<p>My niece is applying to some 20 grad schools …and had gotten into one very early in the process. The school wanted a deposit so she put down a deposit to at least hold a spot…it is a great program but she was waiting to see where else she was accepted and alos to visit and look at the programs while the apps are being reviewed etc</p>
<p>Since that time she has been accepted to several others and has pulled her pending apps at some schools she knows she will no longer consider.</p>
<p>The surprise last week was at an interview —at an Ivy—the interviewer not only knew her stats as an athlete from the last 4 yrs (guess he googled her)</p>
<p>He also knew where she had put down a deposit at another grad school!!!</p>
<p>She was shocked–but played it well—she didn’t tip her hand about all the places she applied and was accepted…because she hasn’t made a decision yet and she hasn’t heard from all of the schools…</p>
<p>wondering–how someone would know where a candidate has applied - let alone been accepted…or put down a deposit?? Is there some clearinghouse for colleges and universities ??</p>
<p>She is still considering schools and this interview was for the school to show off the school–(she’s in) …</p>
<p>I thought the students had some privacy about their side in this game…</p>
<p>I bet he learned from Facebook or Myspace. Even if she’s not FB friends with the interviewer, they may have friends in common, and the interviewer may have had them check her FB.</p>
<p>People put all sorts of info on Facebook and Myspace, and don’t realize how that information may be available to people whom they don’t even know.</p>
<p>Just checked her FB (we’re FB friends)
no groups or posts (in last 2 pages—then it doesn’t show history before that) to indicate the acceptance and deposit…</p>
<p>but still possible–will mention it to her…</p>
<p>the interviewer said “its a small community”…when the acceptance/deposit was mentioned…</p>
<p>still gotta wonder how he knew–perhaps has friends who interview or work with similar programs in other schools…</p>
<p>When it comes to top grad school programs in a specific area, it is indeed a very small world! It wouldn’t surprise me if the professors are all somehow educationally related–worked under the same professor for their degree, went to the same post-doc, share the same friends or are friends of friends, schmooze at the same conferences, co-authored papers, etc. </p>
<p>In the undergraduate realm, I have been told that early decision decisions are communicated among the colleges and universities to admissions deans.</p>
<p>Now-a-days, with e-mails and web pages so easy and fast to distribute and access, I would be surprised if acceptance information is <em>not</em> shared by admissions offices of undergraduate <em>and</em> graduate schools. And since these lists will be electronically transmitted, they are easily searchable electronically.</p>
<p>Admissions people don’t have the time to check Facebook pages of their thousands of applicants. They have said so in a number of undergrad information sessions I have attended. However, it should go without saying that if one wants to keep something secret, don’t post it on Facebook, or here, etc.</p>
<p>When I applied to med school some 30 years ago, there was some sort of a central list of those accepted and where deposits had been made. I received an acceptance early in the game to a private U, a place that I could not attend without great financial aid. But I would have been foolish to not deposit within the time allotted. Later, when I received an acceptance from a state U I sent a deposit while waiting for private U to notify about FA. I was contacted by state U and told that I only had a certain amount of time to withdraw my deposit from private U or I would loose my place at state U. At that time, acceptances and deposited were public knowledge. I withdrew my acceptance at private U in favor of state U without knowing my FA offer at the time. It ended up being the correct decision. But with rolling admissions, and offers without FA info, it was nerve racking.</p>
<p>“its a small community” when it comes to top grad programs. I am surprised that she was asked for a deposit before she could consider all her options… though if there is a “deposit” involved at all, it might be a masters program, and the rules might be different there…</p>
<p>As someone who is heavily involved in grad school admissions (to a Phd program), at a centrally connected school in our field…we always compare notes with our friends/colleagues/cooauthors at other schools. It IS a very very small academic world. We are often competing for the same candidates and we are usually letter writers for candidates applying to other schools. </p>
<p>Here would be an example. I write a letter for my former student who did his UG at our school. Colleagues at other schools call, say they read my letter, but had some questions or what my real opinion (really they want the ‘real scoop’ as 99% of such letters are positive…and its especially useful to call if something seems out of synch or raises questions or when the committee is trying to read between the lines and is interpreting a letter in different ways). Meanwhile, I might tell them why I sent them to apply to their school or where else I think the fit is good. Or it might come up more directly, as in “how do they compare to X? did X apply to you guys too?” that kind of thing. And the conversation goes from there. Thats just one example but really, I can’t tell you how very very small the community is (in our field we have something like 10,000 professors but those that are part of the inner network at the top 30 schools in one’s field are pretty close with one another). One has to assume anything you do or say in such a small town is likely to get around if it’s interesting enough. Everyone knows everyone. </p>
<p>BTW, if this was my child, I would take it as a very good sign. There are lots of applicants we write off at the get-go. The cream of the crop, the ones that get into the good schools in our field, are the ones where notes are likely to be compared.</p>
<p>Yes
though she is not my daughter–she is a niece–
I gather she is very bright and sought-after–Has gotten in everywehre–
This particular MD was pretty impressed with her and said so…</p>
<p>It was surprising to me to hear about the cross-talk…evidently this field is small and everyone knows everyone-- I think she will end up somewhere great–she did pull alot of apps when she got in to a few that she would like–and more are coming in…</p>