Rolling admissions experience?

[coleoptera]

Hello all!

 

I've applied to some programs that had a set deadline and others with rolling admissions. My first choice is actually one with rolling admissions, because my speciality is kind of odd and interdisciplinary, so the "big" schools in my discipline don't deal with it! Most people here seem to be dealing with waiting for fixed-deadline programs, so I thought I'd start a thread about rolling admissions.

 

I was actually lucky enough to meet two professors in the department I applied to during a casual visit. The main one that I emailed back and forth with seemed very enthusiastic to find someone with my interests (and later said the number of people with our background doing this research could fit in the back of a cab, haha) and even looked over my research proposal before I turned in my application and said it was good! Woohoo! But now, approaching the last days of the example decision window they gave... I'm starting to feel nervous. I know I have at least two profs who will pull for me in the department, and they can't control the admin side of things and how slow that may go... but ugh.

 

To make matters worse(better?) I noticed they (or someone who happens to be in the exact town of the school, haha) googled my academia.edu page yesterday so now I'm extra paranoid, even though what comes up when I google myself is pretty standard and nothing they wouldn't know about me based on the app form.

 

Anyways! It's odd to not have a solid deadline, or be able to compare yourself against other peoples' results, and just go by an estimate in business days of how long they "aim to notify applicants." Aim, yes, but often the reality is so different...   Any tips or experiences here?

[ritapita]

I am following this topic, as I was interested in a couple programs that had rolling admissions but I did not apply since I was unfamiliar with the structure.  

 

It would help if we knew the field you were applying to as well.

[coleoptera]

I am following this topic, as I was interested in a couple programs that had rolling admissions but I did not apply since I was unfamiliar with the structure.  

 

It would help if we knew the field you were applying to as well.

 

Basically, instead of a hard deadline and single selection period they take applications for most of the year, and accept students as applications come in. The drawback is that someone could apply late in the game who would otherwise get in but not get in because all the places have filled up... hence why I tried to get it in around the same time as my hard deadline applictions. I think it's more common in small programs, or programs where good fit is especially important.

 

My background is Art History but my research interests are very contemporary and technology related so I end up finding a good "fit" in strange places, which, 90% of the time are not your usual Art History department

[ritapita]

I can relate to your background.  I have an MFA but I am also a geographer.  I combine the two most of the time, and programs either love it or can't wrap their heads around it.  Keep us posted, and I will continue to follow.  I have a couple admits, but still interested.