How quickly can we expect the news!?

[vivalaKirst03]

I can't sit tight! I started my applications in November and had to wait for my GRE scores (also from November) to come in so that I could send them into my desired programs. In case mentioning the GRE did not give it away, I am hoping, praying, and obsessing over receiving results from masters programs in the field of Criminology. Though I also have another major in Spanish and a minor in Women Studies, I thought that Criminology would be my best avenue for securing the necessary training and hope to incorporate both of my other passions into the mix while conducting research. 

 

I am so nervous. I applied to USF (University of South Florida) and received confirmation that they received my application and were awaiting additional materials (my GRE scores) on December 4, 2012. I sent my GRE scores out later, as I had to pay for them and needed to wait for the money. I paid around Christmas and it said it would take 5 days for the schools to receive my scores. However, USF does offer a site that updates the status of your application. Mine says referred, but I am not 100% if this necessarily secures a confirmation of acceptance. 

 

How long do schools usually wait? 

Also, how did you receive your acceptance--via email, phone, or letter?

 

Thanks for your help and BUENA SUERTE to everyone on here  

[PhDreams]

I was just about to start a thread on it finally being January!!!!!!! I'm also applying to a Crim program too! Having your app referred is good. That means that your app has been put together. Pretty soon it such say something like "Under Review." Eeeek! That's when they're looking at it. Unless your program uses "referred" to mean "under review." Then they're looking at it now!!!!!!!

 

I know that PhD programs usually notify before MA programs, but the fact that your app is put together might mean that it's soon! Suerte to you too!! Have you checked the Results Search to see when your school notifies? That will give you a good indication of when you should expect to hear something back. Schools usually keep the same time table.

[Robin_Sparkles]

Several of the programs are rather ambiguous in regards to when the applicants will hear things.  I do, however, know most of the interview weekends for the programs so I have an idea of when to expect news...which should be in another week or two!  Of course then there are programs, such as UCLA, that don't have dates listed for interviews and really just state "don't call us, we'll call you..maybe".  Although the website says that they begin contacting people eight weeks after the application deadline, which should (theoretically) be January 19.  Fingers crossed they stick to this.

 

Despite the agony of waiting, I'm actually a bit surprised at how quickly January's gotten here.  I remember thinking back in November that I would never make it to this point and now it's here!  I have my first audition this upcoming Monday, followed by three auditions the following week in New York (I'm working towards an MFA in theatre).  Of course, everything just seems so up in the air right now, I'll be happy when it all starts falling into place.

[Tiglath-Pileser III]

How long one waits really depends upon the kind of program and the internal processes of the department.  But here are some very rough (and in no way scientific) guidelines.

 

Rejections that are done administratively (e.g. you did not meet minimum requirements) => FASTEST (as early as January).

Acceptances for the very top candidates => FASTER (typically in late February/early March)

Acceptances for the good candidates => FAST (typically in March)

Rejections that are done after considering applications by faculty => SLOW (typically late March to April)

Acceptances for the waiting list and marginal candidates => SLOWER (typically first two weeks of April)

Rejections for everyone else => SLOWEST (early April to never)

 

I got my acceptance in late February, the day after my interview with the faculty.  However, I would not take this as being in any way typical.

[ProfLorax]

If you want to enter a whole new stage of crazy, you can devote hours upon hours to searching for your programs in the Results Search. That way, you can see how early your programs have notified their applicants in the past. However, I do issue a warning: the Results Search is a blackhole of time, sanity, and time. 

[PhDreams]

If you want to enter a whole new stage of crazy, you can devote hours upon hours to searching for your programs in the Results Search. That way, you can see how early your programs have notified their applicants in the past. However, I do issue a warning: the Results Search is a blackhole of time, sanity, and time. 

 

AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. So. true.

[Vincenzo]

If you want to enter a whole new stage of crazy, you can devote hours upon hours to searching for your programs in the Results Search. That way, you can see how early your programs have notified their applicants in the past. However, I do issue a warning: the Results Search is a blackhole of time, sanity, and time. 

 

I did this. Mostly while drooling on myself. Tied up in a padded room. Humming

Through my nose. With a kazoo. And a twitchy crooked crazy-eye. And a moustache!

I mapped out notification expectations for all of my programs only to sit here regardless going, "None of them are going to send me invites. I'm sure of it. I am the worst thing that ever was or could be."

That's when I stop with the madness and walk away mumbling, "Psh. Fool. I'm the best at everything and everybody knows it. In the world. I just haven't heard back yet because these places are all too busy fighting over me."

 

Then twenty.whole.bloody.minutes goes by and I'm back here for another hit of... whatever this is.

[musichistorygeek]

If you want to enter a whole new stage of crazy, you can devote hours upon hours to searching for your programs in the Results Search. That way, you can see how early your programs have notified their applicants in the past. However, I do issue a warning: the Results Search is a blackhole of time, sanity, and time. 

 

I just did this (again), and the "earliest" program I applied to apparently has done email interviews during the last week of January. So for any sort of news, I'm looking at a minimum of two and a half more weeks. And I'm working part-time on campus for the next two weeks before classes start, so I have lots of time to stare at my email, various incarnations of Apply Yourself, and Grad Cafe and wish for magical status changes that are probably at least a month away. Argh!

[Bearcat1]

I did this. Mostly while drooling on myself. Tied up in a padded room. Humming

Through my nose. With a kazoo. And a twitchy crooked crazy-eye. And a moustache!

I mapped out notification expectations for all of my programs only to sit here regardless going, "None of them are going to send me invites. I'm sure of it. I am the worst thing that ever was or could be."

That's when I stop with the madness and walk away mumbling, "Psh. Fool. I'm the best at everything and everybody knows it. In the world. I just haven't heard back yet because these places are all too busy fighting over me."

Then twenty.whole.bloody.minutes goes by and I'm back here for another hit of... whatever this is.

Thank you. I so needed this laugh. And this is the roller coaster of emotional hell I'm on. One minute I'm the worst thing ever and the next I'm the most amazing applicant any of these programs have ever seen. More the former, however.

[PhDreams]

I just spent the last half hour staring at my CV. So far I've found an extra space, a missing comma, and a better way to phrase something. This. must. stop.

[MammaD]

I am so relieved I'm not the only one who feels like this. You all are hilarious and know exactly what I'm going through. Madness!

[RubyBright]

I just spent the last half hour staring at my CV. So far I've found an extra space, a missing comma, and a better way to phrase something. This. must. stop.

 

I just discovered that in one of my SOPs, I accidentally changed font size halfway through. That's it, no more reviewing already-submitted materials for me.

[Vincenzo]

You guys are brave! I haven't got it in me to read back through my SOPs, especially the first few. I pretty much had to play Hyper-X Ultra Turbo Chop-Fest 2000 on all of them at the last minute to get them down to size. If I read them I'm certain to find otherwise competent sentences about developing parallel algorithms for comparative genomics completely derailed midway into something about how much I love bunnies. Cause, you know, they're fluffy n stuff.

[RubyBright]

Hyper-X Ultra Turbo Chop-Fest 2000

 

You should invent that and market it. It can pay for your grad school expenses. Or it can be your thesis!

[Vincenzo]

You should invent that and market it. It can pay for your grad school expenses. Or it can be your thesis!

 

Shh! Grad school is going to pay for my grad school expenses. It just doesn't know it yet.

Now, as a thesis work... hmm. I shall update my Cog Sci apps. New research direction: discover special psycholinguistic magicness behind brevity!