2017-2018 Application Cycle

[Stanford_PE]

13 minutes ago, Applesandbananas said:

Do we think that all MIT acceptances went out today?

I don't think so.

[dagnabbit]

5 hours ago, cedfik said:

anyone?

My honest advice: don't worry about subfield rankings. Here are the more important things (in my opinion) to consider when weighing programs (in order from most to least important)

1. Placement. Do graduates in your subfield consistently get TT jobs? Do your potential advisor's students get jobs? This is extremely important information; especially so for theorists, who face an even tougher job market than the rest of us.

2. Advisors. Is there a faculty member who could chair your dissertation committee? Do you have reason to believe that person might leave or retire soon? Do they seem like somebody who you could get along with? They will play a big role in your experience in graduate school (much bigger than I thought before I started), so it's important to at least have an idea about this before committing to a program.

3. After you visit each department, reflect on this question: could I spend 5 to 7 years here, with these people? Don't discount the importance of things like department culture, cohort/grad student relations, and even geographic location. Grad school is hard, and if you don't have supportive colleagues, or you're unhappy living in x location, it could be downright unpleasant. My advice here is to treat the visiting weekend like a first date: you'll never get the whole picture right away, but you'll certainly know if it's never going to work out. Trust your gut on this.

[Anthony2016]

2 acceptances from Stanford on gradcafe. I wish all schools just sent their decisions at the same time.

[megabee]

25 minutes ago, Nelz said:

2 acceptances from Stanford on gradcafe. I wish all schools just sent their decisions at the same time.

Doesn't Stanford do phone calls? Why would they do them after business hours? I'm skeptical until someone claims, I guess.

[spcgsw96]

3 hours ago, dagnabbit said:

My honest advice: don't worry about subfield rankings. Here are the more important things (in my opinion) to consider when weighing programs (in order from most to least important)

1. Placement. Do graduates in your subfield consistently get TT jobs? Do your potential advisor's students get jobs? This is extremely important information; especially so for theorists, who face an even tougher job market than the rest of us.

2. Advisors. Is there a faculty member who could chair your dissertation committee? Do you have reason to believe that person might leave or retire soon? Do they seem like somebody who you could get along with? They will play a big role in your experience in graduate school (much bigger than I thought before I started), so it's important to at least have an idea about this before committing to a program.

3. After you visit each department, reflect on this question: could I spend 5 to 7 years here, with these people? Don't discount the importance of things like department culture, cohort/grad student relations, and even geographic location. Grad school is hard, and if you don't have supportive colleagues, or you're unhappy living in x location, it could be downright unpleasant. My advice here is to treat the visiting weekend like a first date: you'll never get the whole picture right away, but you'll certainly know if it's never going to work out. Trust your gut on this.

I've run out of reactions but thank you so much! I really appreciate this.

[Anthony2016]

Those who have been in contact with their POIs from universities they are not sure they will attend, how do you make sure that you continue the conversation but don't confirm your acceptance?

[spcgsw96]

9 minutes ago, Nelz said:

Those who have been in contact with their POIs from universities they are not sure they will attend, how do you make sure that you continue the conversation but don't confirm your acceptance?

I've just asked questions about stuff that I'm actually interested in about the program/the classes she's teaching/her research--I don't get the impression my POI is expecting me to confirm my acceptance yet at all either, especially given how early it is and how many schools have not even sent results yet (ahhh yet another reason I love her)

[Anthony2016]

4 minutes ago, cedfik said:

I've just asked questions about stuff that I'm actually interested in about the program/the classes she's teaching/her research--I don't get the impression my POI is expecting me to confirm my acceptance yet at all either, especially given how early it is and how many schools have not even sent results yet (ahhh yet another reason I love her)

Yes, I did the same but I am not in touch anymore. Should I drop in an email or wait till I hear back from all schools?

[Anthony2016]

1 hour ago, megabee said:

Doesn't Stanford do phone calls? Why would they do them after business hours? I'm skeptical until someone claims, I guess.

I have no idea. Yes, no one has claimed it here yet.

[spcgsw96]

57 minutes ago, Nelz said:

Yes, I did the same but I am not in touch anymore. Should I drop in an email or wait till I hear back from all schools?

Personally I don't think there's anything to be gained by forcing a correspondence along (if you don't particularly have that much more to say or ask) just for the sake of being in touch with them (although perhaps I am wrong about this, I don't particularly know)

[Alex@Beijing]

Has anyone received official offers or detail about funding from UT-Austin?

Edited February 15, 2018 by Alex@Beijing

[Applesandbananas]

44 minutes ago, Alex@Beijing said:

Has anyone received official offers or detail about funding from UT-Austin?

Yes, I received an email yesterday with an official offer and details on funding. The standard package is $25,000 for five years on top of tuition, etc. I’m also nominated for a school wide funding package, so that could be the reason why I’ve received funding information.

[audre.bored]

8 minutes ago, Applesandbananas said:

Yes, I received an email yesterday with an official offer and details on funding. The standard package is $25,000 for five years on top of tuition, etc. I’m also nominated for a school wide funding package, so that could be the reason why I’ve received funding information.

This has me hopeful that I'll get some info by the end of the week. Fingers crossed.

Edited February 15, 2018 by audre.bored

[tippetta]

Stanford prof posted on Twitter about sending out acceptances, seems like the claims might be legit.

https://mobile.twitter.com/saadgulzar/status/964000044134232064

[Anthony2016]

1 hour ago, tippetta said:

Stanford prof posted on Twitter about sending out acceptances, seems like the claims might be legit.

https://mobile.twitter.com/saadgulzar/status/964000044134232064

yes

[sbs2018]

Who would I email at U Chicago to check on my application? (Basically just want verification that I have been rejected, so I can move forward). I emailed the grad college already, they just said "WAIT TIL THE END OF FEB AND BEGINNING OF MARCH" (They were more professional and nicer, but that was the gist). Any ideas?

[possibleirphd]

Admitted into Cornell, email from DGS! good luck to those waiting!

2a/0w/3r/6p

[ArcierePrudente]

44 minutes ago, sbs2018 said:

Who would I email at U Chicago to check on my application? (Basically just want verification that I have been rejected, so I can move forward). I emailed the grad college already, they just said "WAIT TIL THE END OF FEB AND BEGINNING OF MARCH" (They were more professional and nicer, but that was the gist). Any ideas?

If you're feeling gutsy, you can reach out to a POI, especially if you've made contact already. 

Technically, the Grad Admissions Office is right: acceptances/rejections are not official until early March, when offers are posted on portals, etc. This is because some departments have waiting lists, and there are random housekeeping issues/loose ends that need to be tied up/other technicalities I neither know nor understand nor care to, and they can't definitively tell you it's over—because they themselves don't know—until that date.  

So I'd say a POI is your best bet for the moment. 

[redfive]

claiming a cornell admit...man guys...been in hell for a while...don't want to say people should just hang in there 'cause bad things are real and happen but so too are good things. sheer dumb luck. best of wishes to all of you. be nice to yourselves!

[Alex@Beijing]

5 minutes ago, redfive said:

claiming a cornell admit...man guys...been in hell for a while...don't want to say people should just hang in there 'cause bad things are real and happen but so too are good things. sheer dumb luck. best of wishes to all of you. be nice to yourselves!

What subfield？

[deutsch1997bw]

31 minutes ago, ArcierePrudente said:

If you're feeling gutsy, you can reach out to a POI, especially if you've made contact already. 

Technically, the Grad Admissions Office is right: acceptances/rejections are not official until early March, when offers are posted on portals, etc. This is because some departments have waiting lists, and there are random housekeeping issues/loose ends that need to be tied up/other technicalities I neither know nor understand nor care to, and they can't definitively tell you it's over—because they themselves don't know—until that date.  

So I'd say a POI is your best bet for the moment. 

Yeah, I would also only recommend doing this if you've corresponded with him or her before. 

[redfive]

4 minutes ago, Alex@Beijing said:

What subfield？

theory, cornell is a really good fit for me too -- interested in radical democratic theory, American intellectual history, etc. 

Edited February 15, 2018 by redfive

[StrengthandHonor]

19 hours ago, BobBobBob said:

I have a general question about small departments:

With the small number of faculty and students they have, how do they hold classes? Say you have two IR people in the cohort, do they really open a class for just two? Or do a lot of classes get canceled because of low enrollment?

It works out. I'm in a small subfield in my department (Theory at UNC) and we have one (and occasionally two) seminars per term in the subfield. So you'll get your 5-6 courses in your subfield no problem. 

Most of our seminars have 4-6 students in them--comprised of students across cohorts, plus  one or two advanced undergrads, plus sometimes students from other departments or institutions. We also have the opportunity to take seminars over at Duke.

To be honest, I'd much rather have the experience of less choice, but having 4-6 student seminars at UNC than the classes at Duke, which have more diversity of topic but usually have 15-20 students, with <1/4 of the students being theory subfield Ph.D. students. 

 

[Gik]

Just received my Brown rejection. Woke up to an email to check website. Oh well, at least they didn't drag this any longer 

[Dirichlet]

I just got a phone call from Stanford with news of my admission. I'm in a state of disbelief – shaking and crying with joy.