Communication/Media Studies Ph.D Fall 2014--Apps, Decisions, and Waiting...

[hellofandom]

Congrats everyone!! I too was wondering about UMass...anyone know anything? 

 

I contacted the grad secretary last week about the timeline for decisions, and heard nothing back.   Literally have no idea when their committee is meeting or anything.  I hope it's before March - that doesn't really give us a lot of time to decide!

Edited February 8, 2014 by hellofandom

[betafish]

I just realized how weird of a position I'm in. I immediately got accepted by my first choice (UIUC's ICR), but have yet to hear back from anyone else. I applied to IU's Communication & Culture department, as well as their Information Science department(my research to date straddles the line between the two). I also applied to UIUC's Comm department. So, I don't know if I should wait to accept or not. IU's Information Science program has a professor I'd love to work with, and that plus a more generous funding could make me squirm. I love ICR, though, too; though trying to decouple their rankings/reputation from UIUC's comm program has been really hard.

So, you know, I just realized I'll manage to stress myself out no matter what happens. It's sort of liberating, except not really. :-)

[Kaitlyn721]

Hey Kentucky Curls,

I also noticed the 'incomplete' for TOEFL scores on my pitt application, but assumed I did not need to clarify that point. Can you let us know when you hear back from them if they need an explanation for why that is marked 'incomplete'? Thanks!

[KentuckyCurls]

Hey Kentucky Curls,

I also noticed the 'incomplete' for TOEFL scores on my pitt application, but assumed I did not need to clarify that point. Can you let us know when you hear back from them if they need an explanation for why that is marked 'incomplete'? Thanks!

Absolutely! I sent a couple messages via the Message Center embedded in GATS (once a week ago for the TOEFL issue, once yesterday regarding transcripts), but have not heard back from the department. I also called and left a voicemail regarding the transcripts. The transcripts are showing up as received now, and there is now a message underneath my received components stating "** If you completed or will complete your education at a university where English is the primary language of instruction, we do not require TOEFL scores." 

I'd advise you to still contact them, just in case.

[CommPhD20]

Congrats JLRC! When are you visiting OSU? I don't think they're having a visit weekend are they? Or are they having one and not telling me?

 

I haven't heard anything about a visit weekend, I just plan to visit either way at some point in time. 

[natebassett]

Anyone here get accepted to Madion's Comm Arts (Rhetoric) program? There a result in the survey

[ttcactus]

Has anyone heard anything from Minnesota's mass communication program? 

 

I had a call from my POI the other day to discuss research interests/goals etc - she told me that the various faculty were all reaching out to those who'd named them as POI before decisions were made but it seems to me that that would be a massive job if it hadn't already been narrowed down a bit.... but that's just my conjecture....

 

 

The Graduate Application Tracking System for UPitts is giving my heart a workout. First, my application was incomplete because of missing TOEFL scores (I'm a U.S. citizen, so...). Then, yesterday afternoon, my transcripts were suddenly missing from my application-- transcripts that were uploaded with said application when I submitted. This morning, transcripts are back in place, but the application is still marked as "incomplete." 

 

 

Absolutely! I sent a couple messages via the Message Center embedded in GATS (once a week ago for the TOEFL issue, once yesterday regarding transcripts), but have not heard back from the department. I also called and left a voicemail regarding the transcripts. The transcripts are showing up as received now, and there is now a message underneath my received components stating "** If you completed or will complete your education at a university where English is the primary language of instruction, we do not require TOEFL scores." 

I'd advise you to still contact them, just in case.

 

mine's saying the same thing - it's really frustrating. i spoke to one of their admin people a while back who told me my application was good to go but there are definitely no toefl scores there (because i'm british and did my ma here in the states) - i'm finding i hit refresh far too often these days....

 

also big congrats to all the UPenn folks  i got the rejection but wasn't hugely surprised, partly because it's UPenn but also because i wasn't entirely sure my research and their areas were a perfect match, unlike some of the other schools where i felt much more neatly aligned with their work.

Edited February 8, 2014 by ttcactus

[paperdreams]

Anyone here get accepted to Madion's Comm Arts (Rhetoric) program? There a result in the survey

 

Hey natebassett, that was me -- they emailed yesterday to set up a time to talk and called today. Hope this helps! 

[VioletAyame]

I was rereading this thread (so much news over the last few days) and I'm just curious, did anyone here get accepted by UNC Chapel Hill? It didn't seem so or I must have missed something.

I just realized how weird of a position I'm in. I immediately got accepted by my first choice (UIUC's ICR), but have yet to hear back from anyone else. I applied to IU's Communication & Culture department, as well as their Information Science department(my research to date straddles the line between the two). I also applied to UIUC's Comm department. So, I don't know if I should wait to accept or not. IU's Information Science program has a professor I'd love to work with, and that plus a more generous funding could make me squirm. I love ICR, though, too; though trying to decouple their rankings/reputation from UIUC's comm program has been really hard.

So, you know, I just realized I'll manage to stress myself out no matter what happens. It's sort of liberating, except not really. :-)

I was really jealous with you at the beginning of your post since I was rejected by my first choice and now have some very difficult decisions to make. But at the end I realized you're right; I'll manage to stress myself out no matter what. The burden of responsibility to choose wisely has just passed from "them" to "us", and I seriously feel like I'm not qualified to make that decision. Edited February 9, 2014 by VioletAyame

[natebassett]

I was really jealous with you at the beginning of your post since I was rejected by my first choice and now have some very difficult decisions to make. But at the end I realized you're right; I'll manage to stress myself out no matter what. The burden of responsibility to choose wisely has just passed from "them" to "us", and I seriously feel like I'm not qualified to make that decision.

 

 

UIUC was another school I was going to apply to (great rep, close proximity to inlaws, etc) but I was discouraged from applying to from faculty (the guy I wanted to work with said that he was the only person in the department with the same sort of focus as I had).

 

Hey natebassett, that was me -- they emailed yesterday to set up a time to talk and called today. Hope this helps! 

Congrats! I was just curious, Madison is one of my top picks and just crazily obsessing on this is all (as are the rest of you i'm sure)

Edited February 9, 2014 by natebassett

[UC2011]

Thank you for posting your stats-- which are dauntingly impressive.

 

I believe you have the right attitude regarding getting rejected from programs. When you *are* able to find recent admissions stats for programs, you typically see that many departments have 100+ applicants for a handful of spots. Given those who apply to doctoral programs are generally competitive by nature, it makes sense that applicants often have relatively similar GPAs, GRE scores, and experience. Fit can make or break an application, and sadly the departments often have a better perspective of our fit than we do (despite our diligent research efforts).

I will confess that I am coming from a pretty rigorous master's program at a tiny liberal arts university-- one that I most likely would not have chosen had I known I would ultimately want to pursue a doctorate. Fantastic little program in terms of learning theory and honing writing skills, but there have been zero opportunities to work as a research or teaching assistant. Also, I wasn't encouraged to submit papers to conferences until fairly late in the game (roughly around the time I was wading through applications). That said, if I find myself in the position of reapplying next year, I refuse to beat myself up. 

I am glad I could help put things into perspective a little bit especially at a time when every piece of communication we get that is not a straight out rejection or acceptance seems like ambiguous language. It is probably just the applicant stressed-out mindset though. Starting with the initial, "Thank you for your application. We will forward it to the department where you have applied." DOES THIS MEAN I AM IN!!?     There are definite pros and cons to every type of program. I happen to be in one where there are only a couple of MA students and so we don't have separate classes from the PhD students and have the same funding/assistantship packages so I think I just lucked out but it also means that there is so much on your plate that it was nearly impossible to fill out applications last semester. The conferences weren't pushed by faculty but I had advice from my UG institution that I should submit my papers to conferences. I think they will recognize your rigorous program and your writing will shine, I am sure. I have heard great things about Temple so congratulations on that!! Great accomplishment already!

[KentuckyCurls]

Anyone want to claim the UPitts acceptance...?

[hellofandom]

Anyone want to claim the UPitts acceptance...?

Not me

[paperdreams]

I was rereading this thread (so much news over the last few days) and I'm just curious, did anyone here get accepted by UNC Chapel Hill? It didn't seem so or I must have missed something.

I was really jealous with you at the beginning of your post since I was rejected by my first choice and now have some very difficult decisions to make. But at the end I realized you're right; I'll manage to stress myself out no matter what. The burden of responsibility to choose wisely has just passed from "them" to "us", and I seriously feel like I'm not qualified to make that decision.

 

Hey Violet, I got accepted by UNC but it was that oddly early acceptance in December ... I have to imagine they hadn't made all of their decisions by then but who knows! 

 

UIUC was another school I was going to apply to (great rep, close proximity to inlaws, etc) but I was discouraged from applying to from faculty (the guy I wanted to work with said that he was the only person in the department with the same sort of focus as I had).

 

Congrats! I was just curious, Madison is one of my top picks and just crazily obsessing on this is all (as are the rest of you i'm sure)

 

Thanks! And yeah, it seems near impossible to avoid crazily obsessing (especially if you creep around on gradcafe like I do) so I definitely empathize. 

Edited February 9, 2014 by hmas

[Kaitlyn721]

So Ive been reading through last years waiting thread and even in this one it sounds like a lot of schools have done interviews with PhD applicants they are considering. Does anyone know if interviews are a key part to most schools decisions? I had just assumed they make decisions based off applications, but now knowing calls for interviews could be commonplace is a whole new concern.

[KentuckyCurls]

So Ive been reading through last years waiting thread and even in this one it sounds like a lot of schools have done interviews with PhD applicants they are considering. Does anyone know if interviews are a key part to most schools decisions? I had just assumed they make decisions based off applications, but now knowing calls for interviews could be commonplace is a whole new concern.

You've hit upon another one of the variables in the admissions process-- interviews. Which schools do them? If you don't receive one, is it possible to still be admitted? The unfortunate thing, though, is that it varies from school to school, department to department. Some schools will not admit students they have not interviewed; some do not interview anyone. In some cases, interviews occur when the school isn't sure about an applicant OR they are feeling them out to determine if they are worthy of fellowships/better funding packages.

 

For example, I'm currently nervous because three programs I applied to have conducted some interviews and admitted some applicants-- and my application statuses haven't changed for those schools. It's unsettling because I don't know if that means I automatically have three rejections coming my way. On the flip side, I also applied to UT Austin's Media Studies Ph.D program, and I've been told they typically don't interview.

[VioletAyame]

You've hit upon another one of the variables in the admissions process-- interviews. Which schools do them? If you don't receive one, is it possible to still be admitted? The unfortunate thing, though, is that it varies from school to school, department to department. Some schools will not admit students they have not interviewed; some do not interview anyone. In some cases, interviews occur when the school isn't sure about an applicant OR they are feeling them out to determine if they are worthy of fellowships/better funding packages.

For example, I'm currently nervous because three programs I applied to have conducted some interviews and admitted some applicants-- and my application statuses haven't changed for those schools. It's unsettling because I don't know if that means I automatically have three rejections coming my way. On the flip side, I also applied to UT Austin's Media Studies Ph.D program, and I've been told they typically don't interview.

I think you've perfectly summarized the whole interview process for our discipline. Before I applied I didn't know that there'd be interviews to expect either, and when I received one, again didn't know the very same program can admit applicants without interviewing. Now that I'm halfway through the process, all I know is it depends.

Anyway good luck to the rest of your apps! I was lucky enough not having to wait for long, and I'm practically done for this season or any future season. I can't imagine what it must be like to stare into the silent void that is the admission decision with the power determine your future. Sorry I got carried away a bit there.

Edited February 9, 2014 by VioletAyame

[CommPhD20]

Interviews are still the exception to the norm. Most of the time, in this field, interviews seem to be more of "last chance to see if this person is absolutely nuts" than it is a legitimately competitive venture. Even in the latter case, obviously most of the work is done by your application in the first place.

[Meanyus]

From the 4 programs I've heard back from, none of them offered me an interview. 3 rejects and 1 acceptance.

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much, while applying to graduate school feels apocalyptic, the interview shows the program is interested enough to not throw your app in the trash.

[natebassett]

So Ive been reading through last years waiting thread and even in this one it sounds like a lot of schools have done interviews with PhD applicants they are considering. Does anyone know if interviews are a key part to most schools decisions? I had just assumed they make decisions based off applications, but now knowing calls for interviews could be commonplace is a whole new concern.

This is a really good question. I did freak out a bit when I heard other people had gotten interviews at some of my picks, but there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule (probably because of the diversity of the field as others have noted).

[Scrantron]

Anyone here get accepted to Madion's Comm Arts (Rhetoric) program? There a result in the survey

I heard they got slammed with apps this year (not a surprise) and are still determining how many people they can accept. A colleague of mine at Syrcuse has an interview tomorrow.

[Kaitlyn721]

Thanks on the interview information everyone, it definitely helps calm my nerves some. Good luck everyone  still waiting going into Monday morning. I know after the long weekend of knowing your applications won't change, Monday is definitely the most stressful day for me. 

[Meanyus]

Just heard from a colleague that Wisconsin is sending out another batch of rejection letters today. Hopefully they'll send out some good news too.

[devwil]

Hey everyone! First time poster, long time oh-gosh-what-is-new-on-the-results-survey-page-and-wait-when-did-University-X-send-out-decisions-last-year-and-what-day-of-the-week-was-that'er.

So, I'm playing the waiting game too... applied to CU Boulder's Media Studies PhD, Georgia Tech's Digital Media PhD, NYU's MCC PhD, and the University at Buffalo's Media Study PhD.

 

I'm in my (expected) final semester of UB's Media Study MFA, and over the past year I've decided to go for a PhD.

 

Until reading this thread, I hadn't seen that Boulder had announced this new college publicly, but I presented a paper at CU Boulder less than a month ago and was informed at that point about the transformations happening surrounding the Media Studies PhD. From my perspective and from what I heard from one of the Boulder professors, it's an exciting and encouraging direction that could be incredible to be involved with early in its existence, but I appreciate that some folks may be dismayed by it.

 

Thanks to the poster who said to expect a decision from Boulder on Thursday or Friday... that ought to settle some of my anxiety about this whole process, for a few days, at least!

[Austin F]

New week... new results. Let the games begin!

 

Related to the CU discussion, here's a link to the main website for the new college proposal. I decided to read up on all the updates related to the college and the Comm department. Some very interesting stuff.

 

http://www.colorado.edu/cmci/