StaircaseWit

I'd find some balance between striking while things are still fresh in their memories (particularly if you were on wait lists and your application was recently reviewed) while also not harassing them too soon--maybe next week?

Another important thing to consider is how to get as much information as possible out of the departments that rejected, wait listed, and admitted you without funding this year: consider it an application autopsy. While some programs maintain strict policies about not discussing applications, others will have a kind DGS or head of the ad comm who is able to give you a sense of how your application was received by the committee and what your strengths and weaknesses may have been--this is some of the best feedback you can get your hands on. It will be helpful in terms of finding out where to target your efforts in the coming months--should you be thinking of using a different writing sample? was your proposed research solid but in need of some fine-tuning? is it possible that your GRE scores just didn't make the cutoff? is there a conference/publication/class that, if added to your CV, will make a huge difference? Additionally, in reaching out you'll be forging relationships with faculty at the programs you'll be reapplying to in a few months; if you can be positive and professional it will create a lasting impression that can only help you next time your application comes across their desks. Plus, you can always sneak a bit of bonus rhetoric into these phone or email exchanges, reiterating that, though you were naturally hoping for a better outcome this season, University X remains your top choice and you're hoping you can learn from this year in order to submit the most polished application possible in the fall. Ultimately, having applied once will give you a distinct advantage in many respects, so the key is to figure out which parts of your application need an overhaul and which ones you can keep mostly as is (therefore saving time and energy). A postmortem from your target audience cannot be anything but useful guidance as you embark upon round two.

I'm Princeton-bound!

I turned down an offer from Indiana and a wait list spot at Rutgers today--I hope that this helps some Victorianist out, even if it's the eleventh hour!

Hello and congrats!! I received my official acceptance email yesterday (the one from the Graduate School which gives details on creating a Princeton net ID to retrieve the financial offer), but that offer letter hasn't been posted yet. Daphne Brooks said that Grad Admissions will try to get those out sometime later today if possible, so I guess we have a bit more waiting to do...

I'm the Princeton wait list-turned-admit, and feeling very lucky and relieved!