HesseBunuel90

I feel that any program leading to a doctorate will be rigorous. Of course, there are some variations, and most programs will have graduate guidebooks which lay out the details of each program. Overall, though, there are no "easy" doctoral programs.

I'm with you cjmullis. I think (hope) it just doesn't show up. I know I submitted it; if I hadn't, the application would not be complete.

omen setter: I'm in the same boat. Every applicant is different; some may have one, clearly defined topic to study, while others have several potential ideas. As long as the SOP identifies these interests, and gives examples of future research plans, this should be fine. At least, I'm hoping this is the case.

I wasn't being snarky. Sorry if it came across that way. I didn't apply to USC myself, but I'm happy for her. I'd love to be in Los Angeles.

Waitlists do apparently arrive later. I'm still hoping for one from OSU, as I have not been accepted nor rejected yet.

Hypervodka: You're really raking in the acceptances. Luckily for everyone else, you can only attend one program.

Did the Vanderbilt DGS mention how large the cohort will be?

How did you know about Vanderbilt?

As Wyatt's Torch stated, it is just business. As easy it is to over-analyze a rejection, it does not mean an applicant is not worthy (nor does a low GRE Score). I could get into my three dream schools or any other of the sixteen schools I have yet to hear from. I could get in nowhere at all. As much of all us are stressing out over this, life doesn't begin and end with getting into a PhD program.

I just was rejected as well. Oh well; still 16 schools left.

Like Wyatt's Torch, I know that I haven't officially been rejected, but of course getting an acceptance this early would have boosted my confidence. Still, if I were to be accepted to all 17 schools I applied to, it would be overwhelming. Not getting accepted (apparently) to OSU and UW simply narrows down my options.

loleeta: Was the acceptance for Literary Studies or Composition and Rhetoric?

I would love to hear from Madison today. It will make up for not hearing from Ohio State. Here's hoping....

Not to mention that schools often roll out admissions over a few days (or more). My app status for WashU still says pending; until I've been told that I have been rejected, I still believe I have a chance at acceptance. And then there are always wait lists.

For me, it has been difficult to convey how competitive and multifaceted the process is. The friends and family I have told have said "Of course you will get in somewhere; you have a high gpa and did plenty of extracurriculars." Most non-academics do not realize how different the admissions process for PhD programs are when compared to undergraduate admissions.

I got below a mediocre subject test score, and I still applied to 6 schools that required it. (Luckily, 11 schools which I applied to did not need it, and this includes the one ivy I did apply to, Brown). I have heard of people getting into top programs with subject scores as low as the 18th percentile. It is far from the most important part of an application. Analytical ability and original ideas for research are far more important.

Okay, it's good to know that it was an informal email, and that in a few days official acceptances will go out. I would love to check my phone during break from work next week to see an email from Maryland. One can always hope. And again congratulations hypervodka!

You are probably right. It is just human nature to assume that if one applicant already received an acceptance and I have heard nothing, that this is an implicit rejection. Yet, until I receive an outright rejection, I should realize that I still have a chance of acceptance.

It would be great to hear from Vanderbilt, OSU, or Madison soon (three apparently early accepters). I am still confused to why UMD accepted so early (the last couple years appeared to be around February 10-14 or so). HyperVodka: Was there anything unusual about your application, or did you apply to special fellowships? If the case is simply that schools are accepting earlier this year, I will be grateful of course. The waiting is agonizing.

I'm just confused as to why they seem to be coming so early. Congrats to all who have been accepted so far!

Zanmato4794: I did the same thing. I felt that adding a fit paragraph at the end seemed more tacked on than integrating professors' research, elements of the program etc. which corresponded with the content in the SOP. The only exception was NYU, as the website stated that the statement should specifically detail why this school was chosen. There is no set way to best demonstrate fit. Yet, the ad com can clearly see from an SOP if an applicant fits with the program's faculty, resources, and overall approach.

I wonder why the acceptance from UI-Urbana-Champaign came in so early; it's about a month earlier than last year. Not that I'm complaining; I want to hear from some school as soon as possible.

That Tom Petty Classic has been my anthem since Thanksgiving (when I submitted the last of my applications).

LifeAlive: Excellent points all around. However, one other aspect of the article that irked me is the fact that it implies that a tenure-track professor job means nothing if it is at a teaching-based institution. Of course it would be ideal to land a position at NYU or University of Michigan, but how realistic is this? More importantly, the article's statement that these non-research institutions are filled with students "with a weak academic background" is reductive and elitist. As LifeAlive notes, getting into an elite school (whether BA or PhD) does not necessarily mean intelligence, and if often simply denotes connections, luck, and a well-tailored background. In a brutal academic market, any full-time, TT job is worth coveting, whether it is at UC Berkeley or Santa Monica City College.

I remember last year at Emory there were about 200. I don't know if a smaller applicant pool will result in smaller cohorts all around.