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

[beyondaboundary]

Congrats! That is such a great school!

Thanks...very excited about it

 

Just got accepted into South Florida with full funding! It feels great to finally have somewhere.

This is an excellent school...Carolyn Ellis is amazing

[deleonj]

9 hours? Wow they should pay you extra for that! May I ask wouldn't it be easier flying there?

 

Congrats! That's awesome!

 

deleonj, you've had a lot of news lately. Congrats on all the acceptances! Sorry about Brown, but UIUC must have swept all the sorrow away

Thanks, VioletAyame! It certainly helped diminish the rejection, but the funding is slightly worrisome: 3 years with the possibility of a 4th year, contingent on satisfactory progress OR availability of funds. That feels a little iffy, because I don't know if that permits them to deny funding or if that is just official language to avoid saying to everyone that most students get funding in their fourth year.  I'm coming into these programs with an MA, so I plan on completing the PhD in 4 years, but it's hard to say at this point. Adding another option to the list never hurts!

Edited February 19, 2014 by deleonj

[Meanyus]

Utah said the same thing for me. They guarantee the money except if for some reason a massive budget cut came along, which is unlikely enough that it shouldn't concern you. Every funding offer is contingent on you getting good grades and finishing your classes, if you don't they just kick you out of the program. From their current wording it actually sounds like you would get funding the 4th year anyways, but you could always ask them to guarantee that and see what they say. In the end they are most likely already planning on paying for you that year anyways.

 

Are you planning on going to the recruitment weekend for NCSU? I am up in the air at the moment because they are only paying for people they have offered funding to go, and I am still in limbo on that front. They said I was certainly welcome to come out, but it looks like a plane ticket is about 350 bucks and it's about a 24 hour drive from where I live. Although, if I don't have a funding offer in the next month, it's probably never coming, and I wouldn't be able to go anyways because I have a wife and a son. Anyways, if I do end up going, it would be nice to have a friendly face if you plan on going!

[deleonj]

Utah said the same thing for me. They guarantee the money except if for some reason a massive budget cut came along, which is unlikely enough that it shouldn't concern you. Every funding offer is contingent on you getting good grades and finishing your classes, if you don't they just kick you out of the program. From their current wording it actually sounds like you would get funding the 4th year anyways, but you could always ask them to guarantee that and see what they say. In the end they are most likely already planning on paying for you that year anyways.

 

Are you planning on going to the recruitment weekend for NCSU? I am up in the air at the moment because they are only paying for people they have offered funding to go, and I am still in limbo on that front. They said I was certainly welcome to come out, but it looks like a plane ticket is about 350 bucks and it's about a 24 hour drive from where I live. Although, if I don't have a funding offer in the next month, it's probably never coming, and I wouldn't be able to go anyways because I have a wife and a son. Anyways, if I do end up going, it would be nice to have a friendly face if you plan on going!

Thanks, Meanyus, on the perspective from Utah's offer. I just had a good chat with my grad advisor, and she said essentially the same thing: "Not to worry". Phew. And I do plan on going to NCSU's visit weekend, though I haven't heard anything back from the dept. to arrange travel. If you end up getting able to go, that'd be great!

[Meanyus]

Dr. Swarts said he'd figure out flights and lodging for anyone who is funded, so I'm sure they'll get back to you on that pretty soon. It's still a few weeks away anyways

[VioletAyame]

Thanks, VioletAyame! It certainly helped diminish the rejection, but the funding is slightly worrisome: 3 years with the possibility of a 4th year, contingent on satisfactory progress OR availability of funds. That feels a little iffy, because I don't know if that permits them to deny funding or if that is just official language to avoid saying to everyone that most students get funding in their fourth year.  I'm coming into these programs with an MA, so I plan on completing the PhD in 4 years, but it's hard to say at this point. Adding another option to the list never hurts!

Agree with everything Meanyus said. Also you can/should certainly ask their current students who are already far along in the program as to how likely or easy it is to get funding for that 4th year. They're usually best to give testimony about that matter. Anyway, congrats again! And I'm also glad that whenever I choose to go I already know some people thanks to this forum

[Milesh]

Are there any Interpersonal and Family Comm'ers out there? Would like to know how things are going for all of you...

[deleonj]

Agree with everything Meanyus said. Also you can/should certainly ask their current students who are already far along in the program as to how likely or easy it is to get funding for that 4th year. They're usually best to give testimony about that matter. Anyway, congrats again! And I'm also glad that whenever I choose to go I already know some people thanks to this forum

That's a great idea. I'll try to contact some students over the weekend.

[deleonj]

Dr. Swarts said he'd figure out flights and lodging for anyone who is funded, so I'm sure they'll get back to you on that pretty soon. It's still a few weeks away anyways

I know. My patience reserves are depleting at an alarming rate. It must be interview prep stress. 

[mhoudek]

Any word from University of Wisconsin's Comm Arts program (Rhetoric, Politics, Culture track)?  I had a friend who had an interview and then was rejected, and I believe someone posted that they were accepted in late January --congratulations!-- but I haven't heard a word.  I understand that they only have a few spots, so perhaps 'no news is not totally bad news' at this point? 

 

Either way, I'm stoked to have a couple good/decent options (Iowa, UC-Boulder, Utah).  Good luck out there, ya'll!  

Edited February 20, 2014 by mhoudek

[natebassett]

Any word from University of Wisconsin's Comm Arts program (Rhetoric, Politics, Culture track)?  I had a friend who had an interview and then was rejected, and I believe someone posted that they were accepted in late January --congratulations!-- but I haven't heard a word.  I understand that they only have a few spots, so perhaps 'no news is not totally bad news' at this point? 

 

Have heard nothing yet - application status is still "pending"

[mhoudek]

Right, I'm on the same page. I heard through the grapevine that their decisions are rolling out so late on account of not knowing how many spots they were going to be able to offer. Apparently there were/are a few lingering PhD students, dissertating beyond their expected time frame.  Ultimately, it would be difficult to make the decision between UW and Iowa, as both programs are comparable and yet distinct in their own ways (and the Iowa offer is fairly generous). We shall see, I guess...  

[CommPhD20]

I wish Northwestern RPC would release decisions...then I can just sit and freak out about what to do

[asdfferent]

I wish Northwestern RPC would release decisions...then I can just sit and freak out about what to do

I feel your pain. Do you happen to know if all Northwestern MTS decisions have been made?

[ulyanov]

Has anyone heard from University of Washington that wasn't a rejection yet?

[natebassett]

I feel your pain. Do you happen to know if all Northwestern MTS decisions have been made?

 

Still haven't heard from them either.

[hellofandom]

Still haven't heard from them either.

 

Same.  I wasn't invited to visit day and I'm expecting an outright rejection, but nothing yet!  Looks like UMass is sending out rejections today, too.

 

Also: Pitt applicants - you guys hear anything yet? I emailed last week and heard nothing about the timetable.  Their online system still seems to be a bit out of wack. 

[Kaitlyn721]

Same boat with Pitt. My SO heard from them last Friday with the wait list email, but I also applied and haven't heard anything yet :/

[TheRufus]

So USC did this annoying thing where they invited all the doctoral applicants who were admitted AND on their wait list to the visit day, and then we all attended and it was lovely but NONE OF US KNOW WHICH LIST WE ARE ON. And we *still do not know*. They said we should expect to hear this week sometime but the week is over and *nothing*. It's very aggravating. I have a sneaking suspicion that I am wait listed because I only have a bachelor's and am from a not-big-name state university, but still would like to know for sure!

 

Got an offer of fully funded master's degree at University of Delaware via a teaching assistantship, but can't really make my final decisions until I hear back from USC. Plus University of Maryland and University of Pennsylvania's PoliSci programs are insanely slow and I haven't heard anything from them at all either.

[Rhetgirl]

Hey everyone!

 

I am a first-year applicant to Phd programs in Communication-Rhetoric too, and I just found this forum this week (why did not I find it earlier? It is really cool not to be on the process alone)!

 

First, I'd like to congratulate all the ones who got admitted somewhere! This is really awesome!

 

As for me, I've been admitted to UNC, Penn State and UT Autin, and now I really don't know what to do. I'm not in the US so it is a bit harder to make a decision without going to the places and see with your own eyes! What can you tell me about these universities? What are their reputations? Would you have any advice?

[JL24]

@Rhetgirl,

 

Hi!  If I were in your position, I would request phone interviews with 2-3 persons of interest at each school you've been accepted to.  You may have already "interviewed" to receive an offer, however this time put the pressure on them to sell the school to you.  While the original interview may have focused on you, this time really get to know who they are and if you'd be happy working with them for four years.  In terms of reputation, all of those schools are great (congratulations!), so I would not worry about that, but rather where you'll be most happy and who you'll get along with.  See how eager they are to convince you, rather than just offering up information.  See how they describe the other faculty members (do they respect them or do they have big-egos?).  Also, make sure you can live off of the funding they provide based on area costs (look up housing options), and that you'll be happy living in the area.

 

For those of us that have visited schools, I've found the current grad students to be the best indicator of what life will look like.  Are they happy and do you "click" with them?  Maybe you could contact a current student as well.

 

Just to clarify, you were offered admission at Penn State's College of Communication Arts & Sciences, not Penn State's College of Communications?  Several of us were at the preview weekend for the latter and are awaiting phone calls this week.

 

Thanks!

 

JL24

[Rhetgirl]

@JL24

 

Thank you for your answer and your advice!

I've been interviewing a few days ago with a faculty member of Penn State and I'll continue with others and grad students next week. As for UNC, I'll go to the Welcome Weekend so I guess I'll have a few answers!

 

You are right, I've been offered admission at Penn State's College of Communication Arts & Sciences. So you went to Penn State's weekend? How was it? How did you like it? And did you like the place?

 

Cheers!

[JL24]

@Rhetgirl,

 

It was freezing cold, given they were having an historically awful storm.  That said, expect cold winters, but really beautiful spring, summer, and fall.  I enjoyed my visit, as did some other prospectives I met.  I have a friend in the CAS program (com arts & sciences), and overall people were very friendly, humble, and happy.  There is a lot of flexibility to take classes outside of the college (including english, law, IST, etc.).  They do things a little differently in CAS (including better conference funding, teaching 1st year as opposed to 3rd, more flexible academic timeline, nicer student offices), but I've been told there is strong relationship between both colleges, if you wanted to do mass comm work as well.  I would recommend visiting campus if possible before making a decision, as State College is a unique, mountainy college town, and not for everyone.  Maybe you could tie it into your UNC trip.  I've heard UNC is great, btw.

 

Best of luck!

[natebassett]

First acceptance! UIC sent me a very nice letter from the department, with a very nice offer including an assistantship. I'm super excited, it's still sinking in. Very glad I visited Chicago last week but wish I had taken the chance to visit the campus. 

[asdfferent]

First acceptance! UIC sent me a very nice letter from the department, with a very nice offer including an assistantship. I'm super excited, it's still sinking in. Very glad I visited Chicago last week but wish I had taken the chance to visit the campus.

Congrats!