Listing Grad school responses (Admits & Rejects)...

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:16 pm

I thought it'd be nice to have a list like this so that those of us who've not heard anything yet could sorta see which places haven't announced anything yet:

01. Yale Biophysics
02. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
03. Stanford Biophysics
04. UCSF Biophysics
05. UC Berkeley Biophysics
06. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
07. College of William & Mary
08. UC Santa Barbara Materials department
09. Caltech Materials department
10. MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering
11. Johns Hopkins Physics 26th January
12. U. of Washington Physics
13. USC Physics
14. Ohio State Physics - 01/27
15. UCSB Physics - 01/29
16. Caltech Astronomy/Astrophysics 01/27
17. Princeton Astronomy - Feb 1
18. U Chicago Astronomy - Feb 3

19. Penn State, Astronomy - Feb 5
20. UIUC, Astronomy - Feb 5
21. Cornell, Physics - Feb 6
22. Texas A & M
23. Lehigh University - Feb 7
24. Rochester, Optics - Feb 7
25. UC Davis, Applied Sciences
26. University of Michigan - Feb 8
27. Florida State University- Feb 8
28. Washington University - Feb 8
29. Columbia University - Feb 8
30. Carnegie Mellon - Feb 8
31. Indiana University Astronomy 2/8
32. Dartmouth Physics
33. Boston U Physics

34. Harvard Astronomy
35. MIT Physics 12/2

... Add more whoever's heard from any place ...

Good luck everyone!

rjharris · Post by **rjharris** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:25 pm

i am under the impression that mostly people hear back in feb. with some in march and very few in april.

l3amm · Post by **l3amm** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:44 pm

I've heard back from the Biophysics at Yale, Stanford and UCSF. There visiting weekends are all in February and the first days of March.

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:49 pm

If you are going to do that please distinguish whether it is Yale biophysics, Yale astronomy, or Yale physics because the programs are completely different.

schmit.paul · Post by **schmit.paul** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:22 am

http://www.physicsgre.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=172

Here's the thread from last year. rjharris is correct, as far as I can tell... looks like the posts for acceptances began in early Feb and extended through the bulk of March. def looks like biophysics sends out acceptances much sooner...maybe because they'd like to snag people before they feel tempted to run off to physics? hmm...

kdub · Post by **kdub** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:51 am

I heard from Ohio State astro last week. Their visiting period is the beginning of February.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:18 am

Hmmm ... yeah that seems to be the trend for acceptances/rejections - Feb through March. You know looking at grad shopper, I noticed that funnily, almost all schools select around 10% of their applicant pool. I mean not just the good ones, but nearly all schools. ( Though there were a small number of schools which took close to 20% or so. ) Isn't that weird? Across the board roughly the same degree of selectivity. I guess the reason is that the people who apply to different schools have different profiles.

Good luck too you all,
Hope everyone gets into a school that's nice for them.

somebody · Post by **somebody** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:30 am

anybody have a clear idea what acceptance rates are for domestic vs. international students? i mean acceptance rates are pretty misleading i think for domestic students because of all the international students who apply with little or no chance of acceptance because of the much higher standards set for them.

jormiga · Post by **jormiga** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:50 am

The UT Austin FAQ section is very informative:
http://www.ph.utexas.edu/grad_ad_faq.html

They mention that: "Due to the high volume of requests and applicants (approximately 500 a year) we cannot provide you with an estimate of your chances for admission. Admission is highly competitive and is more so for International students due to the higher volume of applicants and fewer admits. For Fall 2006 admission we had approximately 287 Foreign applicants and only accepted 23 for admission. For US applicants there were approximately 183 applicants and 60 were admitted. A total of 83 were admitted with 32 new students enrolling, 11 International and 21 U.S. students."

So it is evident that competition is much stronger among international students. I would assume these stats to be comparable at other well-known institutions.

For people asking about when they will hear from the programs they are applying: "Our Graduate Recruitment Committee will begin to review applications in late January. Decisions should take place in mid February for US applicants and early March for International applicants."

This should definitely vary among institutions.

Finally, they are not as hermetic regarding the GRE averages:

Int'l U.S. ALL
Verbal 510 605 574
Quantitative 788 782 784
Physics Subject Test 908 760 806

As you can see, the difference between the GRE scores of domestic and international students is pretty huge.

Hope this helps.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:56 pm

1. Yale Biophysics
2. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
3. Stanford Biophysics
4. UCSF Biophysics
5. UC Berkeley Biophysics
6. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
7. College of William & Mary

... any names left off the list so far?

schmit.paul · Post by **schmit.paul** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:37 am

just to clarify, these are schools that we know have started contacting accepted applicants (since I believe this information was amassed from several different threads)

Daharoni · Post by **Daharoni** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:38 am

USC's physics decisions should be sent out by the end of the month.

l3amm · Post by **l3amm** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:39 am

I can only speak for the schools that have contacted me; but I have received contact from Stanford, UCSF, UCB, Yale, and Harvard, so I know those are true.

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:01 am

For those waiting for physics departments: What's the point of comparing biophysics departments to physics departments in terms of acceptance dates? Biophysics depts/programs are different than physics, completely different admissions committees, plus their application deadlines were much earlier. I think they only require the GRE generals also, but I'm not sure. Otherwise, how could they have had such early deadlines if people couldn't have taken the Nov or Dec tests. I'm happy for the all the acceptances, but that doesn't tell the physics department applicants much if people were looking for school insight. Plus, biophysics is in now and it may be easier to get in as a physics major than as a biology major, so its no surprise physics people are grabbed up. I don't even think the physics departments have these big interview weekends which do sound like fun, or at least lots of free food

. Physics department acceptances could be as late as mid-March.

l3amm · Post by **l3amm** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:36 am

While you are right in that several universities have ealier deadlines for biophysics than physics, this is not an across the board truism. Harvard and Princeton Biophysics are both the same as normal physics. Additionally every program required subject tests from either biophyscis, chem, or biochem and they accept the november test date. They also have deadlines that started on Dec 8 (Yale, acceptances: Jan 2nd) and ended dec 15th (Harvard acceptance Jan: 20).

I'm not sure if you're suggesting that biophysics should not post on here or what, but biophysics is a field of physics. Albeit it is a small field that has smaller applicant pools (eg. yale had 60 applicants to their Biophysics program) which surely has an effect on the speed at which they can give out acceptances. And yeah, the interview weekends should be pretty awesome.

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:53 am

No, I'm not suggesting biophysics shouldn't post here. I'm merely suggesting that since its a different admissions process altogether and different program or department, people shouldn't be using the acceptance dates for biophysics to estimate the physics acceptance dates. I would think one has nothing to do with the other. There's no point in saying the school started accepting people when its not the department they are interested in. That's all.

But, on the other hand, since this is a physics GRE web site, if people didn't take the physics GRE, then maybe it is the wrong place. But, I don't see people posting who didn't take that test.

BTW, I'm interested in biophysics too by way of theoretical condensed matter physics, but I chose physics departments, so I think I'm pretty aware its a branch of physics.

tnoviell · Post by **tnoviell** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:28 am

Some places that offer biophysics require the physics GRE, some don't. Totally dependent on the school, and usually whether or not biophysics had its own department.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:56 am

So far ...
1. Yale Biophysics
2. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
3. Stanford Biophysics
4. UCSF Biophysics
5. UC Berkeley Biophysics
6. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
7. College of William & Mary
8. UC Santa Barbara Materials department
9. Caltech Materials department

@braindrain:Hey dude, no sweat ... just keeping track of everything as for what you say, yes it's true that Physics departments will start infomring much later sometime in February I guess, but that's not to trivialise the Biophysics results i anyway. Congrats to you all, and Good luck to the rest of us

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:32 am

OK, now that people brought it up, why did you all choose biophysics departments instead of doing biophysics in a physics department? Was there any particular reason? This was a difficult decision for me for a long time so I'm just wondering if people had to think that through also.

l3amm · Post by **l3amm** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:27 pm

The reason I applied to biophysics as a separate department is that while my interests are definately on the physical aspects of a biological problem, biophysics within physics typically only has a very small number of faculty (UC Berkeley:2) and their projects are usually much more bioengineering (proteins binding to cell membranes, eg.) type of stuff, which I am not interested in at all. I found that individual biophysics depts seem to be diong a very large variety of things with much more intermelding between biology, physics, and chemistry which I think is the reason to do biophysics in the first place.

somebody · Post by **somebody** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:11 pm

hey kdub, how did OSU astro contact you about acceptance, i.e. mail, e-mail, phone call?

schmit.paul · Post by **schmit.paul** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:03 pm

Just got a notification of admission to MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering Ph.D. program via email. They were originally going to be my plasma physics backup (they do a theoretical plasma physics ph.d) if MIT Physics didn't accept me, though now I'm considering a number of alternatives (pending admission), including a bunch of high energy theory programs. Anyway, if anyone happens to have an application pending for an engineering program at MIT, thought I'd share the info that they are starting to send out notifications.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:02 am

Adding more updates ...

01. Yale Biophysics
02. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
03. Stanford Biophysics
04. UCSF Biophysics
05. UC Berkeley Biophysics
06. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
07. College of William & Mary
08. UC Santa Barbara Materials department
09. Caltech Materials department
10. MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering
11. Johns Hopkins Physics 26th January
12. U. of Washington Physics
13. USC Physics
14. Ohio State Physics - 01/27

EDIT: Done!
EDIT 2: Added Ohio State

Great Going guys!

Daharoni · Post by **Daharoni** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 4:14 am

Add USC Physics. Found out unofficially on the 23rd

kdub · Post by **kdub** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 8:38 pm

somebody:
I was contacted first by phone, then by e-mail

physgeek · Post by **physgeek** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:00 pm

got into UCSB physics today

Daharoni · Post by **Daharoni** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:24 pm

How did you hear from UCSB? Phone, online, mail?

physgeek · Post by **physgeek** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:40 pm

I found out through the online application website. It said decision available, and the decision is provisional admission because I still need to send my transcripts once I get my degree.

rjharris · Post by **rjharris** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:22 pm

i also got into ucsb. they sent me an email attached with a letter.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:54 am

Congratulations physgeek & rjharris !!
What specialization did you guys apply for?

So far:

01. Yale Biophysics
02. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
03. Stanford Biophysics
04. UCSF Biophysics
05. UC Berkeley Biophysics
06. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
07. College of William & Mary
08. UC Santa Barbara Materials department
09. Caltech Materials department
10. MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering
11. Johns Hopkins Physics 26th January
12. U. of Washington Physics
13. USC Physics
14. Ohio State Physics - 01/27
15. UCSB Physics - 01/29
16. Caltech Astronomy/Astrophysics

rjharris · Post by **rjharris** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:21 am

i mentioned astrophysics (both theoretical and experimental/observational) mostly, but i also mentioned research in GR in my SOP.

slee · Post by **slee** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:41 am

caltech astronomy/astrophysics, found out on the 27th by phone

tj_wants_in · Post by **tj_wants_in** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:15 pm

Nine schools applied to, and nothing yet. I see three of the schools I applied to on that list, too.

rjharris · Post by **rjharris** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:26 pm

whenever you get a chance , CPT, add U Chicago Astro (Feb. 3) and Princeton Astro (Feb. 1) thanks.

CPT · Post by **CPT** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:57 pm

Congratulations on Princeton rjharris, you decided on where you're going yet? Or are you waiting for any more schools?

This seems to be the updated list so far, roughly in chronological order ...

01. Yale Biophysics
02. Ohio State Biophysics , Astronomy
03. Stanford Biophysics
04. UCSF Biophysics
05. UC Berkeley Biophysics
06. Harvard Biophysics (22nd Jan)
07. College of William & Mary
08. UC Santa Barbara Materials department
09. Caltech Materials department
10. MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering
11. Johns Hopkins Physics 26th January
12. U. of Washington Physics
13. USC Physics
14. Ohio State Physics - 01/27
15. UCSB Physics - 01/29
16. Caltech Astronomy/Astrophysics 01/27
17. Princeton Astronomy - Feb 1
18. U Chicago Astronomy - Feb 3

mooratov · Post by **mooratov** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:30 pm

got accepted to penn st. Astr on 1/31

also heard back from UIUC Astr today, they say they like my app and want me to come visit, but no definitive answer

anyone know what to think of that?

Daharoni · Post by **Daharoni** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:35 pm

99% of the time that means that as long as you don't royally F up on the interview they will accept you.

slee · Post by **slee** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:27 pm

I was accepted to Cornell Physics on fellowship today; I got a big fat white envelope in the mail.

Also, I missed a call from Princeton Astro, a David Spergel, but by the time I called back he was out of his office. Frustratingly, his voicemail didn't confirm or deny acceptance! So I will have to wait until tomorrow. Since I also got an e-mail from Caltech today linking me to an admitted students' site that shows they are conducting rolling admissions (3 students, including me, so far), I am hoping that the same is true of Princeton Astro! Wish me luck, and good luck to the rest of you!

MoePhysics · Post by **MoePhysics** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:57 pm

Congrats slee! Has anyone else heard anything from Cornell? By the way slee, do you by chance live on the east coast, and so maybe got the letter faster?

slee · Post by **slee** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:32 pm

thanks, moe! i am going to school in massachusetts, so maybe i did get it early. good luck!

Daharoni · Post by **Daharoni** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:13 am

Congrats Slee. I hope that West Coast acceptances to Cornell are taking a little longer. I will be looking forward to checking the mail tomorrow.

shirazu · Post by **shirazu** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:21 am

Holla, just got accepted to Ohio State today, large manila envelope.

strange.attractor · Post by **strange.attractor** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:29 am

Are u a domestioc student or an international student? I thing would be a good idea if people also post this piece of information... By the way did you get a phone or e-mail before u got this envelope, or it was all by surprise?

Richter · Post by **Richter** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:29 am

I am now very very nervous....
I am an international student....

slee · Post by **slee** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:56 am

turns out cornell also sent me an e-mail after i received the package in the mail...

slee · Post by **slee** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:49 pm

just got the acceptance from princeton astro! the professor had told me that he would be calling back at 7:30PM, but by 8:30PM i hadn't gotten a call. i got an e-mail from him saying that he tried my number several times and got busy signals, so i quickly e-mailed him back my contact info again. turns out he was dialing the wrong number the whole time! so he called me right after and finally gave me some good news...what a long hour that was.

by the way, he also told me the department would be meeting with the dean on thursday, so i guess if you haven't heard by then...

Wanna Be Physicist · Post by **Wanna Be Physicist** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:12 am

Acceptances:

dan1234 · Post by **dan1234** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:17 pm

bah! Waiting is painful

schrodingersmistress · Post by **schrodingersmistress** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:31 pm

I hear ya...I always have thegradcafe open and sit here constantly refreshing, or spend the afternoon waiting for the mailman just to find the only exciting thing waiting for me is Netflix

JackSkellington · Post by **JackSkellington** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 6:29 pm

Add UMich to the list.

Listing Grad school responses (Admits & Rejects)...

Listing Grad school responses (Admits & Rejects)...

physics vs. biophysics

Cornell

@shirazu