How the admission decision is made?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the processes and criteria involved in admission decisions across various universities, particularly focusing on PhD admissions. Participants share insights about differences in procedures between institutions in the UK, US, and East Asia, as well as the influence of faculty research alignment on admission outcomes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that at Cambridge, admission requires approval from a named supervisor and the head of the department, while at Harvard, decisions are made by an admissions committee, which may diminish the impact of contacting professors.
  • It is mentioned that undergraduate and graduate admissions processes differ in the US, with undergraduate applications reviewed by a school-wide committee and graduate applications by the respective department.
  • In East Asia, admissions for undergraduate programs are often based on performance in national entrance examinations, with threshold scores posted by schools.
  • One participant emphasizes that for PhD admissions, having research interests that align with a professor's work can enhance the chances of acceptance, contingent on having a strong undergraduate research background.
  • Another participant argues that while having a professor advocate for an applicant can be beneficial, a weak overall application may negate this advantage, especially in comparison to more qualified candidates.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the significance of faculty advocacy in the admission process and the relative importance of overall application strength versus research alignment. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the weight of these factors in different contexts.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not reach a consensus on the specific influences of faculty relationships versus overall application quality, and there are assumptions about the nature of admissions processes that are not fully explored.

Stan Marsh
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I have been wondering how the admission decisions are made in different universities.
At cambridge, you only need to get approved by the supervisor you name and the head of the department. But at Harvard, it's the admission committee that makes the decision, and contacting a professor usually doesn't make a large difference.
So do you know how the admission decision is made in elsewhere? Maybe discussing this can help us in getting admitted.
 
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Stan Marsh said:
I have been wondering how the admission decisions are made in different universities.
At cambridge, you only need to get approved by the supervisor you name and the head of the department. But at Harvard, it's the admission committee that makes the decision, and contacting a professor usually doesn't make a large difference.
So do you know how the admission decision is made in elsewhere? Maybe discussing this can help us in getting admitted.

Undergraduate and graduate are different. In the US, undergraduate applications are reviewed by a admissions committee which represents the school. Graduate applications are reviewed by the department.

In East Asia, most schools post a threshold score, and undergraduate admissions are based on how well you do on the national entrance examination.
 
twofish-quant said:
Undergraduate and graduate are different. In the US, undergraduate applications are reviewed by a admissions committee which represents the school. Graduate applications are reviewed by the department.

In East Asia, most schools post a threshold score, and undergraduate admissions are based on how well you do on the national entrance examination.

Thanks for reply, here I am talking about phd admissions. I am currently applying for phd positions in the EU and the US, so I started this post.
I guess what makes a difference is that if a professor's research and yours match well, will he have the chance to help you get admitted. This is a safe way to pass the tough admission process. But you have to have done some good research during undergraduate.
 
Stan Marsh said:
I guess what makes a difference is that if a professor's research and yours match well, will he have the chance to help you get admitted. This is a safe way to pass the tough admission process. But you have to have done some good research during undergraduate.

Yes and no. Going to a particular institution to study with a professor in a given specialty can help the process along if he/she advocates for you, but if you have a weak application overall it won't help much- especially compared to a more qualified candidate who might just be looking for "general" admission.
 

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