phone call versus letter

[rchild]

Hello,

I recently checked my application status at one of the schools I applied. The message said that a decision has been made and will be mailed to me. It said that under no circumstances would the graduate school notify applicants via phone or email of their decision. I subsequently looked on this page under "results search" to find that one person was accepted via phone today, and many others were accepted via phone or email last year. For my specific program, at least on this particular site, one person was offered an interview via postal service, and one person was rejected via postal service, but those were the only posts that were notified by way of regular mail last year. Does this mean I am most likely, if not definitely, rejected? If anybody has any experience with this, I would love to hear your opinion. Do they call everybody on the same day typically? Do the people who receive phone calls still have this message on their status? Do most schools call all students (if they call some to accept) or do they change it around depending on the student? I am wondering if I should start accepting that this school is not an option now!!!!

Thanks and good luck to all of you.

[Victorianna]

It seems that this varies with the school and the year. Even though it may not be the official policy of the graduate school to contact by phone or email, but to only snail mail results the potential advisers for some students may wish to contact via phone or email. Even then I think it varies by faculty member. I received an email acceptance from the Director of Graduate Studies, but the results listings say that in the past people have received those acceptances by phone.

Don't give up hope yet!

[NEPA]

I wouldn't sweat it too much. First of all, even if it's official policy not to call, that doesn't mean a potential adviser couldn't take it upon him or herself to call a student, so those results could have been isolated incidents. (Just my speculation, anyway.) Second, it sounds like you'll likely be getting the decision in the mail before you know it. No point in making your next few days a nightmare of worry! Don't put all your hopes on what's happened in previous years. Like a bunch of folks around here have said recently, the Results page can be helpful, but the only result that really matters is the one that comes in your mail or inbox!

Edited January 30, 2010 by rwfan88