What is the odd of being rejected from the Graduate Division

[confused_grad]

Hi guys

I have recently received an email from the Department Chair congratulate me on my application and he said he would recommend me to the Graduate Division for the official admission letter. Three weeks has passed and I haven't gotten any news/emails/phone call from that school.

Is it possible that the Graduate Division would turn down the Department's recommendation and reject my admission?

How often would they do that?

Schools applied: UIUC, MIT, UCB, CalTech, UCD

Rejected: ?

Accepted: ?

[socialpsych]

Never heard of anybody being rejected by the graduate school. They are probably just waiting for funding info, especially if it's a UC school.

[piccali]

If your department has accepted you it doesn't seem likely that you'd be rejected from the Graduate Division. I got my acceptance from the department first and the letter from Graduate Studies didn't come for at least 2 weeks.

[confused_grad]

Thank you for your replies

I guess I'm getting very anxious, but it is approaching week #4. Should I email or call the Department?

[socialpsych]

Sure, if you are anxious and talking to them would make you feel better, go for it. They accepted you already--they like you and should be happy to answer questions.

[Cornell07]

It can happen, but usually it is in a situation where the school feels that you are too good for them and that they should not waste their time making an offer that you will not accept.

[poiuyt]

I say get in touch with your POI and ask.

There could just be a clerical mess up - one of my undergrad schools didn't send out my transcript as requested, and then when I requested it again they sent it to the wrong school. Finally I had to go there, pick it up and mail it myself. The Grad Division couldn't do their job without it so I had to take matters into my own hands - literately.

There is no harm in asking, I'm sure they understand you could be stressed out over it - I definitely was.

[lycoris]

I actually do know someone who was accepted by the department (he was in History/American Studies) to an Ivy school but denied approval by the Dean of Graduate Students. This was almost ten years ago. It does happen (rarely), but you really shouldn't worry - they will tell you if there's a problem. If they are not telling you anything, it might just be because they got your address wrong. It never hurts to call and ask (at least, once you're in it doesn't).

[willtherebestars]

I was just about to post a thread on this very topic! I received an email the day after my interview saying I would be recommended for admission with a fellowship, and that I would receive an official letter from the Graduate School and the Director of Graduate Studies... it's been about two weeks! Nervous! I don't want to be rude or pushy by asking them about it. I think I'll wait one more week, then ask. It's not like I've got other offers lining up at this point anyway... but this is one of my top choices and that official letters is very important!

[socialpsych]

I don't want to be rude or pushy by asking them about it. I think I'll wait one more week, then ask.

I don't think it would be rude or pushy. They know this is important to you!

[liszt85]

I got an email from a Professor who read my application and told me that my transcript was missing from the file. I sent her a scanned copy and told her that I had sent one along with whatever material she had already seen and so its most probably a mix up on their part and she apologized and then sent me an email saying that she was extremely interested in having me join her lab and that she was about to recommend my name to the committee for admission into the program. She also briefly mentioned what pay I'd get. She also asked me if I had any other financial constraint and to please let her know if I did. I replied telling her about my plans to bring along my spouse but was careful enough to make it clear that I only mentioned this because she specifically asked me if I had any other constraints and that even if the dept is unable to offer further financial aid, I'd still be very interested. Its been 2-3 weeks since that. I emailed the grad secy who told me that it was "reading week" and that most of the professors were on leave. They'd meet only in MArch. So I'm guessing that I shouldn't be worried too much about this. I suggest you contact them too. They probably have a good reason too, one that does not mean your application is in jeopardy.

[confused_grad]

I did email the professor as suggested by SOCIALPSYCH. Apparently, he did reply to my email with a very genetic answer, "The process simply take time..."

At least he replied

Oh well, I will have to wait until April 1st to find out if anything goes wrong.

[hobopajamas]

i am curious about the exact same thing.

UCLA's architecture dept admitted me to the M.Arch I program over three weeks ago.

i am STILL waiting to hear from the graduate division, which is really causing me a lot of stress!!! :cry:

i have called both the architecture dept and the general graduate division, both of whom said to "keep waiting" and were very vague about the possibility of being rejected by the grad division, despite my arch dept acceptance.

any thoughts? should i worry???

[rufzilla]

If anything, I would contact the graduate division directly if that's possible. Usually they have the number on the school's website and I'm sure they keep track of the "accepted" student files. They should have all of this information on hand.

Keep in mind the reasons for delay, though: they have to sift through all of the departments' rejections/ acceptances, add the newly accepted students, keep in contact with financial aid, etc. Considering this is probably their peak time I don't think you having to wait should be anything to worry about, especially since your graduate director said you were "in."

If you're really worried I would suggest using the registration dates for your school as a good benchmark time to start pressing on the graduate director/ division for answers since you want to be able to register for the classes you want this upcoming fall and that seems like a really good reason to "nag" about getting the official paperwork done with.

[studdent]

If your GPA / GRE is a lot lower than the baseline, then you might get rejected. Regardless, the department chair/grad adcom usually know the criteria in which the grad div uses and will put a recommendation / explanation if your stats are below standard.

Another factor is where your undergraduate degree is coming from? An applicant from the same university might have a slightly (in some cases, much more) difficult time.

But if you were recommended by the department, in general, you shouldn't worry (I had the same fear before )

[liszt85]

These times however are funny. I was recommended for admission at McMaster (got an email from the professor) but then got rejected by the graduate admissions committee due to insufficient funds. They were seemingly cutting down on their intake of international students. So yes, it can happen.

[belowthree]

These times however are funny. I was recommended for admission at McMaster (got an email from the professor) but then got rejected by the graduate admissions committee due to insufficient funds. They were seemingly cutting down on their intake of international students. So yes, it can happen.

This is entirely different. What you're talking about is a professor recommending you and the adcom not supporting your admission. That happens all the time.

The OP is talking about the *department* recommending them but the graduate division not admitting. Technically at most schools it's not completely up to the department who they admit. This happens very rarely.

[Stories]

I wouldn't worry. At Arizona, I got my accept from the department February 9th, but I didn't get my letter from the graduate school until April 2nd! So yeah, it takes time.

[hobopajamas]

i called the UCLA graduate division to ask why i still hadn't received my "official" acceptance, even though i got my acceptance email and packet from the architecture department FOUR WEEKS ago!

the lady said to be patient.

then i asked if it's possible to be accepted by the department and yet rejected by the graduate division.

she LAUGHED and said "no".

two hours later my "official" acceptance arrived via e-mail!

persistence pays off.

[Jakrabite]

I'm fretting over the same issue as the OP. Got an admit. Accepted the offer. Now am supposed to wait for the Graduate Divisions acceptance. It's just been a couple of weeks since the admit, so I guess I'm just being paranoid. But it still would make me feel a lot more at ease if I heard soon from the Grad Division. Thankfully, this discussion calmed me down a bit. Guess nothing left to do but cross my protruding digits and hope for the best.