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As a faculty member, this week has been overwhelming and chaotic for us all. Given how scared and uncertain students (and faculty) have felt this week, having recently learned of the existence of GradCafe it occurred to me that hearing from a faculty member might be helpful to some of you and so I planned to start a post expressing my support. However, upon seeing this thread, I wanted to address the initial poster's concern first and then share my thoughts (albeit - I am just one perspective). My university, like so many, has moved to online-only instruction until mid-April, at minimum. I teach a graduate cognitive assessment class. Even if it were possible to teach test administration online (which I doubt anyone could do well - I certainly cannot), my students have to share some test kits with each other plus given the interactive nature of cognitive testing, it would be impossible for my students to administer a test battery and not touch objects that the testee also touches. #WAISIVCOVID19Outbreak is not the hashtag I want to follow my students or I, because we have an obligation to, above all else, do no harm. The skills-based aspect of my course will be on hold until we can resume in-person instruction. That means I, and my students, will need to be flexible regarding making up the missed classes, but I am willing to give up part of my summer to make sure my students are prepared in the way they need to be. Let's hope that we're out of the woods by August! That said, as current students, prospective students, and students who will be entering a program in Fall 2020 - it is not your job to worry about how the COVID-19 crisis will affect your education. I understand may of you will worry, and that's okay - but your professors are and will do everything they can to make sure your education continues as planned. All that said, I hope everyone is okay. For those of you who had to leave campus abruptly, I am sorry. For those of you who had spring-break plans cancelled, I am sorry. For anyone who is scared - you are not alone. For anyone who is angry about this disruption - you are not alone. I can only imagine how hard it must be to be a student or future student right now. Most (I want to believe all of ) your professors are doing the best they can. I realize that may not feel like enough, but it's the best we can do right now. Please take care of yourselves and if you are feeling anxious about the fall, do reach out to current faculty or POIs. We're here.

After a ridiculously wonderful visit at Yale, I've decided not to visit Michigan and Cornell and have officially accepted Yale's offer. SUCH PEACE!

Committed just now to Cornell's Medieval Studies PhD program, good luck to everyone else!

I’m......in at BU. What? What? I...HUH?

HI! I acknowledge how you mention you have no intention of coming off as negative, however, posting on a forum of aspiring audiologists with nothing but negative thoughts on the field is very much so negative. First off, I have also shadowed several audiologists in several different settings, including ENT. They have all had great relationships with their ENT doctor and enjoy the setting that they are in. Obviously, hearing aids are a big part of the field since we are dealing with patients with hearing loss. While private practice is big on selling, I believe the audiologists I shadow have no problem selling hearing aids because the patients they are seeing are interested in buying them. Many people expect to purchase hearing aids as their hearing deteriorates so of course selling is a big factor of audiology. Also, even though private practice mainly deals with HAs, it is so much more than that. They build relationships with their clients and visit with them regularly. Developing hearing loss can be an emotional burden for people, therefore, counseling and mentorship is also the role an audiologist must take on. While we do have different experiences while shadowing, I think it would be silly for both us to not consider the pros and cons of audiology. It seems I have had more pros while you cons, but I know the cons are there and at the end of the day, I still want to pursue audiology. I know of several audiologists in my area who started out making around 75k their first year. The salary truly depends on your location and setting. The money is out there, you might need to relocate, but it's there. Plus I have seen such a big range in salary, it is hard to say what one will be making starting off. While salary is a big factor, it should not be the only factor. The flexibility, hours, and clientele are a few things that attracted me to the field. Most importantly, the service I provide will be meaningful to my clients. The look on the face of a client when they put their hearing aids on for the first time will be valuable in itself. Not to mention the camaraderie within the field. You even said it yourself that you have a close relationship with your audiologist, somewhere along the line they have taken the time to build a relationship with you and it has impacted you. Therefore, at the end of the day, it's less about the salary and more about how I am serving others. I have a feeling that is how most people pursuing audiology feel. We are aware of the cons but we have decided the pros make it worth it. Thank you for your opinion. I wish you the best of luck in the career you decide to pursue.

In my attempt to spread humor during this tumultuous time, I finally figured out how to add photos. At long last, here is Coraline (and Charli too!). May they bring a hopeful smile and a reminder that we never had actual control over anything anyway, because cats are our supreme overlords and we exist solely to do their bidding. Grad school wasn't even my idea, it was theirs.

I got accepted to Harvard PhD in Population Health Science (epidemiology) today after getting waitlisted for about 2 months! Full funding with stipend too! I guess waitlists do move and I'm so happy I didn't completely lose hope earlier.

I've been taken off the waitlist at Indiana! Just received my formal offer today and I have to say that I'm relieved/emotional/over the moon. I'm going to get a PhD! I'm still on the waitlist at Michigan and will be sending them an email on Monday to check on my status there and to let them know that I've been offered a doctoral position at IU. Fingers crossed that I can make my final decision soon and start my journey to a PhD in the Fall!

Well, I just received an offer from UNC off their waitlist. I am now officially going to have a heart attack.

FINALLY got an acceptance. Feels really good :) Thankfully, I was able to attend the visit day before all the cancellations.

A little bit of good news came to me a few days ago in the midst of all this craziness and uncertainty: I've successfully leveraged one of my offers to increase my stipend at another institution! I got word that the college's dean approved an increase, and I should receive further details this week. I really wasn't expecting them to bite, so this is a very nice surprise!

Good luck to everyone! I was super impatient to hear back (hence making that whole chart thing) and was planning on staying up until GRFP results were posted, but we had to go to the vet to put my family's 14 year-old chocolate lab down this morning and I'm pretty emotionally/physically exhausted (she lived a long, full, happy life and we knew it was going to happen soon-ish). Here's to hoping the results come out super early and the universe decides to give me some good news tonight...

So, we're just over 3 weeks away from the April 15th deadline. The silence has become absolute. I'm reminded of the episode of Spongebob where he visits Glove World and gets stranded in Rock Bottom. "This isn't your average everyday darkness. This is...advanced darkness."

Hey everyone, longtime lurker here. I'm pretty sure the results will be released today. Earlier today I called financial services to reset my password for the MYFAID portal, and the kind gentleman on the other side of the phone jokingly said "Are you ready for the results?" and I asked "Is it going to be released today?" He said "I'm not confirming it but not I'm denying it." Fingers crossed everyone! 😊

Hi everyone, I know this can be a really stressful time as is even without the Pandemic. Admissions decisions times can determine what and where we will be in the future substantially, so I understand the stress. But I just wanted to say you all are scholars in your own ways. Whether you’ve already been accepted, rejected, waitlisted, or have no updates, you’ve gotten up until this point even through all the chaos that’s going on in the world. As a kind virtual neighbour to you all, it is my most sincere wish that you all are keeping healthy, safe, and warm in your homes. I know there are many who may have used the distractions of the outside world to cope with deteriorating mental health and I hope if you’re in this position, you nurture your well-being the best you can during this quarantine phase. All the best to absolutely all of you in your graduate study endeavours! Thoughts and prayers are with your admissions decisions and families ❤️

Just got to know my Columbia result. I am in with generous FinAid and an additional option of TA position (contingent) in second year!! Thrilled!! And to average out this excitement, WWS has rejected me.. BTW, I am posting the 400th post on this thread..

Although my visit to Brandeis was cancelled, after talking to the faculty and students I have decided to accept the offer from Brandeis! I'm excited for this new journey to begin! Thank you everyone for your supportive words of wisdom throughout this application season. Good luck to all of you in your future endeavors and I hope to meet some fellow Grad Cafe members in the future!

I think at this point it's still really early and we should all do our best to not fall down the speculation rabbit hole. If it's still a problem come summer I'm sure plans will be made, but there is no use borrowing worry and stoking the "what if" panic. We're psychologists, let's rise above the fear contagion :).

not to be too cynical, but i think the real selfish fear to be had in how this will affect academia is in how it might affect the future of teaching as a profession a lot of campuses have shut down and made all their classes into online classes already, and i'm guessing many more will follow amidst this hysteria. once schools realize they can effectively get away with running everything online (if things are able to run smoothly enough along), then there might be more of a push toward online education, meaning less jobs! less pay! and, reportedly, less knowledge-retention for students! obviously online education is a much more nuanced thing itself, and it can be really positive in enabling nontraditional students to access higher education - however, the move toward total online education would not be great for the plight of the adjunct (understatement of the year) and as has already been said here and elsewhere, the immunocompromised are the most likely to be seriously affected by the coronavirus. what's special about this virus is in how it can be spread so quickly without carriers ever even exhibiting symptoms (for around 14 days of incubation!). with this being the case, along with the absolute inadequacy (and moral corruption) of both our healthcare system and our social safety net in the united states, the virus is much more likely to be spread and much more likely to affect these individuals. i don't foresee the actual virus lasting long past the traditional flu season and into the summertime, but what i think and hope will be more lasting is the outrage it inspires toward these systems. im already on my soapbox, so if you all are looking for a reason to get politically involved, this it it! there couldn't be a more timely reason to join the fight for universal healthcare in the united states!

not sure if this affects anyone, but I have just accepted duke english's offer of admission 🙂

Signing all of my Johns Hopkins paperwork today; after the visit cancellation, they did an exceptional job of setting up meetings with faculty and students, so I feel very informed, despite never having set foot in Baltimore. I have some feels about how my cycle went, but they've really convinced me I ended up in the exact right department for me. I'm grateful! Good luck to everyone still agonizing. I know it's got to be doubly stressful with everything else that's going on.

being married to a prince helped

Harvard-Clinical Science PhD!

Accepted University of Michigan! Declined: Marquette, Stony Brook, Villanova, Boston University, Fordham Took myself off the waitlist: DePaul, UT Austin, Emory (and, of course, rejected far, far more places than these)

Oh whoops, already commented this on another thread, but - corona permitting, I'll be heading to Madison, Wisconsin. And just a quick note for applicants who have either been shut out or are still unsure they'll have a positive decision to make this cycle: everybody's position is different, of course, but this was the third year of applying to schools for me. Thirty-eight other applications before this one finally clicked. So don't get disheartened too soon! ❤️

I appreciate everyone right to an opinion but I think negativity is not beneficial and this is the weakness our field faces. Those that do not support audiologists are a cause for the reasons some audiologists do not like their jobs. I’m a current AuD student and I have LOVED my experiences so far so prospective students keep your chins high. In my outside sites I have felt respected by other medical professionals and they value the work that we do. Interdisciplinary education is important and audiology is growing in importance and this is reflecting in our recognition and referrals from other professionals. I have experienced a vast scope of practice and SO much more than “just diagnostics” in my clinical placements. I’ve been involved in tinnitus evals and treatment, Auditory processing, educational audiology, pediatrics, assistive listening devices, fitting custom hearing protection, the moment of fitting a patient with hearing aids for the first time or new hearing aids it honestly amazing. I agree the pay may not be exactly what you would imagine for a doctorate degree but you are in this field for something beyond the pay. You enter this for a patients and honestly THAT is how you stay happy in any career because you truly enjoy what you do everyday. Also for that median salary that seems a bit skewed to me. I know individuals that start out and receive 80k a year starting and that’s in the Midwest where the cost of living in low. A also saw a recent job posting for the Midwest in a densely audiologist populated area and starting was 72k which is not bad at all. Also I do not agree with that statistic of individuals dropping out is also wrong. I would say if anything 1 student for less per class drops and often it is due to personal reasons not due to loss of faith in the field. If you are a prospective student don’t let negativity get in your way. This can be an incredibly supportive profession especially if you know the people to surround yourselves with. We are in this to help people and improve their quality of life. I have loved my experiences with patients and the respect they and other professionals give me and THAT is why I am proud to be a future audiologist.

After several great, slightly patchy virtual conversations, I've accepted my offer from NYU. This is literally everything I dream of in a program (complete with a small cohort size), so it's unbelievable to me that it happened. This means I will give up my other offers and my waitlist spots. Best of luck to everyone making a decision!

I've had an overall disappointing round this year in terms of PhD programs, but I did find out today that I've been accepted to the MA/MSIS in English and Information Studies at UT-Austin! This is especially exciting because this means I'll be able to close the gap with my partner after being long distance for over a year.

Hey guys, By now the entire Harvard system is moving online due to COVID-19 contingency and students are asked to leave dorms by Sunday. For the record HKS is working as a pivot to coordinate and navigate amid all these mess since this kind of pandemic is basically a duty of public healthcare and public administration to fulfill, which falls exactly into HKS’s work expertise. So we can imagine how crazily busy all the HKS offices could be at this point. Remember that Graduate Admission is only a part of their collective routine duty as they have to care for a way bigger picture at this near-catastrophic moment facing all human kind. So, please give them some time and allow all parties more cushion to multi-tasking and powering through this difficult era. This is not easy for EVERYBODY, I mean everybody, including the whole admissions committee at HKS and all other personnels and departments co-working with them. And guys, for the record, what we want to be is future leaders in public administration/policy-making, that’s why we are here, that’s why we are all aiming to HKS. Stay in mental serenity when there is chaos, keep organized and functional when there is mayhem, remain calm and endurable when there is ordeal. We are incredibly powerful HKS applicants with mind of steel and heart of sunshine, we can deal with this ONE MORE WEEK all together. We are just gonna have more fun, chat, communications, and joys here. At the same time let’s stay indoor and contribute our part to preventing further spread-out of COVID-19 in the world. Beautiful things happen when you stay positive and open-minded. Like my dad cancelled my spring break flight to L.A. a couple of days ago, yet in ruins of my devastated hope for all amazing cuisines, cultures, sceneries, and entertainments in L.A., instead I found YOU, ALL OF YOU on this awesome forum while staying put in Boston. What a great alternative that totally beats an outdoor spring break!

Ok y’all I’m making a call so I can finally log off this forum for good and save any semblance of sanity I have left... I’ll see you at Columbia in the fall 🤪 Good luck to everyone still waiting and making decisions. I hope for morning bus the best for all of you. This is the best community.

I GOT INTO COLUMBIA OMG!!!!!

Just received my first acceptance! I've been offered full tuition plus a TAship at Lehigh for their MA program. I've also just sent emails to my two waitlists to see if it's worth it to take this offer. Relieved I have one offer on the table now.

The waiting is killing me. I am an alternate, and I'm wondering as more and more time goes by, are my chances decreasing as well? The school didn't elaborate on high/med/low alternate, so I'm not sure where I place.

I accepted Syracuse's offer yesterday! OSU is not taking anyone off their waitlist this year, and I got the official "no" from Virginia on Monday. Is anyone else heading to Syracuse in the Fall? If so, feel free to reach out to me! I won't be checking this site as much now that my application cycle is over, but good luck to everyone else who is still waiting to hear definitive news or who still choosing between programs!

as a current third year, choose the school where your stipend is union protected (i really cannot emphasize this enough, uw's union has steadily fought for increased pay, we have no copay for mental health, and a strong contract enforcement protocol to protect against infractions), where grad students are nicer and seem organized, where faculty seems like you can really talk to them (this you may or may not have a feel for) and the city where you will feel excited to live for 5-8 years! the job market is such that no school can promise placement, so you should choose the place you *feel* is a good place to live in. that's just my two cents 🙂

Just got in off the Brooklyn waitlist. @Zadican I suspect I was offered your spot! Still waiting to hear final word from Iowa and for more details on financials etc from Brooklyn, but it's amazing to know that I will be going to grad school in the fall 🤗

never been sadder to have correctly anticipated something... everyone--STAY inside, order delivery frm ur favorite local restaurant (they r rly struggling atm but are likely still open for delivery and/or curbside takeout), tip 20%, and wash your hands sending love!!

April 7 thru April 15 is a LOT of movement. To this day I don't know why my post got such mixed reactions. Punchline: People need to make decisions, including notifying schools that they will inevitably turn down but just don't feel like turning down. It is in everyone's interest to be a grownup and do something uncomfortable, like closing doors on good offers that aren't your best offers.

I'm in my last semester of grad school and way past the point of applying, but I had a great week that's worth sharing: I took the Praxis, got my 375th clinical hour, and set up an appointment to fill out hiring paperwork for a long-term SLP sub position that will run from May to mid-June. It's been a looong time coming, but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel!

Hey Folks, I'm sending positive energy to all who have been following this thread for the past few months. Today is (most likely) going to be the day that many of us have been waiting years for. Emotions of anxiety, fear of failure, uncertainty, self-doubt have flooded my mind and body for the past 48 hours as we pull up to the final stretch, but all i want to say is this-- you are all intelligent, ambitious educators, and i'm so thrilled to have selected a field filled with so many passionate individuals. Wherever we land, i am wishing you all the best and the most success in the future! Good luck to all!

Just woke up to an email I received at 3:28 am my time and IM IN AT UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO!!! Kind of a strange email haha but I’m so glad to have a California option. No word on funding yet, so crossing my fingers and toes for that. Another program that I don’t know too much about, but I’m going to go study up. Have a great day all, and hang in there!

Protip: Maybe try to develop psychic abilities or something so you can do your best to not apply immediately before a pandemic hits. Just a thought.

Waiting for BU’s Rejection Diary: Day 325,100,563 I’m now at a point at which the entire application cycle just feels fake. None of it happened. It was just a dream. I applied to grad school last year? Fake. Notifications still pending? Definitely fake.

Congrats to everyone who got in!!! I see there are also plenty of extremely qualified folks here who didn't get into HKS but got into other top notch schools like SIPA, WWS, Fletcher, SAIS etc., and many of you guys have *incredibly* generous funding from those schools - CONGRATULATIONS!!! Take the offer with pride because those are all AMAZING schools. At the end of the day, it's less about WHICH school you got your degree from, but WHAT you plan to do with your degree. I'm sure you are all bright, driven and compassionate people and the world needs more of you 👏

On a related note, I am so glad our interviews (at least for most folks) were earlier this year. Not being able to visit the schools and meet people face to face would have been a bummer!

A friend currently at SIPA sent me this email. Looks like decisions are still on track to come out before Monday!

I'm so nervous! I'll let everyone know what happens. Keeping my fingers crossed 🙂🙂

Simon Fraser University - Clinical Psychology PhD! Just formally accepted my offer this morning.

As someone who is #1 on two different waitlists at the moment with 0 offers, I don't think you should feel bad about preventing people from getting an offer at this point. Even though I know I won't be able to relax until April 15th when people start turning down offers, I get that it's stressful for everyone involved and that even those with offers have to deal with poor timing like this at the very least. This process is so ridiculously competitive that sometimes we just need to focus on ourselves and do what we can to make ourselves feel better. Hang in there, sending good vibes your way!

UT Austin - Social & Personality PhD 🧡