Evaluating Applications - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

You are here: EEB > How to Apply > Evaluation of Applications

How We Handle & Evaluate Your Application

The typical fall admissions cycle proceeds as follows.

After the passage of the January application deadline, all applications are loaded to a secure computer server for review by faculty.

New students must be matched with a faculty advisor in order to be admitted. Faculty with open positions nominate suitable applicants for their lab groups.

In early February, the EEB program convenes an Open House. Faculty invite highly qualified applicants, at program expense, to participate and interview with prospective advisors.

In mid to late February, the EEB Admissions Committee reviews and ranks the applicants who have been nominated for admission by faculty.

The first round of admission offers is usually sent in the first week of March.

Additional offers may be made, depending on the response rate to the first round and the availability of additional openings and funding.

The deadline for accepting fall offers is 15 April.

EEB normally reviews fall applications up to the end of April. Applicants who cannot be placed by that time will be sent denials or may be considered for entry in a different term.

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of
- academic performance and background,
- GRE scores,
- letters of recommendation,
- research interest match with EEB faculty, and
- related work experience.

Communication with Applicants

When you apply, you may expect the following regular communications from us.

We will contact you by e-mail when your Graduate College application is received.

We will contact you by e-mail to confirm when your application is complete
(all supporting documents have been received).

After your application is complete, we will contact you by e-mail or telephone if any problems or questions arise.

If you are selected for an admission offer, we will contact you by e-mail and by post to relay it.

If we cannot place you in our program by the end of the regular admission cycle, we will contact you by e-mail or by post to inform you.

If you want an update on the status of your application at any time, please contact us via e-mail at the EEB program office or by telephone at 515.294.6518.

Between the time that your application is confirmed as complete and the time that the admission review period ends, we will not contact you unless we can make an offer.

You are welcome to contact us any time to check the status of your application, to ask questions, or to seek assistance.

Thanks for your cooperation and interest in EEB!