BuddingScholar

Even though I didn't apply to any PhD programs this year, I can still feel the pain of those Berkeley rejections on the board. Is that some sort of blood-letting ritual? I remember--unfortunately, quite well--how that felt last year. I should add, however, that at least we saw a few acceptances last app season. Where are those blessed few? Hang in there, my dear friends! Better news will soon arrive. (fingers crossed)

I bought a sweater from my top choice school and have kept it hidden in my closet; nobody knows (but you guys) that I have it. The day I hear back from the school, I will either wear it if accepted or burn it if not. I keep having dreams about going around--sporting my new outfit, of course--to let everybody know about the A-MA-ZING news. I wish!

Congratulations!!!

I think that's a great question! I have tried to visit a few schools and talk with some of their students also. But I am trying not to worry too much about it at this point since I don't even know which schools will accept/reject me. Once I hear back from more schools, I am planning to visit the ones that accept me. I've heard back from one school so far and I am planning to visit it in the end of the month. Hopefully that will give me a better sense of the school at large, the department, the faculty, and the student body.

Yes, I know of a couple of people who have had similar experiences. In one case, it was simply because the school was not in the habit of accepting undergraduate students directly into their PhD, seuf a select few, of course. This seems to be the case with schools in Canada, for example. They offered the student full funding though. The other student was offered a similar deal, but without funding for his MA. The condition was that if he did well throughout his MA, then they would fund his PhD studies. I know of some schools in the US (Temple, for example) where students are given the option to apply to a "Masters with intention to continue into PhD." In those cases, I've heard that students have successfully transitioned into their PhD. In my opinion, for what it's worth, if they don't fund your MA, then they don't seem very committed to you. Take this with a grain of salt though, I don't really know your situation. Have they explained to you why they wouldn't take you straight into their PhD? By the way, would you feel comfortable sharing which school offered that? Of course, I understand if you don't. Feel free to PM me if you would like. In any case, I think it is great that they didn't rejected you outright. I'd be happy with an offer like that too. Congratulations! Best of luck with the remaining applications.

Congratulations, Borden!!!!! That's truly fantastic and well deserved. I know you were, like me, hoping for better results this second round. I am super glad for you!

How about Madison, WI? Is it pretty gay friendly? I got my first acceptance from Wisc-Mad.

Congratulations!!!! Did you apply for an MA or PhD? I applied to MA programs at McGill and UToronto so I wonder if it was one of these two...

Lamantin, would it be okay if I PM'ed you?

Thank you for the heads-up! I came into this not expecting a whole lot of funding options (if any) for an MA degree, so I don't think I will be completely surprised if funding is less than stellar. But since there is nothing else that I want more in my life than to go to graduate school, I will have to bite the bullet if needed. My main criteria, at this point, is the department's placement record into top PhD programs and the adviser's area of expertise and research productivity. I do have a person I would like to work with (Jill Casid), but don't quite know how that's going to work yet. Visitation days are being scheduled for late February. So I guess, I won't really know until then.

Just wanted to report that I am super excited for having received my first news... and a great one. I received this email earlier today: "Your application for admission to the Art History Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been favorably reviewed by the Admissions Committee. We have forwarded a recommendation to the Graduate School that you be accepted into the M.A. program." Now I hope that the Graduate School will not go against the department's recommendation! I will not "fully" celebrate just yet. After striking out last year, it certainly feels very good to receive such great news this early in the game. I wish you all the same sort of news!

Hist of photography... 20th century Europe...

I don't have dreams this time of the year, only nightmares... Ha!

Same here... I was not born or raised in the US, but since I received my degree from an American school that requirement was automatically waived across the board. By the way, has anyone who applied to UMass Amherst been able to check the status of his/her app yet? I ask because when I submitted my app a couple of weeks ago, my packet was still missing one of my LoRs. But now, I am not being able to check the status once the application was paid for and submitted.

Why would anyone do that if not to guarantee that you will absolutely choose him/her when it comes time to decided which offer to accept? That's super thoughtful, and I do think that it is a VERY promising sign of upcoming good news. I am rooting for you, Loric! Good luck!

Hey guys... Does anybody know what kind of photo and/or bibliographic collections can be found in Montreal and/or McGill? Though they seem to have an outstanding program, I am unsure as to whether they offer the right type of resources for one interested in the history of photography. Any insights? thanks,

Me neither. One address to submit the first part of the app, one to upload the docs, and one to check the status? Pretty crazy! They were the only one missing from my list. Now I am officially done with all my apps!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!! You absolutely ROCK!

Have you applied to Rutgers? If so, have you been able to upload your supplemental materials (cv, writing sample, etc) yet? how did you do it? I submitted my application over a week ago, and though I received their email with my RUID, I am yet to figure out how to upload the rest of my documents. I emailed them a couple of days ago and am yet to hear back. Since we are just a couple of days away from their deadline, I am now beginning to get concerned (i.e. freak out). thanks,

My new year's resolution is to start grad school, but then, I had the same one last year and here I am. Maybe I should choose one that I can actually control the outcome. Will be thinking about it. Anyway, I do have an Ipad, but have only used apps related to my photographic work and my teaching (gradebook). Of course, I have the usual dictionary, kindle, nook, etc, type of apps but nothing more specific.

Pandora decided that I needed to listen to the following by Jewel -- and I thought it was quite fitting after all. If I could tell the world just one thing It would be that we’re all ok And not to worry because worry is wasteful And useless in times like these I will not be made useless I won’t be idled with despair I will gather myself around my faith For light does the darkness most fear

I am a mix of anxiety and indifference. I struck out last year, so it's all-or-nothing for me this time around -- at least I feel this way. Though I think I fixed all the major problems with last year's app and am confident that my background is considerably stronger this time, one aspect of my app (GRE) still concerns me -- I am afraid this will be my demise. Well.. at least there are no Ivys on my list, and no PhDs either. So we shall see! I had promised myself that this season I would be "only" lurking around gradcafe. Well... it hasn't worked thus far as you can tell. For some reason, this stressful process seems a little more bearable when I know that there are many others going through similar pains. Besides it does cheer me up when people start to receive good news -- I am very vicarious!

Ugh, I can imagine... But already having an interview scheduled is a good sign, right? I hope you will knock their socks off! Keep us all posted... and good luck!

I know it's a little too early for that, but I thought it would be nice to start--what seems to be an yearly tradition--our waiting room thread. So let the commiserating, nail biting, heart pounding, anxiety-laden, grueling wait begin. I am hoping that we will get to share tons of great news this year... I surely need that for my health sake. Let the 2014 Hunger Games begin!

I emailed them requesting a face-to-face interview last week, but have not heard back. In fact, I had my air ticket on hold until today. Oh well, I guess I will book the flight once they confirm that they can see me when I am hoping to be there. I also figured that if they take a look at my app ahead of time and decide that it's not worth interviewing me, then at least I will save my air miles for something else. ; ) I hope we all get some great news this year. May the nail biting and the excruciating wait begin!!!!!