Materials Science & Engineering - Fall 2014

[aniruddha]

Hey guys, my GRE score is V 151 Q 163 n AWA 3.0 . I want to do PhD in lithium ion batteries storage devices. I have applied at University of Washington, University of Texas at Austin, Brown, Cornell, Rice n University of Illinois Urbana.

My under grad Cgp is 3.27 n grad Cgp is 3.85.

What do you think are chances to get admit from any of these universities

TOEFL score 108

[MajorLaser18]

It was mentioned that Cornell had sent out acceptance emails. If you haven't received anything and the application page doesn't report any updated status. Is it safe to assume that I was rejected?

[starofdawn]

It was mentioned that Cornell had sent out acceptance emails. If you haven't received anything and the application page doesn't report any updated status. Is it safe to assume that I was rejected?

 

If you ask me... I'm not rejected until they say I'm rejected! They might send out acceptances for their "A-list" applicants, but if their A-listers decide to go to other schools, they might send acceptances to B-listers(as long as the scores/materials are good enough).

[zorkiv]

If you ask me... I'm not rejected until they say I'm rejected! They might send out acceptances for their "A-list" applicants, but if their A-listers decide to go to other schools, they might send acceptances to B-listers(as long as the scores/materials are good enough).

 

\o   high five for B-list solidarity!

 

Yeah - looks like Cornell, Stanford, and MIT all  sent their first wave early this week.

 

Eruthos: Yes, those schools sent emails. As to rejections, it seems like they're holding those back for a while, for the reasons starofdawn talked about. I'd guess that once visit weekends start happening and people accept offers (and decline others) there will probably be some reshuffling/new offers and then the rejection emails.

[phdcandidate022014]

It has been an up-and-down week, especially after the MIT false acceptance e-mail went out last week. I'm very surprised that I did not get the acceptance in this 'first wave' that came through.  Given that most recent e-mail said that all decisions would be made by the end of the first week of February, I am hoping that the notification lag is more due to a POI-specific issue and not a rejection.  I know they make decisions based on committee and not necessarily faculty you identify, so it was a little dismaying to see some people report acceptances around the 29th/30th.  Luckily, an examination of data from previous years shows that it is typical for acceptances to be spread out over several days (or weeks) and not all at once.  Still hope!

 

Anyone have any idea of the typical number of applications the department receives for each cycle?

[Psychonaught]

Hey all,

 

     I do research with the Director of Graduate Studies at Cornell University (MSE).  Although I did not apply there myself, I asked him about the decision last week.  He said that they already admitted the 25 students they were planning on admitting (for PhD).  I assume that they will send out more acceptances only if they don't fill all positions with those 25.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad new, but I figure it's better to know.

     Still waiting on my 8 schools!

[orthostice]

Does anyone know if MIT has sent out all their acceptances as well? 

[phdcandidate022014]

Does anyone know if MIT has sent out all their acceptances as well? 

 

I have no insider information, but per the letter from the department head, all decisions will be sent out by the end of the first week of February.  Examining data from years past on GC suggests not all decisions are done at once, but rather spread out a bit.

[orthostice]

I have no insider information, but per the letter from the department head, all decisions will be sent out by the end of the first week of February.  Examining data from years past on GC suggests not all decisions are done at once, but rather spread out a bit.

Do you think calling the admissions office might help (to see if all acceptances have already been sent out)? They did say to call about any inquiries. Either way, it seems like we are supposed to hear a response by the end of this week then (assuming they will stick to what they said in the email).

Edited February 3, 2014 by orthostice

[phdcandidate022014]

Do you think calling the admissions office might help (to see if all acceptances have already been sent out)? They did say to call about any inquiries. Either way, it seems like we are supposed to hear a response by the end of this week then (assuming they will stick to what they said in the email).

 

At the risk of sounding very arrogant, I applied with very high confidence that I would receive an acceptance.  I still feel that way and, in light of that and the fact that the committee said everyone would be notified by the end of the first week in February, I am assuming that all acceptances have not yet been sent out.  If all acceptances have already been furnished, there would be no need to delay the rejections.

Edited February 4, 2014 by phdcandidate022014

[starofdawn]

Did anyone here make the post on the Results Page about their acceptance to UC Davis's MS program? Davis is one of my top choices. There haven't been any other posts about UC Davis's MS program on the Results page, and I haven't heard anything.

[phdcandidate022014]

Well, according to a poster that contacted a different MIT Department (EECS), the snow in the northeast has precluded some people from getting to work, so some departments may be working with skeleton crews.  Wondering how this will impact the decision timeline specified in the DMSE chair's letter.  Anyone on here willing to give them a call to find out what's going on and whether we should still expect to hear a result before the end of the week?

[kadder]

I see a few rejects came out from Cornell. I haven't received any status update yet. Overall anyone knows what this means? Do they send out rejection slowly too? Or is it for good that I haven't been rejected yet?

[phdcandidate022014]

So...is today the day for MIT?  Or will it be tomorrow?

 

I know there were a few people that reported acceptance last week.  Whether or not that was everyone or just a "first wave" is unknown.  History suggests the latter.

 

A close interpretation of the sentence "The decision on your application is presently being reviewed and we expect [emphasis added] you will learn of the Department’s decision no later than the first week in February" leaves the door cracked that we (I) may not hear a decision by the end of the first week of February.  If the decision will come at the time the chair said it would come, there is still room for interpretation, namely three different interpretations:  

 

1. We will hear the decision before 11:59 p.m. tonight, the 7th day of February.

2. We will hear back before 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night, if we assume they consider Saturday to be the last day of each week.  That would be us inserting a parenthetical of "full" between "first" and "week" in the message above.

3. I'm having too much fun parsing the language of that e-mail from the department chair.    

[orthostice]

So...is today the day for MIT?  Or will it be tomorrow?

 

I know there were a few people that reported acceptance last week.  Whether or not that was everyone or just a "first wave" is unknown.  History suggests the latter.

 

A close interpretation of the sentence "The decision on your application is presently being reviewed and we expect [emphasis added] you will learn of the Department’s decision no later than the first week in February" leaves the door cracked that we (I) may not hear a decision by the end of the first week of February.  If the decision will come at the time the chair said it would come, there is still room for interpretation, namely three different interpretations:  

 

1. We will hear the decision before 11:59 p.m. tonight, the 7th day of February.

2. We will hear back before 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night, if we assume they consider Saturday to be the last day of each week.  That would be us inserting a parenthetical of "full" between "first" and "week" in the message above.

3. I'm having too much fun parsing the language of that e-mail from the department chair.    

 

If you really want to know that badly, why don't you just give them a call? That will probably answer all your questions.

[theonlyalchemist]

So...is today the day for MIT?  Or will it be tomorrow?

 

I know there were a few people that reported acceptance last week.  Whether or not that was everyone or just a "first wave" is unknown.  History suggests the latter.

 

A close interpretation of the sentence "The decision on your application is presently being reviewed and we expect [emphasis added] you will learn of the Department’s decision no later than the first week in February" leaves the door cracked that we (I) may not hear a decision by the end of the first week of February.  If the decision will come at the time the chair said it would come, there is still room for interpretation, namely three different interpretations:  

 

1. We will hear the decision before 11:59 p.m. tonight, the 7th day of February.

2. We will hear back before 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night, if we assume they consider Saturday to be the last day of each week.  That would be us inserting a parenthetical of "full" between "first" and "week" in the message above.

3. I'm having too much fun parsing the language of that e-mail from the department chair.    

hahaha you are too funny! I am very nervous as well and I did some similar analysis but I think today should be "the end of the first week of Feb"...I try to lighten myself up and focus on other things

[phdcandidate022014]

If you really want to know that badly, why don't you just give them a call? That will probably answer all your questions.

Calling them would spoil the fun!  That's like finding a wrapped Christmas present on December 20th and slightly tearing the paper (or holding the present up to the light if it is white-colored wrapping) to get a glimpse of what's inside.  I'm enjoying the waiting.  I didn't apply to multiple schools for undergrad or my MS, so this is new territory for me.  Plus, I blanche at the idea of being one of the couple hundred that call an admissions office.  I know the result will arrive when it arrives and no sooner. 

[tfcsda]

Has anyone heard from Harvard SEAS? 

[orthostice]

Calling them would spoil the fun!  That's like finding a wrapped Christmas present on December 20th and slightly tearing the paper (or holding the present up to the light if it is white-colored wrapping) to get a glimpse of what's inside.  I'm enjoying the waiting.  I didn't apply to multiple schools for undergrad or my MS, so this is new territory for me.  Plus, I blanche at the idea of being one of the couple hundred that call an admissions office.  I know the result will arrive when it arrives and no sooner. 

 

Haha fair enough. They may be waiting for a response from those who they have already emailed, in which case it might be a while before hearing back. 

 

Has anyone heard from Harvard SEAS? 

 

Not yet, though I see that some people have posted acceptances on there. 

 

Good luck everyone! I would consider calling some of these places, but after receiving the Stanford acceptance I no longer mind waiting anymore.

Edited February 7, 2014 by orthostice

[phdcandidate022014]

Bye bye MIT Materials.  Rejection via e-mail just now.

[sivavarun2012]

Hi,

 

Did anyone apply to RPI?

 

-Sarbada

[blp3]

Hey everyone, 

 

I've applied to NC State, UW Madison and Knoxville. My undergrad GPA was a little low and I was super poor during application time so I kept the list short and to places I had a good chance of getting into. 

 

My research interests are in optical devices, specifically photonics for chemical sensing. 

 

I've heard back from State and got denied from UW's Material Engineering program. I was leaning towards the Materials Science program so that didn't break my heart too much. Has anyone who applied heard back from UW-Madison? I'm also surprised that Knoxville hasn't sent anything yet.. 

[heisenb3rg]

Anyone applying to MS programs?

[mizz90]

Did any international applicants receive acceptance from UC Berkeley, UCSB or Caltech? Not heard anything from these schools

[kadder]

Did any international applicants receive acceptance from UC Berkeley, UCSB or Caltech? Not heard anything from these schools

 

I'm waiting too. I have seen a few admits coming out from UCB and Caltech. One international applicant seems to have got an admit from Caltech (according to the results page in gradcafe) and that too on 26 Dec. The deadline was 1st Jan as far as I remember. Wonder how the decision was made before application deadline.