chiz13 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 If I'm not mistaken, some POI's call applicants, others do not. It depends on personal preference (based on BFB's previous comments). Probably not totally out of the running yet. Thanks for the reassurance Anyhow, it's only the beginning of the long wait. I have two programs only closed their applications yesterday!
mv0027 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Ha. I got TWO calls from unknown numbers yesterday and i totally freaked out. I failed to answer both and did not get a v-mail. I think they were just tele-pest, but I was hanging out with a bunch of friends and several of them commented on me seeming out of it for like 10 minutes after the calls. Emotions....blah. silver_lining and IR IR IR PhD 2
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 You mean January 19th? So soon? I thought it's not until at least 30th-31st. Jan 20. I mean, things will really be blowing up at the end of the month, as you say. But based on last year's results, there seemed to be daily movement starting last year's equivalent of next Monday.
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Ha. I got TWO calls from unknown numbers yesterday and i totally freaked out. I failed to answer both and did not get a v-mail. I think they were just tele-pest, but I was hanging out with a bunch of friends and several of them commented on me seeming out of it for like 10 minutes after the calls. Emotions....blah. Last year I got a bunch of calls like this during admissions season, even from a few areas that I had applied. I'd search google frantically in the middle of class to see who it might have been (since I couldn't check voicemail, if there was one, right away). Alas, it was always some kind of marketing. Which! it turns out, is illegal if it's a pre-recorded message going to your cell phone. I'm getting $40 in a class action law suit! Sweet justice...
mv0027 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 What is the craziest thing someone would do for a spot at their top choice? I'll answer my own question once I've given it a proper ponder. Post naked pictures of myself all over this forum... IR IR IR PhD 1
Nords Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Post naked pictures of myself all over this forum... Hahahah, didn't see this one coming.
astreaux Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Hey guys, if you have applied to Berkeley, have they connected your GRE scores to your application yet?
IR IR IR PhD Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Post naked pictures of myself all over this forum... Hahaha. I was thinking I'd give up meat and beer for the duration of my studies... but you topped that quite easily.
Nords Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 What is the craziest thing someone would do for a spot at their top choice? I'll answer my own question once I've given it a proper ponder. 1) Swear an oath to never watch any TV again. 2) Not shave until I defend my dissertation, so I graduate looking something like Karl Marx. 3) Become a Real Madrid supporter for a year... perish the thought.
mv0027 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Hey guys, if you have applied to Berkeley, have they connected your GRE scores to your application yet? Yes. I even sent Berkeley the wrong SOP (ha!). I e-mailed them and they correct it though. The staff was very helpful!
astreaux Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Yes. I even sent Berkeley the wrong SOP (ha!). I e-mailed them and they correct it though. The staff was very helpful! Hmm. I'm getting nervous. I've been in touch with the department, though, and their staff is very helpful/friendly. My own fault... in my immediate post-GRE adrenaline rush, I used the wrong department code. And speaking of department codes, has anyone else here applied to their JSP program instead of political science?
qeta Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Hey guys, if you have applied to Berkeley, have they connected your GRE scores to your application yet? They still haven't connected mine, but when I emailed them in late December, the staff confirmed that they have it. They were super-nice people, but I get the feeling that grad admissions department at Berkeley is fairly understaffed. astreaux 1
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Unrelated, but general conversation... Does anyone run Windows 8? I got the 8.1 preview over the summer and put off upgrading to the official release because I will lose all my applications. Today, the preview expired. Windows way of forcing us into upgrading is by restarting our computers EVERY 2 HOURS, but the Internet connection I'm on cannot download the very large upgrade file fast enough. When my computer restarts, so does the download, putting me into this endless, hellish loop... I guess it's a distraction from admissions, but I can't do any work!
mv0027 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Hmm. I'm getting nervous. I've been in touch with the department, though, and their staff is very helpful/friendly. My own fault... in my immediate post-GRE adrenaline rush, I used the wrong department code. And speaking of department codes, has anyone else here applied to their JSP program instead of political science? I wouldn't get that nervous unless your entire application is marked as incomplete. If it is marked as complete, that means there look at it and you told them your GREs scores in the app. Worst case it is an administrative error you have to deal with. If it is still marked as incomplete, well, I'd ask for your money back. Yeah. The department code thing is annoying. I sent all my scores to the main university (even for schools that said use the department code) and all them received the scores pretty quickly.
TheGnome Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 My magic crystal ball thinks this forum is going to be insane come Monday next week. You mean it isn't right now?
zudei Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 I wouldn't get that nervous unless your entire application is marked as incomplete. If it is marked as complete, that means there look at it and you told them your GREs scores in the app. Worst case it is an administrative error you have to deal with. If it is still marked as incomplete, well, I'd ask for your money back. Yeah. The department code thing is annoying. I sent all my scores to the main university (even for schools that said use the department code) and all them received the scores pretty quickly. Do you think it's possible to ask for your money back?
gretagarbo Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 And speaking of department codes, has anyone else here applied to their JSP program instead of political science? not me. But heard that it was a wonderful program if you are interested in public law or socio-legal studies kind of research. Most of the people studying there have already JDs, although I think they may accept students without JD.
soonsoforth Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 I wouldn't get that nervous unless your entire application is marked as incomplete. If it is marked as complete, that means there look at it and you told them your GREs scores in the app. Worst case it is an administrative error you have to deal with. If it is still marked as incomplete, well, I'd ask for your money back. Yeah. The department code thing is annoying. I sent all my scores to the main university (even for schools that said use the department code) and all them received the scores pretty quickly. on that note, one of the schools I applied to didn't receive my official transcript because my undergrad institution decided to implement a new (read:pointless) online system. I emailed the admin, no reply, and my app is marked as submitted but incomplete. i was hoping since most schools don't even ask for official transcripts until after admissions, this wouldn't be a problem. does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? hope for the best? mail transcripts to grad school or to the department?
astreaux Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 They still haven't connected mine, but when I emailed them in late December, the staff confirmed that they have it. They were super-nice people, but I get the feeling that grad admissions department at Berkeley is fairly understaffed. Thanks, that's my sense too. Okay... glad I'm not the only one. That would be more cause for concern.
astreaux Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Unrelated, but general conversation... Does anyone run Windows 8? I got the 8.1 preview over the summer and put off upgrading to the official release because I will lose all my applications. Today, the preview expired. Windows way of forcing us into upgrading is by restarting our computers EVERY 2 HOURS, but the Internet connection I'm on cannot download the very large upgrade file fast enough. When my computer restarts, so does the download, putting me into this endless, hellish loop... I guess it's a distraction from admissions, but I can't do any work! My husband got a new laptop a few months ago, and had no choice (for reasons that I, as a Mac person, heard as "blah blah blah") but to switch to Windows 8. He still hasn't really made peace with it, but the swearing has died down a bit. ajaxp91, jeudepaume and silver_lining 3
TheGnome Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 I am using my Windows 8 exactly like I did Win 7, or XP or 98, or 95. No startup screen, no apps, all desktop business. I even have a start menu. Love it.
mv0027 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 Do you think it's possible to ask for your money back? I dunno. It was meant more tongue and cheek though. If I don't hear back from a school (like ever), I'll ask for my money back. In my book, paying the fees earns my application to right to be given fair consideration and a response. silver_lining 1
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 My husband got a new laptop a few months ago, and had no choice (for reasons that I, as a Mac person, heard as "blah blah blah") but to switch to Windows 8. He still hasn't really made peace with it, but the swearing has died down a bit. I thought about getting a Mac for a while (I used them at an office and while editing a newspaper and loved it), but the hardware available for PC is superior. Plus, I really love new technology, so I got a convertible touch screen PC. It's been great with a few issues here and there (new software, new hardware, bound to happen), until today. I managed to get it to revert back to Windows 8 pre preview upgrade, but now I'll have to reinstall everything. I am using my Windows 8 exactly like I did Win 7, or XP or 98, or 95. No startup screen, no apps, all desktop business. I even have a start menu. Love it. I'm cool with the new UI, especially since I have a touch screen PC.
ajaxp91 Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 on that note, one of the schools I applied to didn't receive my official transcript because my undergrad institution decided to implement a new (read:pointless) online system. I emailed the admin, no reply, and my app is marked as submitted but incomplete. i was hoping since most schools don't even ask for official transcripts until after admissions, this wouldn't be a problem. does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? hope for the best? mail transcripts to grad school or to the department? This happened to me with a program, as I had only uploaded an unofficial copy of my transcripts and my official copy hadn't been received. My application was also marked as incomplete, and I was vexed. Contact the department first (by phone or e-mail), explain the situation, and provide your application ID. Meanwhile, try to get your official transcript in as soon as you are able. More than likely they will confirm that your transcripts aren't needed until admission. The response I received from that graduate program coordinator was that my application was already being reviewed without the official transcripts and "That said, should you be offered admission, we will need an official transcript reflecting your Bachelor's degrees. This will need to be sent to [], and instructions can be found here []. As I said, though, this is not holding up or affecting the evaluation of your application." Pretty standard. So definitely don't worry, but also don't delay in contacting the program staff.
jeudepaume Posted January 16, 2014 Posted January 16, 2014 (edited) Here is for your amusement. An article about "kisses of death" in the graduate application process (in psychology, but still). http://psychology.unl.edu/psichi/Graduate_School_Application_Kisses_of_Death.pdf "...an applicant included a letter of recommendation from a state senator who was a friend of the family and only knew the applicant as a child and adolescent. The letter said little about the applicant and described the senator’s powerful role in overseeing the funding of higher education in the state." - Thanks a lot, senator. Also, if anybody is interested, I found an article (don't know what year) describing an admission process for Political Science Graduate Program at Harvard. The authors analyzed it from the position of possible improvements in the process, but I have no idea if it was implemented or not. (I'll look for a link, if anybody wants to read it) Edited January 16, 2014 by jeudepaume
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