FALL 2008 acceptances

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:09 pm

Schandre, I would tell them you won't make a decision until you have heard back on all your apps. What they are doing is not very ethical, as others have mentioned April 15th is the standard decision day, it was agreed upon so schools couldn't pull the kind of *** FSU is pulling on you. I would bring this up with them.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:12 pm

Fermiboy, of course no one can force u to attend the school no matter what. But there is some agreement between the schools. They expect people and schools to honor the agreement about accepting offer.

Just to be safe, u don't want to have your dream school saying, "sorry, we can take u even thought u are being offered, because u accepted the offer from X school and it is after april 15.

Of course, I never try, just to be safe. April 15th (may be 14th).

Just like take home final, some school like caltech have take home finals for their classes, they expect u to do it yourself. In reality, who knows if u do it yourself or not? BUT If you get caught, then say bye bye to your future.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:17 pm

PH, what do you mean "no permission" from UMN, but did he still go to UW?? or what happen??

PH · Post by PH » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:22 pm

wooster he accepted the seat at UW and UMN didnt stop him. He apologized for leaving them at the last minute and his justification was that UW was one of his top choices. So while UMN was definitely not happy with him (they had rolled out the red carpet for him) they didnt pose any difficulties for him.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:24 pm

PH, but did he sign the acceptance letter for UWM??? or, he just say he will come in email or on phone?

I mean UW and UWM are both pretty good schools. If you piss off some important people, u may not be able to get a postdoc job at those schools.

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:29 pm

I see what you're saying wooster. Sure we can change our minds after the deadline but then we have soiled our repuation in the community. Since your rep is everything in academia, it's not a good idea to ruin it.

PH · Post by PH » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:30 pm

He had signed the acceptance letter. I think UMN was satisfied with his explanation, and I dont think he burned any bridges at UMN. The research he wanted to do just wasnt being offered, his was a rare case but I just wanted to let it be known that there are such odd cases out there as well.

Personally if I had a univ insisting on an answer (with a couple of admits in hand) I would refuse. This is a very important decision, and unless I was absolutely sure that I wanted to go to said univ I wouldnt be willing to make such a hasty decision.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:55 pm

Fermiboy,

you shouldn't worry much, since by Feb 28th, u should hear from UCSB and other.

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:18 pm

Actually I'm over the whole rejection thing. Even if i don't get in anywhere else I'll be happy to attend Oregon. Eugene is an awesome place to live. If you have never been to the northwest U.S. you have to see it someday. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth, with mountains, trees, rivers, and wide open spaces. Now that some of my results are in I wish I hadn't of cut U. of Washington, which was one of my last cuts.

astroprof · Post by **astroprof** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:20 pm

Another lurking professor here... You ABSOLUTELY have until April 15
to respond to their offer. FSU is a member of the Council of Graduate
Schools, who have all agreed to allow students to consider their
options until April 15. See http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=201
for the agreement. The pdf file (link from above page) lists the schools
who have agreed to this resolution.

In terms of how to handle the situation, my advice would be to keep
a civil dialog going with the department. Explain that you are currently
considering several options, among which FSU is highly competitive.
(Politely) remind them that you thought the common reply date was
April 15.

On a related note, however, for those of you holding multiple offers, it is
very helpful to departments if you can turn down (and, also, accept!)
offers as soon as you have reached a decision. Please don't wait
until midnight on April 15 to turn down 10 different programs! Graduate
admissions is a difficult process from both sides of the application folder --
our concern is to accept and recruit the strongest entering class possible,
but to do so while making certain that we have EXACTLY the number
of students we need to fill research and teaching assistantships. Not
one more, and not one less. The sooner we have firm acceptances or
firm declines, the sooner we can inform students on our waitlist of
their application status.

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:32 pm

I knew that we were going to have a new Prof. before you posted astroprof.
could you please tell us what type of school you are from. Is it top 50 but not top 20 again?

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:37 pm

nvan and other guys here, are you guys going to have double fellowships offers, that is, one from NSF( or what ever fellowship you all have applied for) and the University Fellowship that you all have been offered from MIT or UIUC or other places? This means you guys will be able to buy a Ferari in your second year if you do not have it already.
What a life! Have fun.

astroprof · Post by **astroprof** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:49 pm

My current institution is indeed a middle tier program (in Astronomy).
We are also a small program, so our entering class sizes are usually
between 1 to 6 students.

grae313 · Post by **grae313** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:51 pm

I got an email from an associate professor at Yale asking me if I had any questions about research or the school, and telling me Yale is a great place to get my Ph.D. Nothing else, no status change online. I wonder what that means...

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:52 pm

astroprof, I sent you a private message for some question, just in case you don't see it. It's a hard question

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:52 pm

I read astroprof's link and I see what wooster was getting at. If you commit and then want to attend somewhere else, then you have to get a written release from the original school. Sorry about the misunderstanding wooster.

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:53 pm

you are in. congrats graeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

PH · Post by PH » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:53 pm

wow 1 to 6, well I'm going to starting thinking about those job applications right about now.

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:54 pm

grae131,

sounds to me like they are going to accept you. congrats. If I was you I would rather go to Cornell though.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:56 pm

wait, fermiboy, only if u committed before april 15th and change your mind after april 15th.I believe it says this.

And I think it says, if the school makes u commit before april 15, u can change your mind late.

Agree?? how do u interpret the resolution?

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:00 pm

Yes that's how I read it. I forgot to mention the April 15 date in my previous post. I meant if you committ pre April 15 and then change your mind post April 15. Now I defnitely don't understand this business with FSU, since their name is on the list.

qwerty · Post by **qwerty** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:06 pm

NYU

I got email saying "The official notification of admission, with details on the offer, will be sent to you from the New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science."

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:12 pm

Fermiboy,

I think they just don't have enough money to afford having an extra or so student. They may think that they want you but you probably won't come based on the record on what kind of student end up coming. May be they expect u to get in better school, so you are not their safe offer. But because of the money problem, they may be afraid that u decide to come in the last min, and they have to support an extra student. This is only my guess.

Anyway, they didn't really say if you don't decide by feb 28th, your offer will be void right? They may be just hope u are nice enough to let them know early, and think that u should hear from other school by then.

BUT there is nothing wrong for u to say yes now, and change your mind before april 15th, as we agree finally.

VT · Post by VT » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:38 pm

which school is good : BROWN OR YALE? just curious..

surjective · Post by **surjective** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:26 pm

A friend of mine got an acceptance from Columbia today. He's in theoretical HEP.

twistor · Post by **twistor** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:26 pm

We are also a small program, so our entering class sizes are usually
between 1 to 6 students.

How can you possibly hold classes with only 1 graduate stduent?

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:33 pm

VT, neither, the Ivy League is all a bunch of elitist snobs, mostly because they rejected me. Have fun paying overpriced rent and freezing your ass off all you future Ivies. Especially all the Yalies; don't get mugged in New Haven!

will · Post by **will** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:36 pm

I've been accepted to never being notified of my status and existing in limbo forever.

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:37 pm

what is wrong in NewHaven, fermiboy? Is not it a good place to live? I don know anything about the US.

will · Post by **will** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:39 pm

Watch "Gilmore Girls."

It'll tell you everything you need to know.

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:39 pm

I would say brown n yale both are just about the same in cmt. I would even include u penn n columbia with them. jus my lmao opinion

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:43 pm

Everything I have ever read about New Haven says it's pretty ghetto, besides the Yale part. Now I just like to bag on New Haven because Yale rejected me and I like making fun of them. I would so the same for Cornell but unfortunately I can't think of anything bad to say about Cornell or Ithaca.

multigoal · Post by **multigoal** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:53 pm

Could you please tell me my profile:

GRE-verbal : 590/800 (82%)
GRE-quant : 800/800 (92%)
GRE-Physics : 620 (40%) It sucks !!!!

Undergrad degree : BE (major: Electronics & Communication Engg) from a famous school in India
Graduate Degree: MS in Applied Physics (GPA ~ 3.7; for physics courses ~ 3.9) from a good university in US.
I have taken almost all the required graduate courses for theoretical physics

Applying for : PhD in Theoretical particle physics/Theoretical high energy physics for fall 2008 in
Upenn
UVA
UGA
NYU
Syracuse
UCDavis.

2 conference proceedings and 1 journal papers.
2 years research experiences

will · Post by **will** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:59 pm

Cornell used to have the highest suicide rate of any university in the country. I don't know how much time you've spent in upstate New York, but if the stress doesn't make you want to off yourself, the winters will.

twistor · Post by **twistor** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:04 pm

Ah, the infamous Cornell Bridge.

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:08 pm

Cool now I can start bagging on Cornell too. Thanks for the dirt. I have never had the chance to face an east coast winter, I'm from the western U.S., it's pretty mild winters out here.

multigoal · Post by **multigoal** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:09 pm

Could you please tell me howz my profile:

GRE-verbal : 590/800 (82%)
GRE-quant : 800/800 (92%)
GRE-Physics : 620 (40%) It sucks !!!!

Undergrad degree : BE (major: Electronics & Communication Engg) from a famous school in India
Graduate Degree: MS in Applied Physics (GPA ~ 3.7; for physics courses ~ 3.9) from a good university in US.
I have taken almost all the required graduate courses for theoretical physics

Applying for : PhD in Theoretical particle physics/Theoretical high energy physics for fall 2008 in
Upenn
UVA
UGA
NYU
Syracuse
UCDavis.

2 conference proceedings and 1 journal papers.
2 years research experiences

twistor · Post by **twistor** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:13 pm

Am I experiencing deja vu or is this exact same post starting to appear in every *** thread?

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:15 pm

Yeah I was like "where did my response to multigoal go?" then I realized I responded to this post in a different thread. Posts and threads should have a one-to-one correspondence please.

cancelled20080417 · Post by **cancelled20080417** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:16 pm

lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:16 pm

Gosh!!! Monday is holiday. meaning there is no acceptance on monday! 3 days, ahhh!!!

marten · Post by **marten** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:20 pm

Everything I have ever read about New Haven says it's pretty ghetto

Yeah, my friend lived there for about a year, and there was always crazy *** going on. Like once I was talking to him on the phone and he was stuck in traffic because some guy was walking in the road carrying a propane tank, wearing a cowboy hat, and armed with a crossbow.

marten · Post by **marten** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:21 pm

Seriously.

marten · Post by **marten** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:21 pm

But they have one of the best pizza places... anywhere. It's almost like the mob, you have to have connections just to get into the place.

VT · Post by VT » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:32 pm

how is Rhode Island?

dlenmn · Post by **dlenmn** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:36 pm

RI is supposed to be a very nice place to live -- especially Providence (there actually is a bit more to the state than just Providence). They've got some weird stuff going on though -- like coffee milk (I like it) and frozen lemonade (never tried it).

nvanmeter · Post by **nvanmeter** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:23 am

any idea how many first-year grad students harvard typically has? i can't seem to find this info on their website.

fermiboy · Post by **fermiboy** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:45 am

zero. Nobody has good enough stats to get into Harvard.

woooster · Post by **woooster** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:54 am

harvard is half of the size of MIT, same size as princeton, stanford, caltech. ~20

VT · Post by VT » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:22 am

Any body dared to apply to MIT and Princeton with GRE score in the range of 700? Am I the only daredevil(??) applicant to do so? I think my application will provide a good laugh to the admissions committees at those places in this hectic admissions season.