Graduate/PhD 2013-2014 applications and acceptance notices: United States

[WooTang]

Well since I was accepted to UCLA it has become my first choice. Yesterday I received my acceptance letter from U/Oregon with a very generous scholarship and fellowship opportunity which would save me a huge amount in loans.

I feel like the no brainer thing would be to go to the school that is offering me the scholarships and fellowships (UCLA did not offer my anything), but U/Oregon was never a top choice of mine during the application process. And I regret this now but I've never even visited Eugene and may not be able to by the April 15th deadline UCLA has. I wanted to specialize in Community Development and I had thought L.A. would be the more interesting place to study community revitalization.

I guess this is a good first would problem to have but do what you guys think?

[Queenducky21]

WooTang, where do you want to work in the future?

I think reducing your loan payments is a huge thing, for me that was the deciding factor.

[WooTang]

WooTang, where do you want to work in the future?

I think reducing your loan payments is a huge thing, for me that was the deciding factor.

Probably northern California, the bay area

Have you decided where you're going?

[Queenducky21]

Have you decided where you're going?

I think I'm going to NYU. I would like to work for an international org, so that helps significantly with networking. Also, the assistanship I was given is most related to my future career. I have not decided 100% though.

[asutherlandb]

I'm a first-year transportation student at Rutgers now and love the school. Some thoughts:
1) Strong alum program, especially in DC-NYC corridor
2) Great career services
3) New Brunswick is actually a cool place. Plenty of bars, restaurants, 2 theaters, a nice downtown supermarket, reasonable living cost, walkable...
4) Pucher is teaching two courses next semester. Definitely take his seminar on walking and cycling.
5) The value of a Rutgers planning degree, especially for what you pay, is tough to beat.

Do you know anyone doing urban design at Rutgers? Is everyone really policy oriented?

[SWVA]

Welp, got my official financial package from Pratt...

Outside of the $5000 award, it was loans, loans, and more loans to the tune of $55,000 per year.

Peace out Pratt, I just cannot take that offer knowing that I can go to UNO pretty much for free and have a good shot at a similar situation at Ball State.

Still waiting to hear back from Albany

[TransportUSOutOfHere]

Anybody heard back from these schools?
I ve applied to the Phd program for GT and the masters program for the latter but I have not heard anything back from them neither I have seen any changes on my portals for both of these schools.

[myh5015]

Anybody heard back from these schools?
I ve applied to the Phd program for GT and the masters program for the latter but I have not heard anything back from them neither I have seen any changes on my portals for both of these schools.

I received my acceptance e-mail last week from UIUC. They "could not promise" me aid but stated that most students find assistantships/grants once they arrive on campus. Since I've received scholarships from UMich, UPenn and Rutgers, it is likely that I will not be attending UIUC.

[anthrus]

Anybody heard back from these schools?
I ve applied to the Phd program for GT and the masters program for the latter but I have not heard anything back from them neither I have seen any changes on my portals for both of these schools.

Regarding Georgia Tech, who is your contact for PhD admissions there? I applied for Masters, but my contact (Dracy Blackwell) was more than communicative with me. I found out my decision several weeks before the official letters were sent out.

[JamieJack]

Has anyone heard back from Hunter yet? It's my only outstanding decision. I was accepted into all the other programs I applied to, so I do have options, but I would still like to know before I make my final decision...

[zimzolla]

Has anyone heard back from Hunter yet? It's my only outstanding decision. I was accepted into all the other programs I applied to, so I do have options, but I would still like to know before I make my final decision...

Especially since that was the most expensive application! $125 if I remember correctly. Still waiting here, though I do know they said the absolute earliest we would hear by is this week.

[TransportUSOutOfHere]

Regarding Georgia Tech, who is your contact for PhD admissions there? I applied for Masters, but my contact (Dracy Blackwell) was more than communicative with me. I found out my decision several weeks before the official letters were sent out.

Hey,

Thanks for the response.
I dont know lol. I called today. They told me they are sending out responses today (sounded like a lie...).

[cwuh]

how strange, I still haven't heard back from Cal Poly Pomona or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I wonder what's taking so long.

Is there anyone else out there that hasn't heard from them yet?

[diemerm]

how strange, I still haven't heard back from Cal Poly Pomona or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I wonder what's taking so long.

Is there anyone else out there that hasn't heard from them yet?

I got my decision from Cal Poly Pomona about two weeks ago, and was accepted. However, since then I haven't heard from anyone else that has gotten a decision. So I wouldn't worry too much because it seems like barely any decisions have been sent out yet. I would email Hersh Farberow (the grad coordinator) and ask him for an update on when you might hear back. He usually writes back fairly quickly.

I didn't apply to Cal Poly SLO, so I can't speak on that.

[ricerocketsandbangs]

Well since I was accepted to UCLA it has become my first choice. Yesterday I received my acceptance letter from U/Oregon with a very generous scholarship and fellowship opportunity which would save me a huge amount in loans.

I feel like the no brainer thing would be to go to the school that is offering me the scholarships and fellowships (UCLA did not offer my anything), but U/Oregon was never a top choice of mine during the application process. And I regret this now but I've never even visited Eugene and may not be able to by the April 15th deadline UCLA has. I wanted to specialize in Community Development and I had thought L.A. would be the more interesting place to study community revitalization.

I guess this is a good first would problem to have but do what you guys think?

I too was accepted to U of O, but their acceptance letter did not state any type of scholarship. Did you receive their financial aid package already?

[ricerocketsandbangs]

Additionally, I'm on the wait list for University of Washington and have been invited to their Open House. Does anyone know about their rate of acceptance for folks from off the Wait List? I would die happily, if accepted.

[christine carino]

how strange, I still haven't heard back from Cal Poly Pomona or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I wonder what's taking so long.

Is there anyone else out there that hasn't heard from them yet?

cwuh, I applied to Pomona and have yet to hear anything. I know they're on spring break for the week, so I don't know if that will have a big effect on distributing notices. The secretary for my department said that notices would be mailed out by the first week of April at the latest..so it sucks to just kind of be idle at this point.

[WooTang]

I too was accepted to U of O, but their acceptance letter did not state any type of scholarship. Did you receive their financial aid package already?

Congrats! No they just mentioned in the letter that I got a scholarship

I think I'm going to NYU. I would like to work for an international org, so that helps significantly with networking. Also, the assistanship I was given is most related to my future career. I have not decided 100% though.

That's awesome congrats. Washington Square Park is so cool


I have no idea where I'm going

[Queenducky21]

As I indicated before, I wasn't sure. And each day it seems like I've chosen to go to a different school. Glad to have choice...making the decision is hard!

[nkobel]

Undergrad:
Bachelor in General Studies from University of Michigan, 2011
Cumulative GPA: 3.5/4.0

Experience:
Various on-campus research experience in architecture, demography/GIS, economics; economic development internship; study and work experience abroad; somewhat involved in various social science-y and grassroots organizations.

Recommendations:
1 former professor to whom I became very close while studying abroad
1 former supervisor ("Postdoctoral Research Investigator") at UMich's architecture school
1 former supervisor ("Program Manager") at UMich's Institute for Social Research

GRE:
Q 155 64th percentile
V 157 73rd percentile
W 3.5 30th percentile

Schools:
Applied (MUP/MURP) and was admitted to (3/3)
University of Washington
University of Michigan
Portland State University

[nkobel]

I'm considering Portland State, and am going to their Open House from DC. Deciding between Georgia Tech and PSU.

Me too! I'm debating between UWash and PSU...

[banilla]

Did anyone apply or is planning to apply to the Atkinson-Tetreault scholarship at Cornell? I know a few of you were invited to (or does everyone get invited?)

I just sent mine in.

Good for you, Zimzolla. I also submitted an application but really had a hard time on some of the essays. I couldn't find any of my good undergrad academic papers, I ended up giving one of my miserable papers for the application. I spent a lot of time thinking about essay two. I submitted the whole application three hours before the deadline. I just feel bad about the whole thing.

It's out of my hands now.

[sfgeoninja]

Hi folks, first post on Cyburbia:

I've been accepted to two masters' programs, the M.S.U.P. at Columbia's GSAPP and the MUP at UCLA's Luskin School. My background is in GIS, and I hope to specialize in transportation planning and climate change mitigation. Does anyone have any knowledge of the relative merits of each program? A bit more on my background:

• • B.A. Community, Environment & Planning, Geography - University of Washington, Seattle - 2010
  • Two years' as a GIS analyst for major tech companies, other experience in facilities management and Internet startup (business development) in San Francisco.
  • Research interests: climate change mitigation measures, bicycle and pedestrian planning, geospatial analysis, collaborative consumption, car-sharing, alternative vehicles, mass transit, affordable housing

Academically both UCLA and Columbia seem very strong for transportation planning. UCLA has Don Shoup, the guru of parking policy, Columbia has David King on congestion pricing. Columbia seems to have more research going on with respect to climate change (Earth Institute, Godard Inst for Space Studies) and more of an international presence with GSAPP's Studio X Labs around the world. I'm leaning towards Columbia because 1) internship/employment opportunities in New York; and 2) the Ivy League name. Am I selling UCLA short?

Does anyone have concrete experience with either program? I'll be visiting Columbia and meeting with their faculty next week, unfortunately not enough time to do so in LA before the 4/15 deadline.

*If it helps, my original 1st choice was Berkeley but I was rejected there.*

[Cismontane]

Academically both UCLA and Columbia seem very strong for transportation planning. UCLA has Don Shoup, the guru of parking policy, Columbia has David King on congestion pricing. Columbia seems to have more research going on with respect to climate change (Earth Institute, Godard Inst for Space Studies) and more of an international presence with GSAPP's Studio X Labs around the world. I'm leaning towards Columbia because 1) internship/employment opportunities in New York; and 2) the Ivy League name. Am I selling UCLA short?

Does anyone have concrete experience with either program? I'll be visiting Columbia and meeting with their faculty next week, unfortunately not enough time to do so in LA before the 4/15 deadline.

All true, but one should also consider how much financial assistance one gets from each of these institutions. If UCLA is cheaper and/or offers you more grant money, I'd go there.

[akshali2000]

Good for you, Zimzolla. I also submitted an application but really had a hard time on some of the essays. I couldn't find any of my good undergrad academic papers, I ended up giving one of my miserable papers for the application. I spent a lot of time thinking about essay two. I submitted the whole application three hours before the deadline. I just feel bad about the whole thing.

It's out of my hands now.

I was scratching my head on the second question as well, and also submitted my application the day of the deadline. But I think all in all I'm proud of my essays because they showcase my personality and style of writing. But if that's not what they are looking for...well that's that I suppose. Don't college admissions always stress to "be yourself"? lol