Fall 2010 Admission Results

[APGradApplicant]

Cpaige- Yeah I wouldn't worry about it. The editors already removed the obnoxious post (and the one I put up calling their bullshit). Obviously most of us here (in fact, everyone I've seen post here for the most part) are mature adults. Some people, however, are apparently still in grade school but just happen to think they should get a PhD.

To all- In any case, I'm starting to think that a UNC rejection could be in the works for those of us who haven't heard anything yet, but at the same time maybe I shouldn't be so pessimistic. As my signature shows, I still have plenty of places to hear from, as do most of us. I agree that we should just ignore anything like that in the future.

In the mean time, I'm very grateful for the Grad Cafe. It's good to not have to vent about admissions anxiety, discuss the grad school process, and celebrate successes all by myself. I hope we can create a support group forum this fall for Grad Cafe "alumni" who will be starting poli sci MA/PhD work, as I'm sure I'll need the support.

[mn06556]

Howdy everyone - I've been lurking around here so I thought I'd say hi. I claim one of the Wisconsin acceptances and one of the UNC acceptances. I'm in IR. Last year UNC accepted some people fairly late in the process so I wouldn't worry yet. Good luck everyone!

[Sanssouci]

Cpaige- Yeah I wouldn't worry about it. The editors already removed the obnoxious post (and the one I put up calling their bullshit). Obviously most of us here (in fact, everyone I've seen post here for the most part) are mature adults. Some people, however, are apparently still in grade school but just happen to think they should get a PhD.

To all- In any case, I'm starting to think that a UNC rejection could be in the works for those of us who haven't heard anything yet, but at the same time maybe I shouldn't be so pessimistic. As my signature shows, I still have plenty of places to hear from, as do most of us. I agree that we should just ignore anything like that in the future.

In the mean time, I'm very grateful for the Grad Cafe. It's good to not have to vent about admissions anxiety, discuss the grad school process, and celebrate successes all by myself. I hope we can create a support group forum this fall for Grad Cafe "alumni" who will be starting poli sci MA/PhD work, as I'm sure I'll need the support.

I'm very grateful for the Grad Cafe too, certainly made the waiting process easier, and though I think a rejection is forthcoming, I'm already feeling positive about the MA/MScs in my home country that I've applied to and about applying to the US again next year, slightly more wise about the process!

[rc47]

So I'm likely being completely paranoid, but I just noticed a minor typo (I left out a word, but you can still get what the sentence means) in my SOP to Yale. Am I screwed there?

Haha no way. I've heard of people putting the wrong school's name in their SOPs and still getting in.

[brewski]

cpaige - don't read your SOPs!!!! It'll just make you go crazy. lol. What's done is done. You'll be fine with Yale.

[adbogolubov]

Does anyone know if the schools send out admission letters and rejection letters at the same time? I'm wondering if I'm on a waiting list...

[rc47]

Does anyone know if the schools send out admission letters and rejection letters at the same time? I'm wondering if I'm on a waiting list...

Usually not. Schools really have no incentive to tell people that they've been turned down, so sometimes it can take a while. You may still be on the waiting list, though, but some schools don't have them. You can probably figure out who does and doesn't by looking for waiting list announcements in the results from last year.

[interista]

Does anyone know if the schools send out admission letters and rejection letters at the same time? I'm wondering if I'm on a waiting list...

Depends on the school, though the trend is toward admits first, rejections later. But there are some notable exceptions (last year Yale rejected a bunch of applicants at once, then accepted/rejected/wait-listed the rest over the next several weeks).

[Ziz]

So I'm likely being completely paranoid, but I just noticed a minor typo (I left out a word, but you can still get what the sentence means) in my SOP to Yale. Am I screwed there?

Chances are they will be reading your SOP so quickly that their brains will just assume they saw the word. Apparently when your brain is anticipating something, you often don`t even notice it`s not there. Even if they did notice, I`m sure it won`t matter

[ridgey]

Thoughts or speculation, anyone? It's not from one of my poli sci applications, but the relevant parts of the grad cafe are reeeeeeally quiet.

So, I got an email from a school that said I was on a short list for making admission offers, and decisions will be made within a week. The website says they get about 100 applications/season. Now, it is nice to know my application wasn't a joke and won't be used as an example of what not to do. But, what I really want to know is: how long is the short list?

Clearly, no-one can actually tell me that. But is it likely it's everyone who got past the first GRE cutoff? Or down to 6 people for 5 places?

Dang, I need a distraction from all this!

[curufinwe]

I would assume it is the list of people that are good for the program, but they will have to reduce the number for funding purposes.

[ladedodaday]

So, I got an email from a school that said I was on a short list for making admission offers, and decisions will be made within a week. The website says they get about 100 applications/season. Now, it is nice to know my application wasn't a joke and won't be used as an example of what not to do. But, what I really want to know is: how long is the short list?

Wow, I'd be incredibly frustrated after getting an email like that. I'd rather not know if my application was close to being accepted, but they hadn't decided. Best wishes, and I assume it is a relatively short list (I agree with curufinwe).

[ladedodaday]

Any guesses about who's deciding this week? Judging by 2008/2009, it seems likely we'll hear from:

-Duke

-Rochester

-UVA

-Emory

-Iowa

-Florida St.

-Yale

-UCLA

And considering things are moving a bit earlier than usually this year, maybe:

-BC

-Michigan

-Northwestern

-Penn St.

-Pittsburgh

-UC-Berkeley

Good luck to all!

[Ziz]

Yeah Im not really sure what is accomplished by sending an email like that to applicants. It gets your hopes up without actually telling you anything except that your odds of rejection are slightly lower than before.

[HarrisonWinslow]

Hey guys, just a real quick question:

I received an email from Minnesota's grad assistant a month ago asking for a letter that hadn't come in yet because they said I was up for a "fellowship nomination." (Of course, I got on the ball so it was sent in ASAP.) But, my question is (and it never dawned on me until that email) are all of the applicants at big state schools lumped into two categories automatically, e.g., an admissions pile and a fellowship pile? My thought was that, since the university itself can give out funds (or, rather, that departments compete for additional university funds) it is quite possible that the department might just throw every app into that pile for consideration. Is this even remotely reasonable? I guess I was just wondering if others got the same email from Minnesota, too. And, if so, what they thought it meant.

Thanks.

PS I apologize if this is on the wrong thread, I wasn't sure if this warranted a whole new thread!

[rising_star]

My thought was that, since the university itself can give out funds (or, rather, that departments compete for additional university funds) it is quite possible that the department might just throw every app into that pile for consideration. Is this even remotely reasonable?

Generally, departments are limited in the number of students they can nominate. So no, it's not likely that there are separate piles for admission and fellowship. More likely, fellowship nominees are selected from the pool of applicants the department is going to admit either way.

I hope what I'm saying makes sense.

[APGradApplicant]

I agree with rising_star. Essentially, your LOR-writer's absent-mindedness was a blessing in disguise, as it sounds like it prompted them to let you know earlier than the rest of us U on Minnesota applicants that you're at least admitted.

[HarrisonWinslow]

Generally, departments are limited in the number of students they can nominate. So no, it's not likely that there are separate piles for admission and fellowship. More likely, fellowship nominees are selected from the pool of applicants the department is going to admit either way.

I hope what I'm saying makes sense.

I agree with rising_star. Essentially, your LOR-writer's absent-mindedness was a blessing in disguise, as it sounds like it prompted them to let you know earlier than the rest of us U on Minnesota applicants that you're at least admitted.

Thanks, guys! (I'll let you know what happens when it happens!) Thanks again!

[yellowshoes]

Hey guys, just a real quick question:

I received an email from Minnesota's grad assistant a month ago asking for a letter that hadn't come in yet because they said I was up for a "fellowship nomination." (Of course, I got on the ball so it was sent in ASAP.) But, my question is (and it never dawned on me until that email) are all of the applicants at big state schools lumped into two categories automatically, e.g., an admissions pile and a fellowship pile? My thought was that, since the university itself can give out funds (or, rather, that departments compete for additional university funds) it is quite possible that the department might just throw every app into that pile for consideration. Is this even remotely reasonable? I guess I was just wondering if others got the same email from Minnesota, too. And, if so, what they thought it meant.

Thanks.

PS I apologize if this is on the wrong thread, I wasn't sure if this warranted a whole new thread!

I got an e-mail from the department around a month ago as well saying that one of my profs had submitted the cover sheet, but not the actual letter. It didn't say anything about a fellowship, just asking for the letter. So...I think your news is good news! (And maybe mine at least means they considered admitting me enough to want the letter?...not that it means anything. I called the department last week and they still hadn't dug the e-mailed letter out of the inbox until I asked them to do it while I was on the phone. Obviously not too interested in me, although it would have been nice if they would have said "look, we haven't gotten to the letter but it doesn't matter because you didn't make it." That's what I think would have been accurate, as I called a week before then and they couldn't find it in the inbox, then last week they found it almost immediately after I asked. I almost think they just "said" they found it. Who knows what to make of it all.)

Edited February 1, 2010 by yellowshoes

[M.Y]

I got an e-mail from the department around a month ago as well saying that one of my profs had submitted the cover sheet, but not the actual letter. It didn't say anything about a fellowship, just asking for the letter. So...I think your news is good news! (And maybe mine at least means they considered admitting me enough to want the letter?...not that it means anything. I called the department last week and they still hadn't dug the e-mailed letter out of the inbox until I asked them to do it while I was on the phone. Obviously not too interested in me, although it would have been nice if they would have said "look, we haven't gotten to the letter but it doesn't matter because you didn't make it." That's what I think would have been accurate, as I called a week before then and they couldn't find it in the inbox, then last week they found it almost immediately after I asked. I almost think they just "said" they found it. Who knows what to make of it all.)

I got the same email as you, but I didn't follow up, not knowing where my letter is now. Oh well, I'll just wait and see. Feburary!

[tskinner]

We're just a hot mess! (20 min. 'til February on the West Coast )

[APGradApplicant]

We're just a hot mess! (20 min. 'til February on the West Coast )

I know! I swear that the closer the notification dates come, the more this site becomes an addiction.

[Sanssouci]

I had a funny dream last night, my application status from UI-Chicago read "Decisions letter sent in post", then I scrolled down and under a category "ongoing issues" it read "WOEFUL decision to submit DIRE writing sample"

[curufinwe]

I assume Northwestern's acceptances would be out this week, based on last year's trend. the horror...

[CrimsonBlue]

I assume Northwestern's acceptances would be out this week, based on last year's trend. the horror...

I am scared to death to hear back from Duke and Rochester! It may be even today!