Bearcat1

Contact her now. I contacted the department secretary twice, long before the deadlines, and she took FOREVER to get back to me. You'll probably end up leaving her a message if you call because she never answers her phone (I tried calling at random times so she'd pick up...didn't work) and it took her weeks to get back to me. My advice would be to attempt contact now and then hope by the time she responds it's been resolved.

Ahhhhh!!!! Now I have to check for ALL OF THEM on Twitter. This never occurred to me...I am so excited to add cyber stalking to my daily activities.

I just had to explain this to a co-worker who found my 2012 Jan/Feb calendar on the printer. Oops. Ha!

MLK is throwing off my completely made up schedule! You're so lucky you are this week. (Is this the conversation of two enablers?)

I just spent I-don't-know-how-long converting acceptance dates from last year on the results search to this year's calendar. For example, the first peep last year from any of my programs was Jan. 19, which was eleven business days from Jan. 2, when I'm assuming people started looking at apps. (No, this is not based on any actual information.) So eleven business days this year from Jan. 2 would be next Wednesday. So I could hear something next Wednesday? I may have officially gone off the deep end with this one...

ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THE ADCOMS ARE, LIKE, BOOZIN’ IT UP AT HAPPY HOURS EVERY DAY INSTEAD OF NOTIFYING YOU OF THEIR DECISION TO PROBABLY CRUSH YOUR DREAMS and meanwhile, you’re all… From here...

ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THE ADCOMS ARE, LIKE, BOOZIN’ IT UP AT HAPPY HOURS EVERY DAY INSTEAD OF NOTIFYING YOU OF THEIR DECISION TO PROBABLY CRUSH YOUR DREAMS and meanwhile, you’re all…

I would respond that it is, indeed, you. Unless they ask anything further, I wouldn't volunteer anything more. What you do in your free time (summer) is your business. Although it would be amazing if you could connect your band to your studies, as Angua suggests, I don't think you should stretch the truth to do so. I'm sure there are tons of us who have completely unrelated hobbies, and since you are applying to grad school, I'm guessing that you see the band as more of a hobby (albeit a possibly lucrative one that may or may not involve more of a time commitment than, say, knitting). And it's highly likely that you've been Googled. My hits on Linked In and Academia.edu have been crazy since I began the application process, so I think Googling is more common than we all anticipated.

Exercise no longer works because it's alone time with my own thoughts. I'm starting to dread it, when I used to look forward to it. I've taken to only using the treadmill with movies/TV shows on my iPad because I can exercise away the pent up energy but still focus on something other than the waiting. But it's getting very boring, doing the same thing every day.

SShareef, has your application status changed on the UT site? It's always said, "your application has been forwarded to the committee for review" on top, but I just noticed on the right side it says "in review." Is that new?

This is exactly what I picture. And thank you for the old school reference!!!

Aw, thanks! I'm not that old, but I'll take it! I need to pour my nervous energy into something, so I've decided to be the den mom/cheerleader/pep talk captain wherever I can.

Maybe there's a backlog at the universities because of the holidays? Or maybe resend them all. I read an article that regular exercise helps to clear the mind and allows for better focus. (I'm certainly not using this technique, but I thought I'd share anyway.) My vote is yes, correct usage. And I read this as an example sentence in a spelling bee.

MANTHROPOLOGIST. Best thing that's happened to me today.

MEAN!!!!

You are overseas and there's bound to be a backup due to the New Year holiday. Don't panic! Maybe give it until Friday and call them again? (If you are able to call.) Don't be. At all. I think all of our brains are fried from the application process. And I'm hoping it's not just me, but the more foreign languages I learn, the worse my English vocabulary and spelling get. And sometimes I turn into a foreign person who can't think of the word in English, but only in their native language. Except it's not cute when I do it, because English is my native language and it doesn't make sense at all. That is all to say, none of us are perfect and we are here to help each other! Embarrassment not allowed. (Also, I have never heard anything about avoiding fancy GRE words in Statements. I think you're okay, as long as it sounds natural, and not forced.)

At first, I was so jealous that you have assignments to distract you from the craziness. And then I imagined what it would be like to write this paper after bad news. I agree, you must finish it early. It's the only way.

I'm beginning to think that the professors don't even really know how it works, either. So many I've spoken to have told me they don't ever get their first choice students, or they don't know how the adcoms make selections. Um...but you guys are on the inside!!! Someone has to know how it works!!!

Damn! I really thought you had something with this whole CAA timing deal. The good news: if we get rejected on Valentine's Day, there will be plenty of chocolate available with which to drown our sorrows. If we get accepted, we will now have fond memories of Valentine's Day, regardless of past history of broken hearts/promises, loneliness, jerks SOs, etc. So...win-win? Ish?

Thank you. I so needed this laugh. And this is the roller coaster of emotional hell I'm on. One minute I'm the worst thing ever and the next I'm the most amazing applicant any of these programs have ever seen. More the former, however.

Is that how they do it? I was worried that earlier CAA would bump results. Earlier would be so much better!!!

I agree that you shouldn't call attention to it. And although lefilsdhomme is correct that we are expected to have a certain degree of language mastery, most programs only require us to pass a translation exam, of which spelling is not a part. Also, many, many people are rotten spellers in their native languages, so I don't think it's nearly as problematic as it seems. I assume you are a perfectionist (as am I so I feel your pain) but adcoms know we're not perfect (unfortunately) and it shouldn't be held against you.

I second this. With 6 of us we'll have plenty of options.

So, so much good luck!!! And you scored an interview with your biggest reach...amazing!!! I'm going to focus all my anxious energy into sending you good juju these next two weeks, since I won't be hearing anything for at least three.

Since the art history forums are so quiet, shall we assume that the five or so of us are the only applicants and that we'll have our pick of programs?!?!!!