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So many people declining William and Mary...congrats on UC Irvine!!

Are you talking about Cami Townsend by chance? If so, I've heard nothing but amazing things. If I accept Rutgers' offer I would likely be working with her too.

Congrats!! That is awesome!!

If A&M is a good fit for you, I wouldn't worry about the job market just yet. Don't worry about factors that you can't control yet. You might find that you like central Texas (although I wager you would quickly move away from College Station). I'm from Austin and am familiar with Bryan/College Station, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Sounds like school A is a slam dunk. Aside from the first year, school B doesn't seem to offer nearly as much. Are there other considerations involved? Location, faculty, etc?

I too was warned to keep in mind a given faculty member's age. I have several POIs who are at the latter end of their careers and it is certainly a factor in my decision process.

At the end of the day, I think it comes down to publications and connections. Yes, having a PhD from Texas A&M will put you at a disadvantage against the elite schools. That being said, if you make it to an interview you have just as much a chance as the others. Knock it out of the park, and best of luck to you!

Yes, I'm sure it will go well! Best of luck to you!

Absolutely! Are you planning on enrolling at Purdue? If so, I have a faculty member in my current department who absolutely loved the experience he received at Purdue (and is also incredibly successful).

Don't ever fear about the job market - you have absolutely zero sway in how it operates or functions. Take advantage of the school you have chosen, work your butt off, produce (publish, network, etc.), and be one of the better doctoral students that department has ever seen. Seriously though, do not feel bad that you aren't at one of ten schools in America...most of us aren't

I've seen it first-hand where faculty members who come from top-20 schools still struggle to find TT jobs, whereas professors from the University of Houston have had a TT job for years (both are at the same institution and are roughly the same age). Really good point though about teacher-scholars vs. scholar-teachers.

Good points all around.

My opinion falls somewhere in between. While I recognize that rankings do play a real role in job placements, I believe that it a scholar's success boils down to their own determination, ability to provide unique commentary on a given topic, and educate and inform subsequent generations of students. I honestly believe that if you are confident in yourself as a scholar and a person you can overcome all of the biases and predispositions out there.

Congrats!! That is awesome!

Congrats to the Wisconsin admit! That is awesome!!

Sorry to hear about Cornell! But Notre Dame would be an amazing landing place! Congrats on that!

Great post! Here's hoping you get a much more exciting email soon!

Sorry to hear that!! Best of luck to you wherever you wind up!

I'm sorry to hear that! Did they at least give you useful feedback?

Completely sympathize with the frustration. I have made inquiries about my rejections and asked what I could have done better, mainly so that I can advise my colleagues who do this years from now on how to improve. When you get responses though its usually the same "too many good applicants, not enough spots" line. While convenient for them, it does nothing for us on this end...

Holy cow!!! Way to go!!!

That's an interesting thought, esp. about the poor grades. I had a colleague that was in a similar boat and I advised them not to address it (and so did a few faculty members) since it might draw more unwanted attention to the fact than if you simply let it be. But I completely understand your frustration.

Board has been awfully quiet, any one made final decisions yet? Still waiting? Clawing your hair out?

Congrats!! UVA is an amazing school!