cranberry

I hate to be a downer, but if you have a 2.21 now and you have one year left, I don't think it's even mathematically possible to bring it up to a 3.0. That is assuming you're currently a junior, though. On a more important note, though, have you taken any Greek? It'll be near impossible to get into a grad program in Classics if you've only taken Latin.

Knowing how to present yourself well is part of life. Knowing how to present research or an argument is part of academia. Plus, doing well in an interview can be the deciding factor in an acceptance or job offer. Edited to add: I am as introverted and awkward as they come, so I know that reaching out and engaging can be difficult, but its necessary and I'm happy to do it.

At this stage in the game, you're probably going to have to take a year off anyway - most application deadlines have passed. Were you asking about applying for entry this coming fall? If so, there might be a few programs with late deadlines, but even so, applying to grad school is a huge time commitment and you need months to get recommendations, personal statement, writing samples, and the GRE together.

While no one would admit so to me, I think coming from a no-name school does hurt you. I myself went to an academically rigorous but relatively unheard-of liberal arts undergrad and on top of that majored in a subject with a miniscule department. However, I aced the GREs to backup my uninflated GPA, had very strong letters and writing sample, and my resume showed that I was at this institution because of a prestigious undergrad scholarship. I had no publications, very limited research experience, and even less teaching experience. Even so, I only applied to top 20 programs (made sure to apply to as many as I could afford) and got into half the schools to which I applied. So, while it's definitely not easy, it's possible.

Nothing here, but I haven't checked my postal mail in a while. I'm assuming I have a rejection waiting for me, but if you haven't heard anything and you've been checking your mail you might have been waitlisted. I have heard it through the grapevine (so take this with a grain of salt) that they have extended offers to all accepts and that they took 8 out of over 90.

Is the UVa waitlist out there?

Not a history student here, but this caught my eye since I myself am a slow reader and consider this to be one of my biggest weaknesses. Anyway, my school had a speed-reading lecture one time which I attended and learned this skill: take your finger and as you skim zig zag it across the page, moving at a steady rate. I personally don't use my finger, but I have made my own variation on the technique. Of course, I try to read the material as closely as I can if I have the time, but when I'm in a pinch I do this and it works reasonably well. You don't necessarily remember the fine details, but you definitely get the big picture.

On a somewhat random note, why the negative reputation on the opening post?

I haven't read this entire thread so I'm sure I'm repeating what others have said, but I do post my acceptances. It's not bragging or rubbing anything in people's faces, it's just a "something cool just happened to me and I'm excited" deal. My friends post about job offers all the time and some even about doing well on papers and exams. If we're all being offensive, then maybe my friends and I are just really, really conceited?

I have no personal experience but have friends who have done post-baccs at UNC, Georgetown, and Penn. My friend who did his post-bacc at UNC loved it (but also did his master's there, so perhaps he's a little biased or whatnot). My friend who went to Georgetown raved about it, and the one who went to Penn was unimpressed with her experience there and actually thinks Georgetown would have been better. Not trying to bash Penn at all, just relaying what I've heard through the grapevine.

As a humanities Ph.D. applicant I agree that it is not worth going to a second-rate program just to get a degree, however I think it's necessary to define what "first-rate" and "second-rate" are exactly. Just because a school isn't an Ivy doesn't mean it's not first-rate. I only applied to top 20 (maybe 25) programs in my field and yes, my list included a handful of Ivies, but also several less nationally prestigious universities that were nonetheless top programs in my field that have a lot of respect and consistently have excellent job placement. Just because a program isn't part of a brand name school doesn't mean it isn't an excellent program, and people in the field who are hiring you know what schools are strong in the area, not just what schools everyone has heard of.

There's really no way of knowing what the school chooses to do. I have received acceptances through phone and email and rejections through post and email (a couple directing to a form letter on the application website). Acceptances through snail mail are uncommon but not unheard of, however phone rejections seem to be very rare and the ones I've seen on the results board are usually responses to status inquiries.

I got into my dream school with full funding (visited, absolutely loved it, wonderful fit) so I started to reject my other offers. Maybe I'm a wimp, but I found it kind of heartbreaking. Many of the professors at these schools reached out to me personally and it was difficult having to tell them that I'm going elsewhere. Also, hitting that "send" button on the email or clicking "decline" on the website sent a panic attack and a wave of neurotic fears - what if, in the time it takes to decline my offers and accept the dream school's offer, they decide there's been some horrible mistake and they don't want me anymore? Guess I'd better get on accepting dream school's offer pronto - cold feet isn't as much of an option anymore.

I keep thinking that the longer I go between notifications, the greater the odds I'll hear from someone. What is everyone waiting on?

Not sure if this is good news or bad, but I've been contacted by schools after hours several times already (both email and phone).