2014 Applicants

[alethicethic]

Duke #2 is now up.  Unless there's a conspiracy, Duke has sent out / is sending out its first round of acceptances.

 

Wow, that's great! I saw that it says the notification was unofficial. Does that count? I'm just curious because I also received unofficial word from a school, but I haven't posted anything because it's unofficial and I thought I ought to wait. But I'm dying to tell everyone, because I'm thrilled. 

[Cottagecheeseman]

Wow, that's great! I saw that it says the notification was unofficial. Does that count? I'm just curious because I also received unofficial word from a school, but I haven't posted anything because it's unofficial and I thought I ought to wait. But I'm dying to tell everyone, because I'm thrilled. 

 

Unnoficcial typically means someone from the university told you they were going to accept you, an official acceptance is when you actually get an official email from the university saying "you've been accepted, click here to say YES!" or receive mail or so forth.

 

So please, tell us about it!!!!

[mrs_doubtfire]

Another reason acceptances may be slow in appearing on the results list is that admits don't always immediately think of posting it on grad cafe...sometimes they have access to email but not a browser and other times they might be off celebrating somewhere. 

[alethicethic]

Yes, someone told me that it was unofficial, but to expect an offer of admission + fellowship. But I feel like I shouldn't say where until it's "official"? Or am I being silly?

[TheVineyard]

Yes, someone told me that it was unofficial, but to expect an offer of admission + fellowship. But I feel like I shouldn't say where until it's "official"? Or am I being silly?

 

What you are saying is probably the same situation as the Duke posters, and was the case with other schools earlier. We would typically post that as "Email from POI, unofficial acceptance" or something like that. The letters typically come later. My GF is 3 for 3 so far in Political Science, and 2 of them unofficial-ed before the official and both times everyone posted on Grad Cafe.

 

So tell us the good news!

Edited January 28, 2014 by TheVineyard

[Cottagecheeseman]

Yes, someone told me that it was unofficial, but to expect an offer of admission + fellowship. But I feel like I shouldn't say where until it's "official"? Or am I being silly?

Whatever you feel comfortable with. Unless they told you not to tell anyone, it's perfectly alright to say, and many of the 'acceptances' on the results are unofficial results similar to yours.

[philosophe]

Yes, someone told me that it was unofficial, but to expect an offer of admission + fellowship. But I feel like I shouldn't say where until it's "official"? Or am I being silly?

 

They wouldn't have told you about it if there was any question left in their minds. Unofficial is as good as official. I say congrats and share the good news! Now you have us curious! 

[ianfaircloud]

Do schools usually send acceptances in waves (rounds as you have mentioned)?

 

Yes, schools send out admissions decisions over the course of weeks.  There will be offers of acceptance issued weeks from now (except in extraordinary circumstances).  A school like Duke is competing for students who also applied to Harvard and other top institutions.

[Hopephily]

Congrats! 

[alethicethic]

Thank you! Hmm, I suppose there's no harm, since others have also posted acceptances: Duke!!! I am thrilled.

 

I feel as though something could go wrong, though...like, oops, just kidding, it was unofficial, we've decided not to admit you after all. I guess that explains my hesitation to tell anyone?

[Edit_Undo]

Yes, schools send out admissions decisions over the course of weeks.  There will be offers of acceptance issued weeks from now (except in extraordinary circumstances).  A school like Duke is competing for students who also applied to Harvard and other top institutions.

Thank you, ianfaircloud!

[MattDest]

Thank you! Hmm, I suppose there's no harm, since others have also posted acceptances: Duke!!! I am thrilled.

 

I feel as though something could go wrong, though...like, oops, just kidding, it was unofficial, we've decided not to admit you after all. I guess that explains my hesitation to tell anyone?

 

Congratulations! Duke looks like an amazing place to be. I'm still holding out a tiny bit of hope. 

[philstudent1991]

Congratulations! Duke looks like an amazing place to be. I'm still holding out a tiny bit of hope. 

I think there's no reason to give up hope at all. Firstly, they will likely make more than 4 first round offers. Secondly, since Duke competes with top schools, many if not most of their admits will receive other offers as well, and a good portion will matriculate elsewhere. So there will be a waitlist and more rounds after that.

Edited January 28, 2014 by philstudent1991

[Platonist]

Congratulations to the guys who have received the offer from Duke! So far there have been 4 offers posted. Duke may have 4 or 5 spots to fill in. So how many offers will Duke make? probably 6 offers plus 2 or 3 waitlists? (I have applied to Duke but now give up hope completely.)

Edited January 28, 2014 by Platonist

[philstudent1991]

Congratulations to the guys who have received the offer from Duke! So far there have been 4 offers posted. Duke may have 4 or 5 spots to fill in. So how many offers will Duke make? probably 6 offers plus 2 or 3 waitlists? (I have applied to Duke but now give up hope completely.)

If prior results postings are any guide, rejections come more than 2 weeks after initial acceptances :-/

[Cottagecheeseman]

Yeah why can't they just reject people they know they won't accept like early? I JUST WANT TO HEAR BACK ALREADY!!!! 

[TheVineyard]

Congratulations to the guys who have received the offer from Duke! So far there have been 4 offers posted. Duke may have 4 or 5 spots to fill in. So how many offers will Duke make? probably 6 offers plus 2 or 3 waitlists? (I have applied to Duke but now give up hope completely.)

Their waitlist is probably longer than that. No school consistently yields 50%of applicants every single year. However, it is probably about right that only 2-3 will be accepted off of the waitlist.

[Hopephily]

Congratulations to the guys who have received the offer from Duke! So far there have been 4 offers posted. Duke may have 4 or 5 spots to fill in. So how many offers will Duke make? probably 6 offers plus 2 or 3 waitlists? (I have applied to Duke but now give up hope completely.)

 

From what I have read, if a program wants a class of 4 or 5, then they will send out 10-12 (sometimes up to 15) acceptances because, as someone else has already stated, they will be competing with other programs for these applicants.

[SelfHatingPhilosopher]

From what I have read, if a program wants a class of 4 or 5, then they will send out 10-12 (sometimes up to 15) acceptances because, as someone else has already stated, they will be competing with other programs for these applicants.

It depends on the program. Some go the way of admitting more than they want to accept, knowing a certain percentage statistically declines. This sometimes comes to bite them in the butt, where more students accept them then they planned, and they'll mention that they'll be accepting fewer applicants the next year in order to financially offset the increased burden they took on this year.

Other programs will run a long waitlist, and only admit as many students as they have slots for, and will run down the waitlist as students decline them until they've reached their desired class size.

[Hopephily]

It depends on the program. Some go the way of admitting more than they want to accept, knowing a certain percentage statistically declines. This sometimes comes to bite them in the butt, where more students accept them then they planned, and they'll mention that they'll be accepting fewer applicants the next year in order to financially offset the increased burden they took on this year.

Other programs will run a long waitlist, and only admit as many students as they have slots for, and will run down the waitlist as students decline them until they've reached their desired class size.

 

While this certainly makes sense, I've never read about programs doing this. On the other hand, many programs are explicit on their sites about accepting more than they have room for. Do you have any sources? 

Edited January 28, 2014 by Hopephily

[TheVineyard]

While this certainly makes sense, I've never read about programs doing this. On the other hand, many programs are explicit on their sites about accepting more than they have room for. Do you have any sources?

Schwitzgebel talks about this in his blog, the splintered mind. I'm on a phone right now so I can't link it to you, but you should be able to google it. Short story is yes, it does happen. Schools all have unique budgetary situations and rules about accepting, and sometimes this means accepting more than you can actually take while expecting a 40-50% yield (UCRiverside), doing limited acceptance then pulling from waitlist (Duke), or not accepting initially and instead have the # you would accept visit, get a look at everyone, have them look at you, and hope the situation works itself out (Cincinnati). Edited January 28, 2014 by TheVineyard

[SelfHatingPhilosopher]

Schwitzgebel talks about this in his blog, the splintered mind. I'm on a phone right now so I can't link it to you, but you should be able to google it. Short story is yes, it does happen. Schools all have unique budgetary situations and rules about accepting, and sometimes this means accepting more than you can actually take while expecting a 40-50% yield (UCRiverside), doing limited acceptance then pulling from waitlist (Duke), or not accepting initially and instead have the # you would accept visit, get a look at everyone, have them look at you, and hope the situation works itself out (Cincinnati).

That's probably where I saw it mentioned too. As another data point, one of the MA programs I contacted last year I was waitlisted at mentioned how they ran admissoins, which was along (I suppose) the lines of #2. Their budget is highly regulated, and so can only admit at a time as many people as they're financially able to. There's no room for admitting more one year and less the other year. I suspect that many other programs will face similar constraints with their budgets given bureaucratic tendancies.

[bar_scene_gambler]

Had a weird moment in the department today. Someone came in saying that he "had a high IQ and that he was looking for a community of people with high IQ's to socialize with" and that "he realized he hadn't been admitted to college because he was far too smart of the administration". He was dressed like a homeless person and was wearing a bag around his neck (no idea what was in it and I doubt I want to know). Best part? We're in the middle of doing a job search for the department, and one of the job candidates was in the department eating lunch with everyone at the exact moment that this guy comes bursting through the door rambling on about how he's so intelligent and he needs a community of geniuses who can live up to his standards. I didn't really have anyone to tell, so I thought I'd share with you guys. 

Edited January 28, 2014 by bar_scene_gambler

[catwoman15]

Had a weird moment in the department today. Someone came in saying that he "had a high IQ and that he was looking for a community of people with high IQ's to socialize with" and that "he realized he hadn't been admitted to college because he was far too smart of the administration". The was dressed like a homeless person and was wearing a bag around his neck (no idea what was in it and I doubt I want to know). Best part? We're in the middle of doing a job search for the department, and one of the job candidates was in the department eating lunch with everyone at the exact moment that this guy comes bursting through the door rambling on about how he's so intelligent and he needs a community of geniuses who can live up to his standards. I didn't really have anyone to tell, so I thought I'd share with you guys. 

 

**BIG TWIST** it was dfindley

[bar_scene_gambler]

**BIG TWIST** it was dfindley

Nah. I've seen dfindley's okcupid profile (now unfortunately deleted). Definitely wasn't him. His pecs weren't muscular enough.

Edited January 28, 2014 by bar_scene_gambler