Venting Thread

[Kingoftherats]

Has anyone heard anything about the UMass-Amherst waitlist? I know that they have released acceptances, and their website says that accepted and waitlisted students will be notified by Friday (03/03), but I was wondering if anyone has received a waitlist notification or perhaps seen one posted elsewhere (e.g., on the facebook group). I don't have a fb account and so cannot check. 

[Konchok]

14 hours ago, Kingoftherats said:

Has anyone heard anything about the UMass-Amherst waitlist? I know that they have released acceptances, and their website says that accepted and waitlisted students will be notified by Friday (03/03), but I was wondering if anyone has received a waitlist notification or perhaps seen one posted elsewhere (e.g., on the facebook group). I don't have a fb account and so cannot check. 

"Although we have made our initial offers, we will not be finalizing and contacting those on our waiting list until Tuesday, March 7"

That's from their website.

[Dialectica]

Got a call from Riverside, CA. Not UCR. 

[FEB]

Got a missed call from a number with area code "650", and Google told me that it's for "San Francisco Bay Area".

I called back. Turned out it was an online travel agency that I booked a flight with....

[753982]

Tried calling Indiana for Dialectica and others - but no one picked up the phone. 

[Dialectica]

12 minutes ago, 753982 said:

Tried calling Indiana for Dialectica and others - but no one picked up the phone. 

Thank you so much for that! Even if you didn't get a response.

And I was just about to post about this: A friend of mine emailed an administrator there a few days a go and got a strangly worded response just this morning: "The admissions committee *has starting* [sic] making offers this week."

[To φ or not to φ]

22 hours ago, 753982 said:

Tried calling Indiana for Dialectica and others - but no one picked up the phone. 

Thank you, @753982! 

[Coconuts&Chloroform]

NYU is really taking their sweet time this year.

[matchamatcha]

10 minutes ago, Coconuts&Chloroform said:

NYU is really taking their sweet time this year.

I imagine once NYU releases decisions, it'll get the waitlist chain rolling for the rest of the schools.  Hopefully they release soon.

[To φ or not to φ]

On 3/3/2017 at 5:36 AM, Dialectica said:

Thank you so much for that! Even if you didn't get a response.

And I was just about to post about this: A friend of mine emailed an administrator there a few days a go and got a strangly worded response just this morning: "The admissions committee *has starting* [sic] making offers this week."

Haven't seen anything on the TGC results page, although, of course, there is the possibility that those who have already heard from Indiana Philosophy aren't TGC members. 

[Dialectica]

19 minutes ago, To φ or not to φ said:

Haven't seen anything on the TGC results page, although, of course, there is the possibility that those who have already heard from Indiana Philosophy aren't TGC members. 

The way it was worded was ambiguous between two interpretations: 1. They will release sometime this week, or 2. They have started releasing and will continue to do so this week. I'm unsure how to interpret it. I feel it would implausible that they've sent out all their acceptances, given the history of reports from Indiana. Unless there is a real paucity of Indiana applicants this year. 

[To φ or not to φ]

6 minutes ago, Dialectica said:

The way it was worded was ambiguous between two interpretations: 1. They will release sometime this week, or 2. They have started releasing and will continue to do so this week. I'm unsure how to interpret it. I feel it would implausible that they've sent out all their acceptances, given the history of reports from Indiana. Unless there is a real paucity of Indiana applicants this year. 

Yeah, maybe it's just you and me this season. 

[eigenname]

49 minutes ago, matchamatcha said:

I imagine once NYU releases decisions, it'll get the waitlist chain rolling for the rest of the schools.  Hopefully they release soon.

Seems like some guy got a call from NYU on the FB page, so it's going out around now...

[matchamatcha]

22 minutes ago, eigenname said:

Seems like some guy got a call from NYU on the FB page, so it's going out around now...

Yep.  Can't wait for the trickle down admissions to start.

[Schopenhauerfanboy]

Anybody heard from UBC?!?!

[matchamatcha]

5 hours ago, Schopenhauerfanboy said:

Anybody heard from UBC?!?!

Nope...

[hector549]

Any one else whiling away their time while they're waiting around endlessly reading old threads? For some reason, I find them so interesting.

Also, I keep getting these "status change" emails from Milwaukee, and it's kind of frustrating, because I keep expecting an admissions decision when I open the email.

Edited March 4, 2017 by hector549

[To φ or not to φ]

39 minutes ago, hector549 said:

Any one else whiling away their time while they're waiting around endlessly reading old threads? For some reason, I find them so interesting.

Also, I keep getting these "status change" emails from Milwaukee, and it's kind of frustrating, because I keep expecting an admissions decision when I open the email.

What I find especially interesting is the possibility that some of the earlier posts in this forum were written by some of our letter-writers back when they were applying for grad programs in Philosophy. 

[applicant9870]

What's going on with UBC?? What's taking them so long? The suspense is killing me.

[Schopenhauerfanboy]

26 minutes ago, applicant9870 said:

What's going on with UBC?? What's taking them so long? The suspense is killing me.

I know they extended their application deadline (someone posted a screenshot of it somewhere earlier), so that probably accounts for why they are later than usual this year. What area are you applying for? I would be really happy to write my dissertation under Paul Russell. 

[ApplyingToGradSchools]

Hi all,

What is your opinion on reaching out to schools (the one's I was not offered admission from) to inquire about how I can improve my application (or what was needed to gain entry). It's odd because I applied to many schools and could not get into any T20 programs. My writing sample has been reviewed by various professors, 3.62 cGPA (3.88 in philosophy major) at a top 10 ranked program, I have strong references letters (some from professors who are in the top 5 most cited philosophers on google scholar), a prestigious scholarship (CGS-M), two years worth of TAships and heavy involvement with the philosophy communities at the schools I've attended, and I'm currently completing my MA. My GRE scores were terrible (154/144/4.5), but could this really have outweighed all other aspects of my application? 

Edited March 6, 2017 by ApplyingToGradSchools

[Coconuts&Chloroform]

43 minutes ago, ApplyingToGradSchools said:

Hi all,

What is your opinion on reaching out to schools (the one's I was not offered admission from) to inquire about how I can improve my application (or what was needed to gain entry). It's odd because I applied to many schools and could not get into any T20 programs. My writing sample has been reviewed by various professors, 3.62 cGPA (3.88 in philosophy major) at a top 10 ranked program, I have strong references letters (some from professors who are in the top 5 most cited philosophers on google scholar), a prestigious scholarship (CGS-M), two years worth of TAships and heavy involvement with the philosophy communities at the schools I've attended, and I'm currently completing my MA. My GRE scores were terrible (154/144/4.5), but could this really have outweighed all other aspects of my application? 

It's probably the GRE scores, since everything else is stellar. Particularly the verbal score - you should have high 160s in verbal if you want to do philosophy. Remember that the people who get offers at top programs more or less do not have a weakness: they have excellent grades, recommendations, writing samples, and GRE scores. So you may have excellent strengths in the first three, but just having one weakness immediately sets you at the back of the line.

However, the good news is that your GRE scores are perplexingly low given the strength of the rest of your file. This suggests that your poor performance was probably a fluke. Perhaps you weren't well-rested when you took the test? If I were you, I'd hit the GRE prep books hard and try again next year with better scores. If you got offers from schools outside the T20, I wouldn't take them - your file is strong enough, I imagine, that you can do far better provided that you ace the GRE.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Coconuts&Chloroform

[Dialectica]

2 hours ago, ApplyingToGradSchools said:

Hi all,

What is your opinion on reaching out to schools (the one's I was not offered admission from) to inquire about how I can improve my application (or what was needed to gain entry). It's odd because I applied to many schools and could not get into any T20 programs. My writing sample has been reviewed by various professors, 3.62 cGPA (3.88 in philosophy major) at a top 10 ranked program, I have strong references letters (some from professors who are in the top 5 most cited philosophers on google scholar), a prestigious scholarship (CGS-M), two years worth of TAships and heavy involvement with the philosophy communities at the schools I've attended, and I'm currently completing my MA. My GRE scores were terrible (154/144/4.5), but could this really have outweighed all other aspects of my application? 

With respect, I think you might be underestimating the difficulty and randomness of this process. Many applicants with impeccable files get shut out or near shut out. It shouldn't be surprising that you don't get into a top 20. Rather, it should be surprising *if you get in* to such places.

There are plenty of anecdotes to confirm this. Applicant A gets shut out one year. Applicant A applies another year, makes no changes to his file, and gets into a top 10. Applicant B gets rejected from low and mid-ranked programs, yet gets accepted to a top 5. Applicant C only gets low-ranked waitlists, only to be accepted to a top 25 near the end of the season. Applicant D gets rejected from many low-ranked programs, only to be accepted to a top 25. The applicant I have in mind for D had an incredible file, with a stellar sample. But, for even low-ranked programs, that might not matter. Fit plays a role; letters play a role; institution plays a role; and so on. This process isn't predictable. 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Dialectica

[Duns Eith]

28 minutes ago, Dialectica said:

With respect, I think you might be underestimating the difficulty and randomness of this process. Many applicants with impeccable files get shut out or near shut out. It shouldn't be surprising that you don't get into a top 20. Rather, it should be surprising *if you get in* to such places. There are plenty of anecdotes to confirm this. Applicant A gets shut out one year. Applicant A applies another year, makes no changes to his file, and gets into a top 10. Applicant B gets rejected from low and mid-ranked programs, yet gets accepted to a top 5. Applicant C only gets low-ranked waitlists, only to be accepted to a top 25 near the end of the season. Applicant D gets rejected from many low-ranked programs, only to be accepted to a top 25. The applicant I have in mind for D had an incredible file, with a stellar sample. But, for even low-ranked programs, that might not matter. Fit plays a role; letters play a role; institution plays a role; and so on. This process isn't predictable. 

This is spot on.

I heard of someone who was rejected at Baylor (unranked), but accepted at Cornell (PGR 17). I think there were some rejections and waitlists at lower ranked schools as well.

I myself thought that I would get into a good ranked program. My peers thought so too, and they saw my writing sample, GRE scores, GPA in undergrad and grad; they knew my letter writers, they saw how I was tailoring my personal statements, they knew about my conferences, publication, etc. Yet as you can see from my signature, I've only been accepted or waitlisted at unranked programs. (Meanwhile, almost all of them have offers at ranked schools.)

There is a lot of randomness to this, and there is also a lot unknown to the applicant. Fit is an important factor, and one I should've taken into account more.

That said, make sure you ask not only will your professor write you a letter, but also will your professor write you a good letter. It is in your interest to be frank and ask candidly.

[ApplyingToGradSchools]

1 hour ago, Dialectica said:

With respect, I think you might be underestimating the difficulty and randomness of this process. Many applicants with impeccable files get shut out or near shut out. It shouldn't be surprising that you don't get into a top 20. Rather, it should be surprising *if you get in* to such places. There are plenty of anecdotes to confirm this. Applicant A gets shut out one year. Applicant A applies another year, makes no changes to his file, and gets into a top 10. Applicant B gets rejected from low and mid-ranked programs, yet gets accepted to a top 5. Applicant C only gets low-ranked waitlists, only to be accepted to a top 25 near the end of the season. Applicant D gets rejected from many low-ranked programs, only to be accepted to a top 25. The applicant I have in mind for D had an incredible file, with a stellar sample. But, for even low-ranked programs, that might not matter. Fit plays a role; letters play a role; institution plays a role; and so on. This process isn't predictable. 

 

25 minutes ago, Turretin said:

This is spot on.

I heard of someone who was rejected at Baylor (unranked), but accepted at Cornell (PGR 17). I think there were some rejections and waitlists at lower ranked schools as well.

I myself thought that I would get into a good ranked program. My peers thought so too, and they saw my writing sample, GRE scores, GPA in undergrad and grad; they knew my letter writers, they saw how I was tailoring my personal statements, they knew about my conferences, publication, etc. Yet as you can see from my signature, I've only been accepted or waitlisted at unranked programs. (Meanwhile, almost all of them have offers at ranked schools.)

There is a lot of randomness to this, and there is also a lot unknown to the applicant. Fit is an important factor, and one I should've taken into account more.

That said, make sure you ask not only will your professor write you a letter, but also will your professor write you a good letter. It is in your interest to be frank and ask candidly.

Both of you make great points as to the randomness of the application process, but I do think such points shouldn't undermine a general predictability concerning the way schools make decisions. Similar to how one can distinguish a grade A paper from a grade B paper, so too can one distinguish different types of applicants from the select pool. For e.g., what makes paper 1 an A paper might be its clarity coupled with an original response, whereas what makes paper 2 an A paper is its organization and its ability to draw upon interdisciplinary research to back up a thought that is not their own. 

As for the details of the application; the point I was trying to make is that if what one would call a strong (questionable) profile (excluding the GRE scores) cannot getting into a T20, then what else is required? There seems to be something missing, and some of your suggestions have been fit, randomness and more. However, there seems to be reasonable grounds to question that such considerations are the leading factors. Even in this year's applicant pool, there have been individuals who have received multiple offers to many T10 programs. It doesn't seem random.

But the question I had initially asked is: what is your take on asking the programs in which one has not been offered admission, for their advice on how you can improve your application? Or what could you have done differently in order to ensure entry into the program?

Edited March 6, 2017 by ApplyingToGradSchools