Duns Eith

I am sorry to hear. It is quite heartbreaking. I know you'll already be asking yourself over and over what you need to fix and improve, or whether to invest in applying again. Let me say this: whatever your choice for next year, remember your worth is not bound up in decision letters. You're more than your grades, recommendations, written samples, or standardized test scores. Your anxiety over the process is normal and legitimate. Your lack of offer does not mean you are incompetent. You can still love philosophy as a professional or as an amateur/well-invested hobbist, even if someone else did not choose to invest in you this time. Don't settle for a life that you know you cannot live with. You can face another round if you really want to; shut-outs are not uncommon.

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Congratulations! I'm super jeals

I dunno, I spend a lot of time with coworkers in the department, and that irrespective of whether I find them kindred spirits or comfortable to be with.

Congratulations!! That's great news!

Accept A if B doesn't reply in time, and don't even feel bad about it. If B reaches out to you, you should be given time to make a decision (since this is not an initial acceptance) and tell them that you want to accept but that you need to request School A to release you from your obligation. Admissions committees have heard of this situation before. They won't be shocked.

Similarly, feel free to message me with any questions about Western Michigan University

I guess this is helpful, but it seems that the anecdotes and interpretations might allow for low inter-rater reliability. Consequently, I don't see a reason to create some patchwork of a handful of some grad student opinions.

Do you have an ax to grind? I am wondering what justified this unsolicited review?

Talking with many people in different app processes, I have found that often people don't look in depth beyond faculty specialties (and special faculty), PGR ranking, and the fact that there is funding people rank schools loosely; rarely do they create an ordinal list where there are few or no ties -- doing so requires further investigation of every program, like comparing faculty for your intended diss topic, precise funding package as it relates to estimated cost of living, actual placement records, etc. There is some economy to not researching each place well, since you'll be turned down by many schools you would be investigating. You need a low resolution until a viable option is actually offered. It requires a higher resolution to make an ordinal list where you can actually say "I have my 4th school, I'll turn down 6, 7, 8, 9, 10..."

I suggested in my link some ways to mitigate how terrible it can be. Others include: Investigating schools well enough that you have a personal ranking system before you hear back from any school. As in, if you got offers from your 7th and 8th personally ranked school, you could in principle turn down the 8th. You might need to pause to make a decision if there's information you couldn't have had access to before (such as a scholarship), but you won't need to pause for, say, comparing your 4th to your 8th. The idea is that if you get your 4th, you can tell your 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ... etc. all the way down that you'd like to withdraw. You don't need to say yes to your 4th yet, but there is little sense waiting to tell all of the lesser ones you are content at a better offer elsewhere. Encourage others to do likewise. Don't hold onto offers because of FOMO. You can't swap but there might be enough shifting that your #8 school you turn down is someone's preferred school, and that it sets the chain reaction to opening up your #4 school. Recognize when you're getting FOMO hard, and talk it out with someone who is more decisive than you. Go with their decision. Or take their decision seriously. Because, after all, you will likely tell them what you really want to hear anyway.

Yup, this is the cascade effect that occurs every year. There is no way around it. We can only mitigate how terrible it can be: Looking back at the post, it apparently got some haters? Lol. Stating facts in order to help people apparently makes some people sad. (No one gave any pushback, so I don't take the reactions seriously)

You are not too old of a candidate. As the poster above me said, grad schools are often quite diverse in age range (like 22 thru 42, though most are late 20's, early 30's). You can be taken seriously if you put out good work. I would encourage reconsidering grad school for other reasons, though. Grad school in humanities is for most people a professional dead end.* Not because they aren't good, but because the market is so harsh and the process of completing so grueling. I am in for the long haul, but I reassess my goals and justifications for completing my program every week or two. It isn't a terribly taxing reconsideration, but I'm acutely aware of the low probability of doing what I want to do. My situation is not unique, not even remotely. My comments here are not directed toward you only. Grad school in humanities is a dead end for someone who is 22 years old, has good grades, can do good work, and can reasonably get into a good school. The fact is that the academic system has serious problems and PhD students (and those with PhD's in-hand!) suffer long and hard before they give up. Over and over and over again. My comment is directed toward you in that if you can continue in IT and do philosophically interesting things (reading current journal articles; discussing with friends or acquaintances at deep level, say at a local coffee shop; engaging with people online; etc.) as a well-invested hobby, it might be in your best interest to take that course. I know no one wants to hear this, and some people reading will buck against this until they face it themselves, but I think it is good for you to hear it. I hope this is helpful. * do the stats. Almost half of all PhD students don't complete their degree. The average successful placement into gainful employment is not at half across PhD granting institutions. Even among the top programs, it is not above 80%. Thus, for most people, literally most people, who begin grad school will eventually find it to be a professional dead end.

This. It is seriously quite unnecessary and unfortunate to take on debt for an MA in philosophy. Don't do it. Tufts is great, but taking on a pile of debt will cause your bones to ache for years. It isn't worth it when the market gives you no expectation of solvency.

Congrats!