MollyTheMick

I prefer modern, scientific, technological methods, like the magic eight ball. 

Yeah that's rough. I'm really impressed by people who are able to coordinate a huge change like this when they have a partner to consider. I'm lucky it's just me and my daughter. She thinks it's a democracy, but I'm really the dictator of this relationship haha

I woke up today with a strong sense that one of my programs is the right choice. I'm still going to a few more visits and talking to a few more POIs, but I'm pretty certain of what my choice will be.

I wish all the rest of you luck in the programs you've chosen or with your impending choice!

Congrats all! I suppose I should make an official announcement here as well and say that I am definitely attending UC Davis. Even got a nice, decently priced apartment lined up. Looking forward to begin !! 

Remember, it takes a village to raise a graduate student....

That's great news, Chiqui! Surprise money is, like, one of the best things ever haha
 
I think if one of my top choices offered me guaranteed summer funding, I'd jump on their offer. I won't bring it up until I've visited all the programs I want to visit and have the list narrowed down a bit more, but I plan on mentioning it for sure. No harm in asking!

I upvoted it.

I know, I'm just a big softie.

Just found out I got off the wait list at Rice University!  So EXCITED!!!

I prohibited myself from buying books this year considering I'll probably have to ship them all cross-country at the end of the year, but for each acceptance, I allowed myself to buy one book. One of them is my POI's new book that just came out and it's (15 pages in...) amazing. I keep pinching myself thinking that someone this brilliant and empathetic and awesome wants to work with me.
 
 
What type of clothes are you guys buying? While I recognize that I probably can't dress like a slovenly undergrad next year, I also don't have any plans to procure a new wardrobe for myself. Should I reconsider?

Oh totally! It warrants a new wardrobe. I'll probably celebrate with an orgy of book and kitchen appliance shopping.

I've recently taken to staring at all of the books in my apartment and wondering how on earth I'm supposed to move them. I don't even have any kids!
 
Question for y'all: a friend of mine applied to law school, got full rides from schools A and B, and maybe a 1/3 of tuition from school C. He took his offers from A and B and asked C if it was possible to receive more scholarship money, given the full rides from the others; school C came back and offered him a full ride. (He ended up going to school D, a where he received no money whatsoever, but that's another story!) Is it possible to do this for grad schools? Funding seems to work so differently for PhD applications, so I'm not sure if it's even worth my time -- do individual departments even have the power to offer students more funding? Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks! 

Strangely enough the moving/logistics aspect of Grad School is what makes me nervous! I know I can tackle the coursework.

Agreed with Gambaosaka, this process has serious swings and roundabouts. Today will suck. You probably don't want to hear how awesome we all think that teaching job sounds (at least I wouldn't). Just look forward to drinking ALL the beer tonight. You've earned it.

Tomorrow (and today, if you're up for it) we'll still be here to cheer you on towards the next cycle, if that's where you're headed, and to support you pursuing your many awesome options in the meantime.

Remember you're awesome and you're way further ahead than many just for getting through this process. It takes guts.

Thank you all for the congratulations. And congrats to those who have decisions to make, and for whom the cycle is over.

Congratulations on getting accepted to FIU, JTE!
 
I finally got my last rejection letter today, from Wisconsin-Madison. It came under weird circumstances: the envelope arrived in a plastic bag printed with an apology from the post office for damaging the mail, and it apparently had been opened with a letter opener! My mail has never been tampered with before (to my knowledge), so why in the world did that happen?
 
That said, this is the end of this cycle for me, and I'm happy with my acceptances. I only opened an account here less than two months ago, but I wanted to thank everyone here for being so thoughtful, helpful, and sympathetic toward each other. These threads were a great source of advice during the application process, and I think there are many students out there (like me) who quietly browse the forums and find humor, relief, and inspiration during stressful times. You people are awesome!

Well, I know I've gotten into at least one program. I just got my offer of admission to Florida International University's PhD in Latin American History program. All it takes is one "yes."

Congrats on UCSB Gambaosaka!! That's awesome news!
 
Also wanted to echo others' gratitude for the helpful posts, Professor Plum. Your points put so much of this process into perspective.
 
Ashiepoo, your response was so articulate and spot on, as always. (Your ideas always tie together so neatly; you might actually benefit from outsiders stumbling upon this forum!) In total agreement with the others, you've rocked this cycle from start to finish and it'll be great to hear the final choice. 
 
It's strange, the echo chamber thing. I'm among those who have used this forum as a place to vent about personal neuroses, because it was such a relief to find a community that could relate and sympathise and offer feedback. But it's true that this is all publicly available. Maybe part of maturing for the next cycle will be keeping a tighter lid on it.
 
In any case, one of the best things about this forum is living vicariously through you all. It's been exciting to see all the acceptances come in and I'm so excited to find out where everyone ends up. Is it just me, or has there been a sense of things winding down this week? I guess it's about that time

Haha, same here Wullblomen. Just want Columbia and Cornell to do the same ASAP.
 
 
Have they let most of those candidates know already though? Saw a bunch on the results page a couple of weeks or so if I'm not mistaken (very easy considering how much I've been drinking recently).
 
 
That's brilliant! I know someone studying with me who's a PhD student at the History dept at UO. Regardless, that is great news.
 
 
Brilliant! Congrats. Decisions decisions decisions...

I thought about it but I didn't know if I could master speaking in tongues for the language requirement...

Guys, I got into Iowa!

Well, I just got a job offer to teach a class on U.S. History Through Film back in Oregon in the Fall....so at least I'll be in a classroom, teaching, if not studying.

Hi everyone. I want to share some thoughts.

I discovered this site roughly a week ago and then received an (incredibly generous) offer from UBC's MA program 2 days ago. Yes, it was on a Saturday, oddly enough. The days in between my discovery of this site and my offer were really stressful, to be honest. I seriously started to question whether what I'd done with my BA - which I finished just now in February at the national university of a small European country which barely makes any "Top 300" list - could ever compare to what these kids already in nice North American schools had been doing for the past four years. Gradcafe's option to look back years and see all those rejections freaked me the fuck out. I convinced myself that I'd be stuck at home for my MA - and would have to put my dream of studying in North America on hold.
Unlike virtually everyone here, I applied to only one school, UBC. With my BA from a random school, I knew (without having to read this forum) that I wasn't ready for PhD work at the top American schools - and I thought I couldn't afford the masters programs offered there, or at U of Toronto and McGill for that matter. This made me wonder why other people here don't seem to be applying to UBC's history program. I find this strange because UBC seems to have the whole package. Vancouver looks beautiful (can't wait to see it!) and the department appears to be solid as well. And tuition is really low - and that's coming from me, who hasn't had to pay anything for school, ever.
 
I hope my success makes people who don't come from a school that is considered prestigious slightly more hopeful. My advice for everyone: when you apply, be yourself, not who you think the school is looking for. This served me well and I think UBC saw that my historical work and interests were coming from a genuine place, even though I had factors that clearly did not work in my favor.

I got into Georgetown!! AHHHH! Is this really happening?

I got into Georgetown!! AHHHH! Is this really happening?