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

[Rwin]

Has anyone heard from Pitt yet? Still no change in my application status.

Pitt sent out emails about a month back to the selected students. Even some wait-listed students have been notified but for some reason they have not started sending out rejections yet. I wonder if that means that applications for wait-list are still being considered or if it's just sloppy management! 

[Meanyus]

Writing Trouble - I was originally accepted without funding and they had invited me for the recruitment weekend but they only pay for people with funding. I now have a funding offer but I am planning on accepting it which is why I can't help you on your previous question.

 

I got the impression that they only accepted a handful of people this year but i should have better insight after next week. The visit is this coming Thursday and Friday.

[KentuckyCurls]

Pitt sent out emails about a month back to the selected students. Even some wait-listed students have been notified but for some reason they have not started sending out rejections yet. I wonder if that means that applications for wait-list are still being considered or if it's just sloppy management! 

Given how incredibly slow they are to respond to emails or messages sent through the Application Tracking System, I'm learning very heavily toward sloppy management. Especially factoring in that applications are still marked as "incomplete" despite all items being present.

[WritingTrouble]

Writing Trouble - I was originally accepted without funding and they had invited me for the recruitment weekend but they only pay for people with funding. I now have a funding offer but I am planning on accepting it which is why I can't help you on your previous question.

 

I got the impression that they only accepted a handful of people this year but i should have better insight after next week. The visit is this coming Thursday and Friday.

Thank you Meanyus- please let me know if you find out more information. I tried to get the grad director to tell me where I am on the funding waitlist but all he told me was that he would find out more from the first round funded students this week.

[Rwin]

Given how incredibly slow they are to respond to emails or messages sent through the Application Tracking System, I'm learning very heavily toward sloppy management. Especially factoring in that applications are still marked as "incomplete" despite all items being present.

That's true! My application status says complete and submitted and then says missing documents against some items! Absolute lack of management! We can only wait and hope that they wake up and deliver the results soon. If we are to adhere to deadlines, fee and countless pages of repetitive information at the time of submission then we surely deserve an acknowledgement and result details four months into submission! 

[ttcactus]

Congrats on your acceptance!

thanks

i've not heard from Pitt at all - they're the only one I've not heard from. I'm assuming it's a no, but as I got into my first 2 choices it's kind of a moot point at this stage.

[Kaitlyn721]

My SO just received a call last night with an offer of acceptance to Pitt! He had been previously notified that he was waitlisted. 

[ravensfan]

That's great news Kaitlyn! I am curious: Has your boyfriend decided to accept, and will you be in Atlanta this fall? Congrats!!

[Austin F]

Congrats to everyone who's been accepted so far. I officially just accepted an offer from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. One stressful mad dash down!

[Kaitlyn721]

That's great news Kaitlyn! I am curious: Has your boyfriend decided to accept, and will you be in Atlanta this fall? Congrats!!

I have opted to turn down GSU and he will be accepting at Pitt. I'm excited that Pitt is closer to my family which is what I really want and I'm looking forward to working for a while. I'm still in the group of people who haven't been accepted or rejected from Pitt, so who knows, maybe I'll still end up there at some point! Congrats to everyone's acceptances, and those who didn't get where you wanted, I hope this next year works out!

Edited April 5, 2014 by Kaitlyn721

[wb.o]

How did you all decline an offer after visiting? A recent visit (and not a very good one) to one school in particular only confirmed my inclination to accept an offer elsewhere. I've sent letters declining other offers, but since this visit was my last (and least enjoyable) and the one closest to the deadline, I seem to be particularly worried about etiquette. Have any of you had not-so-great visit experiences/interactions with faculty? And/or, how did folks decline after the depts have paid for flights/dinners/hotels (individual--not part of recruitment wkends)?

 

I realize there are threads on declining offers (and I've read them), but I suppose I was hoping to hear more from my future colleagues.

 

Thanks, all.  

[Austin F]

How did you all decline an offer after visiting? A recent visit (and not a very good one) to one school in particular only confirmed my inclination to accept an offer elsewhere. I've sent letters declining other offers, but since this visit was my last (and least enjoyable) and the one closest to the deadline, I seem to be particularly worried about etiquette. Have any of you had not-so-great visit experiences/interactions with faculty? And/or, how did folks decline after the depts have paid for flights/dinners/hotels (individual--not part of recruitment wkends)?

 

I realize there are threads on declining offers (and I've read them), but I suppose I was hoping to hear more from my future colleagues.

 

Thanks, all.

I was actually in this very position before I made my final decision. My last campus visit (also individual) was a mixed bag: great student body, lots of funding mixed with a not-so-great location and a SOP who spent a whole lunch telling me why my masters thesis should be swept under a rug. Ultimately, I decided the program wasn't the best fit compared to other options.

I don't think the campus visit altered my approach in writing my declining email. I'd say approach it like you normally would: be kind and gracious; provide whatever reasons for declining you want to share; etc. I wouldn't worry anymore than usual about etiquette since you're probably not the first to decline after an all expense paid visit. That's partly why departments fly people out: they don't want students who don't want to be in the program. A campus visit is like a first date for both graduates and departments.

[wb.o]

Thank you! It is so much like a first date. You are so right.

 

I realize it's a very small world and I'll run into these folks again, so I guess I'm worried they'll think I took advantage of the free trip (of course, that's not the case). Thanks, so much, for the words of wisdom. 

[Kaitlyn721]

I've seen a couple pitt acceptances lately, I was just wondering if those of you who received them plan on accepting or not

[mediatedself]

Kaitlyn, I received an offer letter late last night and will be accepting. I know that they are still waiting for decisions from several people, so there is a good chance more people will make it off the waitlist.

[CommPhD20]

Welp, I just decided to accept my offer to Ohio State. Enjoyed my visit and it's easily the best offer on paper. Wasn't a perfect fit for methodologically, but I'm just going to become one kickass empiricist.

[Kaitlyn721]

Kaitlyn, I received an offer letter late last night and will be accepting. I know that they are still waiting for decisions from several people, so there is a good chance more people will make it off the waitlist.

Congrats! I received an email from them recently but am still waiting for a space to open up, so I'm really hoping to hear that I'll be joining you in the next few days!

[VioletAyame]

Welp, I just decided to accept my offer to Ohio State. Enjoyed my visit and it's easily the best offer on paper. Wasn't a perfect fit for methodologically, but I'm just going to become one kickass empiricist.

Hey I accepted Ohio too. Did we meet on the visit? Also if anyone is still following this thread, I think it'd be nice to come back and drop in a line about where you're going, to make it a full circle

Edited April 11, 2014 by VioletAyame

[beyondaboundary]

Also if everyone is still following this thread, I think it'd be nice to come back and drop in a line about where you're going, to make it a full circle

Violet

I agree. Its been a long ride and i for one have got tremendous advice and support here. I'm going to Michigan. Congrats to everyone who's made their decision and best wishes to anyone waiting...

[Meanyus]

Coworker of mine just turned down her Pitt offer for Georgia, so that might help you Kaitlyn. I haven't been updating my signature but I've now been offered funding at Utah, Kansas, and NC State. I've decided to go with NC State because they just have too many cool toys to pass up.

 

If anyone else is headed there, shoot me a message. We may have met on the visit, but if not, I could start introducing you to some of the people.

[Rhetgirl]

Also if anyone is still following this thread, I think it'd be nice to come back and drop in a line about where you're going, to make it a full circle

 

Good idea Violet! Thanks y'all for your support, your advice and your presence! (it's good not to feel alone in this process, particularly when you're not in the US!)

I'll be finally going to UT Austin! (same reason as Meanyus: too many cool things there to pass up! )

[Kaitlyn721]

Thanks for letting me know Meanyus, I've been like a crazy person checking my email the last few days, it's making concentrating on my thesis impossible! Fingers crossed for this recent opening! You're going to be so close to the Outer Banks at NC State (I've lived in OBX the past few summers, although I'm actually closer to Fort Collins now, I'm in Wyoming), You have to find a beach weekend there at some point! And Rhetgirl, you'll love Austin, it's a very cool city

[WritingTrouble]

NCSU told me I am the first on the wait list for funding! Keeping my fingers crossed that something happens!!!

[Milesh]

So...I'm just curious. I haven't heard from two schools regarding anything. I have no idea if I am wait listed or flat out rejected. Any advice on what I should do at this point? 

[Duna]

So...I'm just curious. I haven't heard from two schools regarding anything. I have no idea if I am wait listed or flat out rejected. Any advice on what I should do at this point? 

Uhm. Call them ASAP. If you would like to go there. You've never heard anything from them at all? And you did not think about emailing them or calling them some time earlier? I mean, earlier than a day before the deadline?