2015 Ecology/Evolution/Organismal/Marine Biology Applicants

[Sarochan]

I could not agree more. I actually called all of my schools today (waiting on FIVE) and they are all still making their decisions. And one actual told me I probs won't hear until mid-April (UMASS B ). I think it's slightly unnerving and I swear I am seeing more gray hair.

Sheesh, nothing from UMB until mid-April? I'm waiting on them too.... E&E programs seem to take so long to respond.

Edit: congrats, shadowclaw!

Edited March 21, 2015 by Sarochan

[Monochrome Spring]

Hey everyone! I haven't lurked in the ecology applicant threads in a while, but it's good to see that some of you got into some great programs. For those of you still waiting, ecology programs are notorious for taking their sweet time getting back to you, so keep crossing those fingers! And if you didn't get into a program you were certain that you would, more often than not, it was that someone else had a better research fit (so don't take it personally). The ecology application process is such a weird animal in the grad application world with more factors to consider than I thought possible, so consider it an accomplishment to have gotten through unscathed.

[gymnastqueenk7]

Hi there! I'm new to these forums and I'm slowly making my way through this thread. Since January I've been having mini panic attacks every hour or so waiting on decisions as I compulsively check my email. Conservation/landscape genetics is my main interest, so I figured I would fit well enough in this thread. I recently got rejection letters from UC Davis and Notre Dame and now I'm only waiting on Washington State university for a master's in zoology. I literally have no idea where I stand. My interets fall perfectly in line with three professors and I felt like my application showcased it well. Last year I was initially looking at conservation biology programs, but after talking with some researchers at the SD zoo I realized conservation genetics was actually what I wanted. And boy, I certainly had a bit of a rough time finding schools/professors that I liked and that were actually taking on master's students. I found and fell in love with WSU in early December, about a month before the app was due, and emailed all three of those professors. Never heard back from anyone. I thought maybe it was too close to the end of the semester/year so I tried again Jan 2nd, 8 days before the app was due. Still nothing. But I turned everything in early and now it's just this infamous waiting game.

I'm so nervous to call and ask about decisions, but I'm not sure how much longer I can handle the stress. I was thinking about waiting until April 1st, so I don't seem too impatient. All I know is that all the professors' websites said they were looking for grad students. I'm mostly here in case anyone applied or knows anything about WSU zoology dept, and how I should go about checking in on my app status. I don't know much about zoology departments or if it usually takes long like ecology.

Edited March 24, 2015 by gymnastqueenk7

[EEBPHD2015]

Just got rejected from my top choice. Totally bummed. 

[flashdance]

I sure wish people who are sitting on multiple acceptances would let some of them go. I understand the need to wait until you've heard from everyone to make a final choice, but you should be able to narrow down the top choice of your current options and decline the others.

[katsharki3]

So I have a question for everyone. I've in contact with a PI at VIMS since October, and he did generally seem very interested in my application and my abilities/experience. But ever since January, I haven't heard back from him. He had asked for a phone interview in January, and I got back to him about 2 days later with my availability (I had been travelling at the time or I would have gotten back earlier). Then nothing. I e-mailed him again 2 weeks ago just to check in, see if he was still interested in my application, wanted to talk on the phone/Skype, etc. And....nothing.   

 

I guess I'm just wondering if it would be OK to e-mail him again, or even maybe try to call? I'm not hopeful about my chances of getting into VIMS as I've already seen a few acceptances on the results page, so there's a good chance they've already sent all of their acceptances out. But if possible I would like to get feedback from him about my application and if/why I'm not admitted to the program. Just like, "Hey, just wanted to check in one last time, see if you were still interested in me as a student, if you know my application status, if you have any advice for me in the future?"

 

Is this OK?

Edited March 26, 2015 by katsharki3

[Tuanis]

So I have a question for everyone. I've in contact with a PI at VIMS since October, and he did generally seem very interested in my application and my abilities/experience. But ever since January, I haven't heard back from him. He had asked for a phone interview in January, and I got back to him about 2 days later with my availability (I had been travelling at the time or I would have gotten back earlier). Then nothing. I e-mailed him again 2 weeks ago just to check in, see if he was still interested in my application, wanted to talk on the phone/Skype, etc. And....nothing.

I guess I'm just wondering if it would be OK to e-mail him again, or even maybe try to call? I'm not hopeful about my chances of getting into VIMS as I've already seen a few acceptances on the results page, so there's a good chance they've already sent all of their acceptances out. But if possible I would like to get feedback from him about my application and if/why I'm not admitted to the program. Just like, "Hey, just wanted to check in one last time, see if you were still interested in me as a student, if you know my application status, if you have any advice for me in the future?"

Is this OK?

You should definitely contact the PI. If they asked for an interview, they should give you an interview

[shadowclaw]

katsharki, I had the same thing happen to me two years ago. I had filled out a pre-application at Penn State and listed two POI's on it. The secretary then notified them of my interest. One turned out to not be accepting students, and the other e-mailed me right away with a bunch of information on projects his lab was working on, photos from the field, etc. We traded some e-mails and I sent along my CV... he seemed very interested, especially in my senior project (which was very relevant to his lab's work). At this point it was getting close to the deadline and I basically had the application filled out. He asked for a phone/skype interview, so I sent him my availability and went ahead and submitted my application. I didn't hear back, so I e-mailed him again and also let him know I submitted my application. Still nothing. I tried a third time and he still didn't reply. Ultimately I was rejected and I never heard from him. I can only assume that once my application was submitted, he was able to look at all of my materials and he didn't like what he saw or just had better applicants. I would have at least appreciated a quick e-mail saying I wasn't competitive enough or something.

 

I had some issues with other POI's that year, too. There were several that acted interested and wanted to see transcripts, and then never replied and ignored all of my follow-up e-mails. I have some crap in my academic history from a lifetime ago (but in completely different fields), so I can understand their hesitation to take me on as a PhD student. They could have at least taken the time to tell me that, though.

 

One the other hand, my masters advisor wasn't very communicative, either. He was really slow to reply at times because he was on sabbatical (which I didn't know), and after I was accepted and had some questions for him, he didn't reply for about 2 months because he was teaching a summer course at the marine field station and just didn't have time to get back to me. I have a friend who also applied and was interested in his lab, but he took so long to get back to her that she successfully applied elsewhere and took the offer. Similarly, one of the new grad students this year told me she wanted to work with him, but he also took too long so she joined a different lab. Even though she loves her lab, she was pretty bummed when he finally e-mailed her back, because he was looking for someone to do some international bird work and that was something she really would have loved.

 

So really, it could be any number of things that kept your POI from getting back to you. I don't know if the program has rolling admissions or sends out acceptances in waves, but you could still have a chance. I would definitely get in contact with the POI. Even if you aren't accepted, I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting you know what's up.

[flashdance]

Unfortunately, I think if we are not hearing back from people at this point, it means they are no  longer interested.

[shadowclaw]

Flashdance, that depends entirely on the program. The program at FIU, for example, has sent out acceptances as late as June, despite having a deadline of January 15 I applied to a masters program at Drexel two years ago in November and was accepted in mid-April. You just don't know!

[flashdance]

argh

[shadowclaw]

Woo hoo! I'm officially accepted by Oregon State! I had applied to 2 programs there, so someone in the graduate school emailed me this morning asking if I wanted to be admitted to the program that accepted me (and withdraw my application to the other) or wait to hear from the other one. So I withdrew my second application and she let me know that I was officially admitted! My official letter with details will come this afternoon.

[mayanway]

Congrats, shadowclaw!

[Sarochan]

Alright, I hate being this person, but has anyone heard from the EEB program at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities? My online application page still says awaiting program decision. I'm pretty sure that I'm probably not getting in (no interviews/etc.), but it's the only program I'm still waiting on that I actually care about.

[shadowclaw]

Thanks! I'm super excited about OSU, but I still need to find out about funding. The NSF GRFP notifications are likely going out tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for myself and everyone else on here applying for it.

I noticed in another thread that katsharki was accepted to UNF. Congrats!

[katsharki3]

Thanks! I'm super excited about OSU, but I still need to find out about funding. The NSF GRFP notifications are likely going out tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for myself and everyone else on here applying for it.

I noticed in another thread that katsharki was accepted to UNF. Congrats!

 

Thanks! Congrats to you too on your acceptance!

 

I'm still waiting a bit on funding too before I accept the offer at UNF. It comes with a paid TAship ($12000/yr) and partial tuition waiver, but I'm also up for another graduate scholarship from the school that would probably cover the rest. In all honesty, I'll probably take the offer either way because the research seems too good to pass up (studying hammerhead reproductive biology through the use of hormones), but I do want to wait to see just what the full package will be.

[Tuanis]

Alright, I hate being this person, but has anyone heard from the EEB program at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities? My online application page still says awaiting program decision. I'm pretty sure that I'm probably not getting in (no interviews/etc.), but it's the only program I'm still waiting on that I actually care about.

I received my acceptance from UMN on Feb. 22. I know that they spread the acceptance invites out over several weeks, and that many students that interviewed did not receive an admission offer. Looks like you were accepted to some other great programs though! 

[Sarochan]

Thanks for the info, Tuanis. I appreciate it!

[Puffcheezers]

If I haven't heard anything from a grad program, since its pretty late in the game, is it appropriate to contact the grad program coordinator? Should I email or call? Thanks!

[gymnastqueenk7]

If I haven't heard anything from a grad program, since its pretty late in the game, is it appropriate to contact the grad program coordinator? Should I email or call? Thanks!

 

Definitely. Contact either admissions or your POI. I'm still waiting on my top (and last hope) at Washington State. I finally emailed admissions last Monday and I was told that they are in the process of notifying applicants. Apparently that takes over a week      Not sure if the long wait is a good thing or a bad thing.    Good luck!

[Puffcheezers]

Definitely. Contact either admissions or your POI. I'm still waiting on my top (and last hope) at Washington State. I finally emailed admissions last Monday and I was told that they are in the process of notifying applicants. Apparently that takes over a week      Not sure if the long wait is a good thing or a bad thing.    Good luck!

 

Thanks! Good luck to you!

[clurpantz]

Question fellow Ecology people !! 

 

Can someone explain how TAships work with tuition??? You get paid ~12k a year but then do you also pay tuition for the courses? or does this ~12k get directly applied to your course fees? 

 

I'm so confused!!! It might be a totally dumb queston but I had to ask. 

[katsharki3]

Question fellow Ecology people !! 

 

Can someone explain how TAships work with tuition??? You get paid ~12k a year but then do you also pay tuition for the courses? or does this ~12k get directly applied to your course fees? 

 

I'm so confused!!! It might be a totally dumb queston but I had to ask. 

 

It really depends on the school. For me, with the TAship I got at UNF I'll get $12,000/yr and that covers partial tuition (or, in the words of the biology coordinator, "a bit more than half"). I also did end up getting a scholarship that I think will end up covering the rest of tuition.

 

But yeah, it really varies. So you need to ask a grad school adviser/coordinator. You could also try asking your PI, but often they don't really know the exact details of how funding works.

[shadowclaw]

I'd say that based on the small sample size of schools I've looked at, a lot of masters programs offer TA positions with lower stipends and partial tuition coverage (though some offer full tuition coverage). For example, mine pays $3500 per semester plus covers 6 credits. So last semester, I was registered for 6 credits, do tuition was covered. This semester, it was 9 credits, so I had to pay for 3 out of pocket.

I think almost all of the PhD TA positions I've seen cover full tuition and often include health insurance or partially paid health insurance. Plus the stipend. I've seen stipends ranging from $15,000 to $27,000. Stipends tend to be based on the cost of living of the area, but can sometimes really only cover the basic necessities (forget about having a car payment). It ultimately does depends on the school, though.

[shadowclaw]

Finally, the rejection from UNC came. When I applied, I really thought I had a good shot there. I had a Skype interview with my POI that went really well (other than drawing a total blank on my GIS skills).

At least it was lower on my list and the potential research topics weren't as exciting as at other places (purely quantitative biology using citizen science data). I'm going to be so sad when the rejection from UTK finally comes! The research opportunities there were amazing.