Neist

Thanks for the kind words @AP

It'll be fine! And remember, even if you don't get into your top programs, it isn't because you're necessarily a bad applicant. Most of us are fighting for 4-5 spots in these programs, and it's entirely possible a lot of us won't get into programs due entirely to reasons outside of our control. Maybe funding was bad this year, or perhaps there hasn't been many graduates lately, so there isn't a lot of funding opportunities that have opened. It's a bummer when we get rejected, but it's not because we've failed. It's more likely that we have bad luck.

I agree! Acceptances and funding is finicky enough that it often has nothing to do with you or your ability. I'm not stressing about mine. I'd like to start grad school next year, but that's only because I'm not getting any younger.

One of the papers is good enough that I would have been satisfied if I wrote it myself, and I have exceptionally high standards for my own writing. Also. OMG. Cookie is my hero.

I'm over halfway at this point, and the writing has gotten significantly better. A few of the essays were actually outstanding. Maybe the first few essays were the worst of the batch.

That's my thought as well, but I admit I wasn't as good as of a fit for RPI, at least not as good as a fit as my other schools. I'm not going to assume anything until another week or so passes.

Ruh roh. RPI STS had an acceptance pop on the results. Wasn't me. As much as I'd like to hope it's an anomaly, my gut tells me that I didn't make it.

Any Yale acceptance is pretty decent in my books.

Haha. I just hope they take my criticism well.

So I'm grading the worst piece of writing I've ever read in my entire life. I'm glad I have a beer. Ugh.

I've used TurboTax for years. It's totally worth the 30 or so dollars. Makes it so much easier. I, too, have forgotten about FAFSA. Whoops. I do have a little bit of time though. I can't imagine FAFSA deadlines are next week at any program I'm looking at. That'd be nutty. Most people haven't done taxes this early.

I can probably assume this is the case in a lot of states. I probably peak behind the curtain a little bit more than most because I'm actually a staff member at a university, but Oklahoma (and I imagine Texas) is in quite terrible shape because of the dropping oil prices. The state's income is projected to drop 14% next year due to it, and the university I work at is readying itself for a 20 million dollar shortfall over the next year or two. I assume any oil heavy state is similarly suffering. I'm actually quite a good fit for the program I applied to in Oklahoma, but I'm suspecting there will be absolutely no funding available.

As long as one of us haven't heard anything yet, I think it'll be fine. And I haven't heard anything yet, and I assume you haven't.

Mmm. Burger. I think I'll go to happy hour after work, get a burger, and grade a giant stack of papers. Sounds like bliss.

No problem! It's sad that Brown actually had a history of mathematics department, but it shuttered in 2005. http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=H0160

I know exactly what you mean. Although checking isn't completely in vain for me. RPI' STS results came out around this time last year. OU has results in early to mid February. I have a fear that the most selective program I applied to will be the last I hear from (Cornell STS). They haven't made decisions well into March some years past.

Did my daily applications check in hopes of any status change. Nope. Back to life as usual.

Have you ever seen this directory? I was strongly considering studying the history of mathematics for a bit. http://www.cshpm.org/links/programs.php I was going try to study under Karen Parshall at the University of Virginia (http://people.virginia.edu/~khp3k/home.htm). They have a PhD track in the history of mathematics, but it's in the mathematics department. However, she's also a history faculty member. It's been a year or so since I contacted her, but she seemed open to the idea of advising students in the history of mathematics in the history department. If you want to study more ancient science, there's a history of exact sciences in antiquity track in the egyptology department at Brown. Granted, it's absurdly difficult to get into that program, but it's an option. Another option, assuming it aligns with your interests, is ethnomathematics. There's not a lot of ethnomath folk around, but they do exist. If you want a more detailed list of them, let me know, and I'll try to give you any information I have.

I'm applying to a joint history of science and MLIS program. I wouldn't overthink it too much. I'm only applying to 5 programs, but those programs are good fits for my reasonably obscure interests. Could I have applied to other amazing programs and probably gotten in? I probably could have, but I want to be in one of these five programs. There's always next year, worst case scenario.

To my knowledge, most do not. However, many of them, at least to my understanding, have GA positions (assuming you can get one). I've always thought it strange that library programs offer paltry funding, yet when you get your degree, you certainly aren't going to be making much. I know some librarians who have over 100k in debt. Really sad.

To my knowledge, you go ahead and apply and list every school you may potentially attend. You can apply to FAFSA for more than one school. Someone more knowledgeable might want to verify that.

Mine were Jan. 1, 10, 14, and 15. I did get one acceptance with a fellowship, but I'd still have to take out significant loans to go. I'm holding out and hoping that I have more than one option. Still no word from anywhere else. And I have a gigantic pile of papers to grade. Ergh.

Yup. I'm not sure if most people have really dug into specifics, but some admissions committees aren't very large. For example, RPI's STS program only used to have 3 of the 17 faculty members on their adcom (no clue if this is still the case). At OU, where I am now, none of my letter writers are on the adcom, and this is in a department with ~14 faculty members. When you take into account departmental politics, who knows if a POI taking interest in you means anything at all. I'm sure it doesn't hurt if you did, assuming you didn't pester anyone, but I've heard quite a few stories of people getting accepted into very competitive programs devoid of any previous contact.

Some people do. Some people don't. I didn't contact departments unless I had something meaningful to ask. I contacted several departments because I wanted a copy of their graduate student handbook (which covers most things I was curious about). I wouldn't worry about it if you didn't.

Yup. Although, I have considered emailing programs asking when they typically make decisions, just to touch base. I haven't contacted some of these programs in months, so it's not as if I'm pestering anyone. However, another part of me says to leave it alone and wallow in my boredom. I'm guessing I'll probably send a friendly query in a few weeks if there's still no word on the results page or via email.