Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[mv0027]

If I posted my undergrad GPA you'd probably laugh!

 

That being said, I crushed it in my grad program... after I totally humiliated myself begging them to admit me. I'm pretty sure the grad coordinator knew she had to accept me or block my number and change her email address. She probably accepted me because it was easier. 

I did well in the grad courses I cared about, but didn't "crush" it, though I did graduate with honors. 

 

I'm just below the 3.5 cut off I think many top schools use (for grad GPA!). 

[jazzrap]

Anyone who have applied and not yet heard from them?

[strangepeace]

Anyone who have applied and not yet heard from them?

Re: Wisconsin or from Duke, I haven't heard from either of them. I'm presuming a rejection from Wisconsin at this point, although I'm holding out some hope for Duke. 

Edited January 28, 2014 by strangepeace

[smallworld]

Thanks to all for the warm wishes/condolences/pep talks. It was Wisconsin, where I emailed a professor for confirmation of my suspicions. 

 

I also just found out that somehow I neglected to submit a departmentally-required writing sample to the school at which I should have the best chance, and this oversight likely means that the best funding opportunities are blown. 

 

Thus far, this morning = fml

 

Hang in there xuejia!  Even if those two schools don't work out, I can tell from the way you talk about your interests that you are a candidate many schools would love to have.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Hang in there xuejia!  Even if those two schools don't work out, I can tell from the way you talk about your interests that you are a candidate many schools would love to have.

 

Also, if that's your post in the results, xuejia, your GREs are phenomenal. Between your passion and stats, I imagine you'll get a very good offer very soon.

[smallworld]

Schools that started releasing on last year's equivalent of this Tuesday: Iowa, Penn State, U Arizona, U Kentucky, and Florida State. Anyone waiting on any of these?

 

He doesn't use GradCafe, but a friend of mine had received an offer - formal or informal, I'm not sure - from Florida State when I spoke with him yesterday.

[PoliViGuy]

Hey everyone, I'm a longtime lurker who just created an account. I am here to claim the UNT acceptance and ask a question.

 

I received an email last week from a member of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland (College Park) that said something like:

 

"Our admissions committee is very interested in your application. There are a number of funding awards that you may be eligible to be nominated for. We need a copy of your transcripts for the admissions committee to look over because they are meeting now."

 

Apparently there was a mixup between the department and enrollment services (where I had my transcripts sent). So anyways, I sent them a copy of my transcripts, and since then, enrollment services has scanned my transcripts onto my application. I haven't heard anything since then, and I was just wondering how everyone would assess this message. Any input will be appreciated!

[mv0027]

Hang in there xuejia!  Even if those two schools don't work out, I can tell from the way you talk about your interests that you are a candidate many schools would love to have.

Truth.

 

When we got accepted to where will only matter for the next month, after that, none of this speculation matters. 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Hey everyone, I'm a longtime lurker who just created an account. I am here to claim the UNT acceptance and ask a question.

 

I received an email last week from a member of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland (College Park) that said something like:

 

"Our admissions committee is very interested in your application. There are a number of funding awards that you may be eligible to be nominated for. We need a copy of your transcripts for the admissions committee to look over because they are meeting now."

 

Apparently there was a mixup between the department and enrollment services (where I had my transcripts sent). So anyways, I sent them a copy of my transcripts, and since then, enrollment services has scanned my transcripts onto my application. I haven't heard anything since then, and I was just wondering how everyone would assess this message. Any input will be appreciated!

 

Remain skeptical, of course, but this is, if nothing else, a positive sign. Typically when they talk about "nominating" for fellowships, its in regard to top candidates.

[smallworld]

Hey everyone, I'm a longtime lurker who just created an account. I am here to claim the UNT acceptance and ask a question.

 

I received an email last week from a member of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland (College Park) that said something like:

 

"Our admissions committee is very interested in your application. There are a number of funding awards that you may be eligible to be nominated for. We need a copy of your transcripts for the admissions committee to look over because they are meeting now."

 

Apparently there was a mixup between the department and enrollment services (where I had my transcripts sent). So anyways, I sent them a copy of my transcripts, and since then, enrollment services has scanned my transcripts onto my application. I haven't heard anything since then, and I was just wondering how everyone would assess this message. Any input will be appreciated!

 

If you're asking if your application is at a disadvantage because they hadn't received your transcripts, I don't think that is the case.  I doubt they would have made the effort to reach out to you if they were not already considering admitting you.

[mv0027]

Maybe I'm looking into this too much and hoping it is the case due to my personal weakness....but...I like that I'm seeing low GPAs getting admissions!

 

KNOCK on WOOD!!!

Nevermind. A Wisconsin rejection with killer GREs just popped up.

 

Darn.  

[IR IR IR PhD]

I did well in the grad courses I cared about, but didn't "crush" it, though I did graduate with honors. 

 

I'm just below the 3.5 cut off I think many top schools use (for grad GPA!). 

 

What we keep hearing about the process is that these "cut-offs" aren't really used in the process unless you are egregiously subpar in a specific category. I think order of importance probably works like this:

 

1. SoP

2. Fit (can be helped by how you write your SoP or what writing sample you submit but largely out of your control)

2b.*** Intangibles (your fit might be great but your POI isn't taking new people or your subfield had absurd applicants) 

3. GPA (grad GPA definitely trumps undergrad GPA in importance if you have one)

4. Reputation of your school(s)/program(s)

5. GRE (if you are within a 25-75% range it will probably not be a huge factor)

6. LoR (if they are amazing or a writer has sway with a POI this is probably way more important than I'm factoring it... also different programs feel very differently about the weight of LoRs)

7. Writing Sample 

 

Just some thoughts! 

Edited January 28, 2014 by IR IR IR PhD

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

What we keep hearing about the process is that these "cut-offs" aren't really used in the process unless you are egregiously subpar in a specific category. I think order of importance probably works like this:

 

1. SoP

2. Fit (can be helped by how you write your SoP or what writing sample you submit but largely out of your control)

2b.*** Intangibles (your fit might be great but your POI isn't taking new people or your subfield had absurd applicants) 

3. GPA (grad GPA definitely trumps undergrad GPA in importance if you have one)

4. Reputation of your school(s)/program(s)

5. GRE (if you are within a 25-75% range it will probably not be a huge factor)

6. LoR (if they are amazing or a writer has sway with a POI this is probably way more important than I'm factoring it... also different programs feel very differently about the weight of LoRs)

7. Writing Sample 

 

Just some thoughts! 

 

I'd probably disagree with 4, in general, and 6 - from what I've gathered - has less to do with your writer's reputation and more to do with the content they include. I'd also think that for a lot of programs, writing sample will carry some weight. Otherwise, a good list of things to think about for graduate applications.

Edited January 28, 2014 by TakeMyCoffeeBlack

[mv0027]

What we keep hearing about the process is that these "cut-offs" aren't really used in the process unless you are egregiously subpar in a specific category. I think order of importance probably works like this:

 

1. SoP

2. Fit (can be helped by how you write your SoP or what writing sample you submit but largely out of your control)

2b.*** Intangibles (your fit might be great but your POI isn't taking new people or your subfield had absurd applicants) 

3. GPA (grad GPA definitely trumps undergrad GPA in importance if you have one)

4. Reputation of your school(s)/program(s)

5. GRE (if you are within a 25-75% range it will probably not be a huge factor)

6. LoR (if they are amazing or a writer has sway with a POI this is probably way more important than I'm factoring it... also different programs feel very differently about the weight of LoRs)

7. Writing Sample 

 

Just some thoughts! 

Hope you are correct! 

 

I'll let you know in a few weeks what I think!!!

 

I would be curious to hear more about what is "fit." Typical I think people are referring to research interests. I wonder, however, how much things like "I love STATA" at a program which mostly uses SAS matters....

[IRToni]

I would be curious to hear more about what is "fit." Typical I think people are referring to research interests. I wonder, however, how much things like "I love STATA" at a program which mostly uses SAS matters....

 

I heard that Stata vs R vs SAS is extremely irrelevant. What is relevant, from what I gather, however, is quant/qual/formal methods.

[jeudepaume]

This is not how I wanted to start my second application cycle...

Very sorry to hear that. Wish you to get good news soon from some of the other 12.

[RWBG]

What we keep hearing about the process is that these "cut-offs" aren't really used in the process unless you are egregiously subpar in a specific category. I think order of importance probably works like this:

 

1. SoP

2. Fit (can be helped by how you write your SoP or what writing sample you submit but largely out of your control)

2b.*** Intangibles (your fit might be great but your POI isn't taking new people or your subfield had absurd applicants) 

3. GPA (grad GPA definitely trumps undergrad GPA in importance if you have one)

4. Reputation of your school(s)/program(s)

5. GRE (if you are within a 25-75% range it will probably not be a huge factor)

6. LoR (if they are amazing or a writer has sway with a POI this is probably way more important than I'm factoring it... also different programs feel very differently about the weight of LoRs)

7. Writing Sample 

 

Just some thoughts! 

GPA is a tough signal to interpret, because there is so much variation in grading standards, both between institutions and within an institution depending on what kind of courses you take. I find it very challenging to use GPA as a signal, except as a negative one, although grades in particular courses can sometimes be useful. GRE is not the most important factor, but it is at least a consistent measure from applicant to applicant, so I tend to take a quick glance at that first. Fit and intangibles are probably most important when at the final narrowing stage, although significant violations of fit (i.e. applying to do nothing but ethnographic research focused on a region where we have no-one with expertise) might be enough to make us feel that we shouldn't admit you.

LoRs can vary a lot in usefulness. Think of it in terms of signalling, where the letter-writer has to navigate how to send us credible signals besides "this applicant is great". If we know the letter-writer well, these signals can be a bit clearer, as we know the pool against which that letter-writer is evaluating applicants, they can make explicit comparisons to other successful applicants, and if we have a history with them, we know what a good letter is and what a great letter is. In some of these cases, a single, very strong letter has had a huge impact on the success of an application. In other instances, letter-writers might make comparisons to students in the letter-writer's former graduate programs, etc. Other cases, we might be looking for a letter-writer to say positive things, but because we don't know enough about them to fully interpret the signal, we have to rely mostly on other factors so long as the letter doesn't discourage us.

Reputation of your school's program mostly has an effect through the letter-writers you can find, the degree of socialization you're likely to get in the discipline before applying, and to some extent the credibility of the grades. However, lots of people with Ivy undergrads and great GPAs and GREs were eliminated early on, so it's definitely not the main contributing factor to success.

[NYCBluenose]

Thanks to all for the warm wishes/condolences/pep talks. It was Wisconsin, where I emailed a professor for confirmation of my suspicions. 

 

I also just found out that somehow I neglected to submit a departmentally-required writing sample to the school at which I should have the best chance, and this oversight likely means that the best funding opportunities are blown. 

 

Thus far, this morning = fml

 

Xuejia, if it makes you feel better, I had a similar moment yesterday. After someone claimed a UNC admit on here, I went back and checked my UNC application status, and to my horror realized that one of my recommenders had never submitted his letter. My status application was incomplete, obviously way way too long after the deadline. 

 

I spent a solid 24 hours being pissed off at myself for not having sent my recommender a personal reminder e-mail, and then just being generally depressed at having thrown away the possibility of joining a great department. With a bit more distance, however, I've decided that these mistakes happen, probably a lot more often than we realize during a cycle in which we all had to juggle tons of applications simultaneously with school/work and personal life.

 

At this point we just need to hang in there, and hope for good news from our other programs. It's been a huge encouragement to see so many people on these threads getting acceptances on their second cycles. Bottom line is that we're committed to this (we wouldn't have put ourselves through this torture otherwise!) and if we give it some time and patience, something good will come through; hopefully this cycle, but if not, then on the next one.  

[Dark-Helmed]

I just got the formal notification, so I'm ready to go public:

 

I am delighed and very, very relieved to claim a Duke admit.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I just got the formal notification, so I'm ready to go public:

 

I am delighed and very, very relieved to claim a Duke admit.

 

CONGRATS!

[IR IR IR PhD]

Hey everyone, I'm a longtime lurker who just created an account. I am here to claim the UNT acceptance and ask a question.

 

I received an email last week from a member of the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland (College Park) that said something like:

 

"Our admissions committee is very interested in your application. There are a number of funding awards that you may be eligible to be nominated for. We need a copy of your transcripts for the admissions committee to look over because they are meeting now."

 

Apparently there was a mixup between the department and enrollment services (where I had my transcripts sent). So anyways, I sent them a copy of my transcripts, and since then, enrollment services has scanned my transcripts onto my application. I haven't heard anything since then, and I was just wondering how everyone would assess this message. Any input will be appreciated!

 

First of all congratulations about UNT! 

 

Second, there is no way you can be anything but happy and optimistic regarding that email.

 

Third, I have a huge problem with the email they sent you. How can UMD's committee be meeting if they are still accepting applications until Feb 1? The deadline hasn't even passed yet! This is not the first time I have heard of this happening this cycle and though it isn't harmful to me personally, it seems entirely unfair to applicants that apply later but still on-time. This is additionally why you have to take their email with a grain of salt. Not every application has even been seen  (unless they don't plan to look at new applications at all). This email may have been formulated as a result of your statistics (GPA + GRE = likely nomination if accepted). 

Edited January 28, 2014 by IR IR IR PhD

[BFB]

What we keep hearing about the process is that these "cut-offs" aren't really used in the process unless you are egregiously subpar in a specific category. I think order of importance probably works like this:

 

1. SoP

2. Fit (can be helped by how you write your SoP or what writing sample you submit but largely out of your control)

2b.*** Intangibles (your fit might be great but your POI isn't taking new people or your subfield had absurd applicants) 

3. GPA (grad GPA definitely trumps undergrad GPA in importance if you have one)

4. Reputation of your school(s)/program(s)

5. GRE (if you are within a 25-75% range it will probably not be a huge factor)

6. LoR (if they are amazing or a writer has sway with a POI this is probably way more important than I'm factoring it... also different programs feel very differently about the weight of LoRs)

7. Writing Sample 

 

Just some thoughts! 

 

I'd say a minimum of fit is often a necessary condition for admission. The rest can be over the moon and it won't matter if your interests don't match the faculty's.

 

Reputation of school/program matters considerably less, I'd say. Mostly only helps in normalizing rec letters.

 

And I'd drop GPA a couple of slots. As an aside: our Graduate School bases the number of waivers we need on undergraduate GPA. To them, graduate GPA is irrelevant. This creates some ridiculous situations (e.g., 2.9 undergrad GPA, worked in relevant field for 10 years, 4.0 grad GPA in Ivy League MA program, aaaand… still costs me a waiver). So undergrad GPA might be relevant in idiosyncratic cases.

 

I heard that Stata vs R vs SAS is extremely irrelevant. What is relevant, from what I gather, however, is quant/qual/formal methods.

 

Yeah, a department's methods people have their own preferences w.r.t. programs, and they'll plan on re-training you. A working knowledge of R does indicate a degree of pain tolerance that's conducive to graduate study, though.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Third, I have a huge problem with the email they sent you. How can UMD's committee be meeting if they are still accepting applications until Feb 1? 

 

Did they extend the deadline? I seem to remember it being Jan 1 or Jan 15, but I see on the website that it's Feb 1 now (I ended up not applying there)

[mv0027]

Yeah, a department's methods people have their own preferences w.r.t. programs, and they'll plan on re-training you. A working knowledge of R does indicate a degree of pain tolerance that's conducive to graduate study, though.

 

Nice! My favorite line from my SOP was something along the lines of "I have experience teaching Stata, but have a personal preference for R."

 

If all this talk of fit and SOP really matters, I'll give an advance thanks to everyone on this forum. It def has guided me for years...

 

I think there was talk of forming a meet-up group! I'd be game! 

[IR IR IR PhD]

Did they extend the deadline? I seem to remember it being Jan 1 or Jan 15, but I see on the website that it's Feb 1 now (I ended up not applying there)

 

I'm almost positive that it was always Feb. 1!