Graduate/PhD 2011-2012 applications and acceptance notices: United States

[BrooklynPlanner]

I'm glad to have heard back from Penn last week-- good news! I'm on Cloud 9 since it was my first choice, though I'm as nervous as everyone else about funding.

Still waiting to hear from NYU...has anyone else heard from them? There were a couple of people who got merit scholarships a while back, but seems like no massive waves of acceptances like at other schools. The only way I'll end up there is if they give me loads of money and Penn doesn't...but that doesn't seem likely. Also waiting on UIC. But for the most part, I'm immensely relieved that the big wait is finally over! I can finally sleep.

I'm still playing the gmail reload game though. I forgot how stressful hearing back from schools can be...haven't done that since 2003 when I was going to undergrad!

[HM006]

Saw on gradcafe that lots of people were accepted to Rutgers this morning, so I logged into my status page and there it was: "Congratulations! You have been admitted." It doesn't feel very official without an email, though!

[jnicrose]

Hi all! I've been lurking for quite some time, and thought I would throw my hat in the ring.

University of Florida- Accepted, waiting on funding
Florida State University- Accepted, waiting on funding
UNC- Rejected
University of Washington- waiting
PSU- waiting

[coryweaver]

ha, in at michigan and penn as well. two very solid options, and yet I have developed the same habit. it's funny, because I wasn't anxious at all until a few days ago.

Which one are you thinking? I guess they're probably about the same price for you being out of state, eh?

[latte thunder]

Hi Guys,


Another Lurker here, but I thought I'd join in:

Clemson: Accepted, Assistantship
U of New Orleans: accepted
Ohio State: waiting
Cleveland State: waiting

I'm almost embarassed to list the schools I applied to, reading these forums has made me wish I reached a little more... Oh well.

[NickSticks]

Just got a phone call from USC, I'm in! The caller said they are still finalizing funding decisions and they will be sending them out in waves over the next week or so.

USC - Accepted
UCI - Accepted
UCLA - Waiting
Berkeley - Waiting
Cal Poly SLO - Waiting

[Josh]

Just something I've been meaning to say:

Last year or two, these forums (and others) were buzzing with applicants, it was amazing. But I've noticed that this year the activity is a little lower than usual. I've also been hearing, here and elsewhere, about more acceptances than rejections. There's the running joke here, "who didn't get into Penn?"

Does anyone get the sense that this year may look a bit more like 2008 (a lighter year) than 2009/2010?

I feel like a lot of out-of-work professionals, students seeing a bad job market, and others applied for masters/Ph.D. (not just in planning, in anything) over the last two cycles. And I think that now, a lot of that has died down/the job market has somewhat recovered, and that the competition is a little less fierce this year.

Of course, this is all just my hunch. But I just wanted to let it out there.

[quietsilver]

In at Rutgers!


U Washington
Portland State
UC Berkeley
UI - Chicago
U Minnesota - Accepted with full funding!
U Penn - Accepted!
MIT
Harvard
Rutgers - Accepted!
U Wisconsin - Accepted!

[sunshine]

congrats quietsilver! you're on a roll!


also, something weird.


So i received an email from Columbia last week telling me my decision was online on the website and to log in to check it. that's where i found out i was on the waiting list. but when i logged back in today to print out a copy of my letter the pdf link that opened was blank...has this happened to anyone else?

[sydz]

In at NYU, heard today...anyone else?
Merit funding for two credits a semester, but at $50,000+ just like every other school it doesn't make that big of a dent. So, comparisons will need to be made once the California schools send out notifications.

[locomotivechase]

any MCP news from Berkeley? does anyone know when we will hear?

anxious!

[nateakadino]

Just something I've been meaning to say:

Last year or two, these forums (and others) were buzzing with applicants, it was amazing. But I've noticed that this year the activity is a little lower than usual. I've also been hearing, here and elsewhere, about more acceptances than rejections. There's the running joke here, "who didn't get into Penn?"

Does anyone get the sense that this year may look a bit more like 2008 (a lighter year) than 2009/2010?

I feel like a lot of out-of-work professionals, students seeing a bad job market, and others applied for masters/Ph.D. (not just in planning, in anything) over the last two cycles. And I think that now, a lot of that has died down/the job market has somewhat recovered, and that the competition is a little less fierce this year.

Of course, this is all just my hunch. But I just wanted to let it out there.

I don't think so based on the e-mails I've gotten about slowed responses due to increased applicants. Also, from what I heard at the open house at UNC and talking to a Georgia Tech advisor it's clear that numbers are up on applicants.

[sunsetskylines]

any MCP news from Berkeley? does anyone know when we will hear?

anxious!

If last year is any indication, we may still have a week or two of waiting. The wait is not made any easier by all of my friends in other fields announcing their Berkeley acceptances.

[CWC2005]

CWC2005, would you mind sharing your stats? UNC is making me wait.

Meant to post my stats as an introduction, but was too busy misinterpreting Penn emails and stressing myself out.

GPA: 3.78 (overall)

GRE: 590v 650q 5.5aw

Professional Experience: 6 years (and counting) as a consultant in the affordable housing industry.

Accepted at Penn, Cincinnati, Michigan, UNC

Waiting on three others.

[kmart1223]

Just got my acceptance email from Harvard GSD!!

[quietsilver]

Speak of the devil! Harvard's GSD decisions are rolling out!!

I'm in.

U Washington
Portland State
UC Berkeley
UI - Chicago
U Minnesota - Accepted with full funding!
U Penn - Accepted!
MIT
Harvard - Accepted!
Rutgers - Accepted!
U Wisconsin - Accepted!

[mr_garrison]

In at Harvard as well! Nearly had a stroke when I saw "Congratulations!"

[Josh]

In at Harvard as well! Nearly had a stroke when I saw "Congratulations!"

Hah, me too!

[Aphotus]

Just got accepted at Harvard as well! Congrats everyone.

[sunsetskylines]

In at Harvard as well. Very excited!

[cyq8891]

Now that some these are in with financial aid decisions, I'll have to start evaluating some of my options.

Ranked in order of preference
1. USC SPPD (full scholarship)
2 (close). UNC (assistantship w/stipend and covers 1st year tuition, maybe 2nd)
3. Rutgers Bloustein (financial aid TBA but I am optimistic)
4. Cornell (offered assistantship)
-------
5. Berkeley (waiting)
6. NYU Wagner (waiting)
7. UCLA (waiting)

Full scholarship or Partial (maybe full) Scholarship + Assistantship/stipend? Tough call. If they just offered to cover all 4 semesters of tuition that would probably put UNC at the top spot.

Also, I am amazed and a little perplexed at my success thus far with the application/financial aid decisions. Never expected anything like this. Granted, I did very well on the GRE but this is crazy considering I don't have much experience (straight outta undergrad, planning wasn't even on the radar until late '09) and my undergrad grades were nothing to write home about.

[sunsetskylines]

I'm curious to see how aid is from Harvard.

It was a little odd that they asked for information on parents even I will be footing my own bill.

[Okkoflo]

congratulations Harvard admittees!

[motioncall]

Did anyone get a firm rejection from Harvard? Or they only sending out acceptances? I didn't get an email, and I was wondering if that means I got rejected... oh well, it wouldn't be a surprise there.

[soko_chursu]

motioncall, I'm wondering the same thing. Does anyone know if they've historically sent out waves of acceptances like U Penn? I shouldn't have signed on here this morning--now I'm all nervous about Harvard!

Anyways, congrats to everyone that got in!