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Does offer to visit essentialy equal acceptance ?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:13 am
by yg9
Hi everyone,

I know this is quite early, but yesterday I received an email from U Chicago with an invitation to visit on Feb 2nd (travel and hotel expenses paid). I applied to the biophysics program, whose deadline was on December 15th (I basically submitted at the deadline).

I'm very excited, of course, but also a bit incredulous: does this mean I am most probably already accepted or might there be some kind of interview (perhaps this is just first round)? So I would appreciate any thoughts: for most programs, does an offer to visit (with expensed paid by the program) imply that you have been accepted ? Thanks!

Re: Does offer to visit essentialy equal acceptance ?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 1:59 pm
by bfollinprm
I think at this point the acceptance is yours to lose. I've heard of departments bringing in people to interview and using that to rank the students for fellowships, etc; with the worst students invited possibly not being given acceptance. I know that Chicago's Physics does NOT do this, but maybe biophysics does.

Congrats in either case though!

EDIT: To several schools I applied to, I was accepted within the week. So it isn't that incredulous, though I AM surprised anyone is at work to send you the email (the schools I had quick turnarounds for had mid-to-late January deadlines, not just before Christmas).

Re: Does offer to visit essentialy equal acceptance ?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:06 pm
by InquilineKea
How did you get accepted so early? Did the department email you, or did a professor email you? Was it even before the first round of acceptances were sent out? And did you contact professors beforehand?

Also - what programs did you get early acceptances from? This seems far more common from biology/biophysics programs than for pure physical science programs.

Re: Does offer to visit essentialy equal acceptance ?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:03 pm
by bfollinprm
Considering the quick acceptances came from the schools lower on my list, I'd guess I got accepted so fast because I was a shoe-in applicant. I did email professors, so my name might have gotten moved to the front of the pile for that reason as well.

I don't think fast acceptances matter at all--I got better (financial) offers later on, so no real advantage other than not having to wait forever for an answer on whether I was going to SOME grad school.