angel_kaye13

I'm shipping off to Purdue!

Not that this will make you feel any better, but I bet that director got reamed, or at least felt like a heel. Either way, I agree with everyone else: that REALLY sucks, and hoping some other program snatched you up. :-)

Does your institution not offer summer language classes?  I would look there first (especially since it's an Ivy).  I'm trying to take summer Latin to refresh my skills in the language, but my PhD institution offers intensive summer language classes for free for grad students.
 
If you have any interest in medieval stuff, maybe join the Medieval Academy and take a look at these scholarships for certain programs, among which CUNY is included (these programs may be worth looking at regardless):
 
http://www.medievalacademy.org/?page=CARA_Scholarships
 
The UVA program looks fine to me.   Lots of schools have similar programs.  UChicago's might be worth looking at too: https://summerlanguages.uchicago.edu/
 
There are also books designed for teaching yourself Latin that you could charge through if you have that sort of time/self-discipline.

Hi, friends! I'm just checking in to see how everyone's doing! I'm still waiting to hear back from 4 (?!?!) schools, but I was unofficially offered a job teaching comp at a CC in the fall, so I'm excited about that! However, I'll be back next year for my second season of applications. I'm so happy for all the amazing acceptances this cohort has had! Woooo!

Officially selected Madison today. Cold winters and great beers here I come!

I love this one:

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Social Psychology, PhD (F15) Rejected via E-mail on 17 Mar 2015 A 17 Mar 2015
It's all good, I've always kind of wanted to work at Walmart and become a raging alcoholic anyway.

Good god yes
 

My favorites from here!:
 
 
That, plus "First class master" Bahahahaha. 
 
Yessss
 
 
Yessss

Unless something crazy happens, I will be at Purdue in the Fall to start their English PhD program. 

I just accepted my offer at Wake Forest's English MA program!    I'm so relieved to have finally made a decision.

I would try to see how many students they have had who haven't finished and dropped out, because that is the biggest warning sign. From what I've seen, having a bad fit with an adviser often means a delayed graduation or even not finishing so I would go with the second person unless they are a complete unknown and the funding is substancially lower.

Is there someone else at School #1 that you would like to work with? Sometimes superstars like the advisor you mention in School #1 could be great as a secondary advisor or a collaborator if you find someone else to be your primary advisor and mentor. That is, assuming that there are multiple profs working on related fields, you could work with someone else (who would be a good fit/advisor) and then just talk to the superstar prof for extra advice or bring them on as an official collaborator later. This way, you get all the benefits of the superstar's great research experience (and potentially, the brand power of having their name on your abstracts) without having to directly work for (and be responsible to) them.
 
I'm not sure if you only name one prof at each school because that's the top choice at the school, or if the departments are small enough to only have one prof on each topic, or if you only have one person you'd like to work with at these schools. If it's the last case, I'd also be worried that since you only have one prof in mind, what if things unexpectedly goes bad?
 
Finally, I'd like to add that I've known many friends who decided to go with the prof that everyone warned them against. Every one of them have regretted it. It's hard to take advice from basically strangers (as you don't know the current students that well yet) and many people think "I'm different, I'll handle this!" but all the ones I know have regretted it (to the point of switching advisors, switching schools, or dropping out altogether). 

Mighty Ducks

cad systems

Congrats, silenius and theprior, on taking the plunge! Good luck this year on your happy choices!!!^^

Oh, I just meant that several USC students I've spoken have taken courses at UCLA and vice versa. The process for becoming a visiting student at those schools is smooth and really straightforward (despite the fact that USC is on the semester system and UCLA is on the quarter system). I wouldn't be surprised if Riverside and USC had a similar relationship.

Last fall when I was in the thick of research and beginning to choose programs, I finally watched Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and oh my god I am already eager to re-watch it. 
 
Every time I've applied to school (for college, for transferring to another college, for grad school) I rewatch the episodes of Gilmore Girls where Rory is applying to Harvard and Yale. I find it oddly comforting.

Here you go!
 

 
Yup, my wife and I are mourning the loss of P&R too. We always watch our weekly shows on Hulu the day after they air...and suddenly, without P&R and Agent Carter (high five for loving it too!) our Wednesday nights are empty!
 
Frankly, it's a good time for TV these days. You couldn't say that five years ago. Game of Thrones, Mad Men, The Leftovers, Modern Family, John Oliver...all excellent. We need to get caught up on Justified, Hannibal, and House of Cards at some point as well. I'm sure there are other shows we watch regularly...I just can't think of any right now.
 
Oh. Duh. Can't forget about the British stuff like Luther, Sherlock, Broadchurch, Whitechapel, The Fall, Black Mirror, and...Doctor Who, of course.

My ex GF attended Hopkins for an MS, to the tune of ~$80K/year (second year was discounted 75%).  I am pretty sure the joke is not on Hopkins...
 
I was once told a story from a Navy recruiter:
 
A fire dept. has an opening, to which two men apply.  One is an experienced house painter who knows how to handle a ladder like a pro.  With his 20 years of experience using a ladder he assumes he has the job, no problem.  The other guy has never touched a ladder in his life.  When the fire dept. made their announcement, the job went to the guy with zero experience.  The reasoning:  his lack of experience meant he was totally trainable, that he could be trained to handle a ladder the way that the fire dept. wants him to.  The pro will be harder to train because he is stuck in his ways.  
 
I always think of this story when I read comments by well-qualified applicants who are dumbfounded over rejections.  A Ph.D. program is a training ground and it sounds like the example above has accomplished all that the program would have taught him and more.  What does a Ph.D. program have to offer him besides the degree and what would the program gain by having him?  Like the painter of 20 years, he's likely to come into the program with the attitude of been there, done that, now get out of my and let me work.  I know what I am doing.  
 
I could be wrong...just the things that entertain my mind...

Big congrats, pann and softcastle!!! (and anyone else I've likely forgotten in my absence!!)

Your professor probably meant that more research opportunities may open up at the start of summer or some other point between now and the time your classes start.

To combat the stress and anxiety, I've been watching a ton of Buffy and other various shows, reading a bunch of comics and graphic novels, taking up a bonsai hobby, and baking every dessert I can think of. Seriously, the amount of pies and cheesecakes I've made and given away is now at a staggering number. 

Just a friendly reminder that (99% of) professors who are willing to write you letters of rec genuinely believe in you and your talents, and aren't let down or disappointed if you do not manage to get into a program. If anything, they're disappointed in adcomms - absolutely not you.
 
And remember, there are endless reasons why a qualified candidate may not get into a program. Each program doesn't advertise what variety of students they're potentially looking for in a particular cohort. For instance, if last year they took 3 Victorianists, and there are 2 or 3 in their 3rd year, and 2 more in their 5th, odds are they will be looking to fill in other another area of concentration with faculty who have fewer students at this point in time. It's not a hard and fast rule, but definitely one of the larger factors in some programs.

Officially called it for UT Austin today. Couldn't be more pleased. Look forward to meeting any fellow GCers at the visit weekend in April!

I made it official. Rutgers phd English in the fall!