Megan

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

OK, I have been holding back comment on all of these sorts of requests because I know what it feels like to feel nervous and terrified and desperate to get an offer, and I know it's worse when the whole world is crowing about how they can't decide between their five offers at every Ivy League department. I know because I was rejected everywhere last time around, and at many places this time around. I am sympathetic, I really am, but these sorts of requests and comments are really very frustrating.

People on this board aren't jerks, for the most part. If they are REALLY sure about their decision, they have already withdrawn their acceptances to other schools. Additionally, and more importantly, them withdrawing does not help you at all. Schools factor the percentage of kids who get better offers into their admissions process, so the fact that Y person is going to decline school X is factored in already to the process. It could POTENTIALLY speed up the process, if you are going to be on the wait list or something, but it shouldn't impact the outcome either way.

When people make these sorts of requests what you really do is make people feel guilty for going through the process in their own way. You also make the focus of other people's celebration and accomplishment about what that celebration and accomplishment can do for YOU, instead of about the fact that in this absolutely brutal vicious game, they have had a success that we should all be celebrating. Yeah, the waiting is hard. Yeah, it's scary not knowing what's going on next year, and everybody on this board is sympathetic to that kind of stress. Yeah, somebody who has ABSOLUTELY decided and is still holding on to their offers is being an asshole. I don't think that person exists on this board.

I still have GW outstanding. I may or may not get in. If I do I will, most likely, decline the offer to go to NYU. I will, however, not accept an offer from any school without visiting. Until I visit NYU and decide that I love it as much as I think I will, I'm going to stay on the wait list at UNC and I'm going to stay in the running for GW. Also, if I got great money at GW, and loved it when I visited, I might accept it. I think fit is the most crucial thing. I love UNC's program, so I could really see that happening too. That's my process. If somebody on this board isn't turning down their offers yet, it's because they haven't finally decided where they are going yet. These types of requests and posts do nothing except dampen the excitement of people who deserve to be excited.

Congratulations on those who have got great offers so far! And, if possible, please withdraw from second-tier schools that have not accepted people yet. This will not harm you since you have already got much better offers, but will benefit lots of applicants who have nothing now.
If you can withdraw early, you will create chances for those less competitive applicants. Thanks for all the kindness!
God bless those who help others!

So, while I still have GWU outstanding, my cycle is pretty much over. I will wait and see what happens with GW and with the UNC wait list, as I do really like their program, and want to make sure i consider all my options carefully, but even if I get in there, I suspect I'm going to be in New York next year, which I am THRILLED about. If I could go back and give one piece of advice to people applying next year (and I'll put this in the other thread too) it would be this. Listen to what people say about your SOP, read examples, all of that. Be informed BUT at the end of the day, follow your gut. For the most part, the people giving you advice don't know everything about your background. Even your advisers often don't know details or may have forgotten them. I got SO caught up in trying to express X or Y or whatever, that I went back and reread my SOP the other day and realized I didn't once mention 3 major aspects of my education/training that are super unusual and interesting (not to mention kind of central to my research). It's not that X and Y weren't important to say, but so were lots of other things that I didn't say. That being said, it all worked out for the best in the end, as I think that I am going to be EXTREMELY happy at NYU. If I had it to do over I again though, I would actually listen to my gut a bit more.

They've rejected me twice now. My undergrad adviser suggested I take all my rejection letters, put them in a pile, and light them on fire. I think I will dance around that fire in the tshirt of whichever school I attend!

They've rejected me twice now. My undergrad adviser suggested I take all my rejection letters, put them in a pile, and light them on fire. I think I will dance around that fire in the tshirt of whichever school I attend!

They've rejected me twice now. My undergrad adviser suggested I take all my rejection letters, put them in a pile, and light them on fire. I think I will dance around that fire in the tshirt of whichever school I attend!

So I'll be going to Madison, Rochester, UCLA, and Michigan, and I thought I'd set up mailing lists for those going to the weekends so we can meet up while we're there. If you're going and want to join a list, PM me your name and e-mail and I'll set things up. Your name and e-mail will only be shared with those also attending that school's weekend. Also, if you've been admitted to any of those schools but CAN'T go, you can ask to be added to the list so you can ask other attendees for information about the schools after they've been there/so you can discuss your thoughts about the school.

Also, if you'll be visiting schools not on this list, I invite you to set up your own mailing lists using this thread!

They've rejected me twice now. My undergrad adviser suggested I take all my rejection letters, put them in a pile, and light them on fire. I think I will dance around that fire in the tshirt of whichever school I attend!

They've rejected me twice now. My undergrad adviser suggested I take all my rejection letters, put them in a pile, and light them on fire. I think I will dance around that fire in the tshirt of whichever school I attend!

Thanks Princeton for being the ONLY school to notify both rejections and admissions in a timely manner. I don't understand why everybody can't send rejections just after admits.

Still, I have to say that with your stats and just general history with the school, they seem to have lacked a certain human quality in their decision process: in all honesty, if I had seen a qualified applicant try for the second time after being waitlisted the first time (all this information can be gleaned from the file itself, such that I need not have been part of the previous year's adcom to recognize a pattern), and on top of it all said applicant actually has a more tailored and better file, I probably would have said fuck it and sent for an admit.

While I think RWBG and Megan provide both reasonable and correct arguments, I'm still struck by the sheer callousness of the system, its ostensibly non-human quality for members who are only human. I wonder how many professors there would have luck, or what their complaints would be, if our roles were reversed; would they expect some leeway, on reasonable normative grounds, given previous efforts and future expectations? Would they make appeals to last year, suggesting that repeated attempts showcase more practiced desires? I think that they would do all of this, and reasonably so. That your file was neglected strikes me not as the process taking its rightful course, but a prime example of a time when the democratic elements of American academia--primarily the feeling that we are all in this together--are eclipsed by more economic standards of admittance. Certainly, departments are free to develop and follow their own guidelines for admission; I'm simply saying that your rejection stands outside any set of criteria I could personally imagine, or see others settling on freely.

Of course, this is merely my opinion, and I have no knowledge beyond this of your file or the dynamics that went down at p-town's adcom meetings. However, for whatever it's worth, I have to say that your rejection did strike me as odd and unexpected, and I see in it a much greater trend that I find, in its most unchecked valence, downright unhealthy for any academic system.

In any case, I accidentally deleted my post from last night when I went to edit it, but for those on the Princeton waitlist: I will almost certainly be declining my offer there, so there is one more spot available.

Umm, a huge percentage of humanity are assholes? Some people think it's funny when other people feel bad? Some people enjoy watching the suffering, anxiety and stress of others for their own entertainment? Maybe I'm too pessimistic. I have been literally manually inputting casualty numbers from ethnic cleansing using a database that is in google earth and contains detailed pictures so...I don't have a TON of faith in people today, to be fair, but I really can think of nothing else to explain it. Some people are just mean and enjoy the pain and stress and anxiety of other people.

adblanche,

You definitely shouldn't feel pressured by anyone to make a decision before you're absolutely ready to do so. There will be many, many pleas on this board by wait listed applicants for people to decline admissions offers quickly so they can get a spot. Feel free to ignore those pleas. Although I agree that people should decline when they are absolutely, positively certain they won't be going to a particular school, I can't imagine that anyone who has multiple offers from schools that they took the time to research ahead of time will be able to make a quick decision. And nobody should feel pressured to do so.

I recognize that forums such as this one foster a community in which applicants can compare offers, seek advice, commiserate, and the like. These are all good things. But the negative side is that such forums increase the salience of the (incorrect) belief that any one person's decision is directly linked to the fate of another's.

Adblanche, you've earned every great offer that you've received. Take the time to make the best decision you can for your career. If there's ever a time to be self-interested, this is it.

Umm, a huge percentage of humanity are assholes? Some people think it's funny when other people feel bad? Some people enjoy watching the suffering, anxiety and stress of others for their own entertainment? Maybe I'm too pessimistic. I have been literally manually inputting casualty numbers from ethnic cleansing using a database that is in google earth and contains detailed pictures so...I don't have a TON of faith in people today, to be fair, but I really can think of nothing else to explain it. Some people are just mean and enjoy the pain and stress and anxiety of other people.

The only thing I believe at this point is an official letter from the graduate school. I have no idea what to think, and I am not giving up on or relaxing regarding a school until I have my official rejection/acceptance. Even a POI letter at this point, I would still probably be nervous until I had the official acceptance.

Hey all!

I know this thread is a little early, but (much to my surprise) I'm going to have to decline some offers this year. I'm not sure the protocol for this.

Obviously, I plan on being gracious and thankful for the opportunity and conveying these sentiments, I'm not sure who is the appropriate person to email/call/send a carrier pigeon when the time comes.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Congratulations on Columbia!

I wonder if adcoms sit around thinking, "How can we freak them out the most? I know! Let's start admitting on SUNDAYS!"

Thank you all for your kind words, believe me I cannot express the words I gratitude I am feeling right now. To respond to some of the comments while I am keeping my opitions open, based on what I see from the results page most the remaining schools have sent out acceptances and those that have not I more than likely have no chance in gaining entry.

In regards to my future in political science, I am not commiting seppuku quite yet, I still do hope to conduct and publish research on the concept of state-building, name the formation of a state's bureaucracy. If you are interested in me explaining further, feel free to send me a private message and I will respond as quickly as I can.

In conclusion, as I got to know you all better over the past few weeks, I know with every fiber of my being that you all will go on to conduct great research. I wish you all the very best in making your decisions.

I keep forgetting that people only want to hear what they want to hear, on this forum.

I can't imagine Yale is done, although I'm at a loss about how their process is working this year, so who knows. I thought UNC was done, but somebody seems to have been admitted yesterday. Basically, I have given up trying to understand and proceeded to just panic illogically.