Katia_chan

I don't know why I haven't popped by this thread until now. It's...quite reassuring to see other people going through this brand of crazy. After weeks of anxiety I finally got up the nerve to Email my one "official" waitlist spot, and got the anticlimactic Email that they are unranked, and therefore there's no information. But I want it so bad...so just trying not to have a nervous breakdown. And I don't know about others, but Purdue's "you're waitlisted until we decide to say anything to you one way or the other" is driving me crazy. I've missed acceptance-floods, but also rejection-floods too. The delay doesn't make me feel that hopeful--they didn't reject me until April 19 one of the last times I applied there, but I guess the lingering spark of "maybe" could be worse. This truly is the special hell.

Keeping an open mind is definitely a good decision. It sounds like there are quite a few of your options that would land you in a really good area. Every time I mention Iowa City everyone groans in horror, but, as you said, it's an excellent program. And I think Iowa gets a bum rap. And thanks for mentioning the school I was doubly curious about--I wasn't going to ask, as it made me feel like I'd look like a crazy person. I'd obviously be thrilled beyond belief if a spot opened up there, but if it's the best place for you, I hope it's where you end up. A professor where I got my MA just recently graduated from there, and she had nothing but nice things to say about the program. Your updates are much appreciated, and best of luck to you.

That's an understatement. Your acceptance record is hugely impressive--you're living the dream. Super huge congratulations! (I'd apparently never noticed your signature before and just did so now, so felt I needed to comment to congratulate) Also, not to be nosey, but have you made any decisions about where you might be attending? I only ask because we seem to have applied to a lot of the same programs, and I'm just curious.

Congratulations!!!!! That's amazing!

Oh it very much was. They are very kind about their rejections. I've just been having a bad day and I'm taking it out on Penn.

It's always the pretty ones that hurt you the most. And to add to the class, same rejection letter as last year. No, Ralph, I don't seem to be having this luck you're confident I'll be having.

I agree--I did this song and dance once without GC, and it was horrible. This place has sent me into nervous breakdowns by itself, but it's still been a great resource. And I know implicit rejections are almost always rejections, in my head. But that stupid little spark of "maybe I haven't flunked life again" just won't quite die until I've collected every answer. Miracles do happen...

I'm still waiting to hear from Penn too. I know at this point I can't hope for an acceptance--not when they've been doing it for so long. But I just want to know. Actually...I feel like that for a lot of places. Rochester seems to have sent out acceptances on Tuesday, Penn has been doing it for ages, and UIUC has a few acceptances up too. Does anyone know anything about these schools? Do they do "rounds" of acceptances, all in one fell swoop, how long do they wait between accepting and rejecting, etc? Seriously, universities. If you don't want me, just say it. It's bloody cruel to give me the silent treatment. Can the five of you I have left just send all your decisions in one day? If there's no good news, as long as I don't give into the temptation to throw myself dramatically into Lake Superior within 24 hours, I'll survive, and I can move on with my life in one way or the other. /rant

That is somewhat reassuring, thank you. I did think it seemed rather early. But that's awesome for you that they wanted you that quickly. And sorry to be a bother, but might I inquire when you got your Rochester acceptance, and how it came? I Emailed the DGS to find out when decisions were coming, but haven't heard back. It's currently my top choice, and I'm already regretting asking the question. But I can't help it.

I just noticed the Rochester acceptance next to your Iowa one. I'm going to wave a flag of congratulations for you, but I'm also going to go begin a nervous breakdown and possibly throw up too.

Dammit. I'm *super* excited for you, but this is disappointing news on my end--this is the third app I've sent them. Iowa, why you gotta hurt me like this? What'd I do to you?

First of all, this thread has just made my life, forever. I have never seen anything so glorious and damaging to my grading productivity. Second, a legit question. One of the places I applied to, where I am unashamedly lusting to a possibly unhealthy level for an acceptance, has, according to the forum, started accepting within the next two or so weeks. But I'm dying to know if that will be the case this year. So I'm wondering, A, if it'd be annoying to Email them and ask them when decisions might start going out, given that it might be soon and I don't want to be the "are we there yet?" girl, and B, if it is okay to ask, how one might go about phrasing an Email like that to avoid sounding like a crazy person. Thanks.

Does anyone remember when we used to be happy, positive, (relatively) mentally stable people, before applications turned us into severely unbalanced cynical shells of our former selves? I miss that me... She also knew how to use commas.

It was a day full of amazement and awe. Little did I know the madness that waited there...

Counted potential chickens too soon. Letter came in the mail yesterday, after I'd checked (must deliver later on Saturdays than I remembered) I was loving the idea of living out west, but ah well. Still five more places to hear from.

I mostly use keyboard navigation commands, arrowing and tabbing and such. And, well, the (mostly)absence of typos come from the fact that I'm... a nerd. Typos bug me. So I fix them, if I notice them. I also worship at the alter of the spellchecker, like the rest of the computer world. And sometimes I don't, just like the rest of the internets. Reading and writing are very important to me too, hence the major and PHD aspirations. 90% of what you need to do for that you can do on a computer now, especially with the popularity of eBooks. I use audio for a lot of pleasure reading, usually eFormats for school. And I write, using the same screen software that lets me navigate the interwebs. Homonyms are a bitch, though. And I've gotten some...truly fascinating pronunciations from trying to read people's writing on the internet. It's somewhat frightening. The computer keeps up the best it can, and I'm decent at interpreting what it's trying to say. Thanks for the creepy message...as if I wasn't already concerned enough that my computer was becoming self-aware...

That seems like a dangerous question, like asking what hotdogs are made of. (sorry, smart-assery is a natural reflex). Um, basically the computer talks, reads everything I scroll over on the screen. I run a mac, so it's got software built right in. ...if that was the info you were looking for. Everything runs like a normal computer, there's just a vaguely creepy robotic voice that tells me what I'm clicking on.

No need to apologize--you didn't induce any more angst than this entire stupid process. And no that does not make me feel better; I'm sorry to hear about your rejection. That sucks. But hopefully you'll have some better luck with the rest of your applications. Wishing you the best!

I've been doing tech support on the scanner all morning. Still don't know. Next step is to go get bitten by something radioactive so I can get superpowers of telepathy. Eat your heart out, DareDevil. ...and it was a letter from the republican party of Minnesota. The bastards have the worst timing ever. But still better than the alternative, I guess.

I guess. Not so new to me.

Oh God this is torture. I'm blind, and got home at bloody midnight. There is an envelope on the table and my scanner is broken and no one is awake to tell me if my hopes and dreams have been dashed yet again by the postal service. I have never prayed this before, but please, God, let that be a bill. It can be really big, just let it be a bill.

Ditto. Though it is kinda nice not to have to write them off the first acceptance or two you see. Downside: I'm not going to feel safe or sane until I hear. They're notorious for dragging it out until the actual deadline or a bit after. First time I applied I didn't hear about my rejection until Apr. 19.

I'm upvoting you as a thank-you for returning to sanity. Not because I'm happy about the continued silence. Just felt the need to explain myself... <3

Goddammit. I had 3 apps due that weekend. Does this mean I need to just go into a week-or-two long coma? Though I actually have no idea if some of my programs have notified because I wander into crazy town banana pants every time I look at the results boards. So I've been staying away. *prepares for crazy. checks boards*

Just a curiosity. How many, after a rejection, have Emailed the department to ask if there were any factors on their application specifically that led to that rejection? I had someone advise me to do this, but it makes me kind of uncomfortable. I feel like I would be bothering people, and that it just doesn't seem like something one "should" do. Maybe I'm wrong--I have no clue. (Part of me is also feeling too delicate for the criticism right now. ). Thanks.