2021 Sweat Thread

[StochasticOLG]

The number I keep hearing from other RAs (work with Harvard profs) is 16 admits

My advisor (not Harvard guy just knows people) talked to the DGS at Harvard and he made it seem like Harvard wanted to yield an incoming class of 12... now they started off super small on the number of acceptances but that makes me think they’re only shrinking their incoming class by 1/2.

[CyTwombly]

I work for a Harvard prof and can confirm what StochasticOLG said

[TheDeadFlagBlue]

People with better offers, please reject offers/ waitlist from lower ranked university as soon as possible. This is a tough year, let’s help each other.

 

While I understand the impulse behind posts like this, I also think it's obviously unreasonable. I'm not going to decline to give other offers full consideration to reduce overall stress levels for a few weeks. I don't expect anyone to do this tbh - the costs of being matched with the wrong program are staggering!

 

Edit: after some thought, I can see how delaying can produce worse matches for applicants pulled off the WL with less notice late in the game so I think I was being somewhat unfair, apologies.

Edited February 20, 2021 by TheDeadFlagBlue

[Evonomist294]

Anyone with any info on duke and minnesota (like how many people are on the waitlist and how many they accepted)

[Zubrus]

While I understand the impulse behind posts like this, I also think it's obviously unreasonable. I'm not going to decline to give other offers full consideration to reduce overall stress levels for a few weeks. I don't expect anyone to do this tbh - the costs of being matched with the wrong program are staggering!

 

Edit: after some thought, I can see how delaying can produce worse matches for applicants pulled off the WL with less notice late in the game so I think I was being somewhat unfair, apologies.

 

I've been browsing this forum for almost a decade now and feel disappointed whenever I see people pressuring others to make a decision. You absolutely do not need to comply with what people here want you to do. A PhD is a decision that will affect the next six years of your life and set the trajectory for your professional career. Take as much time as you need and talk to faculty and graduate students at each program that you are taking seriously. Ignore the people that say otherwise, take as much time as you need. Each admit is a victory and significant accomplishment and you should think very carefully about each program that you can see yourself attending.

[startz]

While I understand the impulse behind posts like this, I also think it's obviously unreasonable. I'm not going to decline to give other offers full consideration to reduce overall stress levels for a few weeks. I don't expect anyone to do this tbh - the costs of being matched with the wrong program are staggering!

 

Edit: after some thought, I can see how delaying can produce worse matches for applicants pulled off the WL with less notice late in the game so I think I was being somewhat unfair, apologies.

First, props to TheDeadFlagBlue for a gracious edit.

 

Second, let me say something about what this looks like from the other side.

1. We are always grateful when, if someone is going to turn us down, that they do it early.

2. We only admit excellent candidates, so we are never surprised if they have other excellent offers.

3. Like every school, we admit more than we expect to accept. This means that when someone declines, it does not necessarily mean we can do another admit. (But sometimes it does.)

4. It is enormously helpful that if you are going to decline, that it be done early...but particularly that it be done before the April 15 deadline in case we can notify someone on our waitlist before they have to respond elsewhere.

5. One really does learn things at visit days. So you should decline before a visit day only if you are very, very sure.

6. If you have offers from competitive schools, you can sometimes improve your offer by (nicely) asking a school to up their bid. If that applies, you don't want to decline one of the offers too early.

 

You shouldn't be in a hurry to give up an offer that has real value to you. At the same time, remember that economics is a small community with a pretty good memory. It pays to behave well and to help others.

[rtj]

First, props to TheDeadFlagBlue for a gracious edit.

 

Second, let me say something about what this looks like from the other side.

1. We are always grateful when, if someone is going to turn us down, that they do it early.

2. We only admit excellent candidates, so we are never surprised if they have other excellent offers.

3. Like every school, we admit more than we expect to accept. This means that when someone declines, it does not necessarily mean we can do another admit. (But sometimes it does.)

4. It is enormously helpful that if you are going to decline, that it be done early...but particularly that it be done before the April 15 deadline in case we can notify someone on our waitlist before they have to respond elsewhere.

5. One really does learn things at visit days. So you should decline before a visit day only if you are very, very sure.

6. If you have offers from competitive schools, you can sometimes improve your offer by (nicely) asking a school to up their bid. If that applies, you don't want to decline one of the offers too early.

 

You shouldn't be in a hurry to give up an offer that has real value to you. At the same time, remember that economics is a small community with a pretty good memory. It pays to behave well and to help others.

 

How would you suggest going about asking a school to up their bid? I have several offers from similarly ranked institutions.

[startz]

How would you suggest going about asking a school to up their bid? I have several offers from similarly ranked institutions.

 

Send them an email with a copy of the competing offer and politely ask if they can match. If there is a particular dimension that you care about, you can focus on that.

 

Before you do it, commit to yourself psychologically that you're not going to be bent out of shape if they say no. You should certainly want the best terms you can get, but all that really matters is going to the place that will set you up best for your career.

[StochasticOLG]

Anyone with any info on duke and minnesota (like how many people are on the waitlist and how many they accepted)

Was on waitlist for both... I got accepted off the waitlist at Minnesota last week. So there seems to be some movement there.

[JamesAlexM]

Which universities are expected to give out offers in this week? Stockholm and Virginia?

[SG7]

I'm waiting on UVA, USC, Georgetown, and Texas this week (though I expect Texas to be delayed after last week).

[yitz15]

Was on waitlist for both... I got accepted off the waitlist at Minnesota last week. So there seems to be some movement there.

 

Congrats! Did you do anything to get off the waitlist like email them or something? Or did they just reach out again with an offer?

[tlgoa2]

I'm waiting on UVA, USC, Georgetown, and Texas this week (though I expect Texas to be delayed after last week).

 

Is Georgetown still going to be sending out acceptances? I saw a bunch on GC last week and assumed they were done, but I wasn't sure if they have multiple waves or not.

[mondub]

Which universities are expected to give out offers in this week? Stockholm and Virginia?

Also USC, UCLA, and NYU. Possibly a few waitlists from schools which released last week. Will be a quieter week (for me at least) before decisions from Boston College, Boston University and Texas next week.

[SG7]

They might be done, there are 8 acceptances but only 1 waitlist. So I don't have a ton of hope, but I still expect to hear one way or another.

[yjk0422]

I'm waiting for Cornell, Northwestern and Wisconsin (they don't seem to have contacted internationals yet)

[mondub]

I'm waiting for Cornell, Northwestern and Wisconsin (they don't seem to have contacted internationals yet)

Also waiting on Northwestern, missed that one earlier. Interesting about Wisconsin - is this speculation based on grad cafe posts? Or is there another reason? Currently treating this as an implicit rejection .

[Wahasky]

Which universities are expected to give out offers in this week? Stockholm and Virginia?

 

I don't want to say "expect" anymore because I'm starting to think I calibrate my expectations too closely to the previous 1-3 years of GC results when really there's a lot of variance. That said, I'm hoping to hear back from Rice and Hopkins, as well as Pittsburgh, and to get a rejection or waitlist from Georgetown.

 

I think the next week will be busier for me.

[yjk0422]

Well it's my speculation based on gradcafe posts, but there are very few acceptances compared to previous years' first waves and all the acceptances were Americans. Also they seemed to have interviewed some students last year so I think it's too early to assume ir just yet

[StochasticOLG]

Also waiting on Northwestern, missed that one earlier. Interesting about Wisconsin - is this speculation based on grad cafe posts? Or is there another reason? Currently treating this as an implicit rejection .

 

I got into Wisconsin and have been in contact with the program so I know the following is true- they have made round one offers to their most desirable candidates. For the next round they will be interviewing candidates and those haven’t gone out yet. So Wisconsin is not an IR yet

[econhappy]

Send them an email with a copy of the competing offer and politely ask if they can match. If there is a particular dimension that you care about, you can focus on that.

 

Before you do it, commit to yourself psychologically that you're not going to be bent out of shape if they say no. You should certainly want the best terms you can get, but all that really matters is going to the place that will set you up best for your career.

 

Is it possible to use differences in cost of living as a factor as well? For example, two similarly ranked schools with similar stipends but one school has a significantly lower COL.

[startz]

Is it possible to use differences in cost of living as a factor as well? For example, two similarly ranked schools with similar stipends but one school has a significantly lower COL.

 

Well, you can ask. I suspect it won't work.

 

The school may well feel that the cost of living difference is due to one place being a much nicer place to live.

[capucapu1]

Sorry for the wrong post

[capucapu1]

I got into Wisconsin and have been in contact with the program so I know the following is true- they have made round one offers to their most desirable candidates. For the next round they will be interviewing candidates and those haven’t gone out yet. So Wisconsin is not an IR yet

 

Have they told you about the class size? Are there several international students who have already got admitted in first round?? Thank you in advance

[macrolabor]

Anybody have any recent views on their NYU application video? I don’t unfortunately...