tie

Nah, you aren't too rare. I am 45 and just starting the PhD program. I haven't even thought about being too old. Guess I should start worrying about that too!

I am in a somewhat similar position. I finished my master's about 10 years ago and decided to go for the PhD. Since it had been so long since I was in school, I took a couple of graduate classes at a local university. It gave me some good LOR writers and helped me realize that I really did want to go for the PhD. When I was visiting the PhD school I will attend this fall, the POI told me I had to have copies of the syllabus and they would transfer in classes, but there was a limit to how many they can transfer. But he preached that they need the syllabus to make sure the work was on par with their program. That being said, I would try to get copies of the syllabus.

The waiting was by far the worst part for me.

What if when I selected "I plan to attend" I accidentally selected "I do not plan to attend"... It wouldn't let me go back and double check.

OMG to both of you!!! I am so excited for you two!! I don't post much, but I read this forum all.the.time. I feel like I know you personally have even have pictures in my heads of what you look like. These posts show the awesomeness that is on this board. Congratulations to you both and to everyone else with such great news!!

Thanks. It was a good year for English folks. I had one other acceptance that I wasn't thrilled about. I didn't think the fit was as great and it wasn't fully funded. This is my first and only fully funded acceptance. I am still a little nervous about telling people.

I got off the waitlist and am in. I am in shock. I actually took a picture of the email and asked someone to read it and verify that I read it correctly. Now I am afraid to check my email now in case they change their minds. All that worrying and now a weird feeling of shock and a different type of fear. This process is nuts. To think of the emotions I have gone through and I still haven't gotten excited. Maybe tomorrow...

Different field, but some people in English just got word of acceptance with funding today it looks like. That could be a positive sign.

I wouldn't give up hope yet. Have they sent out rejections or only offers? If they have sent rejections and you haven't gotten one yet, I see that as a good sign. I don't know about funding, though. It seems like funded offers would have gone out by now, but who knows. Are people still getting funding offers this late in the game?

No, no one looked down on either living arrangement. Honestly where people lived wasn't a big deal. If someone lived on campus or with a roommate, it was usually assumed to be a financial thing. Every assumes you are broke and no one thinks about you living arrangements except you and your roomie. And maybe your girlfriend.

Personally, I would live off campus. The school where I did my master's had graduate housing, but I don't know of anyone who lived there (no one in my classes at least). You get to know people through your classes and seminars.

Cabin Fever, don't give up on gradcafe because a few people are mean. Just ignore them and listen to those who respond nicely. But if you ask for advice/opinions, remember that you might not get responses that you want to hear. You may hear that the schools you are considering aren't ranked highly and that a few people think you are crazy for thinking of those schools. That is their opinion and you asked for their opinion. You can't fault people for disagreeing with you. Also remember that everyone's situation is different, so you have to make the decision that works for you.

It sounds so easy doesn't it? Just relax because there is nothing we can do. But it isn't really that easy, although I am doing much better this week when I accepted that it is out of my hands, but I still have my moments.

I went out to lunch yesterday with one of the few people who know and several who don't. She didn't mention my applications or grad school at all. God bless her.

Is there any public transportation you can use? Then you could read/study while commuting.