Columbia PHD -- It's a NO, right?

[joliferlovestennis]

Hello everyone, this is my first post

So I see that several people have already received their acceptance notices from Columbia's Poli Sci program. If I haven't heard anything yet, that means it's probably a no, right?

Looking at previous years, it seems that Columbia first informs those accepted around the 20th of Feb, and then those rejected around the beginning of March. Does anyone have information to the contrary or a counterexample perhaps?

Or if you just wanna give me a shout-out, that would be nice too. All the best to everyone!

[jackassjim]

There is a search function that you can use within topics

Try this post: viewtopic.php?f=48&t=14579&p=66428&hilit=Columbia#p66428

[chicagocat]

At least in my experience with the other schools, if you haven't heard by now it's not a good sign (or you're some random and weird exception!). You never know, but Columbia's open house is March 25-27, and they already asked for RSVPs, etc.

Good luck with the other schools though!!

[joliferlovestennis]

Thanks, guys. That's kind of what I figured... I just wonder why they wait so long to send out the rejections.

I mean, other than to be nice

[ep2175]

in the same boat as you ... still haven't heard from them. from what i understand, they send (or, rather sent out) their acceptances by email, but they send out all the rejections / wait list notifications by physical mail for whatever reason, hence the time lapse.

[joliferlovestennis]

What nice people...

Also, mail must be running slow! I live on 105th st

[ep2175]

haha, i was just thinking the same thing - i'm on 122nd!

[BigCheese]

so Columbia sends out waitlist notification via postal mail?

[joliferlovestennis]

Nothing in the mail today either. Oy, Columbia...

[LackLuster]

I'm but a humble M.A.O. applicant. *Informal* word came via e-mail today that I'd been accepted to the master's program. Something tells me if they're letting M.A.O. students know, then the PhD's have already been decided. I imagine they'd have given the PhD folk they'd offer to take for MA's word of that option by now. But that's just a guess. Just thought I'd pass the world along!

[ztrooop]

I just saw my department administrator dealing with a whole bunch of envelopes on her desk.

I think the reason why rejection letters are sent out late is that they have to send A LOT (hundreds!) of them!!

[joliferlovestennis]

They could have saved themselves the grief (and the paper) by just sending out emails (two weeks ago ).

[plisar]

I don't think columbia sends letters to be honest...last year they used their fancy website.

[AllFiredUp]

I don't think columbia sends letters to be honest...last year they used their fancy website.

I hope I get a nice masthead.

[gradster]

The reason why the rejections come out later is because they are sent out by the graduate school (those are the school rules for all departments). So the department choses the admits and the graduate school office lets them notify the admits because they need to know early to organize the recruitment visit. However, the department doesn't send rejections, the graduate schools does. So all the departments send the graduate office their lists of rejected applicant and the graduate school administrators are responsible for notifying everyone (probably through the website). So doing the updating of all the departments takes a long time, as you can imagine, and why the lag between acceptances and rejections. Unfortunately, no news is bad news. Hope that clarifies it and it really not the department's decision to do it this way, but university rules.

[Aidan]

Columbia is an excellent school. You have no debt plus you'll have some money coming in, and you'll have a PhD, if you want to be a researcher.

If you don't want to go into research, go Harvard MD only.