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*U-Wire member papers have full permission to reprint all or part of this column. Enjoy! This Week: • How do I choose between two grad schools? • What's the best way to appeal a college's rejection for admissions? (questions may have been edited for length, grammar and/or to maintain the sender's privacy.) Dear Professor K: I am making a final decision about where to pursue my Ph.D. The final contenders are Berkeley and Cornell. Each has its high points. I really am having difficulty evaluating the reputations that each program carries; this is important to me as I am hoping for a top-tier academic post upon graduation. The money in Berkeley is a concern too, but I cannot tell how much my wife (also a full-time student) and I would really need there. The consensus is that it is "very expensive;" what exactly does that mean? Money is a non-issue at Cornell as I have been awarded a fellowship; it will cover Ithaca, NY costs of living. Cornell's department is much larger, especially in my area of interest, which appeals to me as it would reduce the odds that I would butt heads with an advisor. I visit
both campuses next week. What should I be looking for? Choosing a Ph.D. program is, as you know, a huge decision. You're fortunate to have two really good offers, and either choice would, of course, be great. So we're talking about fine points here. First of all, while it's great to hope for, as you put it, a "top-tier academic post," you can't rely on it. Markets in disciplines, as well as larger economic trends, change between when you start and when you finish, sometimes unpredictably. Moreover, the difference between Berkeley and Cornell is unlikely to determine your professional fate, since both are eminent institutions in your area. But you should feel absolutely free to ask them about academic placement rates--that's routine recruitment information. Second, take people seriously when they say living in the Bay Area is expensive. It's one of the top few real estate markets in the country, for example. You can feel free to ask current students about this. Third, I agree that it's always more desirable to go somewhere where you have more than one potential advisor. Faculty-grad student relations are difficult under the best of circumstances, and feeling captive makes that much worse. Finally, I would only add one major question to your list. How do current students feel about the programs? Ask to have lunch with current advanced students in each place, without faculty present. Ask them about intellectual community, money, placement, publication, etc. They will give you a cheerful version of the truth, but they're not as committed to marketing as the faculty. And good luck! What is the best approach for appealing a rejection to admissions at a major public university? We understand the rejection was due to lack of complete information regarding extracurricular activities. GPA and academics are excellent. I'm not sure I have enough information to be of help. For instance, how do you know what the basis of the rejection might be? What would constitute a "lack of complete information regarding extracurricular activities"? (Didn't you or your child fill out the forms?) My understanding is that admissions appeals are rarely successful. Most parents and students assume that admissions are formulaic (i.e., if I have enough activities, grades, scores, etc., I'm a shoe-in), but in fact it's much more complicated. That's why applications ask for personal statements and letters. Even at the graduate-school level, I was accepted to places I didn't expect to be, and not in programs I thought I was perfect for. You can't second-guess these things. All of that having been said, here's how to appeal. Write directly to the Dean or Director of Admissions at the school. State that you believe the decision may have been made on the grounds of incomplete information, and ask to meet with her/him. Write a short but effective letter. Then wait; if they will hear your appeal, they'll call to discuss it and possibly follow up with an appointment. Just don't be overly adamant - or hopeful. Dr. Anahid Kassabian is a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in New York.
© 2001 Virtually Advising |
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