Boston U. PhD

[joeygiraldo]

I've been in touch by email and they keep telling me to wait until April, wait until April, wait until April. I think this is a stock answer and they really don't want to say. I even asked super politely if the committee has even met yet, and they told me once again, wait til April.

But previous years have notified by email as early as now, and the visiting weekend is always at the end on March, so this "wait til April" business doesn't make any sense.

Does anyone want to try and contact maybe the DGS, Prof. Lee, and figure it out? Unfortunately, I can't contact them again because I've done so one time too many, and they will think of me as an annoying applicant and I don't want that.

I just don't know why there's so much mystery here... Anyone with info. please post!

[Yellow#5]

BU is always super snippy, super unfriendly and super unhelpful on the phone. That's just how they roll.

Administrators there think they're running a military school or something. There is a woman who answers the phones in the English department who always effects this highly elite intellectual attitude and I'm always tempted to remind her that her paycheck says SECRETARY, not nobel prize laureate.

[joeygiraldo]

So anyone wanna call them?

[Yellow#5]

Not really. All they're going to say is what they said to you.

They're probably covering up the fact that their finances are uncertain.

[Yellow#5]

Well, BU results seem to be trickling in. Several MA acceptances are posted, but two seem to be PhD offers in disguise (i.e., MA funding with a "guarantee" of a PhD spot if you make "steady progress" toward the degree).

This sounds like budget problems. I know Elie Weisel and his wife lost 15 million to Bernie Madoff. I have to think there were other big spenders among BU associated foundations who took a big big hit this year, too.

So sad.

Anyway, if you're in at BU and would like to share info, please post.

I'm particularly curious if BU is offering you MA funding, if you apply elsewhere after your MA and get accepted will they let you go, since they aren't really guaranteeing you a contract?

[scarlett]

Hey guys,

I received a call from the DGS yesterday. I posted this on the results page, but BU has slashed their MA program size to 10-12 people, of which 5-7 will continue on to the Ph.D. He clarified that BU doesn't aggressively try to cut people from the program (although most people will have to reapply to move from the MA to the Ph.D level), but some of the MAs only intend on getting their masters (though I imagine that everyone receives funding; my fellowship is around 18k for the first year).

He also said that letters have been sent in the mail, although I don't know if he planned to call everyone who was accepted.

Hope that helps, and best of luck to you all!

[Yellow#5]

Scarlet,

Thanks for the deets.

I saw your posting on the results page, and I thought there were 10-12 MA spots AND 5-7 PhDs. Thanks for clarifying.

Tough year indeed.