Math REUs 2015: Updates on Program Acceptances

[LaneyRhi]

I applied to SUMSRI, PURE, U Hawaii Hilo, CSU Channel Islands, Fairfield, and Maryland. I haven't heard back from any of them so far.

 

[Math2017]

@a5584266
I really want to. It looks absolutely amazing. We'll see what other offers I get by Monday, but I'll tentatively say hell yeah.

Did you already accept? Any preference between Morales, Hoffman, and Stoltzfus?

 

[Hrothgar]

UCONN has started sending out offers as well (accepted but I declined)

 

[ireallymetal]

Has anybody heard from MAPS, Fairfield, ICERM(Their apps were very long ago I'm sure I got rejected at this point), Berkeley, or University of Michigan?

 

[IDERIVE]

I have not heard back from MAPS, or Berkley yet...but then again I have not heard back from anyone yet. Here's to hoping the second round of offers tomorrow will be kinder. Good luck in the second round everyone!

 

[Caty24]

I heard back from CSU Channel Islands a couple weeks ago, and they had a deadline of yesterday, so on the 5th, I emailed the rest of my REU's asking for a status update.

-SUNY Potsdam, GVSU (both March 1st deadlines), ICERM, and Seattle U promptly rejected me.

-RIT said they'd get back to me by March 8th and then a couple hours later sent me an offer.

- Willamette didn't get back to me so I emailed the mentor I wanted to work with; he said he was reviewing applications over the weekend and would try to get back to me, so I asked CSUCI for an extension just in case, and ended up getting an offer for Willamette. So that's where I'll be this summer!

 

[LaneyRhi]

I still haven't heard back from anywhere. Is it normal for first round offers to come more than a week after the deadline has passed, or is there no hope for me?

 

[DMathmagician]

@Caty24 Good for you! Willamette was one of my top choices, but somebody else made an offer too good to pass up.

@LaneyRhi It is not too unusual. For example, Willamette is certainly still reviewing applications. Though some places (like LSU) get offers out within a couple days. Additionally, second round offers should be coming out today and tomorrow from everywhere adhering to the March 8th deadline. Good luck!

 

[IDERIVE]

@LaneyRhi , if it makes you feel any better, I still haven't heard back from anything either. It isn't too unusual to not hear anything for a long time. REUs are notorious for poor communication if you are not one of their top choices. If you are really starting to doubt whether or not they are filled, you should email their directors to find out if you are near the top of the list. I am about to do that myself. Otherwise they send out rejections 2 or 3 weeks later.

 

[Math2017]

@LaneyRhi
I agree with @IDERIVE: emailing is definitely a good move. It let me know where I was at, so I could look more into the REUs I actually had a shot with (or whether I needed to start making other summer plans). Also, I have heard from two REU directors that "first round offers are out, but the selection process is far from over." A lot of people end up with 3+ first round offers, so there are still a lot of second round ones (and some of the later first-round ones) left. The REU I went to last year (mid-tier) didn't get all the spots filled until mid-April.

 

[DMathmagician]

Just got an official rejection from SMALL. Looks like they've definitely filled all their spots.

 

[Call Me Ishmael]

I still haven't heard back from anywhere. Is it normal for first round offers to come more than a week after the deadline has passed, or is there no hope for me?

Still haven't heard anything from MAPS or Fairfield yet myself. I don't know whether that's a bad sign or a good sign. Leaning towards bad.

 

[IDERIVE]

@Call Me Ishmael , A girl from my college just got contacted and emailed by Fairfield, so if you haven't heard anything it is definitely a bad sign. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. I'm going to email some of the REUs today and get back to everyone.

 

[Call Me Ishmael]

@Call Me Ishmael , A girl from my college just got contacted and emailed by Fairfield, so if you haven't heard anything it is definitely a bad sign. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. I'm going to email some of the REUs today and get back to everyone.

How recently? I suppose I should send an email and inquire where I stand then.

 

[IDERIVE]

She was talking about the interview yesterday. couldn't have been too long ago that she got the email from them. I wouldn't be surprised if she was a second round pick after someone decided 3/8 that they didn't want the spot.

 

[Call Me Ishmael]

Well, if you email MAPS and get a response, I'd be quite grateful if you shared it here. Good luck to you.

 

[IDERIVE]

UPDATE: Sam Houston has filled all of the positions for the upcoming summer. (I emailed 7 REUs so look for more updates throughout the day)

 

[ireallymetal]

Is it common practice to send these update e-mails if you have not heard from anybody yet? I fear I'll sound like I'm rushing them in that case because I'm not under time pressure to accept any offers.

 

[LaneyRhi]

Has anyone else applied to SUMSRI at Miami U? It's my first choice program, but I haven't heard a thing from them. I emailed a while ago asking for a status update and they haven't responded.

 

[IDERIVE]

Is it common practice to send these update e-mails if you have not heard from anybody yet? I fear I'll sound like I'm rushing them in that case because I'm not under time pressure to accept any offers.

It is absolutely acceptable to email programs and ask about your application's status, especially when you have heard of someone in this forum or at your school getting accepted. Take it from someone who applied last year; most programs do not even send out rejection emails, and if they do it is usually about 2-3 weeks after they have filled the positions. Emailing them this way is often a more efficient way of finding out where you stand. If they haven't selected everyone yet, they will simply tell you that they are still reviewing applications and/or have sent out offers that they are waiting to hear back from. The Directors are used to this, and understand that you are not rushing them, but simply want to check in and find out where you stand so that you can focus on other programs.

UPDATE: UCSB has filled all of the "male" spots

 

[LaneyRhi]

I just got an email from PURE saying I was highly ranked, but not a first round pick. Does anyone know how many of the 12 positions they have actually filled thus far? I don't see many people turning down a summer in Hawaii, but still...

 

[Annie Ng]

Hi guys,
So i just got an offer from UNC yesterday (i am leaning towards this one) and already emailed all of the REUs i have applied. Most of them told me that they have already sent offers for first choice students. Only one of the REU i applied said that they are at the final stage of reviewing and will send the offer next week. So not having received any email this week can be a bad thing.

 

[Meister10101]

Thanks for the updates everyone!

I just did a Skype Interview with Boise. They mentioned that they intend to have their cohorts assembled by Friday.

Even if I don't get in, as a sophomore I'm honored just to have gotten an interview. I actually learned a lot in that short conversation.

 

[ireallymetal]

Cornell told me that they are done.

 

[LaneyRhi]

I made the short list for SUMSRI! They only had confirmed funding yesterday, the guy said, so I don't have an actual offer yet, but apparently they are now sending them out. Hopefully I get another email in the next few days...

 

[ireallymetal]

I just heard back from Berkeley with an acceptance so they're coming out.

 

[IDERIVE]

UPDATE: Contacted Missouri, and they said they are currently waiting on confirmation of funding from the government. They are not reviewing applications until they have confirmation of funding.

 

[IDERIVE]

UPDATE: CSUCI has filled all but 2-3 spots and already has made offers for those spots and believes that it is likely that those candidates will take them. If you have not heard then you are most likely not going to make it in.
PURE has picked finalists (10) for the 6 spots in each male and female categories. they claimed I was "highly ranked" but not a finalist, so yeah I guess I've got that going for me.

 

[dbcodus]

I received an e-mail saying all spots for PURE are now filled.

Any thoughts on SUMSRI and/or Fairfield?

 

[Hrothgar]

Fairfield began offering spots March 13

 

[dbcodus]

^As in, can anyone who participated in Fairfield and/or SUMSRI share their experiences?

 

[Annie Ng]

Has anyone applied to the UMBC REU program? I have contacted them like two weeks ago about my application status but haven not heard back from them since.

 

[EternusVia]

Coming in late to this conversation, but I applied to four REUs. Spots have been filled for two of them. I have my fingers crossed for the last two, but I don't think the odds are good.

 

[IDERIVE]

@EternusVia, Similar to you, I only applied to 5 last year. I was told that it is best to apply to around 10 or more per year, so that's what I did this year. I'm guessing that you are either a freshman or sophomore, so you always have next year too! It is also not too late to apply to more this year as well. I know University of Washington's application isn't due until 4/1 (which I may be applying to and shouldn't be giving away all my secrets ;)), so there are more options to increase your chances.

 

[DMathmagician]

Coming in late to this conversation, but I applied to four REUs. Spots have been filled for two of them. I have my fingers crossed for the last two, but I don't think the odds are good.

I definitely agree with @IDERIVE. It's best to apply to as many REUs as you can that interest you (definitely 10+), both because they're free to apply to and because they are ridiculously competitive. Also, you sometimes don't apply to all of them, since you might get an offer from one you prefer before the applications for others you don't like as much are due (this definitely saved me 3-4 applications this year). As for competitiveness, even people I would consider to be at the very top of the applicant pool (lots of grad courses + published research papers in the area of the project) get turned down from a lot of places.

In any case, good luck with those 2 REUs!