Soleil ت

Ditto on the Cornell rejection. No surprise there since everybody with funding packages seems to consider me unworthy, lol. I didn't think twice about the Cornell rejection. I'm pretty set on Indiana myself. I'm even planning to get a new bank because they don't have a Wells Fargo, where I bank, or a Citibank, where I work/bank. Darn. Anyway, I am sure you will get accepted from UF! They told me I would hear back this week, and I am taking no response as a bad sign. That's ok though. No rejection can hurt me quite like Austin I am ready for it all to be done!

I have gained 20 pounds since October... :/

No, but to be fair, I only received my official acceptance letter today, so I would expect it within the next two weeks or so.

Hey there. Sorry for the response delay, and sorry about your rejection. I just came out of my wallowing hole (lol) to respond. I dont know about you, but I was contacted by Theresa Antes from UF. Their interview styles may be somewhat different if you were contacted by someone else, but be prepared to speak five to ten minutes in French. It was incredibly informal. Like you, it was my first graduate interview as well, and I was really nervous. I didn't prepare too much so I stumbled over my French out of anxiety a little She introduced herself and then she asked if she could start in French. She asked me to talk about fhe classes that have prepared me to study French Linguistics at UF. She also asked about ways in which I maintain my French, since I took a year between BA and my applications. She didn't ask me too much in French. In English she asked if I had questions. I asked her about why they didn't accept students into a PhD track, and she said that some programs recently merged and it's still working itself out. She said there is no guarantee that you will be offered an opportunity to move on to PhD but it's possible. She didn't sound too confident in her sales pitch which is why I intend to decline if offered a position -- despite the fact that it's 30 minutes south of my hometown and all my family, whom I miss so terribly It was really informal and there was very little pressure. The phone call from start to finish was 21 minutes. You will be fine! Just prepare better than I did! Bon courage. (Sorry for any typos; im on my ipad)

I was rejected from Austin last night. I'm so heartbroken

total recall

I have more time, so I can actually write my real story now! I was born and raised in Florida, and I went to Florida schools until I was almost 15. I didn't have many talents beyond academia as a child, nor did I have many (if any, in retrospect lol) friends. Needless to say, virtually all of my time was spent studying for state spelling bees and playing Pokemon (a balanced lifestyle). When I made the choice to live with my dad and my step mom in the southwest, I started high school not knowing anybody. I didn't find friends very easily, and I even felt a little culture-shocked, since I was about half an hour from the Mexican border. It was a big adjustment period for me, but I adapted quickly and excelled. I participated in many clubs, including the French club (where I was president), political and social action groups, Invisible Children (yes, it existed back then lol) and even chess club for a day. I had high test scores, ranked seventh in the country two years in a row for advanced French exams, and received a full-ride scholarship from the state university in my city. I knew immediately what I wanted to major in: linguistics. I had studied French and Spanish in high school, and I was totally enamored with French and Francophone studies. The school I attended had a really small language program, and they had very little to offer in the way of Linguistics. Yet, I did the best I could with what I had been given. I continued to take French and Linguistics classes as they became available, while also dabbling in economics, fitness classes, and creative writing, in search of the career that would sound more exhilarating than "professor." My parents always kind of assumed that my passion for foreign language would land me a career as an ambassador in the UN. I tried international business and even considered med school, computer science and engineering. I always went back to language. Let's just say you never quite forget your first love! Every semester I made it on the dean's list, and I ultimately graduated with French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Latin under my belt and a 3.9 GPA. Somehow in my undergraduate career I developed a bad case of procrastination, which led me to literally not study one bit for the GRE. I made the mistake of 'winging' the GRE, and the scores show. I miraculously scored in the 87th percentile on V, but in the 35th percentile on Q and an eye-sore 3.0 in AW. I was worried about my GRE scores and my lack of advisor-led research due to the size of my program, so I took a year off to prepare better (read: work, play and not prepare). This year, I knew I had to apply. I struggled with putting together my list of schools, but I finally submitted applications to some great programs and some other not-so-great-but-more-like-safety programs. Now, I'm currently sitting here playing the waiting game, but not stressing out as badly as before now that I have one great acceptance under my belt.

grand theft

Hmm... Definitely wait to see what else happens. When I had my interview for UF, I felt off about their description of the process from MA to PhD. She made it sound uncertain, and it ultimately resulted in my crossing it off my consideration list. Thank goodness for IU! lol

secret identity

public service

grade school

Did they mention why they couldn't offer you a place? Were they overcrowded? Budget cuts? NYU is a nice program, and I think that if you consider the MA, they may give you priority if you reapply for their PhD. It just depends on how much interest you have in NYU. Bummer to hear they can't accept you, but exciting that they called to tell you they were really interested in you! I wouldn't take that as a rejection, but more as a half-acceptance due to program issues. I also doubt NYU will be your only option.

Merci ! I am super duper duper excited. I see you were already accepted to Austin? I'm still to waiting to find out my fate there. I'm set on Indiana unless Austin accepts me (much better funding!), in which case I am going to be super conflicted.

I hit my up-vote quota, but I want you to know I appreciate and fully (like 110%) understand your feelings on school and the safety, happiness and empowerment it can make you feel. Your passion will take you far. Honestly, I applied to grad school because 'school is my home.' I dont really know what I'm doing; I'm winging everything since I'm the first in my family to graduate college and apply for grad school. All I know is that it's right for me, and it will happen because I want it to.

My story is neither interesting nor inspirational. :/ Attended undergrad on a full-ride scholarship, graduated with honors and top 5%, took a year off and now applying to PhD programs.

Hold up

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of school, I take a look at my apps and feel like such a fool, Cuz I've been writin' and fightin' so long that Even my reccos think that my mind is gone. But I ain't ever crossed a school that didn't intrigue me, Me be treated like a noob, you know that's unheard of. You better watch how you're callin' and where you're writin', or you and your dreams might be lined in 'jects. I really need to chill but I gotta know, As they choose, I see myself in the reject pile, fool, I'm the kind of grad the little freshmen wouldn't be like, On my knees in the night checking Results on the Café. Been spending most our year living in the grad school paradise, Been spending most our year living in the grad school paradise, Keep spending most our year living in the grad school paradise, Keep spending most our year living in the grad school paradise.

Thank you! It was one of my top choices because of its amazing fit with my interests, as well as its location! Have you received any good news yet?

Thanks for the awesome information!

Off kilter

Hammer time

Mc Lovin

Don't forget the part where, if pushed hard enough, something totally amazing and unique comes from you. Probably with the same amount of gore and tears. And maybe a sedative.

You sound well educated and driven, as well as self-aware. I am willing to bet you will absolutely be accepted. Best of luck!