Main Graduate Department's role in admission?

[musicmage09]

So from what I understand of the admission process (and I am sure it varies): your specific department reviews their applications and then makes recommendations of candidates to the main graduate department who then makes the final decision of whether to accept the candidate or not. What does the graduate department take into consideration for their final decisions? Is it common that they turn down applicants recommended by their departments?

[woosah]

based on what i've read in this forum, the grad school checks to verify that you're application materials are in order and that you meet university-wide requirements (e.g. minimum g.p.a). i'm waiting on official confirmation of one of my acceptances, and it's taking quite a while, so maybe there's a little more to it than that?

[ANDS!]

So from what I understand of the admission process (and I am sure it varies): your specific department reviews their applications and then makes recommendations of candidates to the main graduate department who then makes the final decision of whether to accept the candidate or not. What does the graduate department take into consideration for their final decisions? Is it common that they turn down applicants recommended by their departments?

 

. . .Administrative and little more than that in practice.  If someone is rejected by the graduate school, it is a technical matter that is usually correctable (presuming a person didn't lie on their application).

[ACM88]

based on what i've read in this forum, the grad school checks to verify that you're application materials are in order and that you meet university-wide requirements (e.g. minimum g.p.a). i'm waiting on official confirmation of one of my acceptances, and it's taking quite a while, so maybe there's a little more to it than that?

 

That's exactly my understanding of this as well. Rejections are far more likely to come from the specific department than from the Graduate School unless something completely erroneous prevents them from honoring the department's decision.

[musicmage09]

That's exactly my understanding of this as well. Rejections are far more likely to come from the specific department than from the Graduate School unless something completely erroneous prevents them from honoring the department's decision.

Well I wonder if they would reject some candidates based on funding. Most of the programs I aapplying to are fully funded. I suppose if they can not find the funding they will have to choose who to keep or would they send the final decision back to the adcom? And then again who knows what they do!

[CP3]

Well I wonder if they would reject some candidates based on funding. Most of the programs I aapplying to are fully funded. I suppose if they can not find the funding they will have to choose who to keep or would they send the final decision back to the adcom? And then again who knows what they do!

Yeah, same here, admission at most of my programs includes full funding, not sure how they decide on all this stuff

 

Honestly, I don't think we will EVER know!  

[Soleil ت]

I heard they flip coins. 

[nickspoon]

If the central administration distributes funding, then they have the ultimate decision over admissions. This is the case for funded Masters at ETHZ for example; the departments submit reports but the eventual decision is down to the Rektorat.

[ridofme]

I think I read in the Graduate Essays book by Donald Asher that the balance of power between the graduate school and the department varies between institutions. Harvard was cited as having particularly strong individual departments. But in general I think the grad school serves an administrative role, as mentioned above. I read somewhere else (can't remember exactly) that the graduate school also is the one who makes decisions on whether or not to admit people with criminal records - i.e., they could theoretically put their foot down about not admitting a candidate with certain convictions.