2017-2018 Application Cycle

[megabee]

8 hours ago, BobBobBob said:

Also maybe try to reschedule with schools that are lower on your list?

My issue is a bit more complex. A school lower on my list had an early commitment date for their visit, then bought my plane ticket/hotel room for me. My POI there is very invested in organizing my visit and excited about it - read: someone who would be in my intellectual circle (or at the very least, peripheral) for the rest of our mutual careers, since we both study similar things, has sent me many emails about meeting at this visit. I'd rather not burn that bridge over a visit weekend.

Fortunate circumstances allow me to get a standby plane ticket on a certain airline for free in case any department cannot cover my airfare for an alternative visit date. So that is also playing into my decision. 

Coincidentally, something similar happened to me as I auditioned for undergrad music schools. The more things change, the more they stay the same (also don't trust your 18 year old self with your future career choice, I guess).

[izmir]

Haven’t been posting for a while regarding results. Just wanted to share that I got an acceptance from UT-Austin and rejections from Duke, UMich, and UCLA. I thought UMich was a good fit but odds of getting in were low so sad but not surprised. UCLA and Duke were not good fits and I realized that just before rejections came in but it still hurts. On the other hand, UT is a really good fit and now I got two strong options. Overall, I think this week I got a taste of what academia is like, getting rejections back to back and then some acceptances. In addition to that, I realized once again that it all comes down to fit.

[audre.bored]

@izmir Congrats! I also got an acceptance from UT-Austin.  However, my question is about UCLA.  Did you get an actual rejection letter or are you treating no response as a rejection? I haven't received anything from them, so I was just wondering.

[Wiesbaden]

I regard this application cycle as the verification of my abilities. So, the rejection hurts me. I know this pressure do not help my mentality, but pressure may lead development.

[izmir]

8 minutes ago, audre.bored said:

@izmir Congrats! I also got an acceptance from UT-Austin.  However, my question is about UCLA.  Did you get an actual rejection letter or are you treating no response as a rejection? I haven't received anything from them, so I was just wondering.

Thanks. Regarding your question, I received an email in the middle of the night (weird) saying that a decision has been made on my application. I checked the website and saw the result.

[possibleirphd]

1 hour ago, SerenityNow! said:

@possibleirphd yes! After seeing all three options (r/a/w) on the board I wonder if they have just completely forgotten about our apps! I know they at least looked at mine because they had a question about my UG transcript - I had to transfer during UG and one of the transcripts represents that weirdly. I was trying to tell myself I haven’t received it yet because I’m at the very end alphabetically (a classic reason for getting things late) but that no longer seems very plausible haha. I’m just glad I’m not alone!

That is also my exact reasoning! Lol idk at this point we better be waitlisted bc it would be cruel to just reject us after waiting for so long. Best of luck for the rest of your apps! Also lmk when you hear back from Duke! Lol

[JMCrawfordNJ]

Officially rejected from UCLA. I knew it was coming when the personalized emails went out a few days ago though so at this point I had already shrugged it off. Waiting for my Northwestern rejection still. Pittsburgh should be out any day now. Cornell is still a week or two away, but I don't have high hopes for that. 

Live and learn for the next cycle. Gives me time to save some money up so I can take the test more than once/apply to a couple more programs next time around.

[audre.bored]

Well jeez, hoping I get some sort of UCLA update today, too.  I'd prefer crossing it off my list rather than being in limbo. 

[JMCrawfordNJ]

4 minutes ago, audre.bored said:

Well jeez, hoping I get some sort of UCLA update today, too.  I'd prefer crossing it off my list rather than being in limbo. 

https://appstatus.grad.ucla.edu/account/AppStatus.aspx

 

Nothing there for you yet?

[audre.bored]

@JMCrawfordNJ Thanks for the link.  Looks like my personalized email was actually buried in my inbox.  Now I know to check my subfolders.  I've also been rejected.  Disappointed, but I'll live. 

[Applesandbananas]

8 minutes ago, JMCrawfordNJ said:

https://appstatus.grad.ucla.edu/account/AppStatus.aspx

 

Nothing there for you yet?

Yikes, I just checked my app status and received this message: 

 

To date, no decision has been made on your application.

Please note that most decisions on graduate admissions for fall term are made in the months of March and April and therefore you should not anticipate a decision much before that time period.

 

I'm hoping they at least viewed my application?

[megabee]

Also claiming a rejection from UCLA now. It was only an okay fit, and the ratio of their typical stipend offer to the cost of living in LA gives me heart palpitations. This is for the best, as I prefer not starving over starving.

[JMCrawfordNJ]

9 minutes ago, Applesandbananas said:

Yikes, I just checked my app status and received this message: 

 

To date, no decision has been made on your application.

Please note that most decisions on graduate admissions for fall term are made in the months of March and April and therefore you should not anticipate a decision much before that time period.

 

I'm hoping they at least viewed my application?

Maybe they got you on some waitlist then? Seems possible. Seems like most of the generic rejections went out last night/this morning.

 

Still, I would say not to get your hopes up just because either way, you're not in their bulk of acceptances- you're not their first choice. If you already have other offers in the same area ranking wise, that's something to keep in mind.

[Applesandbananas]

6 minutes ago, JMCrawfordNJ said:

Maybe they got you on some waitlist then? Seems possible. Seems like most of the generic rejections went out last night/this morning.

 

Still, I would say not to get your hopes up just because either way, you're not in their bulk of acceptances- you're not their first choice. If you already have other offers in the same area ranking wise, that's something to keep in mind.

I have acceptances at Duke, UCSD, OSU and two other schools. I'd just enjoy some clarity to this fairly opaque decision notification process. 

[sbs2018]

What do we think....U Chicago releases acceptances before 5pm Central tomorrow?

[deutsch1997bw]

So, do we think that all UT decisions have been announced? Acceptances, that is. 

[audre.bored]

6 minutes ago, deutsch1997bw said:

So, do we think that all UT decisions have been announced? Acceptances, that is. 

I can't say for sure, but they likely are.  Over the past two days, I've gotten a couple emails about coordinating for the visiting day and the deadline for confirmation is pretty soon. 

[toad1]

Hoping to get an idea where everyone stands on this:

If you've been lucky enough to have been admitted to more than one program, is it typical to attend more than one school visit or is it more common to pick your top choice beforehand and attend only that one? How does this change as the preference for your top choice grows/diminishes relative to your other choice(s)?

[JMCrawfordNJ]

38 minutes ago, Applesandbananas said:

I have acceptances at Duke, UCSD, OSU and two other schools. I'd just enjoy some clarity to this fairly opaque decision notification process. 

Yeah I mean if that's the case I would just err on the side of rejection and consider from the long list of acceptances you already have. 

[deutsch1997bw]

23 minutes ago, audre.bored said:

I can't say for sure, but they likely are.  Over the past two days, I've gotten a couple emails about coordinating for the visiting day and the deadline for confirmation is pretty soon. 

Alright. Bummed, but maybe it wasn't a great fit.

[Clytemnahstra]

Shout outs to my fellow UCLA rejects!

[spcgsw96]

1 hour ago, Applesandbananas said:

Yikes, I just checked my app status and received this message: 

 

To date, no decision has been made on your application.

Please note that most decisions on graduate admissions for fall term are made in the months of March and April and therefore you should not anticipate a decision much before that time period.

 

I'm hoping they at least viewed my application?

Checked the link just now and same with me.  I doubt I would choose it over Michigan anyway but I hate this feeling of being in limbo--and on that note why the uncharacteristic silence from Berkeley?

Edited February 8, 2018 by cedfik

[Throwaway_polisci]

26 minutes ago, toad1 said:

Hoping to get an idea where everyone stands on this:

If you've been lucky enough to have been admitted to more than one program, is it typical to attend more than one school visit or is it more common to pick your top choice beforehand and attend only that one? How does this change as the preference for your top choice grows/diminishes relative to your other choice(s)?

I think the whole point of visits is to help decide between your options, which would involve visiting them. Certainly not a faux pas to visit more than one school. I do think if you're dead certain you're not going somewhere you shouldn't visit, but in that case I imagine you wouldn't bother anyways. Schools that are reasonable options among your choice set would probably like the chance to sell you on their school, and it's worth exploring your preferences for things like location, atmosphere, collegiality, grad student culture, etc.

[Clytemnahstra]

47 minutes ago, sbs2018 said:

What do we think....U Chicago releases acceptances before 5pm Central tomorrow?

I mean, I've been wrong so far (I thought we'd get them by Monday at the latest), but it would be very strange if they weren't released by then.

[hs2011]

1 hour ago, toad1 said:

Hoping to get an idea where everyone stands on this:

If you've been lucky enough to have been admitted to more than one program, is it typical to attend more than one school visit or is it more common to pick your top choice beforehand and attend only that one? How does this change as the preference for your top choice grows/diminishes relative to your other choice(s)?

On the advice of a friend and recent PhD grad, I'm visiting all of the schools I've been accepted to and would at least consider attending (there's one I've ruled out).  For me, they're all clustered around the same ranking (although some are better for what I'm looking to study than others).  He suggested making the most of the opportunity to meet people and ask a lot of questions.  Talking with the current students will also be really helpful and they tend to give very candid answers.  The 3 schools I want to visit all had RSVP dates before the decision date of the 4th school that I'm waiting to hear from and want to visit, so I just went ahead and scheduled them.