Fall 2009 Graduate Admissions Thread

[JasonJo]

This is a thread for all us nervous Fall 2009 grad applicants. All my applications are in and all my letters of recommendation were sent in. I don't want to post any stats or profile data until I get my admissions decisions in.

Where did you guys apply? What field do you want to pursue (physics, math, engineering, etc.)? What are you guys doing in the mean time?

I applied last year, and since I graduated last year, I plan on further pursuing my research interests in differential geometry and mathematical physics and reviewing my analysis, linear algebra, abstract algebra, topology, etc. until Fall 2009. I am also tutoring high school students. And I have to finish typing up papers from my previous research projects.

I do not think I am getting into an elite school but I have picked some really solid "safety" schools that have two or three faculty members that I would love to work with.

I really hope I can get into a few of the schools I applied to. I am so nervous and I am so close to achieving one of my major goals.

 

[rodigee]

I've also applied for fall 2009 admission to math PhD programs. My stuff is also all sent out, so it's the waiting game for me as well.

*EDIT: Jason's paranoia rubbed off on me.

Interested in: Mainly algebra.
Applying to: Washington, Oregon, Berkeley, UCLA, Ohio State, UIUC, UCSB, UCSD, Utah, Nebraska, Texas

I haven't graduated yet so in the mean time it's back to school for me. Jason, I read some of the Fall 2008 thread. It's too bad you didn't get any hits last year . I hope that doesn't happen again! Where all did you apply this time around?

 

[JasonJo]

Heehee, yeah I feel weird posting my updated profile/stats.

Some of the schools I applied to are UCSD (great place to study Ricci flow), Maryland, Rutgers, UIUC (huge faculty, but only a 50% PhD completion rate), Stony Brook (great differential geometry program), UPENN, Texas, UCLA (Peter Petersen rules!) among other places.

Thanks for the kind words, hopefully we all get into a nice PhD program. I am hoping everyday that it happens for me.

I want to pursue comparison geometry, geometric flows, geometric analysis and mathematical physics. Really where geometry, PDE, topology and physics intersect.

 

[rodigee]

Nice list. Best of luck to you.

 

[JasonJo]

I just wanted to say, even when you're done filling applications, you're still not done! It turns out, even though the ETS sends scores electronically, some of my schools still have not received my GRE scores. I filled out a Score Report request through the internet, I'm just shocked how the GRE consistently bleeds students for cash. And for those who are curious, I request my scores to be sent out almost 2 months ago.

 

[JinM]

Best of luck to both of you! I'll be in your shoes soon enough.

 

[JUICYWART]

Heehee, yeah I feel weird posting my updated profile/stats.

Some of the schools I applied to are UCSD (great place to study Ricci flow), Maryland, Rutgers, UIUC (huge faculty, but only a 50% PhD completion rate), Stony Brook (great differential geometry program), UPENN, Texas, UCLA (Peter Petersen rules!) among other places.

Thanks for the kind words, hopefully we all get into a nice PhD program. I am hoping everyday that it happens for me.

I want to pursue comparison geometry, geometric flows, geometric analysis and mathematical physics. Really where geometry, PDE, topology and physics intersect.

Wow that's a lot of schools. I'm also applying to PhD programs, but to Statistics programs. My application is complete at UIUC, Ohio State, North Carolina State, and Purdue. I will gladly go to any of those four. Hopefully I'll get into at least one!

I have a question for you all: In general, if a school's deadline is January 10 or so, about when do schools start sending out acceptances? I don't want to start worrying too early.

 

[moo5003]

I'm applying for a PhD program in math Fall 2009, Schools: Chicago, NYU, Northwestern, Boston, UCSD, SUNY Stony Brook, CUNY, and U Penn.

I've already sent everything out (about 1-2 months ago). Waiting nervously for a reply, though I know they usually don't even start looking at these applications till Feb/March.

My focus is Computer Applications of Algebraic Geometry.

 

[mordechai9]

I've got two more schools to send material to, but I sent out everything else.. I'm applying for Fall 09 in mostly Ph.D. programs:

Applied math/Mathematical engineering:
Columbia, Stanford, Princeton, NYU (Master's program, I figured I had no chance for the Ph.D. program), Maryland, Michigan, Caltech (no chance in hell), Texas (one faculty member already made me an offer), Northwestern

Nuclear engineering:
MIT, Wisconsin

Mechanical and aerospace engineering:
UC San Diego


I'm pretty nervous because I'm applying to so many top programs. My stats are great in some areas, but in other areas I'm only marginally competitive... so yea, I'm a nervous goose. I probably should have applied to more safety schools, but I'm hoping because I'm applying to so many schools at least one of them might take a particular interest in me. I'm trying to pursue research in rigorous theory and/or simulation on physical problems, like magnetic confinement fusion, combustion, and so on. I'm finishing my final semester at Texas with classes in differential geometry, PDE's, quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics. Good luck to everybody.

 

[JasonJo]

Seems that Berkeley has started giving out admissions. Anyone hear from any other math PhD programs?

 

[kathrynag]

Wow, this will be me next year. I'll be applying in the fall to schools.

 

[renz]

you guys are all applying to math program. Where are all the physics/astronomy people??

I have no idea what's going on in math admission, but several astro programs already sent out some acceptance. :)

best of luck!

 

[mrjeffy321]

I sent out applications to 11 different Physics graduate programs.

So far, I have already received 1 acceptance (!). I will post more-detailed information once I hear back from other schools and things become more finalized. I would expect that most of the results will start coming in about a month or so.

 

[JasonJo]

Congrats to everyone who have received admissions letters!

 

[mordechai9]

Seems that Berkeley has started giving out admissions. Anyone hear from any other math PhD programs?

Still haven't heard from anywhere. I didn't apply to Berkeley... their program looked too competitive and wasn't a very good fit for me.

 

[Cincinnatus]

Many universities are on slightly different timetables for admissions. This depends on individual department schedules as well as who they view their competitors to be. If you are a strong applicant, expect some schools to notify you quickly and try to pressure you to accept before hearing about offers from other schools. Expect MIT to take their time.

Don't worry yet if you haven't heard anything! It is not even February. Decisions will be coming out through early March.

 

[j93]

Expect MIT to take their time.

Not true at all . Go to gradcafe and look it up people applying to MIT are notified just as early as every other private school the UC's might notify later due to some unknown state reason. Theres no reason that MIT would start looking at applications later. Notifications do not really get going till early February and rejections don't start coming till March.

 

[Cincinnatus]

MIT computational neuroscience won't notify until early March. I can't speak for other departments.

 

[j93]

I was referring to physics and math, that seems to be the focus 90% of grad school questions on this forum for some reason.
I also did not know that MIT had a computational neuroscience department, I knew they had EECS and Brain and Cognitive Sciences , and that they had professors pursuing those research interests but not a program accepting PhD applications.

 

[Cincinnatus]

BCS department separates their applications into different groups depending on "track". So the people reading computational neuroscience applications are independent from the people reading cognitive neuroscience. etc.

 

[shaggymoods]

I sent out 11 applications to a broad range of schools for a PhD in Math (my specialization is still up in the air...)

I haven't heard a word, but I believe I read that UT-Austin and Cornell begin notifications in February...

Good luck to everyone and I hope the uncertainty doesn't overwhelm you all! I'm focusing on my last semester and running as much as my legs allow.

 

[abelian jeff]

Does anyone know if schools generally send out all of their first-round acceptances together? According to GradCafe, Cornell sent out at least one acceptance today via email. I applied to Cornell but haven't heard anything yet. Should I take this to mean I've been rejected, or waitlisted at best?

 

[JasonJo]

I believe on gradcafe that student said they got a first year fellowship and Cornell only gives 6 of those out a year, so those are probably their top 6 applicants and they probably roll out more admissions decision in the next 2 weeks.

 

[abelian jeff]

I believe on gradcafe that student said they got a first year fellowship and Cornell only gives 6 of those out a year, so those are probably their top 6 applicants and they probably roll out more admissions decision in the next 2 weeks.

Good point, Jason! That's very encouraging!

 

[dans595]

Another Math Ph.D. applicant here. I'm interested in algebraic number theory.

I applied to Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Caltech, UCLA, and UCSD.

Berkeley is the only one to have gotten back to me so far (an offer). Well, up until I got that offer I was very, very nervous.

Good luck to you all, I hope we all end up where we belong.

 

[moo5003]

Well I know that a good portion of the schools have started reviewing the applications since I just received an e-mail about transcripts. So I would expect decisions to start coming out in the next few weeks.

 

[tshafer]

Apparently the PGRE isn't everything... I got into UNC Chapel Hill for HEP Theory/Gravitation today!

 

[rodigee]

So far I've heard back from Nebraska, Berkeley, and UCSB. shaggymoods, when do you believe UT Austin starts sending out admissions?

 

[eok20]

So far I've heard back from Nebraska, Berkeley, and UCSB. shaggymoods, when do you believe UT Austin starts sending out admissions?

rodigee, did you hear from UCSB from their website or did they contact you? did the letter make it sound like all the acceptances have been sent out/posted?

thanks.

 

[rodigee]

eok, this is for math fyi. It is on the website. They haven't contacted me. The letter offers no hint as to whether or not all offers are out. However, there's only one reported offer (not posted by me) on gradcafe so I doubt they are all out.

 

[shaggymoods]

Ahhh the wait is driving me crazy! I haven't heard back from anywhere (including UCSB). UT-Austin's website says that they make admissions decisions "in February" so hopefully in the next 2 weeks we'll know something.

 

[detunedradio]

So far I've gotten into OSU (01/30) and UNC Chapel Hill (02/05) for condensed matter experiment. Brown's physics department has notified me that they have recommended me for admission to their graduate school, but it could be weeks before I get a decision and my financial package.

I got a good deal at Ohio, but I'm with you on the whole UT Austin impatience. Austin is the more realistic of my two reach schools, the other being UC San Diego. I'm still checking e-mail every five minutes for those two.

 

[rodigee]

Also really anxious to hear back from UT-Austin. It's my top choice.

 

[G01]

Applied for Physics-Condensed Matter Experiment:

I just got an acceptance email from U Pittsburgh and an invitation for an interview from Boston College.

 

[Coto]

Haven't really replied to this thread yet, but I just got officially admitted to UCSB for Mechanical Engineering. Didn't want to jinx it.

Good luck to the rest.