Do admissions committees check out Grad Cafe?

[DHumeDominates]

I imagine none us knows. What's your best guess, however? I ask only because many of us are concerned to remain anonymous. If we start posting admissions decisions, then the admissions committees from those schools might find out who some of us are.

 

I guess I don't really care that much. (And this matters only if we're accepted or wait listed, of course.) I don't think I've said anything terribly outlandish or embarrassing.

Edited January 18, 2014 by DHumeDominates

[MattDest]

With some minor sleuthing it's pretty obvious who I am, but I wouldn't mind if adcoms read what I wrote here. I can't imagine that showing a healthy amount of anxiety towards this process could count against you. 

[philosophe]

I worked in graduate admissions (not for any schools with phil programs) but I personally checked it because it was fun to see what people were saying. That being said, I'm a hip 20-something and I imagine anyone over the age of 25 has better things to do. 

 

Even if they did check it, it would be way weird and rather difficult for them to try and "track down" who was who, even if they did have the time and desire to do so. 

 

Most of my phil profs were still trying to figure out how to save documents to their desktops. I wouldn't be concerned. 

[Hopephily]

I imagine none us knows. What's your best guess, however? I ask only because many of us are concerned to remain anonymous. If we start posting admissions decisions, then the admissions committees from those schools might find out who some of us are.

 

I guess I don't really care that much. (And this matters only if we're accepted or wait listed, of course.) I don't think I've said anything terribly outlandish or embarrassing.

 

It's difficult for me to imagine that very many persons on ad coms would have the time and energy to visit this place and even more difficult to imagine that very many would have the time and energy to try and figure out what particular hopefuls are posting here.  But given the relatively low cost of remaining anonymous here and the potential high cost of the unlikely events that I have just described obtaining, I like to keep under the radar. However, that is no indication that I believe ad coms are likely to be reading this stuff.  

[MattDest]

It's difficult for me to imagine that very many persons on ad coms would have the time and energy to visit this place and even more difficult to imagine that very many would have the time and energy to try and figure out what particular hopefuls are posting here.  But given the relatively low cost of remaining anonymous here and the potential high cost of the unlikely events that I have just described obtaining, I like to keep under the radar. However, that is no indication that I believe ad coms are likely to be reading this stuff.  

 

Out of curiosity, what types of comments do you make here that you would be nervous about an adcom reading? If you were dfindley, I could understand why you might want to remain anonymous (insulting the chair of a philosophy department is poor strategy for getting in), but almost all of the other comments on here are quite innocuous. 

[Hopephily]

Out of curiosity, what types of comments do you make here that you would be nervous about an adcom reading? If you were dfindley, I could understand why you might want to remain anonymous (insulting the chair of a philosophy department is poor strategy for getting in), but almost all of the other comments on here are quite innocuous. 

 

Good point. I have no good answer to this. 

[mrs_doubtfire]

I do think ad coms visit sites like these. They probably aren't perusing these sites right now because they're busy reading all of your applications. But once acceptances have been offered, ad comes are curious to know who is likely to attend so that they can make some decisions about waitlists and so forth. Even if ad coms aren't looking through these sites themselves, grad students from the same program could be looking on their behalf. 

 

I don't think being "discovered" by an ad com is bad for the reason that Matt pointed out--learning that you really like cats or dislike coffee isn't going to move any one on the committee. 

[DHumeDominates]

I do think ad coms visit sites like these. They probably aren't perusing these sites right now because they're busy reading all of your applications. But once acceptances have been offered, ad comes are curious to know who is likely to attend so that they can make some decisions about waitlists and so forth. Even if ad coms aren't looking through these sites themselves, grad students from the same program could be looking on their behalf.

 

I don't think being "discovered" by an ad com is bad for the reason that Matt pointed out--learning that you really like cats or dislike coffee isn't going to move any one on the committee. 

Asking grad students to poke around for them. Very clever.

Edited January 19, 2014 by DHumeDominates

[maxhgns]

As a matter of fact, they do (we know, because they occasionally post--e.g. Tim O'Keefe posted on WGI last year or the year before). But they also have better things to do.

[MattDest]

As a matter of fact, they do (we know, because they occasionally post--e.g. Tim O'Keefe posted on WGI last year or the year before). But they also have better things to do.

 

I don't know that a single posting announcing that GSU was still accepting applications on WGI is any indication at all that he reads grad cafe, let alone that any other adcoms browse them.

[maxhgns]

I don't know that a single posting announcing that GSU was still accepting applications on WGI is any indication at all that he reads grad cafe, let alone that any other adcoms browse them.

 

 

As I understood it, the original question was whether they check out sites like this one, not whether they lurk or spend significant amounts of time here. 

 

[SelfHatingPhilosopher]

I think Matt means, Tim O'Keefe posting a message without looking at any particular posts probably doesn't constitute "checking the site out".

[maxhgns]

I think Matt means, Tim O'Keefe posting a message without looking at any particular posts probably doesn't constitute "checking the site out".

 

 

There's no basis for saying he didn't have a gander at the posts. We know he posted, which makes it more likely that he had a look. These sites have also been plugged on Leiter's blog, which again increases the chance that some faculty members thought to have a peek.

 

Look, I'm not saying that anybody follows things closely. Faculty have better things to do. But it seems perfectly plausible, even likely, that some occasionally drop by out of curiosity. That doesn't mean anyone should be paranoid about being tracked down--again, people have much better things to do. It does suggest, however, that it might not be in one's interests to be a giant asshole. But then, that's advice that applies to all internet presence/behaviour, not just here.

[Eigen]

Granted, not in philosophy, but I do know faculty who read and post on these forums. 

 

I think in general, the advice to not be a giant asshole is good. 

 

I assume that it's not that difficult to find out who I am, and go from there. I've had several PM's sent to me from undergraduates at my school asking to meet up and look over application materials, and from prospective grad students looking to apply to my school. I don't have who I am anywhere on my profile, but it's really not that hard to find out. 

[MattDest]

I think Matt means, Tim O'Keefe posting a message without looking at any particular posts probably doesn't constitute "checking the site out".

 

Exactly, especially because the OP was worried about being identified after beginning to post admission decisions (also, WGI =/= grad cafe's forums). I agree though - don't be a giant asshole. I can't imagine many would object to that advice.