Are Chicago and SUNY Buffalo done with making offers?

[prognosis]

Hello there, I've been anxiously lurking around for a couple of weeks now. Would anybody know whether SUNY Buffalo and Chicago are finished with making offers? Saw a few acceptances on the results page and even called the schools but they did not give any definite answers. I am an international student, so I am kind of out of the loop with information coming from within the department.

These were my top 2 schools and I'm quite sure I am not in. Well, I guess I have to deal with it .

Congrats to those who have got in! They seem like such good places to be in (Their Poetics Program is to die for! ).

[hinesaj]

Really hard to say. From what I remember from looking through the results search, Chicago seems to move in a couple waves, but that could always change. From what we know on the board, which is all I know, is that they haven't rejected anyone yet, nor have they notified any waitlisters. Does that mean they may admit more? I don't know. I would assume that until we see rejections, its pretty safe to say that a program may still admit additional applicants.

Different schools handle admissions in different ways, so while its discouraging to see offers made, I wouldn't lose total hope until you get an actual rejection.

[luciole]

I've heard that Buffalo makes offers in waves as well. I can't say for sure whether or not they'll be making more acceptances this year, but it seems likely.

[soxpuppet]

It's likely Buffalo will admit more, from what I understand. In the past they have sent some rejections prior to another round of acceptances, and I haven't seen anyone post a rejection yet. Schools do break from patterns though - Northwestern, for example, didn't do interviews this year - so my speculations are likely to be somewhat off.

Hello there, I've been anxiously lurking around for a couple of weeks now. Would anybody know whether SUNY Buffalo and Chicago are finished with making offers? Saw a few acceptances on the results page and even called the schools but they did not give any definite answers. I am an international student, so I am kind of out of the loop with information coming from within the department.

These were my top 2 schools and I'm quite sure I am not in. Well, I guess I have to deal with it .

Congrats to those who have got in! They seem like such good places to be in (Their Poetics Program is to die for! ).

[prognosis]

Thank you. I almost wish I get a rejection . It would at least break with the anxiety.

[strokeofmidnight]

I don't know about Chicago, but I'm pretty sure that Buffalo will be making more offers. They tend to call one or two candidates very early (January or early February), but make most of their decision in waves throughout February.

Not sure if this makes a difference, but I do know the student who was admitted and posted on gradcafe. She was pretty much a shoe-in for Buffalo, so I'm not surprised that they called so early. She's also NOT in poetics.

Did you also apply to UPenn and Berkeley? Buffalo's poetics program is indeed nifty and cool (I'm less familiar with Chicago's), but I'd place the other two schools up there as well.

[prognosis]

Thanks, strokeofmidnight

 

Have applied to Upenn. Though I am regarding it as a non application after seeing the acceptance rate for this year. Did not apply to Berkeley because of the fit factor (and also thought it a tad presumptuous applying to the highest ranked school and all.)

Are you on the poetics side of things as well?

[wheel_of_fire]

As of today, I got an email from the department chair that I'm waitlisted at Chicago, but that they might not be able to make a final decision until April. I guess they'll be making acceptances until then. No other news, though.

[robobaggio]

As of today, I got an email from the department chair that I'm waitlisted at Chicago, but that they might not be able to make a final decision until April. I guess they'll be making acceptances until then. No other news, though.

To be honest, wheel_of_fire, I think that you may have misinterpreted the email a bit. Chicago tends to make only one round of acceptances, and I've heard that they are accepting an extraordinarily small cohort this year (2-3 total acceptances), so my guess is that they've accepted those two or three candidates, and wait-listed only a handful of others. If one or two of those candidates chooses to go elsewhere, I'll bet that your chances are good. I'd be thrilled if I were you!

[LOLhedgefunds]

To be honest, wheel_of_fire, I think that you may have misinterpreted the email a bit. Chicago tends to make only one round of acceptances, and I've heard that they are accepting an extraordinarily small cohort this year (2-3 total acceptances), so my guess is that they've accepted those two or three candidates, and wait-listed only a handful of others. If one or two of those candidates chooses to go elsewhere, I'll bet that your chances are good. I'd be thrilled if I were you!

where did you hear this? I heard they were shooting for a cohort of 10-11, vs the current 7, for which they accepted, I think, 12 people.

'FWIW' I got in off the waitlist last year, at the last second, so 'don't lose hope'

[Shaky Premise]

To be honest, wheel_of_fire, I think that you may have misinterpreted the email a bit. Chicago tends to make only one round of acceptances, and I've heard that they are accepting an extraordinarily small cohort this year (2-3 total acceptances), so my guess is that they've accepted those two or three candidates, and wait-listed only a handful of others. If one or two of those candidates chooses to go elsewhere, I'll bet that your chances are good. I'd be thrilled if I were you!

Holy smoke! If that's the case, they might've let us know early on. I realize these numbers are bound to fluctuate. But 2-3 available spots? I'd have saved my money and applied elsewhere. I won't kid myself about being one of the top two applicants in the country! Congrats to the folks who got in...you've accomplished something indeed.

[strokeofmidnight]

Kafkaesque,

I work on the novel. I do wander into "poetics territory" occasionally, but would never presume to call myself a poetics person Good luck with your applications! The statistics at UPenn are making me edgy, and I've effectively crossed them off my list. I did apply to Berkeley as well. The program's top rankings is daunting (as is the doom and gloom news on the CA budget), but it was also the best fit for the current trajectory of my research.

Thanks, strokeofmidnight

Have applied to Upenn. Though I am regarding it as a non application after seeing the acceptance rate for this year. Did not apply to Berkeley because of the fit factor (and also thought it a tad presumptuous applying to the highest ranked school and all.)

Are you on the poetics side of things as well?

[robobaggio]

where did you hear this? I heard they were shooting for a cohort of 10-11, vs the current 7, for which they accepted, I think, 12 people.

'FWIW' I got in off the waitlist last year, at the last second, so 'don't lose hope'

I saw that on a forum here, I believe (or perhaps it was WGI), and then a former professor told me that he has a friend at Chicago, and "would not be surprised" if they were reducing the size of their cohort. But this hardly concrete evidence, and it seems you know far more than I! Was I right that Chicago tends to admit in one round? I tried to gather that from the results posted here.

[LOLhedgefunds]

I saw that on a forum here, I believe (or perhaps it was WGI), and then a former professor told me that he has a friend at Chicago, and "would not be surprised" if they were reducing the size of their cohort. But this hardly concrete evidence, and it seems you know far more than I! Was I right that Chicago tends to admit in one round? I tried to gather that from the results posted here.

Dunno re one round or not, I would expect that that's the case. My 'concrete evidence' is based on a conversation with a faculty member about 6 weeks ago, so things may have changed in the interim. I do know that before the CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS they used to shoot for cohorts of around 12-14, and the 2009 entering cohort of 7 is seen as too small to maintain the size of the department. so if they cut it down further, i guess we're 'so fucked'. Also they just hired a bunch of faculty. 2-3 seems redic. although art history is now around that size, so maybe i'm totally off. good luck to everyone, and again, don't 'lose hope' if youre on the wait list. i would encourage people on the waitlist to respond to any personalized emails with thoughtful (but concise etc) things about their interest in the program, and to try to stay in touch with whoever emailed you, especially if you are about to commit somewhere else.

[Simpleton]

I have already declined my offer at Suny Buffalo, which hopefully means a wait list spot has opened up.

[strokeofmidnight]

I have already declined my offer at Suny Buffalo, which hopefully means a wait list spot has opened up.

I did not apply to Buffalo, but thank you for being so considerate to your fellow applicants and doing this early. I've said on waitlists until April 15th before...and it ain't pretty.

[prognosis]

Kafkaesque,

I work on the novel. I do wander into "poetics territory" occasionally, but would never presume to call myself a poetics person Good luck with your applications! The statistics at UPenn are making me edgy, and I've effectively crossed them off my list. I did apply to Berkeley as well. The program's top rankings is daunting (as is the doom and gloom news on the CA budget), but it was also the best fit for the current trajectory of my research.

Thanks for the wishes, Midnight. I could really do with some luck.

You seem to be doing Fabulous by the way. Congrats!

I called the graduate assistant at Buffalo today and through all the bad reception (international call) I heard that my application has neither been reviewed nor rejected. I find that a little strange as so many people seem to have gotten offers from Buffalo. Do you really think there are still some applications which are under review or did she not want to break the BAD news so early? :(Am in the doldrums.

Dear Simpleton, Thank you on behalf of many a nervous applicant for your gallant deed.

I cant find the thread but I remember that someone was saying that they got into both Chicago and SUNY B and was leaving SUNY B to join Chicago. Since s/he is at Buffalo, maybe they can throw light on whether application review is complete or not? I got the feeling I irritated the graduate assistant a bit, I hope it doesn't not work against me.

[tortola23]

Kafkaesque,

I am also still waiting to hear from Buffalo; they told me late last week that my application was "under review", although the website still says "not reviewed" (I am guessing that they don't keep the website up to date, since neither do several of the other schools I've applied to).

It is stressful knowing that they have already accepted at least a few people with financial offers... I am figuring that if I don't hear anything this week, I'm just waiting on a rejection.

p.s.- Just called again. "Decisions are in the process of being made, and pretty soon everyone should know."

Not sure what kind of time frame that indicates...

[crutch]

I had my hopes set on Chicago and Duke. My GRE Subject scores are less than stellar (640, 85th percentile), so I figured my chances of getting in were best at schools that don't require the subject test. Since I haven't heard from either, and since both have offered a fair amount of spots already, I'm preparing myself for the inevitable rejection letters. Oh well. I guess it is possible that they will send out a few more acceptances, but I'm not counting on it.

[U4RiiA]

I'm still "under review" at Buffalo as well.

[Shaky Premise]

I had my hopes set on Chicago and Duke. My GRE Subject scores are less than stellar (640, 85th percentile), so I figured my chances of getting in were best at schools that don't require the subject test. Since I haven't heard from either, and since both have offered a fair amount of spots already, I'm preparing myself for the inevitable rejection letters. Oh well. I guess it is possible that they will send out a few more acceptances, but I'm not counting on it.

I wouldn't stress out too much about a 640 if I were you. That's not a bad score at all! I've known several people with subject scores WELL below 640 who were admitted to very good programs. As ever, your writing sample and statement of purpose are what really matter, but beyond that, a 640 isn't going to hurt your application package much, if at all. Berkeley's English Depatment indicates on its website that the average score of students they admit to the PhD program is 650. I can't imagine many schools having standards that are significantly higher.

[U4RiiA]

The SUNY Buffalo installment of the waiting game is over for me. I checked the website and found 'reject'.

[prognosis]

The SUNY Buffalo installment of the waiting game is over for me. I checked the website and found 'reject'.

Where in the website did the message come? My application account still says NOT REVIEWED. Thanks

[tortola23]

The SUNY Buffalo installment of the waiting game is over for me. I checked the website and found 'reject'.

Yes, please let us know where you found this; mine also still says "not reviewed" like it always has.

[U4RiiA]

The 'rejected' replaced the 'under review' that had kept me company for so long. I sort of long for the days when SUNY Buffalo was still a potential dream, but it's also nice to have a sense of completion. Congratulations to the people who have been accepted and to those that are still under review!