Welcome to the 2016-17 cycle!

[RevTheory1126]

Wow! Again, this is way better to come to after being busy all day at work... Congrats to all my GCafe Comrades who got accepted today! I'm sharing the sorrows with those who heard nothing... honestly, it's really weird not receiving one email from any of the schools I've applied to yet (NW, UChicago, Duke, ND)... I'll say it again, at this point, just some kind of notification would be nice... No portal updates, no emails, no nothing... Weird stuff.

Party on.

[Bibica]

@RevTheory1126 if it makes you feel better, most people have not heard from UND, and they don't actually do interviews with most of their candidates. My POI is an alumni of my school and I've done research for them indirectly (coauthored book with a professor of mine here, I did some coding for them b/c they needed a Portuguese speaker, mostly interacted with my professor here except for a few email exchanges to the POI).

[RevTheory1126]

5 minutes ago, Bibica said:

@RevTheory1126 if it makes you feel better, most people have not heard from UND, and they don't actually do interviews with most of their candidates. My POI is an alumni of my school and I've done research for them indirectly (coauthored book with a professor of mine here, I did some coding for them b/c they needed a Portuguese speaker, mostly interacted with my professor here except for a few email exchanges to the POI).

That is good to know. It just feels odd knowing that I am most likely rejected by these places, but I can't really put my finger on anything formal yet. It's very surreal.

[swanblack]

Does anyone claim a waitlist from SIS American? I am likely relenting to believe it's probably not a troll. Previous cycle decisions timeline shows SIS had been releasing decision around this time. Yet the fact that it's only one entry and too a waitlist erodes the credibility it purports to manifest. How come a university come to announce waitlist while keeping the admitted guessing (assuming quite of few admits would have honestly advertised their decisions on results page).

[changeisgood]

6 hours ago, Monody said:

I claim a Columbia admit.

Dude (or dudette, whichever), that's awesome.  Rotsa ruck finding affordable housing in NYC though.

 

[krapp]

Huge congratulations to everyone who got good news today!

For me it's another day of wasted email refreshing and jumping every time my phone buzzed

[tkid86]

34 minutes ago, krapp said:

Huge congratulations to everyone who got good news today!

For me it's another day of wasted email refreshing and jumping every time my phone buzzed

I'm right there with you. I think I'm giving up for the evening.

[Kenga]

52 minutes ago, tkid86 said:

I'm right there with you. I think I'm giving up for the evening.

I'm with both of you. After a day of email refreshing, my F5 button needs to rest and I need to actually work for my class. So, good night F5 button, rest so that I can hit you tomorrow, hopefully with better results than today. (or results at all would be nice).

[GradNYC]

On 2/7/2017 at 8:43 AM, Mike_Novick said:

Hello, everyone. I would like to hear from you guys about the following: with very few exceptions, a did not contact any POIs during this entire cycle (and I have received only one - very polited and formal - answer). I know that one of my recommenders contacted a POI, but I don't know if he replied. So far, I was formally rejected by two universities, and very likely by other two. I have not been contacted by any POIs or by anyone else from other programs I have applied to. 0.

I would like to know if is it anyone else in this very same position? Is this a sign that no one is really interested in my research agenda? I'm trying to figure it out what is going on, as I'm alrady freaking out with my results till now. 

 

[aroundandabout]

Congrats to those with wonderful news! I think Georgetown decisions are approaching. There was this generic e-mail sent to international students on their commitment to global diversity. Nearly gave me a heart attack before opening it, but it was just a promotional mail with info that reviews are almost completed. 

[Hates_Goats]

Does anyone know why some people got official rejections from Duke while others of us are getting the silent treatment?  Can they just end my misery already?

[necspenecmetu]

Thank you for all the info here and I wanna ask yo guys about financing negotiation. 

I received an offer with partial financing and the department administrator says 'I think you should try and negotiation' concerning financing.

The program is for now my top priority but I cannot accept their offer because of insufficient funding. What do you think I can do? I will visit the department in late March

and I told them the school is my first choice. 

[tkid86]

@GradNYC I contacted POIs at three of my seven schools before admissions deadlines. From one, I received quick and fantastic responses that led to an informal Skype interview last summer. From another, I received a fairly generic response. And the third, to whom I was introduced by an alumna of the program, thought I had already been accepted (back in the summer) and was reaching out before the fall term began (I responded and gently corrected but never heard back; it was summer and I get it).

As per previous cycles and their observations in threads similar to this one, it doesn't seem like reaching out to POIs will make or break your application. One of my UG advisors said, It's great if you hear back from a POI, but don't be disheartened if you don't. They're busy people, too. 

I wouldn't worry too much about not reaching out being a great factor for admittance. 

[Bibica]

Waiting is ruff. Feels like life is on paws.

@GradNYC I didn't reach out to anyone, only mentioned them in my SOP. My adviser warned me that it a. it likely won't help and b. at worst could annoy future advisers. The only people I contacted were those who visited my university for a guest lecture, and that was after attending the lecture and speaking with them briefly afterward. Another one I did work informally for (mostly through another professor at my university). I actually haven't heard back from any of those schools except the last one.

@necspenecmetu if they don't have the funds, you might have to wait until later (like when you visit) and see if anyone who did receive full funding has declined the offer. That might free some for you, but they can't make money appear out of nowhere, unfortunately. Negotiation goes best when you have a bargaining chip, because they do want you at their school. Another offer at a similarly-ranked program (but with funding), or something like that. 

Edited February 9, 2017 by Bibica

[tkid86]

@Bibica Those puppies. 

[Bibica]

@tkid86 Grad school may have me knots, but animal gifs are the purrfect way to unwind.

[tkid86]

@Bibica Just have to remember to come up for air every now and then. 

(My UG cohort and I had a FB group where we'd post motivational images, quotes, and cute animal gifs during exams. You've reminded me of that.)

Edited February 9, 2017 by tkid86

[GradNYC]

For the  folks accepted to NYU did  your application status change?

[RevTheory1126]

33 minutes ago, Hates_Goats said:

Does anyone know why some people got official rejections from Duke while others of us are getting the silent treatment?  Can they just end my misery already?

Alongside these awesome animal GIFs, ^this is my burning question...

[VMcJ]

13 minutes ago, RevTheory1126 said:

Alongside these awesome animal GIFs, ^this is my burning question...

Part of a social experiment, perhaps? The Duncan Principle?

[Bibica]

@Hates_Goats and @RevTheory1126 Seems like this is a problem for them every year (although this is the first year they've done a waitlist from what I can see). I also don't like how their DGS doesn't send out emails, even generic ones. Everything is so sterile. My guess is just that they (either the department or the people running the website) are disorganized/inefficient. Personally don't think it reflects well on them at all.

I would expect a rejection. They have sent out acceptances in one batch every year, with only rare acceptances coming after (probably due to people declining offers).

[RevTheory1126]

Yeah that makes sense, especially if they are working on a new process (e.g. maintaining a waitlist).

I'm definitely clear on not getting in, which is just part of the process. I'm just bummed on the real lack of communication and/or transparency with the process... I mean, say what you will about Vanderbilt, at least their DGS sent out an email explaining their projected timeline for making decisions. I appreciate that level of intentionality and professionalism.

I can live with a rejection, I would just like to know about it formally.

[terefere]

6 minutes ago, Bibica said:

@Hates_Goats and @RevTheory1126 Seems like this is a problem for them every year (although this is the first year they've done a waitlist from what I can see). I also don't like how their DGS doesn't send out emails, even generic ones. Everything is so sterile. My guess is just that they (either the department or the people running the website) are disorganized/inefficient. Personally don't think it reflects well on them at all.

I would expect a rejection. They have sent out acceptances in one batch every year, with only rare acceptances coming after (probably due to people declining offers).

This has to do with the Grad School, not the department, and how fast they can process all those applications. Official decisions are made by the grad school  They do create this pdf letter with your name and stuff, I guess that takes time.

[jazzmintea]

Wow. Congrats to all the new acceptances! 

Which other schools are we expecting to hear from this week and the next? 

 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

On the issue of asking whether people will be staying - definitely ask current graduate students if they've heard anything. And definitely ask. I was told that people were coming (and did move) to places I was accepted that made them more appealing, and at others I was accepted where both primary faculty I hoped to work with were leaving or hoped to in the next year or so (and subsequently did). Despite choosing neither of those options, I've run into the same issue this year where up to three faculty members could be leaving by April, with two in particular being huge losses. There are always rumours, but they usually have grounding and there really is no better person to ask than the PI themselves.