ChurchLover

I had an abysmal quant score and am now incredibly happy at my top choice program. Last year at this time, I was SO worried about my GRE score, knowing that it was the weakest point of my application. Clearly, it didn't stop me from getting into a great program, nor will it stop any of you. Spend your time revising your SOP & writing sample--they're what matter most.

Will be rooting for you all + checking in on this thread.

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!

I am going to take a moment to congratulate myself on being the first posted Yale rejection, and go drown my sorrows in pizza.

Hello guys...
 
Sorry for the long absence.  It was my last week in Paris and I was trying to cram in as many exhibitions as I possibly could.   I see that there has been a thread of fruitful debate over my post - I appreciate that.  Instead of addressing anyone specifically I will attempt to explain my reasoning for the post.
 
First of all, I do understand the following:
1. There is no recipe to get in - in other words - the whole process is a crap shoot.
2. Every school is different, thus one never knows what each one is looking for in a given year.
3. People approach the process differently, so again, there is no formula.
4. Each one of you have unique traits that make you particularly attractive to certain schools.
 
Second of all, I also understand the mistakes I made this year (full disclosure):
1.  I did not put the amount of time and effort necessary to figure out the best fit (school, POIs, etc), except for two POIs;
2.  I wrote my SOP for one school, and changed "very little" for the other schools (I put all my eggs in one basket);
3. I took the GRE in the last minute, was very sick and didn't have the time to retake, resulting in a more than dismal score across the board (I think that alone eliminated me from the process in several schools);
4. My writing sample could be a little longer and better elaborated (this is already being addressed since I submitted an unfinished paper: my preliminary honors thesis - I hadn't even been to Paris yet to finish my research);
5. I did not emphasize my strengths well enough on my SOP, nor did I address my weaknesses appropriately either.
6. Though I studied art theory, I think my school didn't do a good enough job addressing current issues and trends (in fact, I don't think my professor knows what is going on in our field right now - I am very well versed in my subfield though since I did the work on my own) - I noticed how many of you are well versed and knowledgeable on the subject (which is why I think I could benefit from a masters).  I have also started to address this problem... reading, reading, reading, reading, and reading for the next several months.
 
Now... what I was hoping to get from my inquiry.  These questions were very vague for one reason, and one reason only: I wanted to see if there is some sort of trend/pattern for the more "global" questions I have.  Notice that I am not interested in GRE scores, GPAs, which school specifically you went to, etc.  This is really a very superficial attempt to identify any trend, if there is one.  I know that this is not big enough of a sample here to rely on, but as I am starting to prepare for the next application cycle and I am trying everything I can to get a better understanding of the process.
 
With all that being said, all your answers have been extremely helpful in trying to allay my curiosity and inform my action plan for next cycle- I truly and gratefully mean that.  Many of you have shared more than I was hoping to get here.
 
All the best!

To the Stanford admit: Congratulations!!
 
If you don't mind me asking, were you interviewed? What is your field of interest?
 
Thanks!
 

I've received a lot of help from the forum, and I'm willing to pay that forward. So, feel free to PM me for specific questions if you'd like, and I'd be happy to do what I can.
 
 
1. Do you have a graduate degree?
Yes, MA.
 
2. Did you graduate from an Ivy league and/or a top art history program (undergrad, grad, or both)?
Undergrad: Definitely not. Grad (MA): UChicago.
 
3. Did you contact the POI(s) of the schools you were accepted to ahead of time?  Email, phone and/or in person?
Yes. Email and phone.
 
4. Did you have an interview?  if so, how many?
No.
 
5. Was this your first time applying? If not, second or third?
Second.
 
6. Are all your offers fully funded?
Yes. (Isn't this the norm in Art History?)
 
7. How many offers have you gotten so far?
Two, and I'm waitlisted at another two. However, my interests are a bit interdisciplinary, and I'm waitlisted at Pittsburgh for English+Film Studies, and at USC for Critical Studies.

Thanks! I really appreciate any information I can get! 

So when does "No news is good news" turn into "No news is no?"

I am in a similar situation, kaykay12, except for the fact that I have not been accepted anywhere. I still think, however, that regardless of this year's results, I will be applying to a few MAs next year also.  I am pretty confident about the people that I want to work with, and where I would be willing to relocated to for a PhD (location IS very important to me).  So an MA at this point might be just what I need to get where I want to be - I will put up with a small town for two years, not for 5+.
 
Though I am fine with being rejected across the board, and I honestly mean that, I would love to get all the results out of the way already. I am more and more confident that I won't be accepted anywhere, but still... I HATE that lingering sensation of "what if."

Try looking through this thread first; it might have some insights for you.

Friends!!! I have to tell you -- you may have already seen in my blog, but I want to post here for good measure.

I got into my dream school (UDel)!!!! I was admitted to the MA (applied to PhD) but they are extremely generous with their financial offer and I just cannot wait to start! I'm so excited!!! After all this time! On the 21st of March! I thought all hope was lost, but here they are, rescuing me from despair. I burst into tears just thinking about it. I wonder if the elation passes.

Thank you all for all of your support these past few, terrible months. You're the best!

Ok already with this bullshit. Hal, you're just getting the beat down on here huh? I don't find anything that you have said over the top bothersome or take it personally, people make comments not everyone is going to like, I don't internalize them because I don't feel that they apply to me. I am confident as f*&k. You are certainly not the first person on here to say something remotely unpopular as far as I can tell. You haven't resorted to name calling, which I have seen several times.You said what you thought, and when people vehemently disagreed you acted the man and said you were sorry. And I don't think you need to apologize to anyone. Again. You do you, and never mind everybody else. Say what you have to say, then drop the mic and walk away.

Dear friends,
 
I honestly wish I'd known this website much earlier in the process.  Just by reading the back and forth between you guys, I have gained an understanding of the admission process that would have proven useful when I was still working on my application.  I guess this was my first time doing this and I know now that I made TONS of mistakes; several of them already pinpointed by many of the comments here.  Though the game is not over until is over, it will be a miracle if I get in this year.  I am confident though that I will put a very competitive application together next year, and hopefully the results will be different.  Modesty aside, I do not think I am the worst candidate ever.  Of course, any improvement to my app next year will not have been possible without your invaluable help!
 
There is truly a lot of great advice here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

First of all, don't give up until you know you have been rejected from all of the schools you applied to.
 
It. is. not. over.
 
Second of all, if you're talking about Princeton, with Irene Small as the POI, potentially you were edged out in favour of applications favoured by more senior faculty members. I assume we're talking about the 20th century, so it's possible that Doherty/Foster wanted specific candidates. The same goes for Berkeley, assuming we're discussing Julia Bryan-Wilson. As far as I know, at least three students interested in working with her were accepted last year, so it is very possible that the committee chose to accept candidates from other areas this year.
 
A lot of this process is tied in with department politics and balance. I wouldn't worry too much about your application needing improvement at this point, especially if a POI at one of the two aforementioned departments complimented your SOP. It may just not be your year in regards to certain departments. 

It's ok! You aren't out of the game yet!