Chapel Hill

[minnares]

OK, I'm asking. I've seen 4 folks on the acceptance feed announce they've been accepted to UNC Chapel Hill since January 4th. Can those of us still waiting hear about how that went down for you (the phone call, the email, whatever you're willing to share)? Also, if you don't mind sharing your stats, I'd be grateful. I'm starting to get itchy waiting. I want to get in there SO badly.

~ m

[madame psychosis]

I wouldn't scratch yet!

I think I'm the most recent acceptance on the board. I received my notification days after the others (last Saturday). It was an informal email asking me if I'm still seriously considering UNC or if they should extend the invitation to someone else. Has anyone else had a program ask this? Could they have done this because I listed the other schools I was applying to on my application? Was that a bad idea??

Anyway, I replied and told them that I'm still very much interested in the program and would like to see the official acceptance packet. I haven't heard anything since!

My including this information isn't supposed to sound braggy; in fact, I promise my stats are really nothing extraordinary (sorry, I feel uncomfortable sharing exact numbers). I just mean to say that things seem to be a bit unconventional on their end this year and that I really doubt they've extended all of their offers, or at least that's the impression I got from the email. Good luck!

[minnares]

I wouldn't scratch yet!

I think I'm the most recent acceptance on the board. I received my notification days after the others (last Saturday). It was an informal email asking me if I'm still seriously considering UNC or if they should extend the invitation to someone else. Has anyone else had a program ask this? Could they have done this because I listed the other schools I was applying to on my application? Was that a bad idea??

Aaaah, that is a horse of a different color. Very interesting. I don't think it was a bad idea to include your other schools. Most of the schools I applied to asked that somewhere on the application. I figured if they asked I would answer. Maybe it plays into the funding they offer. I read on another board this very interesting post about public v. private schools in terms of funding. Chapel Hill is public, and so they might to try to woo a stronger candidate with a larger package. While a private school, especially in the Top 20, might not feel the need to woo with cash and make a smaller offer, yet still an offer. So maybe they asked based on the list you provided? Seems early in the game to be asking that though. Odd. Now I'm inclined to email the department and ask if those emails went out to everyone. I've double checked and triple checked my spam filter, but nothing. I have their confirmation email from back in November about my app and others from when the LORs were submitted. So I think it's OK. That is a very odd question to ask though. You applied there. Why on earth wouldn't you be "still seriously considering UNC"?

~ m

[madame psychosis]

Edit: Just checked again. I am NOT the most recent acceptance on the board! More evidence toward the whole strange-acceptance-pattern thing!

[minnares]

Edit: Just checked again. I am NOT the most recent acceptance on the board! More evidence toward the whole strange-acceptance-pattern thing!

Agreed. It seems to be about one a week. Maybe they're just really taking their time to read everything and then select a person and notify them. Who knows how the adcomms work behind closed doors? I imagined they would select their group and notify them all at once, but maybe not. Maybe they do it this way so they can move up wait list folks?

~ m

[Pamphilia]

Agreed. It seems to be about one a week. Maybe they're just really taking their time to read everything and then select a person and notify them. Who knows how the adcomms work behind closed doors? I imagined they would select their group and notify them all at once, but maybe not. Maybe they do it this way so they can move up wait list folks?

~ m

Many programs don't notify all at once. In fact, on UNC's English department website, it says that they have rolling acceptances (not rolling admissions; I think it means they send offers in waves). I'm sure they will make more offers!

Edited February 12, 2010 by Pamphilia

[minnares]

Many programs don't notify all at once. In fact, on UNC's English department website, it says that they have rolling acceptances (not rolling admissions; I think it means they send offers in waves). I'm sure they will make more offers!

Oh, thank you for pointing that out. I hadn't seen that. That makes me calmer, somewhat. Somehow I just know the next six weeks are going to be rollercoaster. Good times.

~ m

[Nighthob]

Oh, thank you for pointing that out. I hadn't seen that. That makes me calmer, somewhat. Somehow I just know the next six weeks are going to be rollercoaster. Good times.

~ m

I wish I felt better about UNC's process. The rolling acceptances just makes me feel like I'm definitely not one of their top picks. Anybody know how many students they typically admit? I looked at the website, but couldn't find the info.

[minnares]

Check your online app, specifically the last updated date. I found this on a Chapel Hill thread from last year:

If you go into your application and look at your actual application (I believe), there are 2 dates--one the date you submitted the application and one the last time it was modified. For a long time the 2nd date said sometime in early January, I'm sure when all my transcripts/info got processed. Yesterday I noticed that it now said modified on 2/23. So I'm assuming I'm getting some sort of notification (positive or negative) based on previous posts from others. Let me know if you still can't find the spot on your application, and I'll actually go to the web site and be more specific on how to find that part. Good luck!!

**********

I just checked my own. It says last updated February 17th, last Wednesday. I imagine my mailbox has a little gift for me this afternoon. Could go either way since it seems like they mail acceptances too. Here's hopin' .

~ m

[tortola23]

Mine still says 1/28/2010, which is when they filed all of my materials. I haven't heard a word from them.

Should we be expecting rejections, or do you guys think there might be another wave or two of acceptances?

[Nighthob]

Check your online app, specifically the last updated date. I found this on a Chapel Hill thread from last year:

If you go into your application and look at your actual application (I believe), there are 2 dates--one the date you submitted the application and one the last time it was modified. For a long time the 2nd date said sometime in early January, I'm sure when all my transcripts/info got processed. Yesterday I noticed that it now said modified on 2/23. So I'm assuming I'm getting some sort of notification (positive or negative) based on previous posts from others. Let me know if you still can't find the spot on your application, and I'll actually go to the web site and be more specific on how to find that part. Good luck!!

**********

I just checked my own. It says last updated February 17th, last Wednesday. I imagine my mailbox has a little gift for me this afternoon. Could go either way since it seems like they mail acceptances too. Here's hopin' .

~ m

Oh, holy anxiety pills, Batman! Mine was also updated on 2/17. Good luck to us all.

[Medievalmaniac]

Last updated still December 9. SIGH. Maybe they just will never look at my application at all.....

[tortola23]

Last updated still December 9. SIGH. Maybe they just will never look at my application at all.....

Medieval, that's how I'm feeling about all of my schools. I'm ready for NEWS, even if it's a rejection!

[Nighthob]

I ran home and checked mail. The thin envelope mocked me.

Oh, well. It sounds like they had a ton of very qualified applicants -- including some of you! Best of luck to those still waiting. I'm just glad they put me out of my misery. Now if only all the other schools we're waiting on would let us know.

All the best to those still waiting. Personally, I'd love to see at least one of the people I've met on thegradcafe get in.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

I ran home and checked mail. The thin envelope mocked me.

Oh, well. It sounds like they had a ton of very qualified applicants -- including some of you! Best of luck to those still waiting. I'm just glad they put me out of my misery. Now if only all the other schools we're waiting on would let us know.

All the best to those still waiting. Personally, I'd love to see at least one of the people I've met on thegradcafe get in.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

That sux.

I was really rooting for my friends here to get in!!

(and don't all grad school acceptances come in a thin envelope as well?)

[Nighthob]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

That sux.

I was really rooting for my friends here to get in!!

(and don't all grad school acceptances come in a thin envelope as well?)

Thanks, hon. I don't know if acceptances come in thin envelopes. I assumed they came in fat envelopes filled with confetti and cash, and when you open them, a band plays the Hallelujah Chorus and zero-calorie chocolate falls from the sky. No?

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

Thanks, hon. I don't know if acceptances come in thin envelopes. I assumed they came in fat envelopes filled with confetti and cash, and when you open them, a band plays the Hallelujah Chorus and zero-calorie chocolate falls from the sky. No?

I just got an utter giggle fit from that!!

I've heard some ppl say that they got an acceptance in a thin envelope. However, each school may do things differently. (Also, when Rory and Paris were opening up Paris' grad school letters in Gilmore Girls they were all acceptances in small envelopes. See, THIS is my reference point. Gilmore Girls. I also think that's why I'm so obsessed about Yale hahahahahahaha)

[minnares]

Thanks, hon. I don't know if acceptances come in thin envelopes. I assumed they came in fat envelopes filled with confetti and cash, and when you open them, a band plays the Hallelujah Chorus and zero-calorie chocolate falls from the sky. No?

Woman, you are hee-hee-larious. Too funny. I imagine something similar.

I just PM'd with a UNC-CH admit that heard today in another department. She had never contacted any of the professors before applying, nor had she heard by email. She just got the letter today admitting her. SO... even if you get a letter, you might be in the hunt, people! Also, for those fretting over the lack of date change, keep in my UNC-CH is doing the rolling admits. They've been admitting people the last three weeks. My name is right in the middle of the alphabet. Last year, they admitted someone in the second week of March. And zo... Again, you might still be in the game.

~ m

P.S. I am not giving up hope until I open the envelope, skinny or not!

[Medievalmaniac]

I ran home and checked mail. The thin envelope mocked me.

Oh, well. It sounds like they had a ton of very qualified applicants -- including some of you! Best of luck to those still waiting. I'm just glad they put me out of my misery. Now if only all the other schools we're waiting on would let us know.

All the best to those still waiting. Personally, I'd love to see at least one of the people I've met on thegradcafe get in.

I'm so, so sorry. On the plus side, though - at least you have an acceptance. Some of us are still batting a thousand, alas...

[callmelilyb]

Thanks, hon. I don't know if acceptances come in thin envelopes. I assumed they came in fat envelopes filled with confetti and cash, and when you open them, a band plays the Hallelujah Chorus and zero-calorie chocolate falls from the sky. No?

This is the greatest thing I've ever read on gradcafe.

[Pamphilia]

Thanks, hon. I don't know if acceptances come in thin envelopes. I assumed they came in fat envelopes filled with confetti and cash, and when you open them, a band plays the Hallelujah Chorus and zero-calorie chocolate falls from the sky. No?

Wow, you're my new favorite.

[Medievalmaniac]

I wonder how the rolling admits DO work, in the end...it can't be alphabetical, or nobody with a last name T or lower would ever get in, right?

Maybe they go by waves of candidates according to similarities in scores, etc.? Or by subfields?

[minnares]

I wonder how the rolling admits DO work, in the end...it can't be alphabetical, or nobody with a last name T or lower would ever get in, right?

Maybe they go by waves of candidates according to similarities in scores, etc.? Or by subfields?

That would make sense. That would explain why some get called or emailed very early on, or the bulk of them, because those folks would then have the highest scores, etc. Yes?

~ m

[Medievalmaniac]

That would make sense. That would explain why some get called or emailed very early on, or the bulk of them, because those folks would then have the highest scores, etc. Yes?

~ m

But it only makes a little sense. Maybe those who are called very early on are the ones who are competing with the rest of the university for university-wide fellowships? That makes more sense, they would have to be the top scorers on the GRE etc. in order to compete in that fashion. Then, the rest are up to the department for funding and such. They only have X number of slots in the whole department, and surely they would want to have students in a variety of subfields...? So, maybe the graduate admissions committee vets applications and pulls out those that meet minimum requirements, then gives each subfield x number of slots dependent upon the popularity thereof, and then the professors who would be potential advisors wade through those presented to them to make final decisions?

That's my best guess, anyhow.

[Nighthob]

Thanks, everyone, for the encouraging words. I'm not nearly as bummed as I thought I'd be, and with an implicit acceptance from one school, I sure can't be a whiner about it. One acceptance is 100% more acceptances than I was offered the first time I applied to PhD programs!

I currently live near Chapel Hill and wanted to stay in the area, but I'm sure it'll all be okay. And, if any of you DO get acceptances from UNC, I'd be very happy to talk about the area and offer any little bit of guidance I can as a local.