Marie-Luise

I have been wondering how many people actually submit their results. How many acceptances are genuine? How many rejections unknown because their recipients are not exactly keen on telling (even though it's anonymous)? I would bet that about 10-20 percent of acceptances go on here. Sometimes less, but rarely more. But the truth is that we, the unknowing, hang on to the submissions like onto oxygen tanks. We keep refreshing the page for our school and programme (yes, admit it) in the hope (or fear!) that results may start showing. Yet, in the background, sits the ever-lurking fear that acceptances might have gone out without our noticing. That there are people out there, evil people, heinous people who sneakily got accepted into OUR programmes and don't even bother to tell us. Because we have a RIGHT to know, NOW! And we pile up on the paranoia as the month goes trickling by... Thoughts, fears, tales to tell? (Yes, I am both insomniac and bored. One day, I'll invent a job where you get paid for that.)

You might be surprised. Maybe you'll hear tomorrow (today in my time zone).

You might not have been rejected from Harvard. They only started notifying today.

This doesn't sound like a rejection to me. It's an unofficial acceptance, since funding is pending.

Who's the second English acceptance at Harvard?

That's what this website is *actually* for.

Good luck to you! Is it your first choice? Where else did you apply?

But you get an up vote for your cute profile picture.

Are you the English acceptance?

I always thought that transferring was looked down upon. Like stabbing that uni in the back that just gave you a 20k fellowship, for a better programme. At least it's looked down upon at Notre Dame.

Bearcat1, this is a cute profile picture!

Oh, and you get an upvote!

Thanks for the link. It made my day. This is going on Facebook.

OMG, this is hilarious! Where is this from? Snow White obviously, but which version?

In short: yes. Although it has less to do with it being Harvard. This is the only programme in combination with the only professor I can see myself spending at least another six years in. He is a brilliant academic and an incredibly nice man, and, if I may say so, the kind of academic I aspire to be. Harvard's Comp Lit programme is also ranked nr 1 and looking at what courses and secondary fields you can do, it seemed a perfect fit in that respect, too. Plus, my best friend is there and some other friends I have made in Celtic. It just seemed right. I will re-apply once if I don't get in this season. But after that, I will stay on the Celtic job market and try to expand into other fields. I want to be an (Indo-)European literary scholar, someone like Dumézil, though less heavy on the mythological side, and heavier on the criticism side and the linguistic side. I like being strong in both philology (hence all the languages), but at the same time have a good grasp of the theory (and this is where Harvard comes in). I want to be a medieval comparatist, but with a background in historical linguistics (in which I'd do a secondary field), but I also want to draw on languages and cultures that have been neglected by the European mainstream: Russian (Medieval Russian lit is fairly neglected even within it's own field of Slavic Studies; it's all about the Classics; Modern Russian criticism has largely been untranslated and provides new insights into familiar material) and Celtic to a certain extent. Old Irish literature has incredible themes, but it's a difficult language to learn, so not many people learn it. I am also very fond of learning modern languages and will keep doing that as long as I live. That's the long answer.

Here's another question: is the chair of a department usually part of the admissions committee? And to answer another question which was asked elsewhere: Yes, Harvard has President's Day off, so no one was making decisions on our behalf there today.

No they haven't. We are waiting for them. I just saw that someone posted an acceptance on here last year on March 4. I think that's quite late.

I am not actually a full student at Notre Dame, just a visitor. Glad to hear you have jobs. I don't. 1500 dollars seems so excessive. What about people who are great students but can't afford to apply? Are there fee waivers? Can't wait to hear from my own programme.

Last year someone posted an acceptance on March 4. They send them out late.

Love the cat! Looks like mine when she's pissed that it's raining.

I just listened to your link below Whistler. Nice song. Wasn't familiar with it.

Well, today is only Monday, so you need to give them some time. I never got a response either and sent mine over a week ago. At this stage, there is literally nothing you can do. Except wait, and hope. And maybe, just in case, look for a job. Sad, I know, but that's what I am doing actually.

I'm going with cruel joke. When in doubt, blame the party in power...

So, about sending updated application material: I've sent an email to the Dept secretary of my programme to ask her whether they had gotten my official transcripts, and she never replied. Too busy? Doesn't care? Doesn't know? Doesn't want to contact anyone as long as decisions are still not made? Any idea, anyone?

Stanford admissions, anyone?