Recommended by Department: What Does it Mean??

[emiliajulia]

Earlier today I received an email from a POI at my top choice grad school. He said that my application has been recommended for acceptance by the department, but that the Graduate Admissions Committee has the final say. I understand the process, and the email was pretty informal, but I can't help but be *super* excited that I even got such a positive email from the department in the first place. Does anyone have experience with a situation like this/know what the odds are of being recommended by the department but then not offered admission? 

[artsy16]

The Graduate Admissions Committee is usually just the big oversight department that checks to make sure you meet minimum requirements. This could vary between schools, though. I don't think you'll have any problems, unless say you have a sub 3.0 GPA and the program wants to take you anyway, but the GAC won't accept exceptions to the 3.0 rule. Congrats!

[fuzzylogician]

Congrats! It means that barring highly unlikely scenarios, you have been admitted. The GAC needs to give the official and final approval, but it's exceedingly rare that someone is accepted by the department but then rejected at the higher level. The informal email from the POI basically reflects this fact--you're in!