I was explicitly encouraged to make travel arrangements (in my case, book plane tickets) ASAP in order to keep the cost of the trip to a minimum. I was incredibly excited because Duke was one of my top choices. I told my parents. I told my girlfriend. I immediately booked a round-trip, non-refundable (after 24 hours) plane ticket.

 

After all,  I was in . . . Right? WRONG. Five days later, I received a short email from the same program director explaining to me that the graduate school had decided NOT to heed the recommendation of the Medical Physics Admission Committee and that the decision was final.

 

So . . . it can happen. 

Wow. So sorry. And... this is exactly why I've been holding off on making a Facebook announcement of my admission before I get my final GSAS letter. 

[KSuverkrubbe]

Hello, friends. I registered just to share my horror story with all of you.

 

Last Monday (February 9th), I received an email from the program director of Duke University's Medical Physics program congratulating me on being "recommended for admission" by the "Medical Physics Admissions Committee" to the M.S. program in medical physics. Furthermore, the email (along with an additional email from someone else in the department) formally invited me to participate in an open house for admitted medical physics students being held on the weekend of March 6th - a trip that was to be fully paid for by Duke (up to $500). I was even sent a formal itinerary for the open house and I was explicitly encouraged to make travel arrangements (in my case, book plane tickets) ASAP in order to keep the cost of the trip to a minimum. I was incredibly excited because Duke was one of my top choices. I told my parents. I told my girlfriend. I immediately booked a round-trip, non-refundable (after 24 hours) plane ticket.

 

After all,  I was in . . . Right? WRONG. Five days later, I received a short email from the same program director explaining to me that the graduate school had decided NOT to heed the recommendation of the Medical Physics Admission Committee and that the decision was final.

 

So . . . it can happen. 

Oh dude that sucks!!! >_< I wonder what happened in the committee...or maybe they have a number of students they recommend and the final comittee decides? I don't know.

[angel_kaye13]

Hello, friends. I registered just to share my horror story with all of you.

 

Last Monday (February 9th), I received an email from the program director of Duke University's Medical Physics program congratulating me on being "recommended for admission" by the "Medical Physics Admissions Committee" to the M.S. program in medical physics. Furthermore, the email (along with an additional email from someone else in the department) formally invited me to participate in an open house for admitted medical physics students being held on the weekend of March 6th - a trip that was to be fully paid for by Duke (up to $500). I was even sent a formal itinerary for the open house and I was explicitly encouraged to make travel arrangements (in my case, book plane tickets) ASAP in order to keep the cost of the trip to a minimum. I was incredibly excited because Duke was one of my top choices. I told my parents. I told my girlfriend. I immediately booked a round-trip, non-refundable (after 24 hours) plane ticket.

 

After all,  I was in . . . Right? WRONG. Five days later, I received a short email from the same program director explaining to me that the graduate school had decided NOT to heed the recommendation of the Medical Physics Admission Committee and that the decision was final.

 

So . . . it can happen.

Not that this will make you feel any better, but I bet that director got reamed, or at least felt like a heel. Either way, I agree with everyone else: that REALLY sucks, and hoping some other program snatched you up. :-)

[Tairy]

This appears to have happened to me. For this school I had gotten a call from their DGS that I was being "recommended for admission" and even attended the open house, but not too long ago I got a rejection from the graduate school saying that my "application for graduate status has not been approved". Some parts of my record are unflattering so I wonder whether their administration didn't like me. I can deal with it, though. I've gotten concrete acceptance letters from some other places, so I think those admissions are official and safe, but I can't help but worry.

[WalterSobchak]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I got into Columbia and Vanderbilt, so I'm over it