2017 Applications Thread

[DBear]

So I have a friend whose parents are both professors. One got their phd in the Midwest and another from the west coast. They  both got tenure track positions, but in two separate cities like 5 hrs apart by car. Their entire marriage has been long distance... It's working for them but hopefully none of the married people here will need to go through that (unless you want it that way)

[DBear]

4 minutes ago, phdthoughts said:

@ejpril88 random question, but I'm still trying to figure out if and when Purdue will send a rejection letter to me since no offer was extended but my status still says "submitted." Do you know if rejections have been sent to anyone yet? I kind of want to reach out to see if I'm on some sort of waitlist and don't know it - not sure if they even do waitlists, or as some have mentioned here, tracks review independently of one another. 

There were two people here that got notification from Purdue @d.grace I think it was. If @ejpril88 is also in the same track, perhaps it's a track by track thing?

[hnm1231]

@DBear Thank you! I'm enjoying every victory I can get in this process haha. 

Still waiting to hear back from Cornell though... It's not looking good because in past years they sent out decisions this week and I haven't gotten an interview :/ But I need to take my own advice and not give up hope!

[DBear]

2 minutes ago, hnm1231 said:

@DBear Thank you! I'm enjoying every victory I can get in this process haha. 

Still waiting to hear back from Cornell though... It's not looking good because in past years they sent out decisions this week and I haven't gotten an interview :/ But I need to take my own advice and not give up hope!

I'm finding that the past years' notification dates are not so reliable! For example, based on past data, Wisconsin-Madison should be making notifications on Feb 2ish. But I have an interview on the 1st. I think it really depends on the number of applicants that year so never give up hope!

[phdthoughts]

Thanks @DBear! I'll just wait and see. This process is turning me into an OCD personality quick lol. 

[DBear]

55 minutes ago, phdthoughts said:

Thanks @DBear! I'll just wait and see. This process is turning me into an OCD personality quick lol. 

Same here!! OCD with a touch of paranoia and ADHD

[ejpril88]

@heyDW omg!!! Please let us know what happened as soon as you find out. I was trying to imagine what it would feel like to be in the same situation with my husband and it must be sooo nerve wracking.

@phdthoughts I think you're still in the game. I didn't hear anyone being rejected or waitlisted for Purdue. Their welcome weekend is on February 24 so I guess they have to notify all candidates at least a week before. Where else did you apply to and what do you know about Purdue Comm program?

@DBear thanks for the link

[DBear]

@heyDW I may have asked this before but are you and your husband applying for the same subfield? Even though I haven't applied to MN, I find myself analyzing the decision notification process :/

[heyDW]

He applied to Critical Media and I applied to Rhetoric. I'm a bit worried because I got a "congrats" email from the DGS last night, but I'm also wondering if Rhetoric acceptances went out first....he has more research and teaching experience than me and great LoRs, and his interests fit. It's impossible not to analyze it repeatedly ????

[phdthoughts]

@ejpril88 I applied to Iowa, Ohio U and UMass. Not as many as other students on GC.  Thanks for the insight, that's good info to know. I know that Purdue is a good school with decent job placement - just by doing some of my own investigating online. More than anything, as I look at schools, I want to know I have at least a good chance at a job when I graduate. They seem to have a good teaching program for new grad students as well which is great. My initial contact was very positive with my POI too. I have heard that there have been budget cuts to the liberal arts and sciences department where the comm program is housed, but also that they've raised their stipend for grad students too, but that it was fairly low to begin with. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/23/purdue-increasing-graduate-student-stipends-it-cuts-graduate-enrollment

[DBear]

@heyDW sending all the good vibes I have!!!!!! I have a feeling it's just a matter of different tracks being announced at different times

@phdthoughts I don't think 4 is a small number, I asked whether 7 was small some time ago on this thread and someone answered that they had applied to a lot less and most people they knew had applied to 5 ish. I think as long as you selected schools with good fit and you had positive communication beforehand, you'll be fine. I've heard good things about Iowa from a current student and U Mass seems really promising (though they said they only have a handful of spots this year) so we still have plenty to look forward to! As @ejpril88 said, Feb is ours!!

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

I applied to 5 programs in total, but 3 are in anthropology (same as my B.A. and M.A.). I've been comforting myself with, if I don't get in, I can talk to you guys to help me find additional comm programs I can apply to next season.  

[avflinsch]

13 minutes ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

I applied to 5 programs in total, but 3 are in anthropology (same as my B.A. and M.A.). I've been comforting myself with, if I don't get in, I can talk to you guys to help me find additional comm programs I can apply to next season.  

You can try Rutgers - New Brunswick Graduate School - Communication, Information and Library Studies. it is a combined program/faculty, I am on the Info Science side of things, admissions and applications are handled separately for each track.

Rutgers Comminfo

 

[DBear]

16 minutes ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

I applied to 5 programs in total, but 3 are in anthropology (same as my B.A. and M.A.). I've been comforting myself with, if I don't get in, I can talk to you guys to help me find additional comm programs I can apply to next season.  

Done and done! But hopefully it won't come to that and we can all talk to eachother about how to survive moving and starting a new life and getting through the first year.

[phdthoughts]

@GreenEyedTrombonist well I'm sure you'll find lots of help from folks here about comm programs. Those of us who are reapplying will have insight about schools and those starting programs will be able to provide inside knowledge about programs.

 

 

[chiquitica]

Hi guys, it's Monday again. Another week of anxious waiting and over-analyzing has begun. 

I hope heyDW's husband would get a positive result soon and that you guys both get to the same ideal place

I am waiting to hear from Northwestern (Media, Technology and Society program) and UIUC (Department of Communication, which is different from ICR). I believe they would send out something soon. 

Is there anyone here contacted prospective POIs in prior to applying? Do you think that would help significantly? 

[d.grace]

Purdue determines by unit. I know they haven't finished with all the units. Media and Health Comm were already sent. Org comm is still being considered. You won't here anything until they've filled the cohort with acceptances. As people decline they send new letters.

[SKB]

@hnm1231 Congrats on getting into USC! I found out I was also accepted. Did your letter mention anything about funding? Mine didn't, so I'm curious if that's a bad sign. Seems like there should be more information to come, though.

[kirbs005]

48 minutes ago, chiquitica said:

I am waiting to hear from Northwestern (Media, Technology and Society program) and UIUC (Department of Communication, which is different from ICR). I believe they would send out something soon. 

Is there anyone here contacted prospective POIs in prior to applying? Do you think that would help significantly? 

I'm also waiting on UIUC communications -- I'm hoping to hear from them. But they emailed me on January 15th saying they never recieved my GREs (which I resent/am hoping they told me b/c they liked my app on initial inspection)...so either they review quickly or it will be a little longer. 

Also I didn't talk to any of my POIs prior to applying so we'll see how I do. I've heard mixed things on it. In sciences and engineering it's encouraged it seems, but I've heard mixed things in Humanities. My LOR writers advised against it actually. Something about not bothering people and letting my writing speak for itself.

 

[ejpril88]

1 hour ago, phdthoughts said:

 I have heard that there have been budget cuts to the liberal arts and sciences department where the comm program is housed, but also that they've raised their stipend for grad students too, but that it was fairly low to begin with. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/23/purdue-increasing-graduate-student-stipends-it-cuts-graduate-enrollment

According to this, they made a huge increase in funding this year, so I guess I was lucky. Compared to other universities, Purdue does seem really generous, especially considering low cost of living index in Lafayette.

1 hour ago, phdthoughts said:

@ejpril88 I applied to Iowa, Ohio U and UMass. Not as many as other students on GC.  

I met a girl who applied only to one Hawaiian University. She was so confident and in the end she made it.

1 hour ago, chiquitica said:

Is there anyone here contacted prospective POIs in prior to applying? Do you think that would help significantly? 

I only contacted one professor from UCSB but that was almost two years ago and I just asked her if they offer funding.

   

[phdthoughts]

@chiquitica I contacted at least one POI for each school I applied to. As this is my first cycle, I've yet to see if it pans out! I've heard of students having success both ways so I think both approaches work. 

[phdthoughts]

@ejpril88 absolutely! It's much lower than other cities, and overall it seems like a nice town to live in. 

[hnm1231]

@SKB I got an email about an hour ago that was from the department and not just the university and it had funding information! Also dates for when I was invited to visit but they're in the middle of the week  I don't think I'll be able to make it.

@chiquitica I also contacted at least one POI from each school, usually two, because my advisor recommended talking to more than one person in case my main POI couldn't take students.

[SKB]

@hnm1231 Right after I posted here, I got that same email! Too funny. Thanks for the response. I was also disappointed to see the dates for the visitation, as they're the same as a UCSB open house that I'm attending! I wish schools would have their events on weekends to make it easier on folks. 

[ejpril88]

@SKB did you get any answer from UCSB? I am still waiting.

I just got a long email from UW Seattle saying I wasn't selected. They got 186 applications and had to choose only 10. I wasn't sad at all, since I already got accepted at Purdue. Thank God the first answer was a yes, otherwise this would hurt so bad.