Kermit Posted January 29, 2014 Posted January 29, 2014 Anyone else out there applying to UMD- College Park? I noticed on the responses page one person heard back from them already and was accepted. Has the first round already gone out? Anyone else hear of anything specific?
scuttlebutt Posted January 29, 2014 Posted January 29, 2014 I applied and haven't heard anything yet. Judging by the results page on this site, UMD doesn't notify till mid Februrary. At least that's been their protocol for the past couple of years.
ProfLorax Posted January 29, 2014 Posted January 29, 2014 Crossing my fingers for y'all! I'm at UMD-CP right now, and I love it here. Last year, responses came about mid-February. The current grad students don't really know what happens with admissions, so I have no insider information. Just wanted to say, I hope to get to meet some of you!
Kermit Posted January 29, 2014 Author Posted January 29, 2014 scuttlebutt - it looks like we applied to a bunch of the same programs: UMD-CP, Stanford (MTL), UCSD.... Good luck! I thought it was weird that someone posted that they were contacted on Jan 10. Oh well. Here is hoping!
Kermit Posted January 29, 2014 Author Posted January 29, 2014 proflorax- I hope so too! I visited the campus last spring for a conference and it was so pretty! I'd never been to that part of the States, it was so neat.
ProfLorax Posted January 30, 2014 Posted January 30, 2014 I popped into the DGS's office today, and it looks like some offers have been made. He said some-- not all-- so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for y'all! iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns 1
rhetoricus aesalon Posted January 30, 2014 Posted January 30, 2014 So, this question is for everyone, but I guess mainly proflorax -- did you receive your confirmation by mail? From UMD's website, it looks like this is the only method of communication. Is that right?
ProfLorax Posted January 30, 2014 Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) I received a phone call and an email before a letter in the mail. But we have a new DGS this year, so the protocol could be totally different! ETA: I think the note about only communicating decisions via mail is to dissuade folks from emailing or calling the department to request their admission status. Edited January 30, 2014 by proflorax rhetoricus aesalon 1
scuttlebutt Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 Hi folks, Heard from Maryland via email and spoke with them via phone. I was told that admissions will be finalized in early March. It seems that they're contacting top candidates, seeing where those folks stand (if they're set on UMD or are already accepting elsewhere), and then adapting the list from there. MedievalMadness and ProfLorax 2
MedievalMadness Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 Anyone else hear from Maryland today? I'm curious about how many spots they have available in the program this year.
ProfLorax Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 Hi folks, Heard from Maryland via email and spoke with them via phone. I was told that admissions will be finalized in early March. It seems that they're contacting top candidates, seeing where those folks stand (if they're set on UMD or are already accepting elsewhere), and then adapting the list from there. Congrats, scuttlebutt! PM me any questions you have about Maryland. I'm in my second semester of the PhD program here, and I'm happy to talk about my experiences here! Will you be at the visit day? Anyone else hear from Maryland today? I'm curious about how many spots they have available in the program this year. I have no insider info about how many spots, but our incoming classes tend to be small. Last year, nine were accepted into the PhD program; eight of us accepted Maryland's offer, and no one was pulled off the wait list. However, we have a different DGS us this year, so the process may be a bit different (though I doubt the numbers will drastically change).
scuttlebutt Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Thanks, proflorax! I will likely be at visiting day, and I'll probably be contacting you with some questions soon. The DGS told me he was contacting 20 candidates, I believe.
firecrasher Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Are any other applicants having issues with the application supplemental form stating that items have not been received? I've sent my UG transcripts to the Graduate School TWICE (early November [submitted mid-December] & again in early January when I noticed that Apra stated they were missing. I received personal copies from my UG schools w/o a hitch) and the Apra still states that they have not been received. Contacted the department (American Studies) by email a week ago and no response. I'm a post-bacc student at MD now and will most likely stop by the dept office tomorrow or email one of the professors I have communicated with regarding my application. The only possible hold-up that I can think of is that my UG GPA is below the GS's admission standards, but the GS told me in December that the department can override it and it's not a bar to acceptance. Edited February 9, 2014 by firecrasher
MedievalMadness Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Are any other applicants having issues with the application supplemental form stating that items have not been received? I've sent my UG transcripts to the Graduate School TWICE (early November [submitted mid-December] & again in early January when I noticed that Apra stated they were missing. I received personal copies from my UG schools w/o a hitch) and the Apra still states that they have not been received. Contacted the department (American Studies) by email a week ago and no response. I'm a post-bacc student at MD now and will most likely stop by the dept office tomorrow or email one of the professors I have communicated with regarding my application. The only possible hold-up that I can think of is that my UG GPA is below the GS's admission standards, but the GS told me in December that the department can override it and it's not a bar to acceptance. Sorry, no. I haven't had any such trouble. One of my LORs was late and I re-took the General GRE in January, so I resubmitted that score later too. But the APRA shows everything as received and under review. You should definitely check in with them to see what happened. Maybe they just haven't gotten around to updating the APRA.
Kermit Posted February 9, 2014 Author Posted February 9, 2014 Do you know if they have already contacted the top 20 or are in the process of? I haven't heard anything yet
scuttlebutt Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Sorry, Kermit. The DGS didn't say. But if the acceptance that occurred on the boards before mine was legit, then I'd say its rolling and that they haven't perhaps contacted everyone yet. I say that because I was contacted quite awhile after that first acceptance.
MedievalMadness Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Do you know if they have already contacted the top 20 or are in the process of? I haven't heard anything yet No idea. I know they've offered acceptances to at least two people and they only accepted nine people to the PhD program last year. :\ I haven't heard anything from them yet either.
Tweedledumb Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 Are any other applicants having issues with the application supplemental form stating that items have not been received? I've sent my UG transcripts to the Graduate School TWICE (early November [submitted mid-December] & again in early January when I noticed that Apra stated they were missing. I received personal copies from my UG schools w/o a hitch) and the Apra still states that they have not been received. Contacted the department (American Studies) by email a week ago and no response. I'm a post-bacc student at MD now and will most likely stop by the dept office tomorrow or email one of the professors I have communicated with regarding my application. The only possible hold-up that I can think of is that my UG GPA is below the GS's admission standards, but the GS told me in December that the department can override it and it's not a bar to acceptance. Mine shows that my Graduate Transcript is missing, but not my Undergraduate (they're from the same institution and would've been in the same envelope), so for that I'm assuming since I haven't graduated yet they aren't counting my Graduate Transcript as complete. Otherwise all other items show complete, but it does say they take 2-4 weeks to update the system, so maybe that's the hold up with yours?
firecrasher Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Mine shows that my Graduate Transcript is missing, but not my Undergraduate (they're from the same institution and would've been in the same envelope), so for that I'm assuming since I haven't graduated yet they aren't counting my Graduate Transcript as complete. Otherwise all other items show complete, but it does say they take 2-4 weeks to update the system, so maybe that's the hold up with yours? I did a LOT of digging on these forums and it looks like an applicant in a previous year had this issue and was able to confirm with the department secretary that Apra is not always updated. I have transcripts from three different universities thanks to post-bacc and grad coursework; it seems very unusual that none of them have been received when they were first sent in November. I'm also wondering if UMD only looks at Master's applicants (e.g. me) after they finalize their Ph.D. cohort. Cross your fingers for me - I love it there! Edited February 9, 2014 by firecrasher Tweedledumb 1
MedievalMadness Posted February 9, 2014 Posted February 9, 2014 I did a LOT of digging on these forums and it looks like an applicant in a previous year had this issue and was able to confirm with the department secretary that Apra is not always updated. I have transcripts from three different universities thanks to post-bacc and grad coursework; it seems very unusual that none of them have been received when they were first sent in November. I'm also wondering if UMD only looks at Master's applicants (e.g. me) after they finalize their Ph.D. cohort. Cross your fingers for me - I love it there! Are you only applying to the MA program? I'm crossing my fingers for you and very glad that you're not competing for one of those elusive nine or so PhD spots! The Apra is where we are supposed to check for admission, correct? I have checked several times now and it always just says that my application is complete. I hope I hear soon!
firecrasher Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 Are you only applying to the MA program? I'm crossing my fingers for you and very glad that you're not competing for one of those elusive nine or so PhD spots! The Apra is where we are supposed to check for admission, correct? I have checked several times now and it always just says that my application is complete. I hope I hear soon! You've got a PM! Every time I check the Apra I feel like I lose a day off my life!
MedievalMadness Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 You've got a PM! Every time I check the Apra I feel like I lose a day off my life! Sent a PM back. I hope it's helpful! Your friend is welcome to contact me directly if she has more questions. I forgot to mention in the PM, but she should check out the Kalamazoo conference in May at WMU, even if she isn't presenting a paper. And I know! I can't stop checking status.
MedievalMadness Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 FYI to everyone: My coworker's friend, who works in admissions for UMD's Engineering program, said the Apra was down on their end for much of the weekend. So, they weren't able to get a lot of their decisions out. I don't know if this was just the Engineering department or if it affected the other departments too. I'm crossing my fingers that more decisions will be sent out for English soon!
firecrasher Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 I'm in a state of shock and sitting here shaking. The department secretary has received 2 out of my 3 transcripts but nothing was updated. I sent an unofficial copy to her of the third transcript and am driving to the the third university now to raise h*** and try to get them to release an official copy to me today so I can hand deliver it. I've spent a year and a half taking courses to get in this M.A. program... please cross your fingers I don't get knocked out because of bureaucratic ineptitude! Note: My Apra is now updated showing that one transcript is still missing. I had no idea.
MedievalMadness Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 I'm in a state of shock and sitting here shaking. The department secretary has received 2 out of my 3 transcripts but nothing was updated. I sent an unofficial copy to her of the third transcript and am driving to the the third university now to raise h*** and try to get them to release an official copy to me today so I can hand deliver it. I've spent a year and a half taking courses to get in this M.A. program... please cross your fingers I don't get knocked out because of bureaucratic ineptitude! Note: My Apra is now updated showing that one transcript is still missing. I had no idea. Good luck!! I'm so horrified on your behalf! You go tell them what is what. I'm sure UMD isn't going to penalize you for what is clearly not your fault.
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