Fall 2010 - Anthro Admissions Results

[denim_pocket]

hmm talked to the grad coordinator today and she said another 3-4 weeks before decisions are made... mysteries...

I talked to her a few days ago and she said all of the decisions had been made, and they're just figuring out the funding and will let applicants know by the end of the month. At this point they'll say anything just to stop us from calling, so I think we just have to stick it out.

[applyingwaitingstressing]

lol that is a good point. this process is just.. brutal! c'est la vie, i suppose

I talked to her a few days ago and she said all of the decisions had been made, and they're just figuring out the funding and will let applicants know by the end of the month. At this point they'll say anything just to stop us from calling, so I think we just have to stick it out.

[enviroanthro]

I called Syracuse and Duke yesterday to check on my app status. Both rejections. I have one acceptance from Michigan State (ethics & development), but I'm still waiting to hear from the rest of the schools. This waiting game is difficult. I wish everyone luck and I hope that we hear from more schools soon...

[anthropo2010]

I got my first rejection today: berkeley!

[vanishingpoint]

Yeses today from Michigan and Rice! Rice sent the decision via snail mail, the first one I've received that way, while my POI at Michigan sent me an e-mail to congratulate me and let me know that the official letter will be coming. He made it sound like Michigan will be offering five-year funding packages to all of its admits this year, at least on the sociocultural side. Which is AMAZING news--I had heard that funding was quite uneven at Michigan, and that this created an awkwardly competitive dynamic within the graduate cohort. Interesting to hear that they're moving away from that model.

Very, very happy tonight. Tough decisions ahead. Hang in there, everyone!

[papayadance]

I got my first rejection today: berkeley!

Me too Jesus.

@vanishingpoint: congrats on both michigan & rice!! 5yrs funding, dude. wow.

[missamy]

@vanishing point: I got into Rice too, 4y funding! Congrats on Michigan and the funding; I still haven't heard from them. Good luck to all of us still waiting

[applyingwaitingstressing]

Vanishing - same deal for me w/ U Michigan. perhaps we will see each other there next year (though I will never admit I was on grad cafe/ stalked grad cafe for a solid month of my life )

Yeses today from Michigan and Rice! Rice sent the decision via snail mail, the first one I've received that way, while my POI at Michigan sent me an e-mail to congratulate me and let me know that the official letter will be coming. He made it sound like Michigan will be offering five-year funding packages to all of its admits this year, at least on the sociocultural side. Which is AMAZING news--I had heard that funding was quite uneven at Michigan, and that this created an awkwardly competitive dynamic within the graduate cohort. Interesting to hear that they're moving away from that model.

Very, very happy tonight. Tough decisions ahead. Hang in there, everyone!

[medanthrograd]

I'm new to this forum, but it's really good to hear that other people share the stress of this process. I have even reduced the number of times I check my email everyday thanks to the results search!

Here are the news I got from various programs in cultural (or medical) anthropology, hope that it helps

- UC Berkeley has invited students to come to a visit in early March (I got the news today - yay!) so decisions have been made, but maybe there is a waitlist? Funding is still worked out.

- UC Irvine has invited students for a visit in mid-March, they have accepted fewer students due to the fact that they have an increased retention. Not sure there will be a round 2. We should hear about funding soon and it should be ok since they have private funding in the dep and did not face a hardship this year (just this department, the rest of UCI is under great stress).

- UC San Diego has just started sending notifications of acceptance to a first round of students (no visit seem to be planned) and will send a second round of acceptances on March 1st (said the grad advisor D.M. on the phone a month ago), but has also started to send bad news about rejections... I have no idea when funding offers will come out or if there is a visit. Anyone knows?

- Harvard will let accepted students know at the latest by the end of next week (March 5?) and will send rejection letters by snail mail then. No official visit planned by the department.

- Princeton will make decisions by the end of the 1st week of March, visit is scheduled on April 4 (heard today from C.Z., grad admin, but it's a Sunday so I'm not sure...)

I'm trying to reach UCLA and NYU and will keep you updated when I know more, but I've heard from a Pr. that UCLA is pretty far in the process...

Hang in there, soon we'll all know more!

[a fragrant plant]

Yeses today from Michigan and Rice! Rice sent the decision via snail mail, the first one I've received that way, while my POI at Michigan sent me an e-mail to congratulate me and let me know that the official letter will be coming. He made it sound like Michigan will be offering five-year funding packages to all of its admits this year, at least on the sociocultural side. Which is AMAZING news--I had heard that funding was quite uneven at Michigan, and that this created an awkwardly competitive dynamic within the graduate cohort. Interesting to hear that they're moving away from that model.

Very, very happy tonight. Tough decisions ahead. Hang in there, everyone!

Congrats vanishingpoint! 5 acceptances = big victory!

[Harry]

Me too Jesus.

@vanishingpoint: congrats on both michigan & rice!! 5yrs funding, dude. wow.

Me too! Well, I am lucky enough to have other options. I didn't apply to too many places, and I don't hold out much hope. Maybe I'm just preparing for the bad news. Someone went off on Berkeley the results search, and I have to wonder #1 if it's worth all that ire, #2 what sort of entitled world does that person come from. It's a long shot for everyone. Does Berkeley owe them admission because they paid a lot of money to apply, or some kind of pat on the head and a raft of soothing words just because they didn't get in? It sucks to be rejected, and it sucks to get a form letter, but when you deal with a place that big that's the way it you often find out. Party on.

[applyingwaitingstressing]

anyone get a final decision from Duke yet?

[anthroboy2010]

Does Berkeley owe them admission because they paid a lot of money to apply, or some kind of pat on the head and a raft of soothing words just because they didn't get in? It sucks to be rejected, and it sucks to get a form letter, but when you deal with a place that big that's the way it you often find out. Party on.

I'm not sure I agree with you. Clearly, paying an application fee does not entitle one to an admissions offer, however it does, in my view, warrant good applicant-department relations. In a sense, we're paying the department to review our files, entitling the applicant to a certain degree of candidness and respect. I feel like the poster on the forum was frustrated by the callousness of a link to a page saying "Applicant Status: Not Admitted," and the lack of, at least, a generic e-mail from the department generated a warranted amount of anger. It's hard not to feel like applicants are just fattening schools' wallets when we apply, as some schools do as much to minimize the interaction with the rejected applicants as possible. I'm with the Berkeley poster.

[Harry]

I'm not sure I agree with you. Clearly, paying an application fee does not entitle one to an admissions offer, however it does, in my view, warrant good applicant-department relations. In a sense, we're paying the department to review our files, entitling the applicant to a certain degree of candidness and respect. I feel like the poster on the forum was frustrated by the callousness of a link to a page saying "Applicant Status: Not Admitted," and the lack of, at least, a generic e-mail from the department generated a warranted amount of anger. It's hard not to feel like applicants are just fattening schools' wallets when we apply, as some schools do as much to minimize the interaction with the rejected applicants as possible. I'm with the Berkeley poster.

I do see your point here, but I have to say that I had good relations with the department during the process. The Grad Advisor provided info when I asked. The process played out as I was led to expect. I feel respected as an applicant and don't feel as though I wasted my money. One must enter the process with open eyes and mind. In applying to Berkeley you should expect a certain level of impersonal treatment. Its a huge place. I was told there were nearly 400 applicants. There is one person processing all of that in the department, with minimal assistance, along with a bunch of other stuff. This is at a state institution in a state that can't remember if its coming or going financially. I contrast this with experiences on the job market where applications of mine have just disappeared into the void, never to be heard from again. That's the norm out there. Getting responses to grad school applications feels pretty good compared with that, even when it's a just a line from a central Grad office.

[anthromind]

I'm not sure I agree with you. Clearly, paying an application fee does not entitle one to an admissions offer, however it does, in my view, warrant good applicant-department relations. In a sense, we're paying the department to review our files, entitling the applicant to a certain degree of candidness and respect. I feel like the poster on the forum was frustrated by the callousness of a link to a page saying "Applicant Status: Not Admitted," and the lack of, at least, a generic e-mail from the department generated a warranted amount of anger. It's hard not to feel like applicants are just fattening schools' wallets when we apply, as some schools do as much to minimize the interaction with the rejected applicants as possible. I'm with the Berkeley poster.

I know that the Berkeley rejection email was terse and almost abrasive, but you have to remember that they also have a graduate admissions coordinator that emailed you within the day and told you what you wanted to know with full disclosure, unlike other schools who seemingly give different answers to different students on the same day!

[denim_pocket]

I know that the Berkeley rejection email was terse and almost abrasive, but you have to remember that they also have a graduate admissions coordinator that emailed you within the day and told you what you wanted to know with full disclosure, unlike other schools who seemingly give different answers to different students on the same day!

amen.

Poor Ned does not deserve the beating he's getting here.

[missamy]

amen.

Poor Ned does not deserve the beating he's getting here.

I absolutely agree.

[anthroboy2010]

I know that the Berkeley rejection email was terse and almost abrasive, but you have to remember that they also have a graduate admissions coordinator that emailed you within the day and told you what you wanted to know with full disclosure, unlike other schools who seemingly give different answers to different students on the same day!

To be completely fair, I didn't apply to Berkeley's Anthropology department, so I have no actual investment in this discussion. It sounds like this "Ned" character did a fantastic job keeping everyone abreast regarding their personal application to the department and, thus, those individuals got their application money's worth. In fact, from the sound of it, Berkeley's department does a much better job than other institutions regarding keeping applicants informed regarding the process.

I bet that in regards to generic e-mails that go out regarding admissions decisions, the University usually generates it and it is not the duty of the department to write such an e-mail/letter. Many departments receive applications and recommend (not admit) a certain set for admissions. I may be incorrect, but, in that sense, the department does not reject you as much as they do not recommend you for admission (which I understand is tantamount to rejection, but it is importantly not the same thing). It is my suspicion that the Graduate Division at UC-Berkeley is responsible for "rejecting" students. While this may seem trivial, it does possibly direct anger to a more appropriate venue (i.e. not at "Ned" of Anthropology, but at the Graduate Division at UC-Berkeley).

[anthropo2010]

Yeses today from Michigan and Rice! Rice sent the decision via snail mail, the first one I've received that way, while my POI at Michigan sent me an e-mail to congratulate me and let me know that the official letter will be coming. He made it sound like Michigan will be offering five-year funding packages to all of its admits this year, at least on the sociocultural side. Which is AMAZING news--I had heard that funding was quite uneven at Michigan, and that this created an awkwardly competitive dynamic within the graduate cohort. Interesting to hear that they're moving away from that model.

Very, very happy tonight. Tough decisions ahead. Hang in there, everyone!

congratulations vanishingpoint!

after my first rejection yesterday, I'm starting to think that my research proposal might not be so interesting for universities or maybe they may not value the career I had till now or my geographical area of interest..

would you mind telling me -at least in a private message- what is your research proposal about, your geographicall area of interest or any other element that you consider has helped you becoming such a successful candidate?

thank you so much. I do appreciate it.

[AlwaysWaiting]

Wow, congrats to all who have had admits or interviews already. Wahoo!!

I just got an email from MIT (HASTS) for an interview an upcoming weekend..... I'm insanely nervous! It's one of my tops and a kooky program and uhghgihghdf.

From those of you who have already had interviews -- any tips????? I've scoured this forum for general interview prep, but I mean specific anthro stuff and the not-so-important stuff like what to bring + wear.

Ahh!!

I also applied to HASTS but have heard nothing (no interview invite). How did it go? Have you heard back from them yet? I of course don't expect to make it far in the admissions process but I'm still anxious nonetheless. I hope they don't make me wait until April for a rejection letter!

[socioanthro]

hi all anxious applicants out there. i just called chicago anthropology and the admissions person told me that it is indeed correct that those who were offered admission OR waitlisted at university of chicago were already informally notified by the department.

[anthropo2010]

hi all anxious applicants out there. i just called chicago anthropology and the admissions person told me that it is indeed correct that those who were offered admission OR waitlisted at university of chicago were already informally notified by the department.

I got another rejection: Stanford.

If what you say about Chicago is true, then my only hope is Columbia. I also applied to the NSSR but I don´t think that I'll get funding and even if UNC accepts me, I'm not sure I want to go there.

I hope some day I'll thank destiny/fate/the stars for all these rejections.

Do you know if one can ask the departments to tell you why the application was not competitive?

thanks!

Applied: Berkeley, Stanford, Columbia, UNC, NSSR, Chicago

Rejected: 2

Waiting: 4

[applyingwaitingstressing]

the chicago situation is definitely true. i think you can definitely email a prof of interest or someone who read your app and ask questions along the line of "what for next time?" but also this year is tough, the economy is tough, schools are struggling. for sure. but i think it's within your rights to look for some constructive criticism (as long as you frame it as such)

I got another rejection: Stanford.

If what you say about Chicago is true, then my only hope is Columbia. I also applied to the NSSR but I don´t think that I'll get funding and even if UNC accepts me, I'm not sure I want to go there.

I hope some day I'll thank destiny/fate/the stars for all these rejections.

Do you know if one can ask the departments to tell you why the application was not competitive?

thanks!

Applied: Berkeley, Stanford, Columbia, UNC, NSSR, Chicago

Rejected: 2

Waiting: 4

[dyne]

So first time posting here. A friend told me about this site, because he and I were both anxious about our graduate school application results.

Anyways, got rejected from Berkeley. Yay! And I've yet to hear back from Chicago and Michigan.

However, I sent a message to Rice, which is my top choice, asking about the admissions offers that had gone out so far (George Marcus had turned me onto Rice). Rice has currently begun making admissions offers, and I'm currently their first alternate. Joyous celebration! So anyone else interested in Rice, do not fret.

[littlepeach09]

So first time posting here. A friend told me about this site, because he and I were both anxious about our graduate school application results.

Anyways, got rejected from Berkeley. Yay! And I've yet to hear back from Chicago and Michigan.

However, I sent a message to Rice, which is my top choice, asking about the admissions offers that had gone out so far (George Marcus had turned me onto Rice). Rice has currently begun making admissions offers, and I'm currently their first alternate. Joyous celebration! So anyone else interested in Rice, do not fret.

Thanks for this! I'm confused though... do you mean that you are at the top of the waitlist?

Also, could you please let me know who you contacted at Rice? I've been in contact with Joanne Carpenter in the past but am unsure as to whether she's the right person to ask about my application status!

anyway, good luck to you!!!