pears

leap frog

it depends on the situation, really- it seems like other users here have found delicate ways to mention it, if their decision making process is coming down to funding. however, if you're just curious about when you'll be hearing back, i wouldn't mention it.

oh man, i know that feeling.. i'm taking my vacation right after 4/15. my better half and i are going backpacking through the "green" trinity alps for a week (fresh fish and rice for dinner every night? not a soul in sight? subalpine lakes so blue they make you wince when it's sunny out? yes please!), then wrapping it up with some bluegrass and friends at the mountain i've been riding all season. april can't come fast enough for so, so many reasons! also congrats bedmas!! let the tears of joy flow!

has it been more than 6 weeks since your applications to the other schools were considered "complete"/"processed"? if yes: send a polite email to the department contact person (chair or secretary) if no: wait until 6 weeks have passed, then refer to "if yes"

my pup :3 she looks like a little teddy bear! my leopard gecko, probably hating everything, because that's what she does best.

family recipe

sweetpearl: thanks! and congrats on your acceptance, by the way! anxiousanthro: good to know! thank you especially for the time frame- it's a big relief to know i probably won't have to wait too long to hear something one way or the other. i was so confused by it all that i actually forwarded it to my (very honest/blunt) S.O., and even he didn't have a clue about how to interpret it. it seems one other person heard from the same school for the same department last friday. i submitted my materials on time, but thanks to its horrible bureaucracy and slow mail, my official transcript from my time in australia didn't arrive until a few days after the deadline, with approval from the dept., so perhaps i'll have a later decision, since my materials were pokey.

covalent bonds

("progressive") bluegrass is good for the soul! "truly, underneath the stars, there are a million ways to be the way you are.." ("'neath the stars" by railroad earth) "in my own defense, i don't believe that i.. was born.. this complicated" ("complicated" by yonder mountain string band) all around devestatingly great lyrics. chris thile is a beast! ("you are" by punch brothers)

any other texas state applicants out there? i got an extremely cryptic email today, as well as some equally cryptic minor updates to my application status page. they seem to be hinting at an acceptance: "Thank you for submitting your application to Texas State University. According to the State of Texas rules and regulations for determining residence status, and based upon information provided on the ApplyTexas application, you have been classified as a non-resident for tuition purposes. […] Please be sure that your tuition charges are properly coded when you register. If you have questions about your residency you may refer to the Coordinating Board’s website[…] This letter pertains to your residency classification for tuition purposes only. It does not constitute official acceptance to Texas State." i don't want to get ahead of myself, but i would say this is a good sign, no?

interviewing tips, from dogs: don't be too formal. don't be too casual, either, and definitely get lots of rest the night before. talk yourself up, but don't try to be someone you're not. don't forget: strong, engaging, open body language is important! a little personal touch to the old "skirt and blouse"/"blazer and tie" look never hurts, but don't get too crazy. no matter what you decide to wear, a smile is the most important accessory!

Irish jig

for the love of iced cinnamon swirl rolls and all that is holy, don't. put yourself in the other person's shoes. how horrendously awkward and stressful would it be if a complete stranger contacted you, essentially pressuring you to make your decision faster? it's not an easy process for anyone. don't add extra stress to someone else's decision-making simply for your own benefit. patience and kindness will pay off more.

fishing line

sometimes i feel like i'm the only one who wants to get a phd (eventually) but has absolutely no intention of going into academia right away.. i like pounding the ground too much and digging in the dirt. academia can wait until i throw out my back more than once a month.

this has happened to me with both of my acceptances so far. after a few days of radio silence following the acceptances, i contacted the graduate chair of each program's anthropology department, and got responses from them within a couple of hours indicating that, indeed, i was officially accepted (e.g., listing my advisor, sending me student contact info, explaining the online "here's my decision" buttons to me). as courtc said, just contact the department grad chair. they'll know who you are and should be able to help!

nobody can figure out which program(s) is/are the best fit for you except you. research fit, faculty, location, cost.. it comes down to what you place the most importance on and whether you "mesh" with the program, not the opinions of strangers or the "prestige" of the place. as for financial aid: have you already been accepted, or are you just sussing places out? if it's the latter, i'd avoid making a judgment call before you've even applied. everything is up in the air with the pending "sequestration" nonsense. many things will change within the next two weeks, nevermind an entire 6-12 months.

sea shell

dangit, now there's an admit to the same program i applied for at texas state..! they got a decision via email this morning, so obviously, now is when all of my daily spam emails decide to roll in. arghhhh.

apply for any and all TA/RA positions that you possibly can, even if you think you have no chance, and even if the deadlines are before when you think you'll be hearing back (as long as your POI/the department says it's okay for you to apply). i had a totally self-defeating attitude about my top choice program, and now that i'm in, i'm really regretting my decision to not at least try to apply for some things to boost my wallet and experience (though, in all likelihood, i wouldn't have been given a position).

salty sailor

when i received an acceptance from a program that uses applyyourself, a new link appeared at the bottom of my application when the decision was made. not sure how it works for rejections.

a thought dawned on me today, as i was discussing this whole "sequestration" hoohah with a co-worker: there's a chance that many public universities — and private ones that offer grants, fellowships, etc. — have to delay their admissions process until they have a sense of what their funding will be like. it's really thrown a lot of people in my field of work for a loop: a forest might be able to hire 3 seasonal employees, 2 students, and 2 interns, or everyone except the head honchos might get furlough and find themselves S.O.L. for a full season (which, for many of us, is the vast majority of our income). everyone's holding their breath until march 1st. i suspect it may be the same for many programs.

rock candy