I've been lurking here and feeding my anxiety and sort of pointlessly weighing my chances. So I guess I should contribute to give back. Thanks to everyone who provided me those outlets.
As for me, well the last couple of months have been:
Me - Hey, College, can I come get a PhD?
College - Nah, but maybe we'll let you get a Master's instead...
GPA: 3.83, majors in Philosophy and German from UC Berkeley.
GRE: 164 math, 170 verbal, 4.5 writing
Background - 2 years in an AmeriCorps program tutoring/counseling underserved high school students while in college, 3 years teaching at a failing school (TFA), 1 year as a school leader at the same school. Edit - also a former reserve in the US Marine Corps. So a veteran, but ineligible for most Yellow Ribbon programs due to not enough active service.
Applied to PhD programs that could combine my passions for philosophy and education, with an anthropological twist. CIS at Harvard, SHIPS at Stanford, ECS at Penn, Philosophy and Education at Teachers College, Social and Cultural Studies at Cal, and Cultural Studies at UT Austin.
Stanford and Harvard I know defer to master's pools if rejected from PhD. Well, rejected from both. Waiting to hear back from POLS at Stanford and Special Studies at Harvard.
Austin told me no PhD, but offered a 2 year master's. I didn't know they do that. Their website now says you can't get a PhD without a master's. I could swear they didn't have that on the website when I applied in the Fall, but I could be wrong.
No word from Cal or TC.
Penn: Got a the nicest "rejection" email I've ever received earlier in the week saying I wasn't accepted into the PhD but it was a tough decision. They decided to accept me into the ECS M.S.Ed and said that I would receive the official acceptance later in the week. It was a very personalized and sincere email that even quoted my SOP. I think that reflects extremely well on the program. Like Austin, I didn't know this was a possibility. Today I received the official acceptance, along with a 10k scholarship and a 3.5k GA position. Other posters say this is the max ever awarded, so that is a boost to my spirits.
Now I just wait for what's left and try to decide where to go. Best of luck to everyone else!