positive response from Profs ?does it mean

[kphd]

Hi Like I said in my previous posts I received positive responses from several profs.

For example "your interests sound interesting and I would urge you to apply"

There are a couple of things I need to know in order to take some decisions.

Do most people who apply to a program get positive responses?

eg about 150-200 people apply to Duke how many must have gotten positive responses?

I have much except positive responses and an SoP based the ideas that got positive responses to go on. So I am not sure how many places to apply to.

I just cannot take the chance of waiting another year!

[anthropologygeek]

Most people reieve positive feedback who applies. If you receive negative feedback most likely you won't apply. A prof can't decide until he sees the whole app.

[jacib]

Probably more than half of the people who apply don`t get in touch with professors. Many of them probably shouldn`t have applied because they`re just not a good fit for the school, or have something that obviously disqualifies them (inadequate scores or language training or whatever it might be). Especially in anthropology, you have a lot of people who are unprepared for a PhD program thinking something along the lines of, ``I`d really like to go back to school, maybe in anthropology. I don`t know, I`ve always wanted to study gypsies...`` because they`re unhappy with their current jobs (In the past two years, two separate young women have told me that when they found out I`m in a sociology PhD program).

That said, when I applied, I got really positive feedback from one professors in particular. He assured me `You`re exactly the kind of applicant we`re looking for`, etc. Loved my project. I didn`t get in. That doesn`t mean he didn`t want me--I know at that school, maximum one person from that subfield gets in a year (this was in a religion department). I did get in somewhere else, though. Definitely apply if it`s a school you want to be at. Yes, it will be competitive, but all the top schools will be competitive. You just have to throw your hat in the ring.

[anxiousanthro]

i would not take a positive response as "you're in! just send in your application"... my impression is that most profs encourage you if your interests vaguely align with theirs and/or the department's so that they can see more material from you.

[Breda]

Positive feedbacks (even from several professors in the department) don't necessarily mean you're in. 

[the green saint]

I think you probably have the idea by now......

 

An added anecdote: In my first set of applications I had constructed a solid research proposal and sent it to a few professors in the field (all in the UK) - all replied, and pretty much said it was a cogent and exciting research proposal and that I should definitely apply there. I took that as a sure foot in the door. Big mistake! I only applied to 4 last round and got 0 offers (with funding- although I did get accepted to all four without funding). I have since realised that professors don't have much of a say on the funding panel - and the funding committee will differ year on year.

 

This time round I applied to 12 selected universities that would match up with my research, both in the UK and US. So far, I have been accepted, with funding, to one in the US, and still waiting on the UK ones.

 

Positive feedback from professors is a good start. Maybe put forward a research proposition (if relevant in your field, mine is social sciences) - the benefit of this is that professors can usually tell who would be interested in the department, and what they have to offer to complete it. Therefore, you get a feel where would be a good fit - and this is vitally important in both the application process and your willingness to accept the offer.

 

All the best.