your humble servant

OK, I've now gotten three emails from people who we admitted two days ago but who haven't been notified by the Graduate School.
 
I am really, really sorry that some of you are being left hanging. I'll bring this to the attention of the Graduate School next week.

Ok, I now have concrete evidence that everyone wasn't informed simultaneously by our system. One person emailed me to find out why we didn't admit him/her—but we did.

So no answer still means no answer. And I think I have MY answer: they're using the hamster-powered TRS-80....

FWIW, I did receive a call from my POI but did not receive an offer. It is not possible to not feel hurt by rejections, but this is the nature of the process. As our good boazczoine said, this is just the beginning. Let's all try to stay positive. 
 
 
Congrats B, a great way to start the season indeed. Don't you guys forget Ms Sanders' flowers during the admit weekend

I can claim the second OSU admit--very thrilled (and more than a little relieved) to have the news, especially since OSU is one of my top-5 schools. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everyone who is still waiting to hear!

Hello, all. I've been lurking for quite a while. I was the original OSU admit posted to the results page. At least in this case, trolls aren't giving us difficulty!

Good luck to all in the process. I remember being in your shoes a year ago and understand it can be nerve wrecking. Let the process play out and things work out in the end.
I look forward to seeing some of you in Columbus during visits. Cheers!

Good luck to all in the process. I remember being in your shoes a year ago and understand it can be nerve wrecking. Let the process play out and things work out in the end.
I look forward to seeing some of you in Columbus during visits. Cheers!

Probably because changing it would involve a very considerable amount of effort. This is also the answer to many other "Why does this part of admissions not make sense?" questions.
 
The thing that you need to understand about the admissions bureaucracy is this: however complicated and bureaucratic and messed-up you think it is, it's actually far worse. Academic institutions are nightmarish when it comes to efficiency, infrastructure, and so on. I used to get a file cart full of printed applications to read rolled into my office, which I would have to return so that someone else could read them. That happened as recently as 5 years ago.
 
But it all works. And the main reason it works is that a whole lot of goodhearted people work their asses off to cover up its flaws and fix its problems so that we can do the best job we can. If you visit OSU, for example, you'll meet my grad coordinator, Courtney Sanders. Please bring her flowers. She'll be spending a solid week converting the different parts of your application (letters, statements, application, cv, etc.) into a single document for the committee to read. You might point out that it should be possible to have a computer do that. You'd be absolutely right. But that's not how it's done, and Courtney picks up the slack cheerfully. The people in the Graduate School work their butts off to get everything done on a timetable as well. And so on.
 
Why are things so fundamentally messed up in the first place? I don't have the answer to that. I wish I did.
 
 
Thank you! Much appreciated.

I think the most frustrating thing is waiting when you can no longer affect the outcome (though at least I hear from reliable source that my waiting will end tomorrow, one way or another).  Kudos on Ohio State! great program, and I hear they have some really nice faculty
 

This thread has been silent compared to 3 months ago. But I am glad people have begun to settle to their schools. For those still waiting, keep the faith. Believe me, it all works out for you in the end if you are determined! I look forward to meeting all of you in conferences and classes. After all, we are all colleagues now 

Woah. OSU faculty infestation! (If you're the real deal)

Perhaps they're even among us.

Ready for all of this to wind down. Really hope my options are clear by then end of the week. Then I can enjoy making plans to meet you fine people on visitation days! =D

Ready for all of this to wind down. Really hope my options are clear by then end of the week. Then I can enjoy making plans to meet you fine people on visitation days! =D

Claiming the University of Maryland admission.
 
I opened my email and BAM - there it was.  I didn't trust it until I re-read it.

Am I the only one who finds the occasional "safety school" references on the results board to be kind of a bummer for everyone else? 

Thanks for the congrats, everyone. I feel extremely humbled and honored. I am also quite shocked. I did a cartwheel when I got the news!

Dear everyone: Please. Stop. Sending. Me. Emails.

In at OSU....shaking....
 
I'm happy to join the list of people who struck out their first cycle, and got in on their second try. Keep the faith everyone!

Cheers to everyone in the room.

Here's hoping to status changes, unofficial acceptances, POI Inquiries, Random phone calls from programs and official updates!