Last-Minute Offers?

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doom
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Last-Minute Offers?

Post by doom » Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:44 pm

Just wondering if anyone got any last minute offers of admission, (for example, getting off of a waiting list) in the past few days. Of course, if this is you, you're probably agonizing over your decision now instead of reading my post.

My friend (in math) just got into her dream school TODAY, on the deadline. Her letter accepting an offer from another good school is already in the mail. She's got a tough dilemma in front of her.

Makes me wonder if the Canadian schools abide by the same April 15th agreement? (Her dream school is in Canada.)

surjective
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by surjective » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:27 am

I don't think that canadian schools have the april 15 deadline thingy going on.

deyton
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by deyton » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:46 am

Canadian schools all seem to set their own deadlines, and they are not bound by the April 15th agreement as far as I know (all but 1 that I know of are after the 15th). The University of Toronto had an April 15th deadline, I think mainly because they are regarded by most as being the top physics school in Canada, so they see their main competition as American schools. They were also very willing to extend the deadline to the end of the month, which is what makes me think they're not formally bound to anything.

schandre
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by schandre » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:52 am

I have a question regarding the April 15th deadline: do schools HAVE TO reply by april 15th?!
If not, until when do they have to reply? And if they eventually accept you after April 15th, how long do you have to reply?

I can imagine someone being accepted after the deadline by school B which they'd like to attend more than school C whose offer they already accepted. Then, this person asks school C to release him/her from the acceptance so he/she can attend school B and, as soon as he/she finished with this process school A calls with an even better offer... That would be a mess...

fermiguy
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by fermiguy » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:16 am

As someone who went to a Canadian school, in a word, no, generally Canadian schools don't abide by those deadlines when it comes to responding to offers of admissions and funding. Once they give an offer of admission they give the candidate about a month to respond. That said, some departments have some more solid deadlines than others and you really need to check out each school.

marten
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by marten » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:47 pm

I have a question regarding the April 15th deadline: do schools HAVE TO reply by april 15th?!
I wonder this too, schandre. One of my schools never responded to me. I managed to get a confirmation that my application was complete, but never any hint of a decision reached.

Marten

admissionprof
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by admissionprof » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:25 pm

marten wrote:
I have a question regarding the April 15th deadline: do schools HAVE TO reply by april 15th?!
I wonder this too, schandre. One of my schools never responded to me. I managed to get a confirmation that my application was complete, but never any hint of a decision reached.

Marten

The resolution regarding April 15th says nothing about requiring schools to make a decision by then. They can make a decision about someone on April 16th, contact them and give them 20 minutes to make a decision. The resolution doesn't forbid this.

Most schools that get too few students may make some additional offers. Usually they'll give a week or so to respond, but it's not mandatory.

sltrukshan
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by sltrukshan » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:53 pm

I'm in the same boat :( :(

I just got (16th) admission from my dream university (wait listed) but I have accepted an offer on 14th April. I don't know what I can I do. But what about transferring from one campus to another?? Does anyone know this? Any Idea?

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grae313
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by grae313 » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:21 pm

sltrukshan wrote:I'm in the same boat :( :(

I just got (16th) admission from my dream university (wait listed) but I have accepted an offer on 14th April. I don't know what I can I do. But what about transferring from one campus to another?? Does anyone know this? Any Idea?
If it is truly your dream school, I would contact the University whose offer you accepted on the 14th and explain the situation to them. They will probably understand, and wouldn't want a student there who wasn't happy to be there. They can give you written permission to withdraw your acceptance of their acceptance and then you can go to your dream school.

ender
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by ender » Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:00 am

I received a last minute offer of Carnegie-Mellon

admissionprof
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by admissionprof » Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:25 am

grae313 wrote:
sltrukshan wrote:I'm in the same boat :( :(

I just got (16th) admission from my dream university (wait listed) but I have accepted an offer on 14th April. I don't know what I can I do. But what about transferring from one campus to another?? Does anyone know this? Any Idea?
If it is truly your dream school, I would contact the University whose offer you accepted on the 14th and explain the situation to them. They will probably understand, and wouldn't want a student there who wasn't happy to be there. They can give you written permission to withdraw your acceptance of their acceptance and then you can go to your dream school.
Grae is correct. There's a decent chance that the school you've accepted is slightly over their desired number of students, and will be happy to give you permission. Even if they aren't over, nobody wants to force a student to go somewhere, so they'll probably give you permission. Just ask, but do it quickly.

buddyo
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by buddyo » Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:22 am

I got a last-minute admit into UWashington, which I accepted.

christopher3.14
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by christopher3.14 » Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:25 am

buddyo wrote:I got a last-minute admit into UWashington, which I accepted.
Wow, very nice. Congrats!

vicente
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by vicente » Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:18 pm

Yesterday I had a dream that I got an acceptance e-mail from the University of Minnesota. I was debating whether I should drop my current offer or not. I was thinking that UMN was a better ranked school but I sure couldn't stand the cold and it would suck to break it to my current offer's department that I was changing my mind after April 15th so I stuck to my current offer. Plus the e-mail asked me to come in for an interview. Forget that!

The funny thing is that I never even applied to UMN, as they don't really have a developed AMO program.

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:22 pm

I got an email from Davis the other day asking if I was still interested.

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fermiboy
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by fermiboy » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:33 pm

Are you interested?

christopher3.14
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by christopher3.14 » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:49 pm

jdhooghe wrote:I got an email from Davis the other day asking if I was still interested.
Wow, that's great news. Are you going to accept?

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grae313
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by grae313 » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:12 pm

jdhooghe wrote:I got an email from Davis the other day asking if I was still interested.
Serious?! That is WONDERFUL! I've been rooting for you. Are you going to accept?

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zxcv
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by zxcv » Thu May 01, 2008 12:44 am

Congrats jdhooghe, that's great! It sounds like you had already started to make other plans, but it's definitely worth reconsidering them.

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Ren
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by Ren » Thu May 01, 2008 2:33 am

woh~ where did he go?

What did you tell them? :D

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Thu May 01, 2008 3:24 am

I told them that I was still interested. I've gotten so used to the idea of doing well in masters study and then getting into a better school that I've been having second thoughts though. Maybe it's just the fear of committing or maybe I feel as if I deserve more than I really do but either way I am a bit confused. I haven't gotten an official offer yet, only an email asking if I was interested and that she would be in contact after I sent my reply. I haven't actually thought too much about it because I think my mind is trying to protect me against a possible rejection since they usually happen in this exact scenario. I know Davis is a great school and I would be accepted under the research that I want but I just can't shake this feeling that I could, perhaps, do better. Throughout my time here, I have had to continually deflate my ego because I am the top student in the department. I know I am not the best and I keep telling myself to just be happy for what I got and just to be doing physics but those damn thoughts keep creeping in. I keep having illusions of grandeur and I can't stop them. It is maddening when you put all your efforts into being the best but in the end it seems that you have gotten nowhere. It seems that my goal of being the best and my perceptions of my supposed humility are at odds and that conflict is showing me just how wrong I am about myself. /sigh...back to E&M

megatron
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by megatron » Thu May 01, 2008 9:26 am

jdhooghe wrote:I told them that I was still interested. I've gotten so used to the idea of doing well in masters study and then getting into a better school that I've been having second thoughts though. Maybe it's just the fear of committing or maybe I feel as if I deserve more than I really do but either way I am a bit confused. I haven't gotten an official offer yet, only an email asking if I was interested and that she would be in contact after I sent my reply. I haven't actually thought too much about it because I think my mind is trying to protect me against a possible rejection since they usually happen in this exact scenario. I know Davis is a great school and I would be accepted under the research that I want but I just can't shake this feeling that I could, perhaps, do better. Throughout my time here, I have had to continually deflate my ego because I am the top student in the department. I know I am not the best and I keep telling myself to just be happy for what I got and just to be doing physics but those damn thoughts keep creeping in. I keep having illusions of grandeur and I can't stop them. It is maddening when you put all your efforts into being the best but in the end it seems that you have gotten nowhere. It seems that my goal of being the best and my perceptions of my supposed humility are at odds and that conflict is showing me just how wrong I am about myself. /sigh...back to E&M
This is just me, but you'd be crazy to pass up Davis on the mere maybe that you'll get into a better school later.

admissionprof
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by admissionprof » Thu May 01, 2008 8:40 pm

I completely agree with Megatron. Don't blow it. Davis is good, and the people there are friendly. You'd be taking a huge risk by gambling for a better place later---I know a few graduates of Davis that have faculty positions now.

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Thu May 01, 2008 9:49 pm

Yes, I know you are both right. I can't believe I am even entertaining the thought of passing it up. Ah well, I have yet to hear back from the graduate coordinator that should give me some time to find the root of these misgivings.

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will
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by will » Fri May 02, 2008 1:41 am

I kind of understand where you're coming from, actually. The only school I got accepted to is Ohio State, and it is the lowest in reputation of the places I applied. It's a great school and I'm very excited to be going, but that said, it hurt to get rejected from all the other schools and to be a pretty late admit at OSU. There's a part of me that feels like, compared to my peers here during my undergrad, I should be at MIT. Of course, it's a pretty crummy sample to compare myself to, since maybe two or three of the ten to fifteen or so that get their physics bachelors here each year go on to grad school anyway. I thought, well hell, maybe I'll take a year to study harder and do better on the GRE, get published, start corresponding with Nobel laureates and generally make myself one of these top candidates...

... Then I said to myself, *** it, it's time to be a grad student. I wouldn't have applied to OSU in the first place if I didn't really want to be there. It might not be as great a springboard as Harvard into professorship, but it won't kill me either. If Davis will take you, brother, go for it and don't look back.

marten
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by marten » Fri May 02, 2008 8:18 am

amen

sltrukshan
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by sltrukshan » Fri May 02, 2008 11:03 pm

will wrote:I kind of understand where you're coming from, actually. The only school I got accepted to is Ohio State, and it is the lowest in reputation of the places I applied. It's a great school and I'm very excited to be going, but that said, it hurt to get rejected from all the other schools and to be a pretty late admit at OSU. There's a part of me that feels like, compared to my peers here during my undergrad, I should be at MIT. Of course, it's a pretty crummy sample to compare myself to, since maybe two or three of the ten to fifteen or so that get their physics bachelors here each year go on to grad school anyway. I thought, well hell, maybe I'll take a year to study harder and do better on the GRE, get published, start corresponding with Nobel laureates and generally make myself one of these top candidates...

... Then I said to myself, *** it, it's time to be a grad student. I wouldn't have applied to OSU in the first place if I didn't really want to be there. It might not be as great a springboard as Harvard into professorship, but it won't kill me either. If Davis will take you, brother, go for it and don't look back.
Some quality ideas

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Ren
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by Ren » Sat May 03, 2008 12:09 am

will wrote:I kind of understand where you're coming from, actually. The only school I got accepted to is Ohio State, and it is the lowest in reputation of the places I applied. It's a great school and I'm very excited to be going, but that said, it hurt to get rejected from all the other schools and to be a pretty late admit at OSU. There's a part of me that feels like, compared to my peers here during my undergrad, I should be at MIT. Of course, it's a pretty crummy sample to compare myself to, since maybe two or three of the ten to fifteen or so that get their physics bachelors here each year go on to grad school anyway. I thought, well hell, maybe I'll take a year to study harder and do better on the GRE, get published, start corresponding with Nobel laureates and generally make myself one of these top candidates...

... Then I said to myself, *** it, it's time to be a grad student. I wouldn't have applied to OSU in the first place if I didn't really want to be there. It might not be as great a springboard as Harvard into professorship, but it won't kill me either. If Davis will take you, brother, go for it and don't look back.
so you will be going to OSU? I'll probably see you around next year then! :D
Someone i know is also going to OSU for grad school in physics next year.

fermiguy
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by fermiguy » Sat May 03, 2008 12:52 am

jdhooghe wrote:I got an email from Davis the other day asking if I was still interested.

I just noticed this thread...My sentiments are the same as most of the posters here... If you get this opportunity take it and never look back! I had failure rear it's ugly head at me pretty bad last year and I know how you feel. Just take things slowly and hopefully things will work out for the best... But again.. if Davis is on the table, don't hesitate... JUMP ON IT!

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will
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by will » Sat May 03, 2008 7:47 pm

Ren wrote:so you will be going to OSU? I'll probably see you around next year then! :D
Someone i know is also going to OSU for grad school in physics next year.
Cool! Do you know what group you want to work in yet?

anthonyk
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by anthonyk » Sun May 04, 2008 3:12 pm

I also got this late UC Davis email asking if I was interested. I wish it would have come earlier, because I had accepted an offer at Florida State slightly earlier. Either way I am still excited!

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Sun May 04, 2008 8:38 pm

anthonyk wrote:I also got this late UC Davis email asking if I was interested. I wish it would have come earlier, because I had accepted an offer at Florida State slightly earlier. Either way I am still excited!
Damn, I thought I was special...
Last edited by jdhooghe on Mon May 05, 2008 2:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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will
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by will » Sun May 04, 2008 8:57 pm

will wrote:
Ren wrote:so you will be going to OSU? I'll probably see you around next year then! :D
Someone i know is also going to OSU for grad school in physics next year.
Cool! Do you know what group you want to work in yet?
Oh wait. I just saw in the other thread that you aren't applying this year, so I take it you're an undergrad at Ohio State; in this case my question becomes: know who's hiring?

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Ren
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by Ren » Mon May 05, 2008 2:58 am

will wrote:
will wrote:
Ren wrote:so you will be going to OSU? I'll probably see you around next year then! :D
Someone i know is also going to OSU for grad school in physics next year.
Cool! Do you know what group you want to work in yet?
Oh wait. I just saw in the other thread that you aren't applying this year, so I take it you're an undergrad at Ohio State; in this case my question becomes: know who's hiring?
and now i realize i was being unclear. (I'm so blur these last few weeks :( )
Sorry, i'm not actually a student at OSU. I live about 30 minutes away, and i've been there couple of times.
I'll definitely going to visit OSU next year since i've heard from our alumni that they have quite interesting astronomy researches going on. That's why i said i'll probably see you aorund.
Sorry i can't help with your questions.
maybe if you have questions about Ohio i would be able to help.

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Tue May 06, 2008 6:12 pm

I got accepted to Davis today

$10,632 Fee Waiver
$16,390 Teaching assistantship

No fellowships or anything but I am just happy to be accepted.

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quizivex
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by quizivex » Tue May 06, 2008 6:49 pm

WTF? Wow! Congrats jdhooghe. I'm shocked that decisions are still being made in May.

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dlenmn
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by dlenmn » Tue May 06, 2008 7:07 pm

Congrats!

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Tue May 06, 2008 7:17 pm

So I accepted their offer. I pushed the delusions of grandeur out of my mind for now but there will always be a "what if."

christopher3.14
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by christopher3.14 » Tue May 06, 2008 8:14 pm

Dude!!! Congrats! That's f#*ing awesome news.

hpharty
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by hpharty » Tue May 06, 2008 8:47 pm

jdhooghe wrote:So I accepted their offer. I pushed the delusions of grandeur out of my mind for now but there will always be a "what if."
That is fantastic that you are going to Davis man. I don't think you should worry about any "what ifs". You got into a great school and you don't have to suffer the indignity of looking for a job and inevitably working in a cubicle for a year. I think you made out pretty damn well here.

"I have eight bosses Bob."
"Eight?"
"Eight."

excel
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by excel » Tue May 06, 2008 9:40 pm

congrats!

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zxcv
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by zxcv » Wed May 07, 2008 1:18 am

That's fantastic! I guess we'll miss you in Berkeley quantum next year but I think it's definitely the right pick.

Don't feel bad about missing out on that fellowship early admits got. It's just a one year "signing bonus" that over the course of a PhD doesn't add up to much. Also, I'm pretty sure Davis didn't include summer earnings in their offers but there's definitely that extra money there.

fermiguy
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by fermiguy » Wed May 07, 2008 10:28 am

Congrats!!

marten
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by marten » Wed May 07, 2008 12:42 pm

Ditto the above, and consider yourself fortunate to dodge cubicle life. I spent over a year sitting across the cubicle isle from a guy who talked at 110 dB and would pop his head over the edge of his wall like a gopher and shout "Hot balls! Who wants some hot balls?" and then toss atomic fire balls into people's cells.

So embrace this for all its worth, and don't look back!

Marten

hpharty
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by hpharty » Wed May 07, 2008 1:53 pm

marten wrote:DI spent over a year sitting across the cubicle isle from a guy who talked at 110 dB and would pop his head over the edge of his wall like a gopher and shout "Hot balls! Who wants some hot balls?" and then toss atomic fire balls into people's cells.
I lol'd. Although I could see how this is not funny for more than .2 seconds.

I've got a guy that stands on the other side of my cubicle, by the copier, and talks about his wife's pregnancy problems with an older woman who works here. This goes on about 3 hours a day. I sometimes consider busting through the wall Kool-Aid style and sucker punching him.

</thread-jack>

marten
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by marten » Wed May 07, 2008 2:26 pm

<resume thread-jack>

Heh, then of course there is the never ending standard issue office humor. The Monday jokes, Friday jokes, Wednesday jokes, coffee jokes (unleaded vs leaded, cofa cuppee), and never ending office gossip.

I fully endorse you going Kool-Aid style...

admissionprof
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by admissionprof » Wed May 07, 2008 3:09 pm

jdhooghe wrote:I got accepted to Davis today

$10,632 Fee Waiver
$16,390 Teaching assistantship

No fellowships or anything but I am just happy to be accepted.

CONGRATLATIONS!!!!!

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jdhooghe
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by jdhooghe » Wed May 07, 2008 3:18 pm

admissionprof wrote:
jdhooghe wrote:I got accepted to Davis today

$10,632 Fee Waiver
$16,390 Teaching assistantship

No fellowships or anything but I am just happy to be accepted.

CONGRATLATIONS!!!!!
Thank you! Grad School will be tough but I will show them that they didn't make a mistake in accepting me.

trupti
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Re: Last-Minute Offers?

Post by trupti » Wed May 07, 2008 3:20 pm

congrats!!



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