<p>however, i am not sure if this is "we want you to attend so please come visit us" or "b'c you have applied for our program, why don't you stop by and say hi" kind of message.</p>
<p>can someone help me decipher?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Dear XXXX Prospective Grad Student,
You are receiving this email since you have either applied to the Department
of Computer Science at XXXX University or have inquired about our
graduate program. You are invited to our 2007 Graduate Fall Invitational.
The Invitational will be held February 1-2, 2007. The Graduate Invitational
(GI) consists of a brief introduction/overview of the college and community.
You will have the opportunity to spend time in our department to meet with
faculty and graduate students, take lab tours, etc. Please let us know as
soon as possible if you would like to visit us, so that we can make hotel
arrangements for you. The college will pay for your hotel room and will
also cover some travel expenses. Should you have any questions, please feel
free to email us at, <a href="mailto:XXXX@XXXX.edu">XXXX@XXXX.edu</a>.
Sincerely,
Ms. XXXX XXXX
Assistant to Dr. XXXX XXXX, Graduate Advisor
<p>That they're paying for hotel room and travel is what stands out to me. If it was a "why don't you stop by and say hi" sort of thing, it wouldn't be on their dime.</p>
<p>I agree with Larationalist. They are paying for your expenses. I got invited to go down to U of Florida with expenses paid. They informed me I was accepted though.</p>
<p>I also got invited to go down to U of Florida. I applied for CS phd.
But in the email, they didn't say I was accepted. They just said they have reviewed my application and want to extend an invitation for me to go down to U of Florida with expenses paid. They have a prospective student thing and there I can meet the faculty and stuff..</p>
<p>Mechanical engineering. Funny thing is I applied as a masters student and they asked if I wanted to pursue the phd. I said yes and they offered me a free trip. I couldn't turn it down.</p>
<p>You should respond promptly and affirmatively to this email. Unless you can explain to the department why it is a significant hardship for you to attend, you need to make the effort. If they're paying, you're on the short list. At this point, they're probably looking for reasons that they might not want to admit you. You have almost certainly cleared the hurdles of grades, test scores, letters, etc.</p>
<p>Treat this as you would a job interview. Everyone that you speak to while you are there should be considered and interviewer.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input guys. I truly appreciate it.</p>
<p>However, should I be worried that I have yet to receive invitations from other schools. Or is there another round of invitation coming in feb and march.</p>
<p>Also, if I am not invited to go on a campus tour by late feb or early march, does it usually mean that I was rejected?</p>