Evie95

I'm a 3rd year PhD student who just passed comps over the summer and started teaching this semester. Yesterday 30 minutes before my lecture, a 2nd year PhD student barged in my office, slammed the door shut, and started yelling at me over a simple misunderstanding. Being a small female who was yelled at by a large guy with the office door closed, I was terrified. His yelling was so loud that the female clinical professor across the hall even heard everything and came to check up on me after he left. I was really shaken up but I still had to pull myself together to go to class and lecture. After the class, I finally had time to process everything and started crying uncontrollably. I went to speak with his advisor and told him about the situation. Surprisingly, he wasn't very empathetic with my situation and indicated how being yelled at is not uncommon and it will happen again and again after I become a professor. Is this really what academia is like? I come from a culture where such behavior will never be tolerated in the workplace. I have never been yelled at the way he yelled at me my entire life, and to think that he's also a PhD student, not my boss or anything. I'm really becoming disappointed with this profession.

I finally accepted the fact that I was rejected by my dream school. I would have had no problem with the rejection if they didn't imply multiple times that I was definitely going to get in. For example, they stated in the shortlist email that "we can admit all 12 of you, and have done so in the past" (In previous years, almost everyone who interviewed got in). The welcome package included things like funding details, orientation date etc. All faculty members spoke in a way as if I was already admitted. But no, they didn't only rejected me, but also the other 3 micro-students, because they all of a sudden want to shrink the program size and decided to only take the macro-students. Shouldn't this decision be made earlier?? If they weren't going to take any micro-students, why did they invite us to the interviews and misled us into thinking that we were definitely going to get in??? Even my old advisor initially thought that the rejection email was sent out by error, cuz she couldn't even believe it. I'm still shocked that such a prestigious university can do something so frustrating.....

Anyone going to UB this fall???

Hello there! I will be attending UB this fall. I'm not sure if there is a Facebook group or not. But feel free to PM me I'm also looking for future friends at UB since I'm moving all the way from San Jose.

Has anyone heard from Umich's MO program yet?

Has anyone heard from Umich's MO program yet?

My old advisor (yeah, it's me again :P) said that as I wait to attend the visit weekend at my dream school, I should also negotiate a better funding package at her school. So I assume it's pretty common? But it seems like such a intimidating task...

Thank you all so much for your advice and kind words! Being as diplomatic as possible, I emailed my old advisor yesterday asking for more time. She was actually very understanding, and even said it would be pretty cool if I get into my dream school. Now I'm relieved! Thank you again, and best of luck to you all!!!!

@DBear Thank you so much! And I wish the best of luck to you too! I'm going to escape to the world of Kpop now...

Thank you so much for your advice! When I tried to do so in the past, she kept saying things like "School X is not that much better than our school", which made me feel even more pressured. Back in October, she asked me to complete my entire application within a week. Because it was three months before the deadline, I thought they were going to give me an early decision. I wouldn't have applied to other schools if that was the case. Yet they kept me waiting anxiously for four months, and once they gave me the offer, they somehow assumed that I was going for sure, with the international student office contacting me about visa and stuff (I'm an international student). I don't know if I gave them the impression that I was definitely going to accept their offer, but I've never explicitly stated that I'll go. Today I received two emails from faculty members, and one email from a current grad student at that school, asking me whether I had any questions. They even said if it comes down to money, they can always help me apply for fellowships/scholarships (the funding was $8000 short from what I expected, probably due to miscommunication). All the pressure and extreme kindness are driving me crazy. Sorry for vent...

The official offer states that the deadline is April 15th, but my old advisor called and told me that I need to make the decision within two weeks. I've asked other professors about it, and they said it's pretty common, since schools want to admit other students off the waitlist if I decline. I'm just afraid I will burn the bridge if I argue the CGS resolution.

I got an offer a couple of days ago from the school that my previous advisor currently works at. She and her husband (a professor whom I've also been working with from a different university) have been great mentors, and I would love to continue to work with them. She informally told me that I need to make my decision within 2 weeks of acceptance. Although a little upset about not knowing the results from the other schools I applied to, I was going to accept the offer. However, I just got invited to the pre-admit visit weekend in March from my dream school. Even though there's a chance I might not get into my dream school, I want to at least attend the visit weekend. I'm feeling extremely guilty about it, because I know my success is largely due to my experience working with them and their great recommendation letters. Any advice on how to break the news to my old advisor and her husband?

I feel you...I'm on a similar boat... I received two offers from my backup schools, and an invitation to the pre-admit visit weekend in March from my dream school. Although in the email, they said that all invitees could be accepted, and they have done so in the past, I am still nervous about the possibility of rejection. I want to let those two schools know my decision as soon as possible. But what if I don't get into my dream school? I thought having offers in hand would make me very happy, but it did the exact opposite. Haven't been able to sleep for days...

I am applying to the Management & Organizations PhD program at UM. But it's a long shot. Hopefully we can hear back from the schools soon. I hate waiting.....

Hello everyone! Glad to see some fellow I/O applicants! I'm applying to U of Maryland Northwestern U of Michigan DePaul SUNY Buffalo The deadlines are making me CRAZY.