University of Chicago 2013

[mbrown0315]

I thought I'd start a thread for those of us weighing the possibility of becoming Maroons. (Can you even identify with a university mascot as a doctoral student?)

 

Have any accepted applicants been contacted by faculty about their anticipated research? No one has reached out to me except for Professor McRoberts, who wrote me a very nice (but sort of generic) email congratulating me on my admission and inviting me to ask him any questions I might have about the program.

 

Should I take this apparent lack of interest in my research agenda as a signal that I'm a marginal candidate?

 

I got offered what appears to be the standard five-year Social Sciences Fellowship, which I take to be a vote of confidence, but I'm still not sure what to make of this silence from Chicago faculty, especially since faculty at other programs have reached out to me.

 

Thoughts?

[magicunicorn]

Some feedback from a current grad student in a top program who has perspective on the inside.. don't read too much into these types of things.  Schools have an abundance of incredibly well-qualified candidates applying, and the last thing they would do is admit anyone they feel is a "marginal candidate" - if that were the case you wouldn't have gotten in.  You are talking about Chicago where my guess is that the final admissions decision involved having to reject (or put in the waitlist pile) many overly qualified candidates that they were enthusiastic about.  Often, faculty are just insanely busy juggling their normal academic superstar requirements plus their current students..  in short, relax - don't take it as a sign.  The admissions/visit event is much more important than the rate of phone calls from POI at this time in the decision stage.