Communication/Media Studies Ph.D Fall 2016--Apps, Decisions, and Waiting...

[maktoob101]

21 hours ago, practical cat said:

Yeah, to this end, I would add that in all conversations I've had with the RPC director, he's been very clear that there're 9 candidates though only 8 of us will be at the weekend.

Oh I wish I had a chance to attend the interview weekend too. Although I'm not really sure if I'm that one candidate who cannot make it because of their dubious email requesting for a Skype "meeting"... maybe I'm overthinking..

 

22 hours ago, the_queer_ecologist said:

Me right now (change "Christmas" to "UPenn"): 

 

I know, Upenn is so behind the schedule this year! But I have this feeling that they will release the decisions today that I'm so afraid to check my email.

Edited February 19, 2016 by maktoob101

[Cat_Robutt]

Just got accepted at my top choice....everything feels pretty surreal right now. Like, I want to drink champagne but it's noon.

[anothergradapplicant]

To everyone bummed out about Friday, bear in mind, last year, I woke up to my Penn acceptance hungover as hell on Sunday morning after a night out with friends...

[cotes_du_groan]

1 hour ago, kaoticfen said:

Sorry to hear that

I know you've posted some of the schools on here but what do you have left?

I got into UC Irvine's Informatics PhD program that I am pretty excited about, but it isn't my dream choice right now. I think I may have been a little unrealistic with my choices this time around (been rejected by Oxford Internet Institute and Stanford's Comm PhD program, but then again, who hasn't?). I'm now waiting for UPenn , and then finally 2 MIT programs which are due in mid March. I do communication + tech, and I have a lot of solid research experience, so I think I was a bit overconfident when I initiated the application process! Ahhh! So many other places I wish I had applied to now!! 

[practical cat]

2 hours ago, maktoob101 said:

Oh I wish I had a chance to attend the interview weekend too. Although I'm not really sure if I'm that one candidate who cannot make it because of their dubious email requesting for a Skype "meeting"... maybe I'm overthinking..

Yeah, I bet you're overthinking! You're in the best possible place you could be right now with this program. 

[the_queer_ecologist]

4 hours ago, kaoticfen said:

Sorry to hear that

I know you've posted some of the schools on here but what do you have left?

hahahaa I like the hunger games quote but only the sentiment cause if we adopted that analogy wouldnt that mean we would be killing each other for a spot in a program? hahhaa

You seem like a nice person, but I would gladly slay you in an arena while the world watched if it meant grad school or not

[the_queer_ecologist]

2 hours ago, Cat_Robutt said:

Just got accepted at my top choice....everything feels pretty surreal right now. Like, I want to drink champagne but it's noon.

Where was your top choice!! congrats. 

[Cat_Robutt]

@the_queer_ecologist Penn State! 

[the_queer_ecologist]

Just now, Cat_Robutt said:

@the_queer_ecologist Penn State! 

I tell this to everyone headed to State College, PA: They have THE BEST Taco Bell I've ever eaten at. 

[Cat_Robutt]

@the_queer_ecologist...........that is SO random!

[gradswag]

2 hours ago, Cat_Robutt said:

@the_queer_ecologist Penn State! 

yay!!!! comm arts?

[the_queer_ecologist]

How many of y'all have already written/defended your MA thesis? How did it go? I'm in the process of writing mine (passed the 100 page mark, thank god...). Starting to get nervous about how it all unfolds, especially since I have plans to be elsewhere next year! Can't have anyone failing me!!

Edited February 20, 2016 by the_queer_ecologist

[lyrehc]

You can do it!

 

[Sar0402]

Has anyone heard back from Purdue? I applied to their master's program in interpersonal communication. 

[Toast]

11 hours ago, the_queer_ecologist said:

How many of y'all have already written/defended your MA thesis? How did it go? I'm in the process of writing mine (passed the 100 page mark, thank god...). Starting to get nervous about how it all unfolds, especially since I have plans to be elsewhere next year! Can't have anyone failing me!!

I've finished mine up, and in hindsight, the writing was the hardest part-- if you're really paying attention to what you're saying, not just writing to get it done, your defense should go smoothly. The defense is nerve-wracking, of course, but it was much easier and less intense than I imagined. I was very very nervous going in, because I did a mixed methods approach, so I was planning on getting hammered in my data collection/analysis... I pictured my committee scoffing at my findings or tearing my research apart liberally-- but they were very professional and polite, and they asked really targeted questions. I did pick my own committee, though, which may not be the case at some schools.

Worst case scenario, if I hadn't have passed, they'd let me defend once more before telling me to retake the thesis hours. I don't know if your institution is the same, but at least theres a comfort to knowing that one mishap isn't the last straw at some schools.

[the_queer_ecologist]

2 hours ago, Toast said:

I've finished mine up, and in hindsight, the writing was the hardest part-- if you're really paying attention to what you're saying, not just writing to get it done, your defense should go smoothly. The defense is nerve-wracking, of course, but it was much easier and less intense than I imagined. I was very very nervous going in, because I did a mixed methods approach, so I was planning on getting hammered in my data collection/analysis... I pictured my committee scoffing at my findings or tearing my research apart liberally-- but they were very professional and polite, and they asked really targeted questions. I did pick my own committee, though, which may not be the case at some schools.

Worst case scenario, if I hadn't have passed, they'd let me defend once more before telling me to retake the thesis hours. I don't know if your institution is the same, but at least theres a comfort to knowing that one mishap isn't the last straw at some schools.

Oh lord, your thesis process sounds way more official than mine. I'm a rhetorician, and so my critical lens just amounts to 100+ pages of me ranting lol. 

[Cat_Robutt]

18 hours ago, gradswag said:

yay!!!! comm arts?

The other comm college–-mass comm! We'll be neighbors!

[meizheling]

On February 12, 2016 at 4:47 PM, kaoticfen said:

If you look at the  http://cas.msu.edu/misphd/ They have a link that has program statistics http://grad.msu.edu/apply/PHDDataReporting/PhD%20Data%20-%20Communication%20Arts%20and%20Sciences%20Media%20and%20Information%20Studies%202012%20cohort.pdf  It basically says that 93% of PhD students have funding. That being said I have several friends who are there now who are all fully funded and im not sure i know anyone there that was not funded. Are you going to the visitation weekend?

Hi @kaoticfen, it is so glad to know you are studying in MSU and get the good news from them. I got email for a campus visit invitation. Is this means I am admitted to program? Thank you for help.

[kaoticfen]

3 hours ago, meizheling said:

Hi @kaoticfen, it is so glad to know you are studying in MSU and get the good news from them. I got email for a campus visit invitation. Is this means I am admitted to program? Thank you for help.

i would double check with the department. you should have gotten an acceptance email too.

[TWD2016]

Is it a bad idea to accept an offer to a school you've never visited? Picking UMICH over USF seems like a no brainer, but if I decline USF that means that I'm basically accepting UMICH because I only received those two offers.

On the other hand, I'm struggling with the idea of spending my own money to go visit USF when Michigan was my first choice and I know deep down it would be kind of ridiculous to turn them down.

 

Any advice?? so confused right now..

P.S. this wasn't an issue to people start asking me what if I hate Ann Arbor, which I had never thought about before but I guess its possible....

[the_queer_ecologist]

1 minute ago, TWD2016 said:

Is it a bad idea to accept an offer to a school you've never visited? Picking UMICH over USF seems like a no brainer, but if I decline USF that means that I'm basically accepting UMICH because I only received those two offers.

On the other hand, I'm struggling with the idea of spending my own money to go visit USF when Michigan was my first choice and I know deep down it would be kind of ridiculous to turn them down.

 

Any advice?? so confused right now..

P.S. this wasn't an issue to people start asking me what if I hate Ann Arbor, which I had never thought about before but I guess its possible....

I moved across country to Syracuse without visiting. In a way, I'm grateful about that decision, because I absolutely hate Syracuse, New York. Had I visited, I would have been tempted to turn it down, and that wouldn't have been a good idea for my professional development. If UMICH is the best for you, put a smile on your face and learn to love (or hate tweet) Ann Arbor! 

Also, don't feel pressured into turning one down just yet. It's only February. They made you wait. You can make them wait. You paid for it with your fee!

[the_queer_ecologist]

Tomorrow or Tuesday, UPenn will come through and break some/all of our hearts. Should we share wine suggestions? :-) 

 

(tbh...my heart won't be broken...I'm just hella competitive and hate losing). 

Edited February 22, 2016 by the_queer_ecologist

[practical cat]

1 hour ago, TWD2016 said:

Is it a bad idea to accept an offer to a school you've never visited? Picking UMICH over USF seems like a no brainer, but if I decline USF that means that I'm basically accepting UMICH because I only received those two offers.

On the other hand, I'm struggling with the idea of spending my own money to go visit USF when Michigan was my first choice and I know deep down it would be kind of ridiculous to turn them down.

 

Any advice?? so confused right now..

P.S. this wasn't an issue to people start asking me what if I hate Ann Arbor, which I had never thought about before but I guess its possible....

Ann Arbor's the best. Are you able to visit Michigan though? It might make you feel better (and you do have a while to actually make it official) but I don't think it's strictly necessary. People blind-accept off waitlists and as international students all the time.

[practical cat]

16 minutes ago, the_queer_ecologist said:

Tomorrow or Tuesday, UPenn will come through and break some/all of our hearts. Should we share wine suggestions? :-) 

 

(tbh...my heart won't be broken...I'm just hella competitive and hate losing). 

I really want everyone in this thread to get into UPenn.

[the_queer_ecologist]

18 minutes ago, practical cat said:

I really want everyone in this thread to get into UPenn.

:-) Aren't you just the sweetest!