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<p>Yes, for the most part, but much less so in some areas. Admission to mathematics programs is an example of where there is no lab, so the decision is made by a general committee, often without serious consideration towards who the student will work with, and more towards the student’s overall level and academic interests, somewhat more broadly speaking. I imagine the situation is similar in pen and paper fields.</p>
<p>It winds up being somewhat more like undergraduate admissions, though non-academic factors seem to play a much less decisive role.</p>