No word from graduate schools yet, is this bad? should I contact any of them?

[Jicnon]

I applied to a total of 4 different PhD programs and have yet to receive notifications from any of them, rejections or acceptances. Online I have seen people getting both accepted and rejected but my notifications and inbox remain empty. Does this mean I am wait-listed? or rejected? does it hurt my chances if I email or call the departments to ask? 

 

I applied for some jobs as a back up and I am starting to get interviews and offers so the sooner I can hear from the grad schools the better because I don't want to turn down a good job offer through my waiting.

 

Additionally, one of the schools I applied for was VCU where I applied to both the PhD and masters program. I got an acceptance letter for the masters but have not heard anything about the PhD, did I get rejected for the PhD through my acceptance for the masters?

[Maple_ Macchiato]

I applied to a total of 4 different PhD programs and have yet to receive notifications from any of them, rejections or acceptances. Online I have seen people getting both accepted and rejected but my notifications and inbox remain empty. Does this mean I am wait-listed? or rejected? does it hurt my chances if I email or call the departments to ask? 

 

I applied for some jobs as a back up and I am starting to get interviews and offers so the sooner I can hear from the grad schools the better because I don't want to turn down a good job offer through my waiting.

 

Additionally, one of the schools I applied for was VCU where I applied to both the PhD and masters program. I got an acceptance letter for the masters but have not heard anything about the PhD, did I get rejected for the PhD through my acceptance for the masters?

 

I think you should call the department to inquire your application status, if you are on waitlist, you can ask them approximately when you will hear the results. I suggest call them instead of emailing them, because that would be way faster.. BEST OF LUCK

Edited April 1, 2015 by Maple_ Macchiato

[iphi]

YES, call. Tell them April 15 is coming up and you have some decisions to make (even if that is a lie) and you would like to know your status so that you are better able to make a decision.

[Jicnon]

I wasn't sure how contacting them would seem, I'll definitely have to do that though.

[Jicnon]

Have other people had luck with phone calls to departments? how often does no response mean a rejection vs a wait list?

[.letmeinplz//]

Have other people had luck with phone calls to departments? how often does no response mean a rejection vs a wait list?

One school I contacted gave me a canned response that ended up being a rejection. The other I've sent out hasn't been replied to yet (so no idea). I have 2 other schools to ask too... Though I understand why UMN-TC hasn't made a decision since their MSCS deadline was yesterday even though I applied last winter.

Edited April 2, 2015 by <ian>

[Maple_ Macchiato]

Have other people had luck with phone calls to departments? how often does no response mean a rejection vs a wait list?

It depends on whether you have a POI or not. If you have a POI, you can email the POI directly with you updated resume and just say that you hope this will help your application. Usually, POI will let you know your current application status. If you don't have a POI, you just have to call the department assistant. Usually, the assistant is nice, but if they are busy, they probably won't talk to you for so long and give you too much information. I felt for you, waiting totally sucks! I called the department assistant yesterday for my application status update, she was nice and said that she will email me today with more information, but she didn't... I would just give them couple of days because this must be a very season for them.. Good Luck!!

[ProspectiveStudent42310]

It depends on whether you have a POI or not. If you have a POI, you can email the POI directly with you updated resume and just say that you hope this will help your application. Usually, POI will let you know your current application status. If you don't have a POI, you just have to call the department assistant. Usually, the assistant is nice, but if they are busy, they probably won't talk to you for so long and give you too much information. I felt for you, waiting totally sucks! I called the department assistant yesterday for my application status update, she was nice and said that she will email me today with more information, but she didn't... I would just give them couple of days because this must be a very season for them.. Good Luck!!

 

Is it cool to do this if you haven't talked to the POI? I'm in a situation where I'm waiting on a school that has sent out a good amount of rejections, but I have heard nothing. I would assume this is good news, but I'm not able to wait much longer. Is it unreasonable to email the POI without ever having been in contact with them before?

[Jicnon]

Updating people because calling definitely did help find out faster. I got one letter this morning and three phone calls confirmed what I expected. I didn't make it into any of the PhD programs, though I guess on the bright side VCU said that it was possible to get into the PhD program following a MS

[.letmeinplz//]

Updating people because calling definitely did help find out faster. I got one letter this morning and three phone calls confirmed what I expected. I didn't make it into any of the PhD programs, though I guess on the bright side VCU said that it was possible to get into the PhD program following a MS

It does seem like most schools have a petition from MS to PhD (which is why I applied for MS, figured it would be easier to petition into the PhD programs once professors at the school knew me). Not sure about the success rate, but most schools seemed to look at it as the common way for MS students to continue on.

Edited April 3, 2015 by <ian>

[Jicnon]

Yeah the MS to PhD seems relatively common in a lot of schools, the problem is that MS programs are not funded and PhD programs usually are.

[.letmeinplz//]

Yeah the MS to PhD seems relatively common in a lot of schools, the problem is that MS programs are not funded and PhD programs usually are.

Yeah but only 1.5 years of tuition loans isn't too bad (I don't have any debt from undergrad, do have a car payment though) if you can get a leg up in PhD admissions and support then.

 

There is also the possibility of getting RA while you are there if you find a professor who needs one, or even interning to get some money while doing your MS.

[Hani2015]

Calling schools would be helpful sometimes.

I applied to 7 schools for phD. no school emailed me so far.

I called all of them. one school accepted me and one rejected me. But no official acceptance so far.

I called the remaining 5 schools yesterday. All of them said : your application is still under review.

3 of them started sending acceptances and rejections one month ago. ( Am I a waitlisted ? I do not know ! )

Tow of the 5 schools, I'm sure they have not sent anything to anyone.

[msgrad2015]

I actually contacted my school, but was careful to contact the department secretary rather than a professor. I though this would be the lease intrusive way to get information, especially since everyone says not to call. In my case, I had been waiting about three months so I took my chances. As it turns out, the secretary was friendly and informed me that the committee is still very much in the first round of selection and that I should hear something by April 15. She even explained why the process tends to take so long. I had for so long thought that I was waitlisted or rejected (because we tend to fear the worst) but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.

 

I would say that if your application has been out for as long as mine, then you might not have a lot to lose by checking in with the secretary. Just make ONE call or inquiry and don't badger or make demands of them (including decision dates). I highly doubt they'd reject you for checking in unless you come off as rude or annoying. 

 

The biggest mistake you can make is assuming the committee has made a decision about you. They have not forgot about you and It's not over until say send you a letter saying it's over. Hope this helps.

Edited April 4, 2015 by msgrad2015

[gymnastqueenk7]

I actually contacted my school, but was careful to contact the department secretary rather than a professor. I though this would be the lease intrusive way to get information, especially since everyone says not to call. In my case, I had been waiting about three months so I took my chances. As it turns out, the secretary was friendly and informed me that the committee is still very much in the first round of selection and that I should hear something by April 15. She even explained why the process tends to take so long. I had for so long thought that I was waitlisted or rejected (because we tend to fear the worst) but that doesn't seem to be the case at all

This is so extremely helpful. I was assuming either waitlisted or rejected too but now I can at least be a bit hopeful as the 15th approaches.

Edited April 5, 2015 by gymnastqueenk7

[msgrad2015]

No problem. I would give it until April 15 before you get too concerned. Like I said, you can check in if you like but the committee is still likely deciding. If it gets too desperate we should all make a pact to call each others schools to find out information that way none of us are at risk of getting cut from schools we didn't apply to anyways. How's that for critical thinking and outside of the box solutions to complex issues? Lol...I'm only kidding. I know it's frustrating but hang in there. You'll get an answer.