Freudian_Slip Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Has anyone heard of funding being less or more if accepted into a program based on GRE scores? No that seems absurd that a school itself would limit your funding if you got in. If you were to get funding externally (via an NSF fellowship, say), then GRE scores might make you a more competitive applicant for the fellowship. However, the NSF fellowship has not required GRE in a few years I believe (definitely not this year)...I don't know about other external sources of funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinallyAccepted Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I've noticed that the scoring isn't really consistent. It's really frustrating when an near perfect GRE and GPA is rejected. Several scores that seem lower have gotten interviews. That's what I'm saying. My GPA/GRE combo is usually higher than those numbers on the results page. So that should be comforting for people who didn't do as well (less comforting for me). Those numbers are not the only thing that's important. L83Ste 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L83Ste Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I actually did read a few manuals for schools that had descriptions of certain types of aid and it said that GRE was important for certain ones. However, I don't think any of them would expect that to be the only criteria for judging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freudian_Slip Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Those numbers are not the only thing that's important. This. I think this should be clear to most people by now. If you're applying to get a Ph.D., you're signing up primarily to do research. A high GPA says you were a good student (consumer of information)...no one can tell what that means as far as the researcher (producer of information) you're going to be. If you look at some of the best Social programs (Harvard, Michigan, UCLA, etc.), their average admit has pretty good GRE scores (mid-150s to low 160s) and pretty good GPA (~3.6-3.7), but they are not stellar numbers--not what you would expect if they were merely recruiting the best students. Once you've met certain cut offs for GPA and GRE that tell them you have at least a general aptitude, the research credentials (recs from supervisors, pubs/posters, research experience) are going to weigh most heavily, because research is what you're signing up to do. Applemiu, L83Ste and Much Anxious Very Waiting 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tha1ne Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 A big congrats to the person who posted for CUNY GC!! Could he or she kindly PM me their POI? It would be greatly appreciated, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impatiently Waiting Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 A big congrats to the person who posted for CUNY GC!! Could he or she kindly PM me their POI? It would be greatly appreciated, thanks! Yes, same here! Thanks so much, and congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_intrigue_ Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 If anyone contacts a department and learns that all Social invites have gone out, please let us know VulpesZerda and FinallyAccepted 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Much Anxious Very Waiting Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) This. I think this should be clear to most people by now. If you're applying to get a Ph.D., you're signing up primarily to do research. A high GPA says you were a good student (consumer of information)...no one can tell what that means as far as the researcher (producer of information) you're going to be. If you look at some of the best Social programs (Harvard, Michigan, UCLA, etc.), their average admit has pretty good GRE scores (mid-150s to low 160s) and pretty good GPA (~3.6-3.7), but they are not stellar numbers--not what you would expect if they were merely recruiting the best students. Once you've met certain cut offs for GPA and GRE that tell them you have at least a general aptitude, the research credentials (recs from supervisors, pubs/posters, research experience) are going to weigh most heavily, because research is what you're signing up to do. Well said. Numbers get you past an initial screening, if anything. You have to remember that these programs accept like 10 out of 400 students per year. Unless you can make your application stand out among the (huge) crowd somehow, numbers alone will not get you into a top program. Edited January 15, 2015 by Much Anxious Very Waiting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb712 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Does anyone here have any idea if it's relatively common for a large program to just not accept any students? For some reason, seeing a University of Florida applicant report a rejection on the results page with a comment about the program not accepting any students this year surprised me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyDogHasAPhD Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Does anyone here have any idea if it's relatively common for a large program to just not accept any students? For some reason, seeing a University of Florida applicant report a rejection on the results page with a comment about the program not accepting any students this year surprised me. I saw that too! I didn't apply there but thought it was odd. Perhaps it has something to do with funding availability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Much Anxious Very Waiting Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Maybe check if there are a lot of second or third years in the program right now. Perhaps they let in 'too many' recently in terms of funding, etc. Maybe they aren't graduating anyone this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb712 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Maybe check if there are a lot of second or third years in the program right now. Perhaps they let in 'too many' recently in terms of funding, etc. Maybe they aren't graduating anyone this year. Seeing your userphoto never gets old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewin Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Maybe check if there are a lot of second or third years in the program right now. Perhaps they let in 'too many' recently in terms of funding, etc. Maybe they aren't graduating anyone this year. Could be budget related. There was a few years ago where a bunch of UC schools didn't take anybody, or maybe like one student, because the system was in shambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Much Anxious Very Waiting Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Seeing your userphoto never gets old. Haha thanks, it keeps me entertained Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyDogHasAPhD Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) Potential POI who I had a prelim phone interview with last week asked me to send extra materials, which I did and received a reply that she would be back in touch when she knows more about the timeline on her end. Anyone know what in the heck that means?? Edited January 16, 2015 by MyDogHasAPhD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb712 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 A somewhat similar situation happened to me and based on what I could figure out, my POI didn't know when final decisions were needed by the department. Plus they don't have formal or mandatory interviews, let alone an interview weekend, so that kind of eliminates the need for a rigid decision date. I got a kind of "I have no idea if you'll have to interview in-person but keep in touch" closing. Maybe your POI is in a situation like mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sociallypsyched Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) Does anyone here have any idea if it's relatively common for a large program to just not accept any students? For some reason, seeing a University of Florida applicant report a rejection on the results page with a comment about the program not accepting any students this year surprised me. Florida has had major budget cuts to psychology in the last few years and only has three professors that accept students into the social PhD program. Another reasons some POIs don't accept regularly is the lack of jobs available for recent graduates...I know my advisor has the funding to take a new student every year if he wanted to (not from the department but from grants) but won't because he doesn't want to contribute to the "too many PhDs, not enough jobs" problem. Edited January 16, 2015 by sociallypsyched Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyDogHasAPhD Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) A somewhat similar situation happened to me and based on what I could figure out, my POI didn't know when final decisions were needed by the department. Plus they don't have formal or mandatory interviews, let alone an interview weekend, so that kind of eliminates the need for a rigid decision date. I got a kind of "I have no idea if you'll have to interview in-person but keep in touch" closing. Maybe your POI is in a situation like mine? That does make sense in this situation too, now that I think about it. I suppose it also means we are still in the running for a spot? I sure hope so. I am slowly beginning to lose hope. I haven't heard an official peep from any of my programs yet. I am starting to feel uneasy... Edited January 17, 2015 by MyDogHasAPhD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 That does make sense in this situation too, now that I think about it. I suppose it also means we are still in the running for a spot? I sure hope so. I am slowly beginning to lose hope. I haven't heard an official peep from any of my programs yet. I am starting to feel uneasy... I haven't heard a peep from any of the programs I applied to either. I hope it means they haven't completely dismissed us either, but who really knows? At least you're not alone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb712 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 That does make sense in this situation too, now that I think about it. I suppose it also means we are still in the running for a spot? I sure hope so. I am slowly beginning to lose hope. I haven't heard an official peep from any of my programs yet. I am starting to feel uneasy... I am too. I'm fairly certain my POI at one of my top choices already extended a couple of interview offers so my confidence in this entire thing has been shot. I'm just trying to remind myself that the Skype contact (or phone contact in your case) wouldn't have happened if they weren't at least somewhat interested. I mean, it isn't like they have to humor us during this entire process, ha. No sense in them wasting that time for someone they didn't believe had some potential. I haven't heard a peep from any of the programs I applied to either. I hope it means they haven't completely dismissed us either, but who really knows? At least you're not alone... Just yesterday I received an email from one of the programs with an early December deadline saying my application status had been changing to "under review" (which I already knew because I had contact with my POI a month ago who had read my application then) so I'm making the preemptive generalization that social programs just take their time with this process. It might not be true, but it's helping my state of mind a little. I almost want a rejection at this point to calm my nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinallyAccepted Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Correct me if there is a better place to post this, but I've been invited to one interview on campus! School Name: University of IowaDate Interview Invite Received: 1/7/2015Degree: PhDType: Social psychologyNotified via:EmailFrom:POIInterview Date: 2/7/2015-2/9/2015Additional Info:e.g., apparently I only spend about an hour with my POI one-on-one I'm pleasantly surprised since my overall GPA is so low (between 2.9 and 3.2). The people in the labs I currently work in were rather surprised I received an invitation so early, so I guess it's still pretty early in the game. I'm quite excited and nervous. Last year for apps, I only emailed 2 POI's, and I applied to 9 schools, and got one phone call from one only. I botched it completely - I was so paralyzed with nerves that I only answered the prof's questions directly and did not ask him any questions about his research at all, only generic questions like "Where are you heading in the next few years?" "How many graduate students do you have right now?" *crossed fingers* If I made it to interview weekend for UIowa, I think I should also make it to the penultimate rounds of cuts in other schools, which are all ranked top 30 and above. Has anyone else heard anything from Iowa? I didn't hear anything more than the above, so I'm wondering if all invites have gone out or what. All my programs were good fits, but this seemed the closest to me, so I'm anxious to hear SOMETHING, even if it's bad news for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnah Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I haven't heard a peep from any of the programs I applied to either. I hope it means they haven't completely dismissed us either, but who really knows? At least you're not alone... I'm glad you posted this. I applied to five Social programs, and I haven't heard anything—officially from the programs or even unofficially from POIs. The anxiety this silence is producing is almost too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowbrowin Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 anybody hear from Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinallyAccepted Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 On 1/17/2015 at 1:55 PM, slowbrowin said: anybody hear from Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL)? Yeah, I'm with you there, too. Haven't heard anything yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I'm glad you posted this. I applied to five Social programs, and I haven't heard anything—officially from the programs or even unofficially from POIs. The anxiety this silence is producing is almost too much. Yep, I'm with you. Nothing. Silence. Just anything, please! I mean, it's only the middle of January, but at the same time, it's already the middle of January! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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