RubyBright

I gave up my spot at the program that wasn't offering enough funding for me to afford to go. I'm hoping someone really deserving gets off the waitlist... ... Karma? Do I get good karma for this?

dream chaser

I just got a first-wave offer. *shrugs* They're still coming.

Looks like someone posted a result to the Results Search today? Unless that was you...

shopping list

I declined an offer today because of insufficient funding. It made me really sad, but then I cheered up when I realized someone on their waitlist is going to get an offer now. Now I'm just hoping someone at the school I'm waitlisted for does the same!

Wow! The schools I applied to don't exceed $13,000... before taxes. Granted, you get tuition remission, but the numbers you all are quoting seem extravagant in comparison!

heirloom tomato

Hopefully it will amuse someone that, while considering what to do (waitlisted at top school, accepted at un-affordable out-of-state PhD with no funding, and accepted at a backup master's program that would be a sensible-ish choice), I just thought to myself, "Don't expect too much, this is no fairy tale..." After a pause, it occurred to me that of course this is no fairy tale. To the best of my knowledge, there are no grad school admission fairy tales. Somebody should get on writing one of those.

three kings

Isn't it? I keep thinking that every day that passes makes it more likely that I'll hear back soon, but I have this terrible feeling that I won't hear anything until after April 15, when it's too late.

I agree with the recurring idea that I always knew I would go to grad school. I just didn't always know what I would be studying. My dream for a while was marine biology - not the play with dolphins kind, the research wetlands kind. It didn't really work out, and I landed in HF by accident. THAT did work out, and quite well, so here I am! There was more than one change in my major along the way, as you can probably guess. The point here, though, is that I never thought a bachelor's would be enough. Just like some kids grow up expecting that they'll go to college one day, though they don't know the subject, I grew up expecting that I'd go to grad school, though I didn't know the field.

All right, guys - it was a good sign after all! I just got an email from the school accepting me!

I got an email from one of my schools. It was an email inviting me to apply. I'm not even sure what kind of "sign" to take that as! Love when the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing....

First, you take some time and breathe. Your life would be boring if it always went the way you expected. Next, take some time and brainstorm ideas you haven't explored yet. You might be surprised what you come up with. Did you really spend $4,000? Or was that a typo, and it should have been $400? If it was $4,000, I'm assuming some kind of test prep classes you won't need to take again. If it was $400, well, perhaps you have a better idea of where you should and shouldn't apply on the next round, which will help with the total cost? Best of luck to you!

Looks like they called some people today? http://thegradcafe.com/survey/index.php?q=university+of+florida+english&t=a&o=&pp=25

I think they want you to know that there's a good chance you'll make it off the list, so that you don't dismiss their program. Meanwhile, I just keep checking my waitlisted application again and again... Really wondering when I'll receive my final decision.

Isn't it a little off to have 18-21 still grouped together? I knew a lot of people who graduated undergrad at 21 without skipping any years. Not to give your second poll a hard time.

How long has it been since you emailed them asking for information? Could they be on Spring Break right now?

If I could have gone back far enough, I would have fought harder to get research experience earlier.

If your deadline was sometime in January, I don't think it hurts to send a polite email. Just let them know you've been hearing from other schools, and you're wondering what your status is. As much as it's nice to feel like you're doing something, I don't think it would help much. Since their waitlist is already ranked, it probably won't help. Sorry. We're all here waiting with you.

I felt better about my waitlist until I found out that my one accepted school probably wasn't going to fund me. I'm also thinking I should have applied to more schools... but there aren't a lot of HF programs to go around.

Vacation sounds nice... perhaps coming back at the end to acceptances...

Check in a different browser or two, and if there's still nothing there, email/call the department.

The longer it goes on, the more I think that maybe I should just accept my second choice... assuming they come up with funding, of course.