TMP

*raises a martini glass* Dude, I'm with you. I have NOT heard a single word. Well, except for some tidbit from my POI at one of the schools because he came to give a talk at my university last week. But other than that, no news. Not good if I'm heading back to my parents' for the break this weekend!

Michigan's hanging on pretty well. It relies quite a bit on its endowment and funding from the Fed (including NSF) to finance all science, medical, and engineering research. Still, departments are very cautious with their admit rates. For example, the history department used to make 36 offers and yield about 18-20 students. Since last year, they've decided to extend offers to the number of admits they can actually afford (assuming a 100% yield). So, a bigger waitlist for Michigan. So really, getting accepted at Michigan is a "whew" because you'll still be guaranteed to 5 year funding package, not just because it's a top-notch grad school.

I call it! I say "F#$% the economy" daily. I was talking with my friend about this and she said don't worry you'll be MUCH stronger applicant next year... I said, no, that's not the point. The point is the psychological toll of applying to PhD programs AND waiting!!

No, I never said anything about being rejected from Michigan. I'm still waiting just like everyone else! The only Michigan reject I know for this cycle is my classmate who's in Modern Middle East. My friend (administrative assistant in another department) is completely clueless and just can't get a word out of the History department. I did apply to Michigan and Penn two years ago. Michigan's decision came first, then Penn came. So this is my second time for Michigan but I didn't apply to Penn (terrible fit even though there's someone there I would LOVE to work with)

Got verification from Emory from my POC. All first round offers are out. So if you still haven't heard anything, you're just... well, still on the pile waiting to be reviewed again if they decide to do another round of offers. Okay, maybe I don't have to accept this as a total rejection.

Well, Nytusse, you're about 2/3s way through with your applications. Hm, I'm afraid that my toast will be awfully late as I was rejected by Penn two years ago. Actually, I felt okay about it because my rejection from Michigan a few days earlier hurt... A LOT. And, well, some of the professors who I was interested in didn't seem... friendly. More like a bunch of snoots. I'm very sure that the professors I'm thinking of are not what you all are looking to work with.

Hm, true, looking at your list of schools. If you do want to teach history, go for UCLA then! I also came from a small school so attending my MA program is a big boost to my applications so I do feel you. (gosh, I hate being an out-of-state MA student, which is why I'm taking all-or-nothing approach to funding)

Just to humor you, ask someone to bribe an accepttee to reject their UNC offer with $$$ Don't be afraid to ask UNC these questions! Go ahead and ask.

Most useful? Any PhD relevant for helping to build and organize Obama's library and archives (history, sociology, political science, economics, psychology, etc) Right now. With the entire country (and world!) fixing their eyes on our ever-so-popular President, we need them to collect all the data, photographs, blogs, articles, etc, etc, etc and compile them into a very well-organized archive for the future generations. I pity any historian who attempts to study Obama 50 years from now because of the sheer volume of scattered information s/he will encounter. Least useful? *whispers* Archaeology (my roommate's one! But she's made good argument for the Classics part so I accept that part) I have to say, Planet Earth has kept me from criticizing scientists.

C-Money, you are worth FAR more than $0 in funding from UCLA. Don't underestimate your personal value. Don't be that "desperate" that you're willing to do whatever you can to get your Ph.D. Also, there is a possibility of the department not respecting you as much as you'd think for paying for your way. Funded grad students are going to get first dibs on everything related to funding- summer fellowships and TA-ships because they're all part of their package, those things that matter on your CV.

*groans* Yes! I can eat an entire sleeve. But $3.50 for a box? I just wait until my mother buys some from someone or get them from my little cousin.

Usually I am very conscious of what I'm eaitng. But goodness, only just this past month I'm turning to food for comfort! I can't seem to stop craving for anything peanut butter/chocolate combo (like peanut butter-chocolate cookie bars, Reese's PBCs). It's nuts but I try to limit THAT to about two or three times a week. And well, some form of chocolate the other nights... And I've been eating a bit more "Italian" than usual because I had leftover pizzas from Super Bowl and brought home a 3/4 of a pan of lasgana from a student org meeting the other night... And I received a couple of very interesting recipes from SeriousEats (I do LOVE to cook/bake) that I want to try... I do sincerely wish I had more money to keep cooking and feeding my roommates. But they love to cook as stress reliever as well. *sigh* I think I might just battle with my mother in the kitchen for cooking time when I go home for my break in a week. As for WW, I was on it last year. It DOES work. I also worked with a therapist at the same time. You need to sit down and only and ONLY pay attention to the food you're eating. Smell it. Savor it. Taste every bite. Stop just as you start to feel full. It's about mindful eating. When I wanted an entree that was more than 5 points, I often supplemented the meal with salads or veggies (I love veggies) and just cut out the carbs. I've also found adding spices for a kick to be helpful in curbing my eating. I just have to remember nowadays that I am not eating like the way I used to (except for the past few weeks ). It's really hard but it'll pay off if you just put some mental energy into it! As for exercise, I'm feeling a bit of opposite effect. I'm thankful that I have a 10 mile race in April with a goal of beating a family member to keep me motivated and in training. Otherwise, I wouldn't probably get out of bed most mornings to run before class.

Most likely no unless you've won an amazing grant like Fulbright. Some may let you defer but you will have to apply again for funding.

You think we all should run off to South America and boost our Spanish language and knowledge of (insert country)'s history given the growing importance of Latin America in this country?

Absolute not. My thesis is the love of my life. I mean it. If you hear me talk about it, you'd think I was married. When I applied to grad schools when I did my senior thesis, my advisor, not for one minute, did she allow me to get distracted from my project. She demanded weekly meetings and that meant I had to "feed" her something by the night or two before our meeting. Same went for my MA thesis advisor. They both said, "Thesis, thesis, thesis, you're doing a great job, etc." With their encouragement, there was nowhere for me to go except forward. If anything, this time, my PhD apps actually were in the back burner until November and I seriously started working on them about second week of that month. I was also very driven to get at least 2 chapters written and polished in time for December deadlines. It wasn't easy doing my thesis, PhD apps, 2 graduate seminars, and weekly language study. (I'm not saying that my workload was heavier than others.) But that was quite a lot for me but almost not as much as the fall of my senior year when I did my first round of PhD applications. But to complete a MA thesis draft by December... I was really shocked at myself. Now that my thesis is at its last draft stage, I'm SO excited to get this finished because I'm so proud of myself, not because I just want to get it done and over with. I've found more great research materials and am just hoping that I'll get in somewhere in the fall in order to continue with my projects.

I complained with agony this morning to my friend/the administrative assistant in my department. She tried to reassure me that there is NOTHING wrong with me and I should do things to stay in my field and it says a lot that I'm re-applying, etc, etc. I said to her, "But I'm not worry about that. I know what I should be doing... but... you'd think that doing this for the second time would be easier than the first. And it's not. I'm talking about the emotional stress that comes with this process! How can I do this again!" She said, "Well, then you just need to have a little faith in yourself. Just try." It's hard to believe that I have survived a month since I submitted my last application (a PhD program with a late app deadline but I had others due earlier)... and that was one hell of a long month. Fuck you, Economy. You've sent people applying to grad schools off the whim, driving up the number of applications, and universities to cut back on funding, making this process all seem... impossible to do. Seriously, in the GRAND scheme of things, if you've been accepted to just one program, be happy. If you've been rejected, remember everyone else except for a lucky few admits have been rejected as well. Okay, c'mon, one more week.

As a friend of mine who's a doctoral student in Slavic Dept said to me recently, "I want another Cold War just so there'd be more positions out there for me!" Even, I think, my UG advisor (also a Russianist) is a bit bitter that there isn't a strong demand for Russian history professors as she'd love to be able to move to a University from her LAC.

Looking at the results search, it looks like you guys are having a banner year! Makes me wish I had brushed up my Spanish and taken some of my Latin American papers more seriously (not that I never want to see them again but they're always a possibility.)

I think for those of us who are "still" waiting on Emory, we're done for. I met the professor (my potential advisor) for Emory twice- today for an informal conversation with grad students and yesterday at his talk. He didn't seem to recognize my MA thesis topic (okay, I know I'm being a "snowflake" but my topic is quite memorable for anyone- even I'm surprised how many people remember it over the past year) which I submitted for my writing sample. Or my name. If it was on admit list or a wait list. He didn't say a word to me other than to answer my question regarding his talk. I didn't have a private moment with him as everyone else was all over him. So, put "Emory" on your rejection list. And to hopkinsgirl, Nytusse is right. I'm in MA program as well. Even though you may be anxious to get into a PhD program now, you'll be SO surprised how much you can learn and catch up over the next year and half to create a very strong application. Looking at my application now, I wonder why I didn't apply to more MA programs two years ago. Now only that, you will grow a lot in terms of maturity as a scholar and professors will truly respect you more.

Couldn't it be your parents' academic connections, couldn't it? I would just go if I was offered that for my MA and just focus on language prep and apply again with everything, including Yale's name and professors for recs!

I'm still in that "ignorance is a bliss" phase. I'm trying to stay in there even though my potential advisor is here to give a talk and do a get-together with grad students in my department and I'm going to be part of the discussion tomorrow. I don't want him to tell me ANYTHING... I'm loving my life right now and I don't want any drama. But if it's good news, I can scream, "Okay everybody, the wait is over and I have a future after graduation after all! Now, let's move on." Of course, drama happens when you make it happen, it doesn't come on its own. But for me, I'm a drama queen.

Holy smokes. Who's that lucky UToronto admit? A potentially whopping 35,000 CAD if accepted for fellowship seems to be a hands-down-must-go offer. (Not that I applied there but just seemed like a fortune )

I was in debate club in high school! Does that count? I also looked into joining the Debate team/club/society and Mock UN but the time commitment seemed overwhelming and they were too serious for me.

Just GO! If you don't respond, it doesn't look good on your part- it makes it look like you don't even want to go there, or as you said above, a snob for saying "I'm not going unless I get my 5 year funding package and you guys are perfect for me." C'mon, you're a grad student and you know... we like free trips! Free stays! Free food! Free drinks! My friend who was on these boards last year didn't even hear from UVA regarding her funding package and got accepted at another school even though both weren't her top choices, she went. She said, "well, it's a free trip and an opportunity to network with other professors, so I'm going to go. It benefits me more than them."

Have any of you heard of "carpe diem"? Live it. I am actually enjoying all the "peace" and "quiet" for the past week and half. As long as things are quiet, I can focus on living in the present and being happy. I love my German class. I love working on my Yiddish readings. I'm excited to be working on my MA thesis. Snow's on the ground making my town look pretty. Yes, I've pretty much avoided all the professors in my department except for the Yiddish one but even so, they keep it all present. That's easy as I don't have seminars this semester. My advisor, yes, she has absolutely no clue, is keeping me focused on my thesis as she's saying that I'm in the homestretch. Ask your friends to give you a good slap in the face. I asked my roommate two weeks ago when I didn't hear anything from Emory but she refused. So I slapped myself and said, "Nothing's official until I get a piece of paper. Decisions WILL come when they come!"