When to Inquire about Application Status?

[bluebird8]

Hi everyone,

I have applied to 5 schools so far and have not heard anything from them. Most applications were due December 1st, while only one was due December 15th. I know people who have heard from these schools already, and one person even got an interview two weeks ago for the same exact program I applied. The wait is killing me. My question is, how long should I wait until I email my POIs about my application status? I don't want to seem impatient, but I do not want to wait around for a rejection if that's what I'm going to get.

[Tigla]

Most ADCOMs have not even met yet. The select few that have begun the process of sifting through applications are merely starting. I would give it a couple of weeks before even considering emailing anyone at the university. If you are going to email someone, do not email your POI. They are most likely not on the ADCOM and will not be of much help. In fact, some professors may see an early/anxious email about the department's decision as unprofessional. At this moment, I would remain patient and talk with your professors and colleagues at your current university.

[AllieKat]

While it appears that most interviewees have been contacted for UNC BBSP and Michigan PIBS (assuming those are the programs you've applied to), the very latest dates from years past are early-mid January. I haven't scoped out the other schools since I didn't apply, but you can go to the grad cafe results sections and search each school to see when they've sent invitations in the past.

[bluebird8]

1 hour ago, AllieKat said:

While it appears that most interviewees have been contacted for UNC BBSP and Michigan PIBS (assuming those are the programs you've applied to), the very latest dates from years past are early-mid January. I haven't scoped out the other schools since I didn't apply, but you can go to the grad cafe results sections and search each school to see when they've sent invitations in the past.

I actually applied to Michigan's Psych Ph.D. because I am looking more into animal behavior, and there is a Biopsychology focus within the program that addresses animal behavior. But I did apply to UNC's Biological Sciences program. I went to the grad café results section but it still makes me worry when everyone else I know applying to grad school got at least 2 interviews and I have none. I did check all the application portals earlier today and the status of my applications were either Submitted or In Review.

1 hour ago, Tigla said:

Most ADCOMs have not even met yet. The select few that have begun the process of sifting through applications are merely starting. I would give it a couple of weeks before even considering emailing anyone at the university. If you are going to email someone, do not email your POI. They are most likely not on the ADCOM and will not be of much help. In fact, some professors may see an early/anxious email about the department's decision as unprofessional. At this moment, I would remain patient and talk with your professors and colleagues at your current university.

Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately for me, I already graduated from my undergrad and my university is primarily an undergraduate university, so the professors at my undergrad are not really the best for advice since they do not deal with graduate students or graduate applications.

[TheScienceHoney]

I feel ya! I have talked to faculty members at the university I currently work at and they told me to not start worrying until March, since some schools don't even begin sending out results until then. I think if it gets much past the second or so week of February and I still haven't heard back I will start to get a little anxious. I submitted one applications two months ago as of today - and still the only update I have received is that it went from "Submitted" to  "Under Review". I assume that a lot of ad coms are just now starting to meet since the semester is probably just beginning at a lot of schools. 

[ArcierePrudente]

^ Agreed that most adcomms are only just starting to meet. You might get a sense of when students applying to your universities have heard in prior years by checking the 'results' forum and searching for your school/field. As a general rule, however, I'd defer all rationally-based panic until late February or early March. (I know I can't tell you to defer panic entirely.)

I wouldn't email your POIs about application status. If you can think of a reason to reach out and re-affirm your interest in the program/their work (and haven't done so already), that's another thing.

Alternatively, once you do hear from a school, you might ask a trusted advisor how to reach out to other POIs/admissions departments and inform them that Institution X has presented you with Offer Y, but different professors/fields have different perspectives on this. Some consider it tactical, while others find it pushy.