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2018 Applications Thread


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5 minutes ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

@Dan_Xu That sucks. Sorry you can't actually visit yet. 

I'm sure you'll do the typical Skype prep then (make sure your background isn't too cluttered/busy, you have good lighting, face away from a window, etc). :) 

Thank you for your tips. You are a wonderful person! 

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52 minutes ago, Hao Hongtao said:

Hi, @JF222. Welcome to this thread. Yeah, we are all very nervous. I will also check my email many times. Your  Bachelor's degree obtained in the US will help a lot I thInk. Our research interests are very similar, in fact. The universities you chose are well-suited for you. I am just a little bit curious: If you are enrolled at NUS or NTU, I think both schools are very good and better than some of the universities you applied for, why didn't you stay in Singapore? Also, why didn't you try UCSB? Professor Joseph Walther there is very influential. Interestingly, he held positions in Singapore for several years before returning to the United States last year. 

PM-ed my reply. :) 

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12 hours ago, Shay825 said:

Did anyone else apply to UMD- College Park?

I saw that one individual posted to the results page that they were offered an interview. I'm curious about their background and qualifications - mostly because I'm nervous about my own chances *being honest*. I wasn't able to study for the GRE and had to rush to complete my application over a two week window - because I'd been in PR, helping with the hurricane response. UMD is the only school that I applied to, this year. 

 

 

 

Hi I just finished the interview with UMD. But I haven't posted in the result page yet. 

I received the interview email yesterday morning, but I was too busy working that I didn't check my mailbox and I believe there was no notification for this email:(. It was before I went to sleep that I saw the second email the director sent... (Lesson learned: always check the mailbox!)  She provided 5 time slots for the interview. I was the last one to choose and the only one left is today at noon. So I have only got 12 hours for my interview (that includes my sleeping time).

Luckily the interview went pretty well I think. Questions are quite standard, like Why PhD, why Maryland, and which research method I want to focus. The director is very nice and she managed to lighten the conversation. She said my chance of getting in is very high but I would need to retake my TOFEL. The requirement is 108 (mine is 106). If I get the score, there should be no problem for me. I am so excited and grateful since this is the only PhD program I applied for (the others are all MA).

Which area did you apply? I applied for communication science & social recognition. I think for each area they are looking for different qualifications. So my background doesn't necessary help to make your judgement. Anyway I am earning BA degree in English, not much research experience (no publication, only one presentation), and my GRE is V158 Q170. I guess one strength I have is my research interests fit well with the faculties'. You have quite a lot related experience and I believe your interview invitation will soon get to you! 

If you need anymore information, just ask here or send me a PM. Good luck to you!

 

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Hello, I've applied to Northwestern University's rhetoric tracks PhD program and will be submitting my applications for Illinois-University at Chicago and Wayne State tomorrow, so the horrible wait begins soon. This is my second time around, I applied in 2015 as well but only got into a MA program. My research is on media representations and articulations of intersectionality in activist coalitions on issues of environmental racism, immigration and incarceration. 

Has anyone heard anything from Northwestern just yet? I know the wait for the other two will be quite a while.

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On 1/13/2018 at 2:57 AM, Padma011 said:

Hi I just finished the interview with UMD. But I haven't posted in the result page yet. 

I received the interview email yesterday morning, but I was too busy working that I didn't check my mailbox and I believe there was no notification for this email:(. It was before I went to sleep that I saw the second email the director sent... (Lesson learned: always check the mailbox!)  She provided 5 time slots for the interview. I was the last one to choose and the only one left is today at noon. So I have only got 12 hours for my interview (that includes my sleeping time).

Luckily the interview went pretty well I think. Questions are quite standard, like Why PhD, why Maryland, and which research method I want to focus. The director is very nice and she managed to lighten the conversation. She said my chance of getting in is very high but I would need to retake my TOFEL. The requirement is 108 (mine is 106). If I get the score, there should be no problem for me. I am so excited and grateful since this is the only PhD program I applied for (the others are all MA).

Which area did you apply? I applied for communication science & social recognition. I think for each area they are looking for different qualifications. So my background doesn't necessary help to make your judgement. Anyway I am earning BA degree in English, not much research experience (no publication, only one presentation), and my GRE is V158 Q170. I guess one strength I have is my research interests fit well with the faculties'. You have quite a lot related experience and I believe your interview invitation will soon get to you! 

If you need anymore information, just ask here or send me a PM. Good luck to you!

 

Good to see another Chinese applicant here. Suprised to know that UMD- College Park has a Ph.D. program in Communication, though.  

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17 hours ago, whitmanifesto said:

Hello, I've applied to Northwestern University's rhetoric tracks PhD program and will be submitting my applications for Illinois-University at Chicago and Wayne State tomorrow, so the horrible wait begins soon. This is my second time around, I applied in 2015 as well but only got into a MA program. My research is on media representations and articulations of intersectionality in activist coalitions on issues of environmental racism, immigration and incarceration. 

Has anyone heard anything from Northwestern just yet? I know the wait for the other two will be quite a while.

So last night I emailed my POI for the PhD Rhetoric track (Gender and Sexuality Cluster) requesting an interview and this morning she got back to me. We set up an unofficial interview for next Wednesday, so I'm absolutely over the moon. I can't believe she got back to me so soon.

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3 hours ago, surprise_quiche said:

So last night I emailed my POI for the PhD Rhetoric track (Gender and Sexuality Cluster) requesting an interview and this morning she got back to me. We set up an unofficial interview for next Wednesday, so I'm absolutely over the moon. I can't believe she got back to me so soon.

Congrats! Could you tell me how to write a letter to request an informal interview? 

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3 minutes ago, Dan_Xu said:

Congrats! Could you tell me how to write a letter to request an informal interview? 

Here my text from the last email I sent:

"Dear Dr. ...,

I am a current prospective student for graduate study at Northwestern in Communication Sciences, and am committed to exploring gender and sexuality as a field of study, as it encompasses such a wide range of schools of thought, and intersectional dimensions in academia and in research. I would be interested in setting up a meeting with you in order to discuss research opportunities and graduate study. I am very passionate about exploring aspects of communication sciences in a wide range of topics, including the subject of my most recent research in sexual education rhetoric. I would be honored to speak with you regarding the program and to familiarize myself with the department. 
Thank you and well wishes for your new year!"
 
And that's about it. 
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Hi anyone got responses from the PSU? Saw some got their phone interview on Jan 9th, but not sure anyone got their email interview as international applicants?

 

And also if anyone get information from UM, UCD and UCSB, please tell me!

 

Thanks!

 

t

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Hi everyone,

Long time lurker of the "results" thread, first time registrant/poster.  But man, am I glad y'all are here.

My Spouse is not an academic-sort, and doesn't "get" that part of wanting to pursue a Ph.D. is being compulsive enough that checking results threads and your application status daily is a normal thing.  Add to the top that I could normally channel my obsessiveness into work, but my "Day" job went out of business, and I'm at home watching X-Files and petting cats.

Does anyone have a sense for the importance of interviews?  I see interview invites going out to UW Madison applicants...and I haven't heard a peep.  Spouse says "Probably the only people who get interviews are those they're unsure about," but that seems excessively optimistic to me.

 

- EP

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@E-P My friend goes there so I actually have some insight on Madison's interview procedure.

Madison will normally do two interviews and, based on my friend's experience, these are largely to discuss the program. Everyone they are considering should get an invite at some point in January for a Skype (maybe in person if local) interview. However, Madison has profs send out their interview invites individually, which is why you'll see a huge spread over the month of January for that in the results. 

Do you mind if I ask what your research focus would be and what track you're interested in? I know I was freaking out yesterday when the first rhetoric notification went up, but my friend told me one of my PoIs is usually one of the last to send out interview invites and she didn't receive her first invite until January 23rd last year.

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@GreenEyedTrombonist That's comforting.  Perhaps I won't OD on xanax today.  Thank you!

My overarching interest is how, when, and why we form online communities, and how we communicate emotion online, despite the removal of facial expressions and verbal intonation.  My master's thesis, which I imagine will continue, was about the communication patterns within the gig economy, specifically focusing on rideshare drivers and the communities they form.

What about you?  I see we're both in Comm, and have one overlapping program, so we could even be colleagues in eight months.

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On 1/11/2018 at 2:12 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

Thanks @ArcierePrudente ! Layers and investing in a good coat do sound like the way to go. Do you know if they sell tank top thermals? I hate how long-sleeved thermals feel on my arms, haha.

Thermal tank tops are totally a thing.  Here's a link to my favorite brand:

https://www.cuddlduds.com/women/layer-by-style/camis-tanks-tees.html

 

They're way cheaper at Kohls than online.

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5 minutes ago, E-P said:

@GreenEyedTrombonist That's comforting.  Perhaps I won't OD on xanax today.  Thank you!

My overarching interest is how, when, and why we form online communities, and how we communicate emotion online, despite the removal of facial expressions and verbal intonation.  My master's thesis, which I imagine will continue, was about the communication patterns within the gig economy, specifically focusing on rideshare drivers and the communities they form.

What about you?  I see we're both in Comm, and have one overlapping program, so we could even be colleagues in eight months.

I'm also interested in online community and communication though I'm looking to do a project about digital political campaigning. Since our interests are similar, I'm pretty sure your likely PoIs happen to be those that tend to email later in the month.

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16 hours ago, surprise_quiche said:

Here my text from the last email I sent:

"Dear Dr. ...,

I am a current prospective student for graduate study at Northwestern in Communication Sciences, and am committed to exploring gender and sexuality as a field of study, as it encompasses such a wide range of schools of thought, and intersectional dimensions in academia and in research. I would be interested in setting up a meeting with you in order to discuss research opportunities and graduate study. I am very passionate about exploring aspects of communication sciences in a wide range of topics, including the subject of my most recent research in sexual education rhetoric. I would be honored to speak with you regarding the program and to familiarize myself with the department. 
Thank you and well wishes for your new year!"
 
And that's about it. 

Great letter! Thank you. I'll try it with my POI. 

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11 hours ago, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

I'm also interested in online community and communication though I'm looking to do a project about digital political campaigning. Since our interests are similar, I'm pretty sure your likely PoIs happen to be those that tend to email later in the month.

 

11 hours ago, E-P said:

@GreenEyedTrombonist That's comforting.  Perhaps I won't OD on xanax today.  Thank you!

My overarching interest is how, when, and why we form online communities, and how we communicate emotion online, despite the removal of facial expressions and verbal intonation.  My master's thesis, which I imagine will continue, was about the communication patterns within the gig economy, specifically focusing on rideshare drivers and the communities they form.

What about you?  I see we're both in Comm, and have one overlapping program, so we could even be colleagues in eight months.

Somewhere in New York Nancy Fraser started smiling...

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