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University of Cambridge

Cambridge

Cambridge Mphil Politics and International Studies

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Reply 80

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

Did you email to ask them this at the time or just post it in this thread? Might be the case that they're holding all the applications and just waiting for the next POLIS degree committee to sign off on all the applications at once?

Yes, that's how it was last year. A degree committee sometime in mid/end-January and results came out about a week after (both acceptances and rejections). Haven't asked when it is this year though

University of Cambridge

Cambridge

Reply 81

mirpth

Has anyone else emailed to recheck with the department again about the estimated time/week they will begin giving out offers?

Reply 82

Anonymous #5

Original post by mirpth

Has anyone else emailed to recheck with the department again about the estimated time/week they will begin giving out offers?

This would definitely be useful

Reply 83

Anonymous #5

Original post by Anonymous

Yes, that's how it was last year. A degree committee sometime in mid/end-January and results came out about a week after (both acceptances and rejections). Haven't asked when it is this year though

From speaking to people who applied last year, offers were being given - within 4 weeks of applying - as early as November/December and it truly was a rolling process. It doesn't seem like this is still the case.

Reply 84

mirpth

Original post by Anonymous

This would definitely be useful

I have emailed the department already. They ask my application ID so that they can check the status, not sure how specific they can give the answer apart from 'under review'. :confused:

Reply 85

Anonymous #5

Original post by mirpth

I have emailed the department already. They ask my application ID so that they can check the status, not sure how specific they can give the answer apart from 'under review'. :confused:

Yeah, that makes sense. Let us know what you hear from them! I'd imagine they have all the applications and they're waiting for a day the degree committee attends and then they'll make all the decisions on that day. So maybe ask when the next meeting of the degree committee is?

Reply 86

elias0500

It appears that the next degree committee is scheduled for upcoming Thursday (20.01.)

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Reply 87

Anonymous #5

Original post by elias0500

It appears that the next degree committee is scheduled for upcoming Thursday (20.01.)

Thank you for this, but can I ask where you found it?

Reply 88

elias0500

Original post by Anonymous

Thank you for this, but can I ask where you found it?

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/files/postgrad_and_dcs_meeting_dates_2021-2022.pdf

Reply 89

mirpth

Original post by elias0500

It appears that the next degree committee is scheduled for upcoming Thursday (20.01.)

That’s very helpful. Thank you!
Do you know how long does it take from Degree Committee meeting to result announcement?

Reply 90

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by catch223

Anyone heard anything today? Getting a little ridiculous. I submitted in October and still haven't seen anything change past Department Review.

Talk about hitting 12 week targets, it has now been 16. I'm usually fairly patient, but why list the course as rolling basis when it clearly isn't?

It’s rolling reading and sifting. Doesn’t say it’s rolling decisions

Reply 91

Anonymous #5

I'm sorry but catch223 has a point.

- MPhil POLIS website: "Although applications will be considered on a rolling basis, it may be several months before the department makes a decision on your application but we aim to respond within 8 weeks."

- MPhil page on the main website: "Decisions on applications are made on a rolling basis until the Department has made all of the offers available."

I'm really not sure how you could pretend 'decisions on applications are made on a rolling basis' doesn't say it's 'rolling decisions'?

Pretending 'applicants will be considered on a rolling basis' actually means 'we might read your application earlier but all decisions will be made after the deadline has passed' is extremely disingenuous. If there are no decisions made before the deadline, why add the label 'rolling basis' to distinguish the process from other courses that aren't rolling? This would be exactly the same as the alternative 'gathered field' process the Cambridge website lists.

Reply 92

elias0500

Original post by mirpth

That’s very helpful. Thank you!
Do you know how long does it take from Degree Committee meeting to result announcement?

It still needs to go through PAO, so probably earliest the week after

Reply 93

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Anonymous

I understand your logic and the fact that they now even offer a deadline etc is a development on previous years. So I think processes are developing but it isn't a perfect 'sausage machine' of decisions. For those applications that are definitely not going to meet the grade, or under all circumstances are going to be worth an offer, those decisions can be communicated as soon as they are made.

However, the diversity of this course means that they also have to accommodate not just who is a credible applicant for an offer, but who can supervise, because the subject has fashions. The way it was described to me is that they can't take 50% of the course all wanting to take the new fashionable subject (terrorism from 2001 onwards, Brexit from 2017 etc), so there can be a pause for a bulk of 'maybe good enough' to make sure the subject spread is manageable within the department.

There are also a lot of special cases - strong applicant but potential Supervisor on sabbatical/off sick, negotiations about co-supervision with other departments, or consideration of an offer but from another department, new university but member of staff with experience brought in to confirm UG degree quality etc etc, which can all stall an individual application without any ominous meaning.

I noted that History commented the other day, that they can still spot who will finally make the grade, and I see some signs POLIS is moving towards this, but I still think the very international nature of the cohort (difficult to compare say a Swedish undergrad from Uppsala with a Sciences Po app with a brilliant application from an unknown uni in Peru) and the dissertation range within the same course make turning round every application in 8 weeks very challenging.

Reply 94

Anonymous #4

I think we should just be patient. Like I said the previous time I received an offer on 31 January. They just like to take their time, which is understandable

Reply 95

Curiousstudent20

What other courses have y’all applied for?

Reply 96

therumireader

Original post by Curiousstudent20

What other courses have y’all applied for?

At Cambridge, just this one for me. Unfortunately I didn't find out until way later that it was acceptable (and perhaps even recommended) to apply to more than one course.

Reply 97

mirpth

Can’t wait to know the result. Hope they announce PAO thing right after the Degree Committee conference on this Thursday.

For those who applied for MPhil POLIS, have you reached out your prospective supervisors before applying?

Reply 98

Anonymous #5

Original post by mirpth

I didn't think we were meant to and I also heard they have no say in the admissions process, this might not be true though. Does anyone know if they hold wait in applications at the MPhil level?

Reply 99

therumireader

Original post by mirpth

Fingers crossed! Hopefully we hear within a week of this Thursday.

I did not reach out to my prospective supervisor as both the department head in the info webinar and the course website explicitly asked applicants not to.