Straightoutta Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 My nerves are definitely getting the best of me. I was speaking to a someone who happens to be on the adcomm for his/her department (non-poli sci), and they mentioned how they rank everyone to GRE and drop the bottom x%. That scares the crap out of me. Now I am just in doom and gloom mode, and in need of a place to vent. I have heard that the practice is common, but it's just one thing to hear it so nonchalantly. I can't wait to at least hear something back from somewhere. The silence is the worst part I guess.
Determinedandnervous Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 11 hours ago, ultraultra said: I'd be very surprised if it was intentionally that systematic... my understanding from talking to faculty at my current and previous institution is that the ad comms have rough ideas of when they should be finished and generally try to finish as quickly as possible. Besides that its sort of idiosyncratic/a crapshoot, the only sticking point being that lower ranked schools have an incentive to give out offers early (so that applicants keep them in mind and/or are persuaded early) whereas highly ranked schools know they'll get a full cohort no matter what so there's less of a rush (e.g. Harvard releasing their results in mid-March the past few years) When you put it that way, it's obvious I was really overthinking it. It doesn't appear Wisconsin sent out decisions today, nobody has updated the results page with any acceptances and the university only updates the website once a day.
terefere Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Harvard PEG admission on gradcafe. I wonder, is that a troll? Last year the first result was posted on Feb 17th. Also, I think the director of admissions is also the chair of the program, no? In that case, that's Torben Iversen who did his undergrad in Denmark. Haha, I'm freaking out!
CarefreeWritingsontheWall Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 I'm only expecting to hear back from Stanford this week. All the nerves! I'm trying to live in ignorance until mid-February when I will likely have heard back from 4 of the 8 programs I applied to.
PizzaCat93 Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) This is probably a very stupid question, but does anyone know - for the schools that use ApplyYourself, when a decision is available, do you get an email? Or do you just have to check the site randomly to see if a decision has appeared? The former is preferable, obviously, because I don't want to be having to check all the sites repeatedly as the time for decisions nears. Much easier to just refresh my email every 5 seconds. Edited January 25, 2016 by PizzaCat93
MauBicara Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 55 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said: I'm only expecting to hear back from Stanford this week. All the nerves! I'm trying to live in ignorance until mid-February when I will likely have heard back from 4 of the 8 programs I applied to. It seems that you might want to hold off on expecting Stanford this week. I logged in to the application portal this morning to check on how things are going, and in the "application checklist" tab, this message shows up at the top: Your application has been submitted electronically to the Department of Political Science. Do not be concerned if your application status is "incomplete." Unless you hear directly from me about missing materials, you can assume that we have everything we need to consider your application. All applications, even those marked as "incomplete," will be considered by the committee. We expect to notify applicants of the committee's decision in mid February 2016. (Emphasis added). Alas, the wait continues.
Straightoutta Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Yeah, I think Stanford releasing this time last year was a bit of a shock. They have released around mid-February in most of the years prior, and given the message above, I'd say it would be a surprise to hear from Stanford. I think Vanderbilt has consistently sent out interview requests this week (usually on Tuesday). I also believe Duke is generally this week, but they may wait until the 1st. Berkeley might be a possibility, but again it isn't that likely.
Straightoutta Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Looks like UW-Madison is releasing decisions today. Someone posted on the results board, but it may be a troll. Yet another school I did not apply to.
needavacation Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Straightoutta said: Looks like UW-Madison is releasing decisions today. Someone posted on the results board, but it may be a troll. Yet another school I did not apply to. Not a troll. That was me! Edited January 25, 2016 by needavacation yasir8959 and Determinedandnervous 2
Determinedandnervous Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Congrats @needavacation! How exactly were you notified?
Straightoutta Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Just now, needavacation said: Not a troll. That was me! Congrats!! Can never be sure how legitimate the results board is, but congratulations! You get funding information?
needavacation Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 I got an email from the DGS. No specific funding info, only that the package will include full funding and that it will be sent soon.
Determinedandnervous Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) It appears that there are more UW-Madison acceptances! Congratulations to all of you! I didn't get such an email, so odds are not looking good for me, but that's okay. If I didn't get in, I know incredibly deserving people did. Edited January 25, 2016 by Determinedandnervous
CarefreeWritingsontheWall Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 1 hour ago, MauBicara said: It seems that you might want to hold off on expecting Stanford this week. I logged in to the application portal this morning to check on how things are going, and in the "application checklist" tab, this message shows up at the top: Your application has been submitted electronically to the Department of Political Science. Do not be concerned if your application status is "incomplete." Unless you hear directly from me about missing materials, you can assume that we have everything we need to consider your application. All applications, even those marked as "incomplete," will be considered by the committee. We expect to notify applicants of the committee's decision in mid February 2016. (Emphasis added). Alas, the wait continues. Ah darn! That makes sense I s'pose. If anything I'm happy to delay expecting emails from my apps a little longer lol. More time to focus on finishing my MA without the PhD app distraction hovering over my head.
s1994 Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Congratulations to all of the UW-Madison admits! studugarte 1
studugarte Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Congrats again to all the new admits. Yet again another school I didn't apply to and still the wait continues. Even though I have UK options, all are still pending funding decisions which don't come until the 25th of May. Pretty much feels like I have 0 so far. Waiitng out for some answers next week!
TheHopefulGrad Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Congrats to everyone who has been accepted so far! I'm still here, just patiently waiting and re-checking my inbox for emails.. Seems to still be all quiet all around for me.. studugarte and PizzaCat93 2
kaneross Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 Thehopefulgrad -- I am not sure how long you have been waiting but as per my experience, the more competitive schools (those high in ranking) take considerably more time in assessing your application. And if your application is taking more time than average then its a positive sign because you are being shortlisted for fee-waiver and funding.
kaneross Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 On 1/22/2016 at 10:51 AM, yasir8959 said: Congrats to all those receiving glad tidings. Best wishes for those waiting. I was to know this: How doctoral programs in PhD compare to Public policy/admin/affairs programs as far as admission difficulty and process goes. Difference in areas of emphasis, job experience, academic background (Coz these are more diffused and interdisciplinary than political science), standardized test scores? Any reflections? As per my experience, if you are targeting competitive schools then their ways of looking at your application is not standardized, its rather done in comparison to other applications they have received. At least one component in your academic/career profile should have high ''general'' relevancy with the program you are applying to. For example, if you are not a masters in the field you are applying, then you should demonstrate that you have been employed into some civil service job before; any job which shows general relevancy to your program ''political science'' and ''specific'' relevancy i.e. area of interest which means your ''research proposal''.... Competitive schools can ignore ''specific relevancy'' but its difficult for them to ignore ''general'' relevancy.... If you present a research proposal with ground breaking idea then there are high chances of you being considered by your professor -- There are professor's scholarships too since they receive massive funds from industries -- I know an applicant who had applied to kings college London and had two gold medals -- one for his masters and one for M.Phill... I had only one gold medal -- his application was refused for scholarship but was given admission and I was offered full scholarship -- we both had applied in different intakes test scores are considered by schools but not all of them -- if your application lacks a basic component of consideration then test scores cannot rescue an application going into rejection stack yasir8959 1
kaneross Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 4 hours ago, PizzaCat93 said: This is probably a very stupid question, but does anyone know - for the schools that use ApplyYourself, when a decision is available, do you get an email? Or do you just have to check the site randomly to see if a decision has appeared? The former is preferable, obviously, because I don't want to be having to check all the sites repeatedly as the time for decisions nears. Much easier to just refresh my email every 5 seconds. Seriously. I mean when I had applied to my school, I used to check my online application web portal every other day if anything has appeared... But what really surprised me the fact that I only had received emails and was notified of my application process, admission and scholarship .... and my web portal was actually never updated... The main reason of a jammed web portal is because a school receive massive applications that its difficult for them to update their system for each applicant...
Moofasa Posted January 26, 2016 Posted January 26, 2016 Does anyone know the average stipend Wisconsin offers?
Straightoutta Posted January 26, 2016 Posted January 26, 2016 Dear Vanderbilt, Please request interviews tomorrow so that I can know where I stand for at least one of the schools I have applied to. Yours truly, Desperation Syas and needavacation 2
thedoctorphd Posted January 26, 2016 Posted January 26, 2016 6 hours ago, Moofasa said: Does anyone know the average stipend Wisconsin offers? I was accepted last year and the stipend was around $15,000 for the school year with no summer funding... Wisconsin is an amazing program; I'd recommend going to the visit for sure. However, I ultimately did not choose to go there (and honestly, funding was one of the biggest reasons). mooneyed 1
Straightoutta Posted January 26, 2016 Posted January 26, 2016 I've noticed that in the past admissions cycles that these forums are much lengthier and filled with more people. I wonder if that is a sign of GradCafe losing popularity, more lurkers, or *crosses fingers* less applicants! Oh my sanity has gone!
Moofasa Posted January 26, 2016 Posted January 26, 2016 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Straightoutta said: I've noticed that in the past admissions cycles that these forums are much lengthier and filled with more people. I wonder if that is a sign of GradCafe losing popularity, more lurkers, or *crosses fingers* less applicants! Oh my sanity has gone! This thread is on track with the 2014-2015 thread. It explodes with when decisions are released Edited January 26, 2016 by Moofasa
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now