Neist

Rensselaer has been a little annoying to check on the results here because it gets misspelled so often. It takes several searches. Ergh. I've heard back from most of my programs now, but I'm not sure if that makes me necessarily feel better. I'm sitting on one funded offer, and I'm still curious about Cornell. It's definitely the most prestigious program I applied to, and their placement record is fantastic.

Oh, sorry! I wasn't very clear. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I applied to their STS program. My intention with my comment was that I'm curious if RPI is doing something similar. At this point I don't feel all that apprehensive contacting them. I'll give it another week or so and try again if I don't hear anything.

I went ahead and called RPI and asked them about the current status of applicants. At this point I'm just trying to confirm my rejection. The acceptances on the results page happened about two weeks ago. Got transferred to a voice mail. Hm. There's been three acceptances and no rejections from them at this point.

Apparently Bowling Green is pretty close to the Buckeye Trail. No clue how wilderness-y that trail is, but it's something.

Ugh. I'm so jealous! I'm still hoping either RPI or Cornell pans out because there's a lot of really quality wilderness areas around both cities. Troy, NY is pretty close to the Long Trail, and I'd love to hike it. An impossible dream of mine is to hike the PCT, but it's just so expensive. Getting the free time is much easier than getting the thousands and thousands of dollars necessary to hike it. Yup, the lower your EFC, the less the government expects you to be able to pay. I'm super poor, so mine's nearly always zero. Yay for poverty!

It's actually amazing how comfortable you can be going into nature carrying little to nothing. Backpacking gear has progressed quite a long way. In the summer, I could probably go out for a couple nights carrying less than 15lbs.

I like video games as well. Oddly enough, the only funded program I've been accepted into is a program in which I can focus my interests on video games, if I so desire. Or comics. Or tv shows. What's better than a funded graduate program that marries the intellectual with the nerdy? My only apprehension is the unknown of where a MA in Popular Culture takes me, but it really is an amazing program.

Random fact about myself. I'm a formally trained pastry chef. I do love baking bread. Mm. Bread.

Well, considering I'm probably going to end up doing it, yup, personal enrichment. Of course that doesn't mean additional education is bad for anyone's career, but I'd definitely weigh if you want to take on loans. I can only speak for myself, but if I had no existing student loans, and if I had to pay for my masters, I think I'd at least strongly consider it. However, I do have student loans from my undergraduate, so I wouldn't personally consider a masters degree without funding. I don't think it's a good decision for me. It's no small matter taking out 17k in loans, but if it will enrich your life, it might be worth doing. My two cents.

Congratulations! I was really hoping things turned out well for you.

I have a lingering suspicion that this is often the case. One of my programs have sent out acceptances, but no rejections. I'm curious if they are holding off in case their offers attend elsewhere.

I don't think anyone's heard back yet, but I could be wrong. Considering previous years reported on Grad Cafe, the results might roll out anywhere between now and mid March. It's hard to know anything with STS programs because the applicant pools are rather small.

This is a pet peeve of mine. Why can't they just let people know if they've been accepted or rejected? A tiny bit of kindness goes a long way.

My backup plan is attending one of the programs I was admitted into, which sounds odd, but it's very relevant to your issues. The BGSU program I applied into isn't the most pragmatic of degree, but they have amazing pedagogical training. My interests also fit into the program pretty well, but a significant contributing factor why I applied was their pedagogical training. You only teach discussions the first semester (although they don't call them that), but you teach your own classes for the remainder three semesters. Sounds like an overwhelming, yet amazing, experience. The more I've considered graduate school options, the more I've realized that getting a PhD probably isn't for me if I can't get into a program with a strong placement history. I'd rather not waste my effort just to be overqualified and unemployed. I do want to teach, but I'm pretty sure that won't be in a tenure track position at a R1 university, and I'm completely happy with that.

Congrats! And not me! On an unrelated note, you're interested in prosopography? I am as well, although I'm probably closer to the metabiography side. Don't see many people interested in these sort of methodologies, or at least I don't.

Everything worth doing is difficult.

I knew these sort of programs exist, but I would have never thought I'd run into applicants on here. It's a tiny group of people! Good luck to everyone. It's a super fascinating career.

It's my favorite anime series ever. So good!

Part of me thinks that a lot of programs never even bother changing the application status.

I've done, and people have been generally receptive to the asking. As much as we're trying to sell ourselves to get into these programs, there's a practical nuts-and-bolts layer of considerations that must be confronted when making decisions. Financial considerations are a pretty important, and I doubt most would react badly to a friendly, politely worded query. But that's just my two cents.

Ever watch Haibane Renmei? It's a great poignant, melancholic anime. I highly suggest it!

I agree with @nevermind. These boards, especially during this time of the year, are stressful. There's a lot of emotions floating about, and I don't think anyone here is deliberately trying to make others feel bad. I'd like to give soothing advice to all parties, but I'm not quite that articulate. I think it's probably inevitable that everyone's feelings are going to be bruised once or twice during an application season.

Hm. Turns out I'm high on the wait list for funding at OU history of science. Maybe I'll get lucky.

Thanks! By the way, there was a BGSU American Studies PhD acceptance posted two days ago. I've just found it. It's misspelled "Bowing Green State". Not sure if this is good or bad on your end.

At this point I'm happy to have one funded offer. BGSU Popular Culture only seems to accept with funding, and they've had really low application numbers the last few years. I'd like to pat myself on the back for getting in, and I'm sure I'm qualified, but I know they probably accepted a much larger contingent of students this year compared to previous years. In a nutshell, I was lucky enough to apply on a good year. As it stands, it's highly unlikely I'll get any other funded offers. I'd either have to get into Cornell or earn a NSFGRFP, both of which isn't super likely.