nevermind

Those are lovely! You could start an etsy business. I bet you'd rake in more than a grad stipend around Valentine's day.

I freelance, and right now, I have contract work with a nightmare client. But I have a second interview for a research assistant job at a nearby (prestigious) school next Thursday...so at least I could hypothetically take more classes (for free) and get newer LORs for another cycle. It's not a bad backup option to have if it pans out. My interactions with my POI from UCSD were extremely positive and it's a solid program, so I'm hopeful that something will come out of that, as I'm just ready to start the long arduous process of doctoral work. I just really hoped I could finally write "accepted at my top choice!!!" but sometimes life doesn't work out that way.

I'm assuming that I'm rejected from Yale...not a huge surprise since there were only two faculty I wanted to work with and the overall research program isn't tech-centric. I'm more let down by my rejection from Madison, which was one of my top choices and by FAR my best research fit. I can't really do another Master's degree to improve my chances so I feel a little bummed. I'm not really sure what else I can do at this point to show that I can succeed. Everyone else I know who applied for Ph.Ds and got shut out first round....always had stellar results the next time they applied (e.g. getting in to almost everywhere). Now I'm rejected from 50% of my programs. This looks like it's on track to getting shut out again...so I'm not really sure what I'm going to do at this point.

Definitely not me. Anyone wanna claim?

Pratt emails me constantly. Apparently, they think I'll make a great art appraiser. Womp womp.

I got an email from Madison notifying me of my rejection (I had sent an update to my file...so I'm assuming they haven't let everyone know yet), so it seems like they've made their list of candidates and should be out shortly. Good luck to all who have applied!

Ask and you shall receive. Two rejections in less than an hour. I'm not holding out hope for much else at this point.

Anybody want to claim the Yale HoS admit? Congrats!

I don't know anything for sure, but it seems that $17k - $21k is the base offer for UC schools. Looking at the funding page of their site, it looks the amount of money/time just depends on how badly they want you (http://history.ucsd.edu/graduate/financial.html).

Thanks! You too! PostScript: Everybody who has emailed me back about my "application update" has been incredibly friendly. I can't imagine it would move the needle that much in favor / reject of my other credentials. However, I just want to know that I've tried my best.

bahahahaha. Nope, just the opposite. How about anybody contacting me about anything?!

Same here. I'm the first person in my family to go to college...and then grad school....and then grad school again...and most of my family members don't really understand what I'm doing. Everybody says to me how much I "love school" (which is true), but they say it with an incredibly pejorative tone, like I can't be successful doing anything else. It's also, "oh so what are you going back to school for NOW?" like I'm just on this academic treadmill, racking up degrees with no life goal or plan. I don't really expect people who aren't excited by the prospect of academia to get it. I just ask that people don't disparage me from doing what I enjoy.

I agree that a graduate student conference isn't a "big deal" and certainly not on par with national conferences for one's discipline, publishing in top-tier journals, or other impressive things other candidates have. However, if a program is going to ding me by trying to better myself / improve professionally (in this case, getting feedback on a paper that I'd eventually like to present to a national conference and possibly publish), that's their choice and I probably wouldn't want to attend an environment that "eyerolls" at minor achievements. I've been out of graduate school for 3 years (working professionally) and saw this as a chance to get "back into the game" so to speak. FWIW, I emailed the graduate coordinators with the update (not DGS or POI), as I assume they know whether or not adcoms have met/made decisions. I simply stated that I had an update to my application but understand that it's so late in the cycle that it might not matter but that I wanted to err on the side of caution knowing I've provided the most comprehensive information (to date) for the committee. I feel like that's a reasonable request and not a "desperate" move.

I just had a paper accepted to a graduate school conference (U Arizona)...should I email anyone (grad coordinators at programs I'm waiting on) to let them know about this? Or does it really matter in the scheme of things (most of my programs notify anywhere between now and next week)? I put it on my C.V. as "under review", but perhaps provide an updated C.V.? Edited: I emailed the department coordinators with the updated info. Hopefully the string of responses won't be "we've already made decisions, but this wouldn't have helped you anyway. Better luck next time!"

Not "academic" (per se), but you should check out "Chef's Table" on Netflix (if accessible for you). The episode on Blue Hill might be especially intriguing for you.

been down that road. twice. Yet. the waiting seems infinitely longer to me.

My research interests are situated within the intersections of technology, water governance, political ecology, knowledge production, and religion. My overarching research aim is to understand how people come to know "nature" and their environment(s)...exploring how tensions present between science/religion become embedded in environmental debates within the scientific community and public sphere. Specifically, I focus on water technology of the modern Middle East (Israel/Palestine), looking at how water systems (including desalination, irrigation, and reclaimed water use) have developed historically and how they contribute to embodied space. Obviously, this lends itself to integrating a lot of broader themes like nationalism, power and territoriality, borderlands and hybrid geographies. (I mean ideally this is what I'd work on. Currently, I'm working on refreshing my email every 5 seconds and checking all applications for some hint of change.)

Pilot G-2 pens and Dixon Ticonderoga #2 HB pencils are the best. I'm left-handed, so Pilot G-2 pen's ink dries fast enough that it doesn't (always) smudge my hand. I wish I could splurge on new things, but I'm trying to reign in spending (to afford moving across the country + apartment deposits) and I don't want to pay to haul new stuff halfway across the country. I'm going through the process of downsizing (cleaned my kitchen and sorted out rarely-used appliances and knick knacks to sell). At least the money will go toward school supplies in the future!

It usually means the department has approved your application and it has to be finalized by the graduate school to move forward (which usually it is unless there is a problem with your transcripts). It doesn't mean "no funding" at all, especially if you were told funding information would come later. It just means they wanted to update you on your application and are likely putting together funding packages for accepted candidates now.

Still nothing for me too. All my programs have notified (in the past) during this week and next, so...

It seems like it's a super casual thing, if he's not setting up an appt. in Outlook or anything. My advice? Just roll with it. S/he contacted you for a reason...but professors (especially this time of year) have hectic schedules and other things on their minds too. The interview time will probably be confirmed with an email, something akin to "can you swing by at 3:30?" (when it's like 2 p.m.). I had a professor set a time for a (second) Skype interview and didn't show up, so I had to send a follow up email, just stating that there must've been a miscommunication and suggesting an alternate time to meet (He forgot about the meeting and apologized). The lesson? Professors are human. Applicants probably aren't even on the top 3 things on their radar, so cut them a little slack. If you don't hear from them later today, then just send a follow up email.

blah. I had another grad school admissions dream where I was sent an email saying "A change was made to your online application" and I log in and it says that "decision sent by USPS" (I'm not expecting an admit from this university anyway)...so I end up driving to the University and try to track down the department to find answers, getting lost on campus multiple times. Apparently, even my subconsciousness is getting impatient.

I agree it's completely justified! Im waiting to do this...I wait to see whether my wardrobe will be fit for California or other colder climates.

Don't do that. Get some rest. They'll ask you things about your research--stuff you should already know. Maybe brush up on their program / their work, but you don't need to stay up all night and that could work against you. Come up with a list of questions you want to ask them, so you're prepared for that. They are contacting you because they already think you're a promising candidate--not because they want to see you fail. Just present yourself professionally and talk more in depth about what you wrote in your SOP. You've got this.

That's awesome! Congrats and good luck!