kirbs005

Looks like they're mid February according to the last few years of Results data

I would second this. If you look at historical application cycles for OSU they notify on their website and then send emails 2-5 days later. It's also unclear if they are doing it in waves or if they have notified all their acceptances (could be a smaller cohort, could be people aren't on GradCafe, hard to say). Especially since emails haven't gone out, resist the urge to call and pester them. Not only are they working on admissions, they are teaching, doing research, and trying to navigate covid all at the same time. Give them some time. If you're still sitting at pending and no email in like 2-3 weeks then reach out, especially if others have heard one way or the other. I feel like the anxiety has ratcheted up a little with this first wave of decisions (mine included, I'm also still sitting on Pending) but I think it's important to reiterate the "you are not your acceptances" mantra that had been going earlier in the week/last week. You are a well qualified candidate or you wouldn't have convinced three professors to write LORs. At this point it's a bit of a crap shoot, and it *sucks* but it is what it is, and please try not to take it personally (as really freaking hard as that is).

Traditionally it seems like they post on the website and emails go out a few days later. But rejections/waitlists come later. Not sure if it's all rolled out at once or if it goes with subject area, etc.

I just saw that - I'm also still sitting at "pending" - fingers crossed!

I didn't apply to Notre Dame, but I'm thinking it's possible everyone's timelines will be different this year. OSU has normally either had results on their website or even sent acceptances via email by now and as far as I can tell there hasn't been a peep (and it's not stressing me out *at all* or anything). I'm trying really hard not to think about this, because I can also see a good argument for it being less competitive potentially. I personally know 5-6 people who chose not to apply this year because so many schools shut down admissions or reduced them too much. I also know many people (myself included) who applied to only 1-5 programs instead of 10-20. But there are also people who would have applied to different schools and added others to fill out... so it's a toss up at this point I think, and who knows what the numbers will look like.

I definitely don't think it's nefarious, even if we might lean that way. I think a lot of the undergrads have probably already heard back (or at least the early applicants have) so it's not as stressful for them and they want to make sure we have information which is good. But I did tell them not to send it to grad students because 1) the application being easy/hard isn't going to deter someone from applying to a PhD program and we have to use separate apps for everything anyways 2) It's not funny to send me an email while I'm anxiously waiting to hear back *shrug*

UT Austin did something similar! I thought I was going to have heart palpitations when I saw the email... turns out it was just a survey about how they could improve their application mostly directed at undergrads and their parents ?

Same here too - I just don't enjoy my job, despite the friendly team and excellent benefits. I get anxiety related chest pain from it that I didn't get pulling all nighters during my MA. It helped me realize that I need to find something I'm passionate about and enjoy. That's teaching and research and this will help me get there and be more enjoyable despite the fact that the job market is rough and my schedule will be wild. But this did lead my partner and I to a longer conversation about how neither of us really like the city we're in so that if I don't get in we'll probably still be looking to make a change. And it's helping me be okay if I don't get in. Trying to remind myself my list got dwindled by the pandemic and who knows what's going to happen.

I'm expected Ohio State any day now if they follow their dates from prior years. And I'm probably going to hear from one of the Communication departments in the next week or two. I thought I'd be cool about it, but I'm not at all. I've been checking OSU's website constantly since they update that before they send emails. I'm a rhetoric person, specifically rhetoric of science and medicine. I normally pick topics where the public interacts with science/medicine: experts/expertise, conspiracy theories and pseudoscience, and science in pop culture. So LOTS of topics floating around in my head with covid, and am excited to dig into some fresh research (hopefully).

I had something similar! I got in, but then the visit day was like a relay competition and they were going from 24 acceptances to 12 students. It was so stressful. I've had a couple "good" dreams of getting in, so I assume this is karma's way of balancing it out.

Not sure I would really consider it a "hobby" but have you tried barre workouts? If you like yoga but also working out in general it's amazing. I use barre3 and they have a ton of good online classes (and I think there's a 15 day trial?). We've also gotten in to cooperative board games if you have someone to play with. There's a Harry Potter one that's great, but we've also gone headfirst into Gloomhaven.

I think it's definitely worth asking! Especially if the cancellation of admissions was last minute or with no warning. I know one of the schools I applied to kept saying "don't submit or send anything until closer to the deadline/we make a decision" so in that case, if they had cancelled there wouldn't be much of an argument. But I think it's at the bare minimum worth asking.

Mostly distracting myself with work and reading if possible. If schools follow the same timeline that they normally do, I think I'll know about all but one of my schools by the beginning/middle of February which is a little daunting. Also thinking about alternate plans with my partner if I don't get accepted anywhere. But I did have my first weird application dream - not a nightmare luckily, I got into the school in question in the dream - but still frustrating when I woke up. Good luck to everyone else waiting - I hope you don't have weird dreams (or if you do I hope they're not bad ones)! And Happy New Year!

Anyone applying to Ohio State and having technical issues? One of my recommenders couldn't get the letter uploading (kept getting an error message). Apparently you can send to gpadocs@osu.edu directly

The University of Minnesota has an MS in Technical and Scientific Writing (through their writing studies dept). And George Mason doesn't have a full program, but they have a grad certificate for Professional and Technical writing.

Hit the submit button on two of my applications today (and am just waiting on letters for the third). ??Thought there would be a little more relief, but now I'll just be nervous till the Spring. This is not meant to stress anyone out, I promise! I have a very short list of schools and have been working on things since the summer. Good luck to everyone who's in the home stretch! You all can do it and you're all awesome! You're so close and you will feel such a sense of accomplishment (however fleeting it may be for some).

I just sent in my writing sample for final review w/some former cohort members and once that's done, I'm done with all my materials (except a diversity statement that I may or may not need depending on if a program decides to accept applications yet or not). I'm hoping that it's done next week so that I can submit/start reminding and pestering my professors to submit their letters.

I would echo a lot of what everyone has said above, but I also want to mention that I was accepted into an MA program with a 3.4 in undergrad. If you can demonstrate solid writing with great letters of rec and find a good research fit with professors, they are willing to look past some GPA "issues" especially if it's unrelated to what you're applying to (I had a C in Intro to Zoology, US Gov, and another science course). Granted I then took a few years off and was much more focused/understanding of why I'm passionate about the field I'm in, which I think is important to demonstrate regardless of taking time off or not. Also, if you're worried about people questioning pieces of your application - call it out in your SOP, don't ignore it! I'm a Communication Rhetoric MA but am applying to 3 English Rhet/Comp PhDs. I address it in my SOP by calling out my experience at my MA institution's writing center and that I'm passionate about Rhetoric of Science & Medicine which bleeds across departments and therefore am still a good fit for professors in English departments. I think you could probably make a similar argument for some environmental studies programs or utopian lit if you can demonstrate work in English classes or following those themes in other classes.

According to NCA's COMMNotes today, Northwestern is accepting applications to their Comm Studies/Rhetoric + Public Culture program.

The writing sample is taking me the longest! Coming back to my MA thesis chapters after a year of not looking at them is rough. I'm finding mistakes and trying to better focus my arg, but it's slow going. Especially since I need different lengths. BUT I'm done with my SoPs and my letters have all been requesting, so I'm kind of ahead of schedule. But I only got all that done because I was avoiding the writing sample ? Sending good vibes to everyone else working!

I'm a rhetoric person too! My undergrad was Comm & English majors and then got my MA in a Comm Department. I've got teaching experience in Comm but then worked at the Writing Center throughout my MA as well. My research interests are primarily Rhetoric of Science/Medicine/Tech, with sub interests in expertise and conspiracy theories. Rhetoric of Science/Medicine is so split between the two departments so I'm applying mostly based on fit - roughly 50/50 for Rhet/Comp and Comm Rhetoric. For English departments I'm planning on UT Austin as well, and then also Michigan JPEE and Ohio State (if they take applicants). I'm considering UNC Chapel Hill as well, but don't think it's as good of a fit as some of the others. Then I'm applying to 3-4 Comm departments. We'll see what happens, I'm trying to be optimistic... but we'll see how it goes ?

I'm applying 50/50 Comm Rhetoric and Rhet/Comp programs and so far here's what I've learned for the two English departments I'm applying to: Ohio State has a super vague "All admissions to the integrated MA/PhD and PhD programs are made for autumn semester only; the next application deadline will be announced by early October 2020." I'm assuming that means they'll probably defer to next year, but it's possible that depending on the campus situation they might take applications? I haven't reached out since they have a clearly defined timeline for deciding and I'd probably just get the same line via email. University of Texas- Austin has a Fall 2021 heading w/dates for applications due dates. This seems to have been updated, so I think it's likely that they are taking applications

I graduated from Wake's MA in Communication program last spring, if you want to chat about it send me a message!

As a former Davis-ite I definitely suggest looking at jobs in Sacramento, Vacaville, Roseville, and possibly Napa. The commutes to those cities (the exception of Napa sometimes) are a lot more manageable than San Francisco. I'd also say I'd definitely have your spouse include something in their application saying that you're starting a program. I know multiple people who have experienced success with this strategy.

I cannot echo this enough. Don't be afraid of making choices about how you feel right now. Trying to plan crazy far in the future is hard because you don't have all of the data that you will have as you will later on. It doesn't make you any less smart, or any less qualified for academia. Also -- as much as everyone can give you advice anonymously in a forum, you ultimately are the only person who can make this choice.