rainy_day

They only have about 12 hours to notify acceptees before March, though, and that does not seem to have happened yet. Last year they accepted PhD candidates March 12-13. (Not that I have that information readily available in a spreadsheet or anything that neurotic.)

This! Also, make sure you are considering $$ re: cost of living.

If you know you will be rejecting them, I'd say go ahead and do so now. Why waste your time and that of the DGS? If you think there is even a glimmer that the phone call may change your mind, then go ahead and hear them out, though.

Personally, I'm working to earn a PhD with the hopes that I get a job at the end of this. I'm committed to building the strongest professional application I can, as well as the strongest dissertation. I think we would all do well to consider professionalization from day 1. That being said, I'm fully aware that this might not end in a job the way I want. I accept that as a possible outcome, and I think we can't be naive about that reality. I want the degree for the degree's sake. I'm going to bust my ass to get a job, and if it doesn't work out the way I hope, then I'll move on.

When I was applying 2 years ago (and wound up in my partially-funded MA) one of my letter writer's spoke to me candidly about the schools I had selected. He basically said: Look, I think you would tear it up at these places, but you need to apply to a range, because your tiny undergrad (at which I am a professor) is tiny & unknown. And people are assholes and will judge accordingly. So, yeah, I think the prestige of your undergrad/MA is, unfortunately, a factor.

Ahh, hugs & good luck and +++ positive energy to everyone.

This has been my experience. YMMV. The schools that accepted & waitlisted people, eventually, rejected me. The majority of the schools that accepted people, eventually, rejected me. 2 schools that accepted me also placed me on the waitlist. One school did this very soon after accepting other students, while another took a few weeks. I had assumed the latter was a rejection, and was pleasantly surprised about the waitlist. I also made the mistake of thinking maybe I had a (very small) shot at Columbia's waitlist because they had accepted and rejected people, which only made the (inevitable) rejection that much sadder to read. I honestly think the best tactic is to assume rejection, and try your best to ignore that hopeful voice in the back of your head.

One more thing to stress about: http://jezebel.com/5...dium=socialflow Edited to add: I do not condone the gender essentialism of the study. I <3 Judy B, I promise.

Somerville is a great place to live! It's full of great neighborhoods with interesting restaurants and such. Also, it is largely populated by graduate students. Allston is terrible place to live! It's mostly undergrads and there's lots of drunk yeah-dudes, etc. Also, Somerville is more accessible by bus/train than Lower Allston.

Also, another important thing my advisor said! Schools typically remember who they place on their waitlist, and if (worst case scenario) you don't make it in this year, you stand a really great chance of being accepted the next round. So don't despair!

Brandeis is in Waltham, but at least 50% of graduate students, if not more, live in Somerville & Cambridge. You can take the commuter rail from Porter Sq to campus. Waltham may be cheaper (although not as much as you might expect) but it incredibly boring and you need a car. @eco_env, you might not get to eat out that much, but if you live with roommates you can definitely swing $20K in Cambridge/Somerville. I think it would be hard to afford a studio (and next to impossible to manage a 1BR.) I'd recommend checking out these neighbohoods, because they are cool & because they are conveniently located to the commuter rail to Brandeis: Inman Sq (where I live & my favorite in all of the city. I've been here for 9 yrs.), Union Sq, Teele Sq, Porter Sq, and Davis Sq.

Thanks Trip! I'm interested in 20th/21st American--transnational feminism, theory, neoimperialism, 9-11 studies. I hope you get to turn down UMass for Rutgers.

I met with a prof today for some advice on the strategy of being waitlisted, and he suggested the following: A huge number of the cohort at my current school (a well-respected PhD program) comes in of the waitlist each year. So there is reason to be hopeful! At the same time, people who have been accepted often take their time making a decision (understandably). This means you might not hear until very close to the April 15th deadline, and when this happens, things move very fast. Be prepared to wait. And then for it to be a little crazy. If you have been accepted to another school, or are on another waitlist, let them know, as this can sometimes move things along more quickly. What often happens is that the "first tier" of waitlisters have other offers & have accepted those offers by the time the waitlisting school gets to them. As a result, knowing you have other offers might light a fire, largely in order to prevent this from happening. Relatedly, if the waitlist school is your first choice--tell them that! In the mad dash leading up to April 15th, admitting someone who you know will likely accept becomes increasingly more attractive. Also, after you first hear you are on a waitlist, give it about 2 weeks before following up on your status & how quickly the list is moving along (beyond your initial response/questions/etc), but feel free to follow up. It let's them know you are still interested. Some questions my prof suggested asking the DGS: What is the teaching (assistantship) and mentorship like? What kind of professionalization is available, beyond coursework? What are the steps leading up to/preparing for the dissertation? Also, try to get a sense of new work of faculty and what (new) courses will be offered while you are there. Also, it can be helpful to ask to be put in contact with current PhD students. Some questions he suggested asking students: How interested is faculty in dissertation projects? Do students feel their work has been constrained or encouraged?

STOP THINKING LIKE THIS. You are not wasting anyone's time, and if a program gives you that impression RUN AWAY. Sorry for the caps lock bomb, but this whole system will chew us up an spit us out if we don't insist on our own value. Waitlisting, while slightly less awesome than an immediate acceptance, means that they perceive you as someone of value, someone they would like to invest in if the $$ works out. Go visit school B; you will not be wasting anyone's time! Also, don't make a decision about how things look like "on paper" when you have a chance to meet with people in person! Arm yourself with as much info as possible.

I'm having coffee this week with the successful friend in question to ask her exactly that. I'll report back here.

I just wanted to bump this thread, as I just got waitlisted at a school I reaaally love (and had been counting as a rejection!) and to share some good news/advice. Two years ago my best friend was wait listed at a great PhD program. She lived close enough that she could make a visit to campus, met with a number of faculty members, and was accepted within a week. I know a visit isn't feasible for everyone, but if you can make it work, it can only help.

Bumping this thread. I was wait listed at at UMinnesota today. Everything I hear about the Twin Cities is great! It seems public transportation is good, but I'm wondering if you can get by without a car at all.

Trip, can you provide the link where you found that info? I feel like that info could come in hand for all the schools about to accept me.

Does anyone else find the emails with a link somewhat in poor taste? Something tells me Miss Manners would not approve! Also, thanks for the Rutgers condolences! It wasn't the best fit, so I was expecting it. And Columbia, well I already cried about them when acceptances went out (over share?) and now I'm just happy to have closure. Congrats to all who got in!!!

Well today's good news (waitlist at UMinnesota, a school I'd love to attend) has now been tempered with a Columbia rejection (finally) and Cornell acceptances that don't include me. Cash prizes should be awarded to anyone who survives this process without going mad.

Just got waitlisted! Eeee, so excited! Now I just need some acceptees to pass on their offer.

Jma, I sent an email inquiry to Rutgers and got my rejection. I've been too scared to send on to Columbia, though.

I would also recommend looking up negotiation tips from the "world of business". Those types negotiate on salaries, etc, all the damn time, so there's some good advice out there on the Internet. I do think that a big thing is not to feel guilty about your request and don't apologize.

This makes me so insanely happy.

Exactly. And *someone* is making the wait list, and that someone obviously hasn't been rejected yet. I'm pulling for the people on this message board.