DHumeDominates

I also second philstudent1991's advice. I didn't read any TGC threads, let alone become a member and post in them, until my applications were complete (roughly, late Nov/early Dec), which is not to say submitted. At this (insanely!) early stage, if you're looking for advice on how to prepare applications, etc., talk to your advisors, those who know you personally.

Just accepted Harvard's offer!!!!!

People have told me that this is possible, but I don't understand it. What would have to happen for a department not to be able to inform an applicant on the wait list that (s)he has or has not been admitted by Tuesday at 11:59 p.m.?

Perhaps, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Regardless, Humphreys did just respond to my most recent email, and so now I know that he knows that I'd like to be removed from the wait list. So, you're that much more likely to get an offer.

So, one of the schools that wait listed me is Virginia. I told Paul Humphreys in an email, well over a month ago, that I'd like to be removed from the wait list. A few weeks later I received an email from Humphreys saying that I was still on the wait list and urging me to be patient. I promptly replied that I had already asked to be removed. Today I received yet another email from Humphreys saying that if someone declines a current offer, I stand a very good chance of being admitted. Highly puzzled, I called the philosophy department and left a message, the gist of which was that, now for the third time, I'd like to be removed from the wait list. Has anything similar happened to anyone else?

The editors of Hume Studies, perhaps?

I hope you're joking.

Hmm. Interesting idea. Thanks for the tip.

Seriously? This is unfortunate.

MattDest raises a crucial distinction. Irrespective of the value of "tailoring" the personal statement to specific schools, should one drop names? I'd say, in general, no. If you'd like to work with professors X and Y, and the rest of your application betrays that fact, the admissions committee will very, very, very likely know it. If the admissions committee doesn't know it, then reconsider whether you really know whether you'd like to work with X and Y. Sometimes dropping names may harm an applicant. One runs the risks, most notably, of misstating a professor's interests and inciting jealous reactions from other faculty on the admissions committee.

Is anyone attending Yale's visiting period (April 8-9)?

Congratulations!

Same here, bra. Florida's pretty legit. You should enjoy that.

Admitted to Brandeis. Will decline.

We can discuss it in a PM, if you'd like.