Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I'm curious as to why they take so much longer than the other programs. Anyone know how many applicants they typically get and how big their class size is? I understand that Stanford usually has a small class (and had 440 apps this year), but Yale gets around 600-700 and still managed to report last week...I can't imagine Harvard is getting significantly more than that. 

 

Last year Yale had 432 applicants and accepted 49. Harvard had 441 and accepted 35 (source: Peterson's). I'd chalk up the difference in time to departmental policies and timelines, and the knowledge that very few people will turn down an offer from Harvard (whereas some lower ranked programs, or even programs that often compete with Harvard, will want more time to court students).

[gerasy]

I hate beating a dead horse here... Still waiting on UCLA. Did all acceptances go out? 

 

http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KF/2010/11/10/gif_ednorton.gif

There were some changes to the UCLA's application status website and now it says to me the following:

 

"To date, no decision has been made on your application. Please note that most decisions on graduate admissions for fall term are made in the months of March and April and therefore you should not anticipate a decision much before that time period."

 

What is the meaning of this?.. 

[astreaux]

I haven't been accepted by Chicago, and I haven't heard anything about MAPSS. I'm assuming that it will be a long shot for me to get an offer for the MA program at this point and that I'll be shut out altogether.

Chicago's website says it ain't over until next Friday. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more MAPSS offers, though. Some folks applied directly there and are submitting MAPSS acceptances here, but in previous years, those who applied and were rejected to the PhD program posted their MAPSS offers as PhD rejections a few days later. Perhaps those notifications will go out next.

So as Toni said, don't give up hope.

https://socialsciences.uchicago.edu/announcement/admissions-decisions-being-sent-out

[chaetzli]

Last year Yale had 432 applicants and accepted 49. 

I think Yale accepts 40 students each year (maybe they put 9 people on the WL)

[packrat]

 

Last year Yale had 432 applicants and accepted 49

 

I don't know how reliable Peterson's is, but those numbers seen less than accurate to me based on conversations I've had with people in the dept. 

 

Regardless, your reasoning on Harvard seems valid. Harvard in general is also notoriously bureaucratic, so this delay does not at all surprise me.  

[Orlien]

I won't be admitted anywhere. My SOP was totally stupid and childish. My chosen topic was pathetic. I understand it now. What I was hoping for? Why did I spend too much time and money for nothing? I'm idiot. Does anybody have the same feeling? How to bear with it?

 

:C

I'm sure that's not true. It looks like you've got 7 schools in your sig that still haven't released results yet. Don't lose hope.

 

Besides, there are plenty of people who applied a second time this cycle and did really well - and there was the one person who applied 4 cycles and finally got in this time around. Don't beat yourself up.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I think Yale accepts 40 students each year (maybe they put 9 people on the WL)

 

I'm not sure if the acceptance numbers include WL or number of people accepted including those accepted eventually off the WL.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I don't know how reliable Peterson's is, but those numbers seen less than accurate to me based on conversations I've had with people in the dept. 

 

Regardless, your reasoning on Harvard seems valid. Harvard in general is also notoriously bureaucratic, so this delay does not at all surprise me.  

 

Well, those numbers were accurate once upon a time. Maybe they aren't from last year as I suggested, but they are the numbers Yale shared at one point.

[TheGnome]

It is March already folks. Let's give some of the love back to GradCafe by posting on the Let's do it for our future friends and colleagues before the current group starts leaving this forum for good. I am sure most of you benefited from the earlier versions of that thread while preparing your application. I know I did. Let's go and fill those pages. 

[gradcafe26]

^Still waiting for a few schools and will post after my cycle is over. Thanks for your sharing in the profiles and results thread.

[cooperstreet]

I wouldn't give up just yet. It isn't over til you've got that last rejection in your email. Even if you do get shut out this year, life does not end. Multiple really smart people got shut out their first year, and ended up going to really good programs, incl. Top 5 in their next year!

 I'm one of those. Except I got shut out my first two years.

[polisci12345]

I'm curious as to why they take so much longer than the other programs. Anyone know how many applicants they typically get and how big their class size is? I understand that Stanford usually has a small class (and had 440 apps this year), but Yale gets around 600-700 and still managed to report last week...I can't imagine Harvard is getting significantly more than that.

I frequently beat this drum but academic calendars. Stanford is on quarters and is back in session in early January. Harvard has a long interterm and doesn't fire up until the tail end of January. Many faculty use the 6 weeks to do work that requires travel. The month head start pretty much explains the gap. Yale starts middle of the month. It's not a scheme, it's just logistics of committee work that can't start until everyone is there.

[tinkerbell]

I did. Thom Wall confirmed that there have been no offers yet, and that decisions will be made next week at the earliest-- probably late next week.

 

 

For what it's worth (and it's worth a lot given the unprofessional communication some of us have had from other departments) he got back to me almost instantly, and he seemed genuinely eager to let folks know exactly where they are in the process.

 

Thom Wall is awesome, he's such a nice guy, and always willing to answer your questions! I also had a great first impression of him when I met him last year. 

[jmad]

snow storm on the east coast - likely to push back any decisions?

 

i'm thinking penn and georgetown definitely...

[deltaqsquared]

So... Are Temple and Harvard going to announce this week? And what happened to JHU's rejections? 

[zudei]

A little late, but I got accepted to NYU's MA as well (without funding). Just Harvard PEG left (anticipating rejection, but you never know!) I think my cycle's pretty much over. I shall hopefully never have application related nightmares again ^^

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I shall hopefully never have application related nightmares again ^^

 

*6 years later*

[Thompson]

snow storm on the east coast - likely to push back any decisions?

 

i'm thinking penn and georgetown definitely...

 

DC is a disaster zone right now, so I'd be shocked if anyone is in the office at Georgetown.

[Sluggo57]

snow storm on the east coast - likely to push back any decisions?

 

i'm thinking penn and georgetown definitely...

According to their homepage, Penn is opening today at 10:00 AM EST.

[pro_Tonto]

DC is a disaster zone right now, so I'd be shocked if anyone is in the office at Georgetown.

 

From their homepage

 

 UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2014 AT 9 P.M.

Georgetown University Main Campus, Medical Center and School of Continuing Studies are CLOSED on Monday, March 3, 2014. All Emergency employees are required to report to work on time.

For more details, click here.

Edited March 3, 2014 by pro_Tonto

[Applicant2014]

Hello everyone! Longtime lurker, this is my first post. I have learned a lot from gradcafe, so thank you all for contributing.

 

I have an acceptance without funding at Binghamton; I really like the department, and would love to go there. So, if anyone who has a funded offer from there that they are going to decline, please consider doing it sooner than later. It would help those who have been wait-listed for funding.

 

I'd really appreciate it.

[Nords]

Hey everybody, 

It's National Decline Your Offer from Pittsburgh Day! Don't forget to do your part! =P 

Sincerely,
A waitlisted applicant =) 

Edited March 3, 2014 by Nords

[cooperstreet]

According to their homepage, Penn is opening today at 10:00 AM EST.

Yeah Philly is fine today.

[Sluggo57]

Does anyone know how large the typical applicant pool is for Penn? I saw some numbers being thrown around about Harvard and Yale a few posts up and wondered how Penn might compare. I can't imagine there are as many applicants to Penn as there are to those two, given the ranking discrepancy, but who knows. Just trying to occupy my time with some pointless speculation here.

[cooperstreet]

My guess would be about 300. From what I know the theory applicants are usually the best, then comparative/ir, then american.