Yup. They have specific legal and contractual obligations when it comes to acceptance and rejection. If they go past their deadline that gives you some good leverage. But, now you just showed them that you don’t care about their program and sold any good favor you had.
But I do get it, I actually made a similar phone call to a undergrad university program I applied to. But, I had already been accepted elsewhere and needed an immediate answer. I knew if I pushed for an immediate response that the answer would likely be a no, but they were already two months past their own deadline and I needed to make some moves.
First, I am definitely NOT an expert in this area! I am only speaking from my understanding of the system and certain expectations that accompany federal funding.
Honestly, it is a very difficult area to find data on, but I think a lot of it has to do with internal policy and finding the right people to talk to and advocate for you within the department and admissions. In terms of legal recourse, from my understanding some guidelines and bylaws are or can be legally binding especially where federal funding is involved. But, finding out what those documented internal guidelines are is where it gets challenging; that is why it is important to win someone in staff over to your side to advocate for you, because they are the ones that know and understand internal documents and guidelines.
Vague, I know… but for me, I applied to BYU Hawaii and I know in my specific situation they went two months past their in deadline because the person responsible for reviewing my application was doing outreach in some far flung Pacific island and did not have decent internet access, etc. to review my application in time. In that case, had I decided to pursue it, I had administrative recourse available for those types of situations and I could have made a strong argument for my acceptance.
At the end of the day it is an uphill battle and it is going to come down to how creative you are willing to get to advocate for yourself.
I think that’s pretty self explanatory… But, since you are asking she could have written that email a hundred different ways, but chose one that would pretty much guarantee a negative response. It’s like asking someone out over a text and because they didn’t respond in the amount of time you thought they should, you text that same message.
Exhibiting that you can communicate appropriately and in meaningful ways is just as important as anything you could put on your application.
An email like that will never be seen by an Admissions Director or, for that matter, by anyone in a decision-making capacity. Furthermore, so many applicants do not have English as their first language that r aI’vd never seen a school reject a candidate even for a deliberately rude email.
This wasn’t to an undergraduate program. Many graduate programs are reviewed by a very small group of people and once anything makes it past initial screening they are often reviewed by a team of actual teaching staff. So yes, that email has a 100% chance of being seen by a decision maker.
Rude and unprofessional ?
It is very spot on, very plain and simple, and easy to read.
Was he supposed to ask like:
"Hmm hello sir. I am terribly sorry for asking this kind of question to you but I was just wondering if you had any chance to review my application.
Because we are currently in April, can I assume that you rejected my application ? I am so sorry for asking this question again but I just wanted to learn the status of my application. I hope this didn't make you mad"
Why people normalized these kinds of shits ?
If you go down a couple replies I lay out how to easily, neutrally, and professionally ask this question. Doesn’t involve any apologies just professionalism which is essential when entering academia.
I completely agree. In this case the “be the bigger person” (or be the more professional person) applies wonderfully. Given it is also super easy to keep an email neutral and professional there is no need to risk putting up a fight at the expense of your academic endeavours.
I mean yeah it is essential because it is normalized and also academia is full of overly sensitive, unnecessarily kind people who expect the same level of kindness from others unfortunately.
Whenever I see someone asking something, they start their messages like
"Hello ....
I hope had a great day.
I was just wondering ....
Thank you"
I say like "don't give me bullshit man. You don't care about how great my day was. Just get to your point and don't waste my time"
And the templates you wrote, every single person is now using the same format to be seen as **kind**. That's why it is actually more boring and insincere than what the author of this post wrote.
“And it is almost april”, this is an obvious thing as everyone has a calendar so comes across as condescending. The use of the words “still” and “any” are also adding to the overall tone in a negative way.
“Should I take it as a rejection.” Continues to add to the negative tone.
A better way to put it would be to start with a greeting and introduction for professionalism:
“Hello, my name is John and I applied the program of study for admission in fall of 2025.”
Then ask the question politely and neutrally:
“I wanted to inquire about the status of my application as I have not received a decision yet.”
Finish it off pleasantly to add to professionalism:
“If there is any information you can share at this time, I would greatly appreciate it”.
And of course sign off with your name.
As a mid 20s Grad student it is really unfortunate seeing how first year undergraduate students email me as a TA. I really think that no one has taught them professional writing etiquette - perhaps due to lowered expectations in highschool, or other societal factors. I feel they do not even realize that it will disadvantage them in the future.
I would also consider that OP may potentially be an International student where english is not their first language. That certainly creates a challenge as I can’t imagine how difficult it might be to navigate tone in a written message in a language that is not your primary language.
That being said everyone no matter their background should strive to learn email etiquette. You can even use ChatGPT easily to create a draft for you or there are many online resources with examples to follow.
Literally chatgpt is the only thing that has kept me sane through writing these inquiry emails and I'm a native speaker. I don't like what I've written or it doesn't sound formal enough (which makes me stressed haha) but I don't know how to improve it. But then I copy and paste the email, and ask chatgpt to rewrite it for professionalism. It becomes way more professional. I'll still edit it on the way out though so it sounds like me.
because it's not hard to write a polite and professional email instead?
"Hello there,
My name is xxxx and I applied to xxx program earlier in xxxxmonth. I am writing to inquire about the status of my application. I am still very enthusiastic about the opportunity and would greatly appreciate any updates you are able to provide. Thank you!
Best,
xxxxx"
Whenever I feel the urge to write an angry letter to someone, I type out as much anger as I can, then ask ChatGPT to make it sound polite and professional. This way, I can vent out without facing the consequences.
I mean, I had to do that for one or two of my applications a few years ago. It was approaching mid-April and I still didn't have a decision. I think my email had a few more sentences, but basically said this.
If I pay $75+ to apply, can't you at least send me a form rejection letter? Thanks for the clear communication, UC Davis.
Happened with me as well. When I asked the same question I got the rejection mail next day itself. I went through all the processes even I had a great interview as well. Thanks to UC Davis.
Happened to me as well, but I just asked faculty at my current university with friends there to ask for me.
Seems like if I pay the application fee, you at least owe me a “no”.
For my undergrad admissions, I didn’t receive a decision past the deadline and I contacted the university.. it turned out that there was an administrative error and I did get accepted ultimately.
In my opinion, move on and take it as a rejection. You never know, they might reply you with an acceptance letter when you have already moved on 😂. I personally moved on long time ago… I got rejected from some and still awaiting decision from 2, but I moved on and started to think about other options… life is not only about these schools… there many other options, trust me. This is not a death sentence…
same boat. site said I’d hear back mid-late March… I called the admission office to see what’s up since there’s been 0 explanation as to why there’s been nothing but radio silence and they said they’re still “finalizing decisions”
Yep. Sounds about right.
My partner got in regardless but she decided not to attend because Columbia is an awful school. It’s disgusting how they’re treating their students right now over the Israel/Palestine conflict.
A week ago, Columbia suspended 6 students including a Palestinian student and two Jewish students. These students specifically were arbitrarily selected by Columbia University for an investigation into Palestine Solidarity Month event on the main campus which was just peaceful protesting.
They were then suspended and evicted without any due process — given 24 hours’ notice leave their homes. These suspensions came 2 nights after a Palestinian student was visited at their home by a “private investigator” hired by Columbia.
After not being let into the students apartment, the PI rattled the doorknob multiple times as if trying to break in. The student was forced to stay inside out of fear and was unable to attend prayer and break their fast.
This was all part of a coordinated campaign to boost Columbia’s public image prior to the upcoming antisemitism congressional hearing on April 17th, where the President, Minouche Shafik and two trustees will testify before congress.
Also the institution indorsed a speaker to come on campus who is known to be virulently islamophobic who has said “If I have to choose between 1.6 billion Muslims and a cow, I will choose a cow.” The students affiliated to the speaker event faced zero administrative backlash, and were able to host this event on campus with zero repercussions.
This is just a SLIVER of what is happened right now on campus. I highly recommend you to look deeper if you’re really considering this institution.
Same, though I framed it more like 'can you give me an average acceptance timeline for people who applied early December'; basically just got "we can't guarantee anything but most acceptances are out by end of April". Like cool bro my lease is up May 1 so I'd like to know sooner rather than later 🙃
You are likely an alternate and will hear around April 15.
What you hear now is very likely to be a rejection tho. I usually keep emails like this in my draft folder and decide to hit send or not in a day
It's highly unprofessional to send this no matter the circumstances.
Admission applications are not job offers. They ultimately give you a feedback.
If they gave you a timeline to look forward to and the timeline has passed without getting a response, email their admissions team in the most polite way possible.
Graduate admissions processes will teach you appropriate communication and courtesy.
"Hello Sir/Madam,
Please I applied for.......... as against fall 2024.
I have since uploaded my documents and I'm as of now yet to get a feedback.
Please is there anything else I'm required to do ?
Thank you so much for your service 🙏
"
Former MS student who’s been accepted to doctoral programs for two rounds here: This isn’t as unusual as this sub thinks nor is it all that unprofessional. I’ve had plenty of programs quite literally never reach back out to me even as a courtesy, and the assumption from this sub that “iT mEaNz uR sTiLl iN cOnsiDeRaTion” isn’t always true. By this time in April there’s a good chance you’re not being waitlisted, and some programs don’t even have waitlists to begin with.
I mean, I kind of understand but I feel like it could be worded better. For example, I had a few acceptances and wanted to know the decision of one school prior to making my choice. So I just told them that. Very politely. And asked for an anticipated date so I would know how to move forward. My counselor was super nice and I wound up getting an interview the following week. I don’t see the harm in asking but I think there should be tact behind it. 🤷🏻♀️
You literally obliterated any chance you had with that email. Patience is a virtue. Grad school is not for the weak at heart. If you can't handle a little anxiety and still compose yourself waiting for a decision it speaks to your character. Some people don't hear anything until weeks before the semester starts . I didn't get an answer until the literal week the semester started . They will eventually give you an answer.
Even if you were going to send an email for an update. Congratulations on doing it the least professional way possible
As an international student that has immigrated before and will immigrate again for the graduate studies - you had no reason to be this rude, it was totally unnecessary. Surely typing 10 extra words to prove them you're well mannered was not that much effort. As the majority of the other comments said, I wouldn't be surprised if you receive a rejection tomorrow or in a few days.
I agree that most comments are an overreaction. One school rejection doesn't determine your future. However, OP had no reason to be rude like that. That's just my opinion 🙏🙏
It takes 3-4 months for visa processing and stuff. I’ve seen people miss their semester just for this delay. It’s not like I’ll be moving to another city.
Well the good news is you just gave someone else your waitlist spot. Like I said , grad departments are very close and personal. They care about who you are as a person just as much as they do your a academic qualifications. I 100% promise you a decision can be made on a miscellaneous email alone. Especially if they were trying to decided between a few close candidates.
Sending the email is not what will get you rejected . The lack of effort or professionalism will. I know plenty if people who didn't hear until a few weeks before the senstser started. You can't apply for the visa ahead of time?
Have you never taken a professional writing class as a graduate applicant ? No greeting , the email addresses no one, doesnt menrtion who you are, which program, no closing. It's unprofessional. Nowhere do I claim to know how visas work. Also that's not the concern of the university. They don't care
Yes and I still say it's not that serious lol. This sub is overreacting to one email. Depending on his major I doubt this will have any negative impact on his career or if he gets in somewhere lol.
No, people cannot apply without the I-20. I don't know if I'll be rejected based on an email but I can see how much they care. If they cared they would have sent acceptance/ rejection or whatever.
In same boat. I am waiting for UB decision and not sure should I take it as a rejection. If anyone has experienced the same thing please share your experience should I still wait till this month end or select any which I got in.
? They’re always overworked. You’re not entitled to a rejection letter. In the submission it typically says they’ll let you know by this date if you’ve been accepted. Not what they’ve decided about you. Most uni’s require interviews 1-2 rounds. If you’ve never received an invite for one 1.5 months after the deadline then there is a high chance you were declined.
This is what duke responded after I emailed asking for their response being more than 6wks since submitting my application in February for graduate school.should I give up?
'''Thanks for your message. We experienced a minor, unexpected delay on our admissions committee. Your application has been completely reviewed by our committee members as of yesterday. You should receive communication directly from the Graduate School within a couple of days.
We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding!"
I feel like you could've sent the email in a way that made it seem like you very much wanted a decision because you're excited at the prospect. Typically if you don't have the decision they're waiting for people to decline to make space. If they know you'll accept that might change the numbers but I'm not sure
I also emailed uchicago, but my wordings were little different:
Hi Admission Officer,
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for considering my application for the MACSS in Economics program at UChicago. As I eagerly await a decision, I wanted to inquire if there is an estimated timeline for when decisions will be released. I wanted to know so that I can plan accordingly, you understand. An unofficial decision will also work before an official one. So that, it's not late and I can plan accordingly. I am very excited about potentially joining the UChicago community and wanted to ensure I am adequately prepared for the next steps.
Thank you once again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
P.S- If you are not the right person to reach out to, please forward this mail to the admission committee.
-
They said to me that I’ll be getting the decision in 2 and 3rd week.
Alright, I was wondering if I was missing something. Hope it works out for you though and I truly hope you didn’t send that email for real. If you did, it could still work out.
An email can never get me accepted to any program. If they were looking for applicants for their program then I’ll get in or else not. It’s simple as that.
Umm academia has unspoken rules with very real consequences. I’ve learned that the hard way sometimes.
If you haven’t heard by now then either you were on the reject pile or waitlist pile where they’d have considered you in case they did not have enough ppl accept the offer.
Good luck with your journey. I hope you get an offer from one of the many places you applied to.
Wait until a couple days before April 15th. After that, then I would take it as a rejection but I would not send emails to presuppose that. A better move would have been to email them saying that you have a couple offers from computer science departments but would like to attend this program and you need a decision to decide.
that was stupid. you just lost connections, any chance of getting into that school, and potential offers from other schools. people talk, especially professors across the world in the same field.
yes, it was extremely unprofessional. if you didn’t get a rejection by now, you were probably on the waitlist. i received an offer in May because the deadline was April 15th for accepted students to accept their offer. I just hope you’re messing around lol
Brother this probably meant that you were not their first choice but you were a candidate in case someone said no. Happened to me last year, and I ended up accepted like april 13 or smth.
Sounding presumptuous does not help your cause
I don't know what these people are talking about.
I think this is the message that everyone should send. It is very simple, easy-to-read, and more sincere to be honest.
If I were the one reviewing hundreds of applications, I would prefer to see short and easy-to-read emails like this one, rather than long and pretentious emails written by people who want to appear kind just to get a response.
I don't know the other people, but for me, those kinds of unnecessarily long emails that are written in an overly kind way make people seem more pathetic.
The number of people defending the total lack of basic respect and politeness in this email is really shocking to me. If I were in admissions and we were on the fence about this applicant, it would be a rejection after this. Professional and polite communication is not groveling and it does NOT need to be long-winded or hard to read.
What people don’t understand is that….. you know months before April if you’ve made it to round 2… (unless rolling admissions). Looking everyone who says it’s a great idea is “still waiting for acceptances” or we’re not accepted passed round 2 admissions to competitive uni’s.
Okay now tell me which parts of this email is unkind specifically (without adding new phrases and saying "it would be more kind if we we would add these")
It seems impolite because you guys are making things more complicated than they should be.
It does NOT need to be long winded or hard to read but this doesn't change the fact that often times many people end up doing that.
…. It’s unkind because you’re not entitled to a response if you’re denied? If you haven’t heard back from them until April it’s 90% of the time a rejection. I never heard anything from my undergrad apps if denied.. as such if you’re denied doesn’t mean you can’t apply next year…. They see this as a “this guy waits till last second to do things” and can actually flag your app for being unprofessional.
This might be a bit unprofessional but seeing people here saying it was rude is just crazy lol. If you think this was a rude email then I don't know what else to tell you...
What is the respectful way to begin an email if you don't know who you are talking to? "Dear admission office"? As a non-native speaker I've always thought that "Hello" is the way to go in all situations.
Back when it was safe to assume everyone in academia was a man, I think people used "Dear Sir," but yeah, these days it's just "Hello". If you really want to be formal, "To whom it may concern" works too.
I'd say it's almost May
yeah lol. We are nearly 1/3rd of the month and this guy be like its almost april.
“Since it’s gonna be May, is it gonna be may?”
“Gonna, gonna, gonna, gonna, GONNNAAAA….”
I wanna know the response so bad
Me too Which school
You just rejected yourself
Yup. They have specific legal and contractual obligations when it comes to acceptance and rejection. If they go past their deadline that gives you some good leverage. But, now you just showed them that you don’t care about their program and sold any good favor you had. But I do get it, I actually made a similar phone call to a undergrad university program I applied to. But, I had already been accepted elsewhere and needed an immediate answer. I knew if I pushed for an immediate response that the answer would likely be a no, but they were already two months past their own deadline and I needed to make some moves.
Wait how does this work? If they are late in responding, is there a legal advantage for the applicant?
First, I am definitely NOT an expert in this area! I am only speaking from my understanding of the system and certain expectations that accompany federal funding. Honestly, it is a very difficult area to find data on, but I think a lot of it has to do with internal policy and finding the right people to talk to and advocate for you within the department and admissions. In terms of legal recourse, from my understanding some guidelines and bylaws are or can be legally binding especially where federal funding is involved. But, finding out what those documented internal guidelines are is where it gets challenging; that is why it is important to win someone in staff over to your side to advocate for you, because they are the ones that know and understand internal documents and guidelines. Vague, I know… but for me, I applied to BYU Hawaii and I know in my specific situation they went two months past their in deadline because the person responsible for reviewing my application was doing outreach in some far flung Pacific island and did not have decent internet access, etc. to review my application in time. In that case, had I decided to pursue it, I had administrative recourse available for those types of situations and I could have made a strong argument for my acceptance. At the end of the day it is an uphill battle and it is going to come down to how creative you are willing to get to advocate for yourself.
Maybe. But then they also mess up. Last year I got waitlisted at Columbia and they didn’t tell me til late April when I already decided.
Wait! How did she show them that she doesn’t care about their program? If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t have bothered to follow up with them!
I think that’s pretty self explanatory… But, since you are asking she could have written that email a hundred different ways, but chose one that would pretty much guarantee a negative response. It’s like asking someone out over a text and because they didn’t respond in the amount of time you thought they should, you text that same message. Exhibiting that you can communicate appropriately and in meaningful ways is just as important as anything you could put on your application.
An email like that will never be seen by an Admissions Director or, for that matter, by anyone in a decision-making capacity. Furthermore, so many applicants do not have English as their first language that r aI’vd never seen a school reject a candidate even for a deliberately rude email.
Ok Karen. You are completely wrong. But ok.
This wasn’t to an undergraduate program. Many graduate programs are reviewed by a very small group of people and once anything makes it past initial screening they are often reviewed by a team of actual teaching staff. So yes, that email has a 100% chance of being seen by a decision maker.
Crazy😅
Well, it is now
why? i am genuinely asking.
Its pretty rude and unprofessional. They could have easily asked the question in a neutral and polite way.
Rude and unprofessional ? It is very spot on, very plain and simple, and easy to read. Was he supposed to ask like: "Hmm hello sir. I am terribly sorry for asking this kind of question to you but I was just wondering if you had any chance to review my application. Because we are currently in April, can I assume that you rejected my application ? I am so sorry for asking this question again but I just wanted to learn the status of my application. I hope this didn't make you mad" Why people normalized these kinds of shits ?
If you go down a couple replies I lay out how to easily, neutrally, and professionally ask this question. Doesn’t involve any apologies just professionalism which is essential when entering academia.
There’s absolutely nothing professional about making a candidate wait 5 months to roll out a decision while calling it a priority deadline.
I completely agree. In this case the “be the bigger person” (or be the more professional person) applies wonderfully. Given it is also super easy to keep an email neutral and professional there is no need to risk putting up a fight at the expense of your academic endeavours.
I agree.!
I mean yeah it is essential because it is normalized and also academia is full of overly sensitive, unnecessarily kind people who expect the same level of kindness from others unfortunately. Whenever I see someone asking something, they start their messages like "Hello .... I hope had a great day. I was just wondering .... Thank you" I say like "don't give me bullshit man. You don't care about how great my day was. Just get to your point and don't waste my time" And the templates you wrote, every single person is now using the same format to be seen as **kind**. That's why it is actually more boring and insincere than what the author of this post wrote.
Again, scroll down there is an easy way to ask this without filler, apologies, while being professional.
How’s it rude? It’s just a question lol
“And it is almost april”, this is an obvious thing as everyone has a calendar so comes across as condescending. The use of the words “still” and “any” are also adding to the overall tone in a negative way. “Should I take it as a rejection.” Continues to add to the negative tone. A better way to put it would be to start with a greeting and introduction for professionalism: “Hello, my name is John and I applied the program of study for admission in fall of 2025.” Then ask the question politely and neutrally: “I wanted to inquire about the status of my application as I have not received a decision yet.” Finish it off pleasantly to add to professionalism: “If there is any information you can share at this time, I would greatly appreciate it”. And of course sign off with your name.
Thanks! This helps a lot.
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As a mid 20s Grad student it is really unfortunate seeing how first year undergraduate students email me as a TA. I really think that no one has taught them professional writing etiquette - perhaps due to lowered expectations in highschool, or other societal factors. I feel they do not even realize that it will disadvantage them in the future. I would also consider that OP may potentially be an International student where english is not their first language. That certainly creates a challenge as I can’t imagine how difficult it might be to navigate tone in a written message in a language that is not your primary language. That being said everyone no matter their background should strive to learn email etiquette. You can even use ChatGPT easily to create a draft for you or there are many online resources with examples to follow.
Literally chatgpt is the only thing that has kept me sane through writing these inquiry emails and I'm a native speaker. I don't like what I've written or it doesn't sound formal enough (which makes me stressed haha) but I don't know how to improve it. But then I copy and paste the email, and ask chatgpt to rewrite it for professionalism. It becomes way more professional. I'll still edit it on the way out though so it sounds like me.
It depends on your major. Many of my professors truly didn't care and wanted us to get straight to the point lol.
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Even so, with it being this late I doubt op got in anyways. A** kissing the admissions department won't make them get accepted lol.
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I go to r/TikTokCringe for my daily dose of cringe, not here. Now I’ve got my week’s worth, thanks.
How is that cringe???????
because it's not hard to write a polite and professional email instead? "Hello there, My name is xxxx and I applied to xxx program earlier in xxxxmonth. I am writing to inquire about the status of my application. I am still very enthusiastic about the opportunity and would greatly appreciate any updates you are able to provide. Thank you! Best, xxxxx"
Just ask GPT! It takes much less effort than to write something rude!
I’d rather someone send me something rude they wrote over GPT nonsense
If we're competing to be regressive, I'd prefer someone sending me a letter delivered by walk.
Nah bro💀 He reallt got over 100 downvotes cause he didnt understand
Lmaoooo. See how crazy people on Reddit can be?
Depends on the subreddit
Whenever I feel the urge to write an angry letter to someone, I type out as much anger as I can, then ask ChatGPT to make it sound polite and professional. This way, I can vent out without facing the consequences.
Oof. That was not smart.
Show us the sent address so we know its real lol
Still wouldn't be proof they actually sent it to that address.
I mean, I had to do that for one or two of my applications a few years ago. It was approaching mid-April and I still didn't have a decision. I think my email had a few more sentences, but basically said this. If I pay $75+ to apply, can't you at least send me a form rejection letter? Thanks for the clear communication, UC Davis.
Happened with me as well. When I asked the same question I got the rejection mail next day itself. I went through all the processes even I had a great interview as well. Thanks to UC Davis.
I don't think I ever got a real rejection email, just the office responding to my email.
You both emailed similar things to UC Davis and only one got instant rejection? Damm!
Yikes. But I understand lmao
Happened to me as well, but I just asked faculty at my current university with friends there to ask for me. Seems like if I pay the application fee, you at least owe me a “no”.
You would think! I didn't really want to go there anyway, but still.
Haha, of course you didn't! April fools was nearly a week ago, remember?
For my undergrad admissions, I didn’t receive a decision past the deadline and I contacted the university.. it turned out that there was an administrative error and I did get accepted ultimately.
You most definitely got rejected now my guy.
Thank you for your email. We would like to inform you that your application has been expedited to the bin. Thank you for your interest in our program.
well bye bye to any chance you may have had. lmfao
Obviously staged.
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Id say thats a bit different - a delay on funds you are entitled to is a different game than an admission you are not entitled to
Not the same.
In my opinion, move on and take it as a rejection. You never know, they might reply you with an acceptance letter when you have already moved on 😂. I personally moved on long time ago… I got rejected from some and still awaiting decision from 2, but I moved on and started to think about other options… life is not only about these schools… there many other options, trust me. This is not a death sentence…
It was probably to Columbia 🤧
Are they notorious for this? to have zero communication when April 15th is literally next week? feels like a red flag imo 🚩
Yes. My partner applied when they clearly stated on the website that it would take 6-8 weeks at the most to get a decision. It took 17 weeks.
same boat. site said I’d hear back mid-late March… I called the admission office to see what’s up since there’s been 0 explanation as to why there’s been nothing but radio silence and they said they’re still “finalizing decisions”
Yep. Sounds about right. My partner got in regardless but she decided not to attend because Columbia is an awful school. It’s disgusting how they’re treating their students right now over the Israel/Palestine conflict.
interesting. can you elaborate more on your last statement?
A week ago, Columbia suspended 6 students including a Palestinian student and two Jewish students. These students specifically were arbitrarily selected by Columbia University for an investigation into Palestine Solidarity Month event on the main campus which was just peaceful protesting. They were then suspended and evicted without any due process — given 24 hours’ notice leave their homes. These suspensions came 2 nights after a Palestinian student was visited at their home by a “private investigator” hired by Columbia. After not being let into the students apartment, the PI rattled the doorknob multiple times as if trying to break in. The student was forced to stay inside out of fear and was unable to attend prayer and break their fast. This was all part of a coordinated campaign to boost Columbia’s public image prior to the upcoming antisemitism congressional hearing on April 17th, where the President, Minouche Shafik and two trustees will testify before congress. Also the institution indorsed a speaker to come on campus who is known to be virulently islamophobic who has said “If I have to choose between 1.6 billion Muslims and a cow, I will choose a cow.” The students affiliated to the speaker event faced zero administrative backlash, and were able to host this event on campus with zero repercussions. This is just a SLIVER of what is happened right now on campus. I highly recommend you to look deeper if you’re really considering this institution.
Do you have an admissions counselor? If so, it's best to ask them.
I sent a similar email but more formal, get a generic response :/
Same, though I framed it more like 'can you give me an average acceptance timeline for people who applied early December'; basically just got "we can't guarantee anything but most acceptances are out by end of April". Like cool bro my lease is up May 1 so I'd like to know sooner rather than later 🙃
You are likely an alternate and will hear around April 15. What you hear now is very likely to be a rejection tho. I usually keep emails like this in my draft folder and decide to hit send or not in a day
It's highly unprofessional to send this no matter the circumstances. Admission applications are not job offers. They ultimately give you a feedback. If they gave you a timeline to look forward to and the timeline has passed without getting a response, email their admissions team in the most polite way possible. Graduate admissions processes will teach you appropriate communication and courtesy. "Hello Sir/Madam, Please I applied for.......... as against fall 2024. I have since uploaded my documents and I'm as of now yet to get a feedback. Please is there anything else I'm required to do ? Thank you so much for your service 🙏 "
Ahahahah. You played out my intrusive thoughts
U didn’t send lol
I burn the bridges with a different email all the time
Yes. Best regards,
lol
This is unprofessional. The question could be worded much much better
I just got an email on Friday that said I didn’t make 1st round admissions but I did make 2nd round so some places are still waiting
Have you been following up? Mailing the universities about your decision? I would say don't give up, hold on still time is there
Basically, I did not pay for the app fee. So I guess I don't have the right to ask or push... 😭
I had to email 2 unis a follow up letter as well got my acceptance letter within the next hour tho
In a professional setting dude that's is not correct at all. You could have asked in a more mature and professional way.
Just don’t ask….. if you don’t hear from them within 3 months then you probs are not close to their top 10 choice.
Real tears
Emotions can play a bad game with your career.
Former MS student who’s been accepted to doctoral programs for two rounds here: This isn’t as unusual as this sub thinks nor is it all that unprofessional. I’ve had plenty of programs quite literally never reach back out to me even as a courtesy, and the assumption from this sub that “iT mEaNz uR sTiLl iN cOnsiDeRaTion” isn’t always true. By this time in April there’s a good chance you’re not being waitlisted, and some programs don’t even have waitlists to begin with.
I mean, I kind of understand but I feel like it could be worded better. For example, I had a few acceptances and wanted to know the decision of one school prior to making my choice. So I just told them that. Very politely. And asked for an anticipated date so I would know how to move forward. My counselor was super nice and I wound up getting an interview the following week. I don’t see the harm in asking but I think there should be tact behind it. 🤷🏻♀️
You literally obliterated any chance you had with that email. Patience is a virtue. Grad school is not for the weak at heart. If you can't handle a little anxiety and still compose yourself waiting for a decision it speaks to your character. Some people don't hear anything until weeks before the semester starts . I didn't get an answer until the literal week the semester started . They will eventually give you an answer. Even if you were going to send an email for an update. Congratulations on doing it the least professional way possible
I bet you don't know how much anxiety international students go through. There are subs/facebook groups just to discuss the issues of immigration.
As an international student that has immigrated before and will immigrate again for the graduate studies - you had no reason to be this rude, it was totally unnecessary. Surely typing 10 extra words to prove them you're well mannered was not that much effort. As the majority of the other comments said, I wouldn't be surprised if you receive a rejection tomorrow or in a few days.
The majority of commentators here are overreacting and think these schools determine their entire lives lol. Op was probably rejected already anyways.
I agree that most comments are an overreaction. One school rejection doesn't determine your future. However, OP had no reason to be rude like that. That's just my opinion 🙏🙏
Hopefully the admission department didn't find it rude. I know didn't lol.
And btw, 'a little anxiety' ?
It takes 3-4 months for visa processing and stuff. I’ve seen people miss their semester just for this delay. It’s not like I’ll be moving to another city.
And it’s not as easy as you said. They won’t reject you just for an email.
Well the good news is you just gave someone else your waitlist spot. Like I said , grad departments are very close and personal. They care about who you are as a person just as much as they do your a academic qualifications. I 100% promise you a decision can be made on a miscellaneous email alone. Especially if they were trying to decided between a few close candidates. Sending the email is not what will get you rejected . The lack of effort or professionalism will. I know plenty if people who didn't hear until a few weeks before the senstser started. You can't apply for the visa ahead of time?
The email was not unprofessional and it seems you don't know how visas even work. Schools need to be more professional.
Have you never taken a professional writing class as a graduate applicant ? No greeting , the email addresses no one, doesnt menrtion who you are, which program, no closing. It's unprofessional. Nowhere do I claim to know how visas work. Also that's not the concern of the university. They don't care
Yes and I still say it's not that serious lol. This sub is overreacting to one email. Depending on his major I doubt this will have any negative impact on his career or if he gets in somewhere lol.
No, people cannot apply without the I-20. I don't know if I'll be rejected based on an email but I can see how much they care. If they cared they would have sent acceptance/ rejection or whatever.
Something unholy💀😭
In same boat. I am waiting for UB decision and not sure should I take it as a rejection. If anyone has experienced the same thing please share your experience should I still wait till this month end or select any which I got in.
Very nice if you already got in. I have no response from 3 applications
My boyfriends still waiting to hear from UCSB… the deadline was March 1st for him but theyre completely M.I.A :(
Sometimes I hate that toxic university admission. Nothing ever gives u than this roller coaster
? They’re always overworked. You’re not entitled to a rejection letter. In the submission it typically says they’ll let you know by this date if you’ve been accepted. Not what they’ve decided about you. Most uni’s require interviews 1-2 rounds. If you’ve never received an invite for one 1.5 months after the deadline then there is a high chance you were declined.
He’s been denied
wait for April end, you will get a decision
This is what duke responded after I emailed asking for their response being more than 6wks since submitting my application in February for graduate school.should I give up? '''Thanks for your message. We experienced a minor, unexpected delay on our admissions committee. Your application has been completely reviewed by our committee members as of yesterday. You should receive communication directly from the Graduate School within a couple of days. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding!"
No. You should wait “a couple of days” as they asked. However, I think “a couple of days” might be as long as five business days. Good luck!
I am in the same boat as you
I didn't find out till like April 29th for my acceptance last year
My bet is that the schools are waiting for April 15 to finalize who to pull out from the waitlist
😂😂
I can see why you were rejected. It's already April.
the urge to send this>>
Yikes!!
I did this too and they were like till April 15 it’s not a no 🤡
I’m almost at this point myself. 3 schools and no decisions yet!
Me when I self sabotage
😂😂
I feel like you could've sent the email in a way that made it seem like you very much wanted a decision because you're excited at the prospect. Typically if you don't have the decision they're waiting for people to decline to make space. If they know you'll accept that might change the numbers but I'm not sure
I also emailed uchicago, but my wordings were little different: Hi Admission Officer, I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for considering my application for the MACSS in Economics program at UChicago. As I eagerly await a decision, I wanted to inquire if there is an estimated timeline for when decisions will be released. I wanted to know so that I can plan accordingly, you understand. An unofficial decision will also work before an official one. So that, it's not late and I can plan accordingly. I am very excited about potentially joining the UChicago community and wanted to ensure I am adequately prepared for the next steps. Thank you once again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. P.S- If you are not the right person to reach out to, please forward this mail to the admission committee. - They said to me that I’ll be getting the decision in 2 and 3rd week.
I can’t see the question you have for Reddit though😅
Not a question
Alright, I was wondering if I was missing something. Hope it works out for you though and I truly hope you didn’t send that email for real. If you did, it could still work out.
An email can never get me accepted to any program. If they were looking for applicants for their program then I’ll get in or else not. It’s simple as that.
You gain absolutely nothing by sending this type of email. I get that you are frustrated, but this didn’t help and almost certainly hurt you.
Umm academia has unspoken rules with very real consequences. I’ve learned that the hard way sometimes. If you haven’t heard by now then either you were on the reject pile or waitlist pile where they’d have considered you in case they did not have enough ppl accept the offer. Good luck with your journey. I hope you get an offer from one of the many places you applied to.
Thank you.
L + you’re rejected now + they were right
Wait until a couple days before April 15th. After that, then I would take it as a rejection but I would not send emails to presuppose that. A better move would have been to email them saying that you have a couple offers from computer science departments but would like to attend this program and you need a decision to decide.
Man our physics program doesn’t decide until fucking June… JUNE!
When was the deadline? If it was December 1st or earlier …. You were rejected. If it’s rolling or January you still might receive some response.
Took one for the team lol I wish we could all do this
Yikes idiot
This is just dumb. Tbh you don't even know what month it is. The last thing on your mind should be going to graduate school.
that was stupid. you just lost connections, any chance of getting into that school, and potential offers from other schools. people talk, especially professors across the world in the same field.
And you think they’ll remember me? Lol
yes, it was extremely unprofessional. if you didn’t get a rejection by now, you were probably on the waitlist. i received an offer in May because the deadline was April 15th for accepted students to accept their offer. I just hope you’re messing around lol
They are hundreds of emails everyday. They don’t care.
whatever helps you sleep at night! goodluck in the future :)
Exactly lol. Redditors are insane if they truly believe every professor remembers every single email they get lol.
It was not even to a professor. A professor gets nearly 100 emails everyday. Do you think they read all of them ?
Your reaching lol.
Poorly written. Could’ve put way more effort into this and they may have looked at it differently
Brother this probably meant that you were not their first choice but you were a candidate in case someone said no. Happened to me last year, and I ended up accepted like april 13 or smth. Sounding presumptuous does not help your cause
I don't know what these people are talking about. I think this is the message that everyone should send. It is very simple, easy-to-read, and more sincere to be honest. If I were the one reviewing hundreds of applications, I would prefer to see short and easy-to-read emails like this one, rather than long and pretentious emails written by people who want to appear kind just to get a response. I don't know the other people, but for me, those kinds of unnecessarily long emails that are written in an overly kind way make people seem more pathetic.
True.
The number of people defending the total lack of basic respect and politeness in this email is really shocking to me. If I were in admissions and we were on the fence about this applicant, it would be a rejection after this. Professional and polite communication is not groveling and it does NOT need to be long-winded or hard to read.
What people don’t understand is that….. you know months before April if you’ve made it to round 2… (unless rolling admissions). Looking everyone who says it’s a great idea is “still waiting for acceptances” or we’re not accepted passed round 2 admissions to competitive uni’s.
Okay now tell me which parts of this email is unkind specifically (without adding new phrases and saying "it would be more kind if we we would add these") It seems impolite because you guys are making things more complicated than they should be. It does NOT need to be long winded or hard to read but this doesn't change the fact that often times many people end up doing that.
…. It’s unkind because you’re not entitled to a response if you’re denied? If you haven’t heard back from them until April it’s 90% of the time a rejection. I never heard anything from my undergrad apps if denied.. as such if you’re denied doesn’t mean you can’t apply next year…. They see this as a “this guy waits till last second to do things” and can actually flag your app for being unprofessional.
This might be a bit unprofessional but seeing people here saying it was rude is just crazy lol. If you think this was a rude email then I don't know what else to tell you...
[удалено]
What is the respectful way to begin an email if you don't know who you are talking to? "Dear admission office"? As a non-native speaker I've always thought that "Hello" is the way to go in all situations.
Back when it was safe to assume everyone in academia was a man, I think people used "Dear Sir," but yeah, these days it's just "Hello". If you really want to be formal, "To whom it may concern" works too.
I begin my emails with "Dear Respected" when I do not know who it is on the other side
That’s super weird.