AnUglyBoringNerd

I just received rejection via email so I think if you haven't heard anything, it's a good thing~

Thank you two very much for saying that. I hope next year this time I'll get in places that excite me and pass on this positive vibe~

This cycle is now officially over for me. (ugh, too fast!) About me: international applicant, BA and MA in politics & area studies; focus is modern Japan (history of foreign relations, national identity, memory, gender&sexuality) I've studied in Japan for one year as a graduate and I've studied Japanese as my minor as an undergraduate. Results: I only applied to two programs because I was not 100% sure that I want a PhD in History (instead of in Politics) (lesson learned: be sure before apply or there will be serious identity crisis) and I got rejected from: Harvard: rejected. (good fit) reasons: err..because it's Harvard? Joking~ I talked about it with POI and he very kindly pointed it out to me that my main weakness is that my training is as much in political science as in history. (He is just so kind... ) lesson learned: need to demonstrate in my SOP that I am an aspiring historian instead of someone who is capable of transforming herself into a historian... (I talked to POI before I started my application and back then my non-history BA and MA are not a problem, so I assume it is more about how to present myself) (not going to reapply to Harvard because it's unlikely that they will take someone who was once rejected) U Penn: rejected after an interview (not a good fit but not a bad one either) reasons: I was still not seeing myself as an aspiring historian but some timid outcast (I wonder if other area studies people feel the same way?) not belonging to any discipline. So when my POIs asked if I'd prefer to be a historian in X field or in Y field I was even thinking "wow, a historian, me?" =_= You know, like the guy you've been having a secret crush on suddenly asks you out on a date...on Feb 14th, and you are so happy that you totally freak out and give him a three-second silence? lesson learned: I really need to construct an identity as an aspiring historian or it will never work... also, while I did a lot work on/related to my topics of interest, I didn't really have an opportunity (as an Area Studies/Politics major) to think about history as a discipline or historic questions in general. (it's really hard to admit, but I was indeed not ready to pursue a PhD in history, especially not mentally prepared.) (not going to reapply to U Penn because..well...I'm not proud of my performance during the interview and I don't think they'll give me another shot next year. That said, I am grateful that they thought I deserved an interview..) I am going to reapply in this fall to more programs which i didn't even have time to think about last year. One question: what did you do during the gap year? I'll have a research job at an LGBTI rights organization which is relevant to my interest in identity, gender and sexuality but not in history...will that be Ok on my CV? Also....I know this is too early and too much to ask, but if anyone is interested in having a look at my future SOP in a few months, please let me know. Thank you all for sharing your story and valuable information!

Thanks for the kind words! I'm international so I definitely won't be visiting anywhere (and they know that). That said, I think I am indeed rejected.

Is there anyone waiting to hear decisions (=rejections) from UPenn? I had my interview on Feb 2 but haven't heard anything from them yet. I assume I've safely landed in the rejected pool. I only applied to UPenn and Harvard (officially rejected from Harvard already) for this cycle and I'm wondering if it is time for me to discuss why I am/will be rejected and how to improve my application in this fall. I kinda need to secure a position at an NGO asap to make sure I have a research job during my gap year....so, is it still a bit too early (and pathetic) to write UPenn that "I believe I am rejected, can you give some advice" email? (I did it to my Harvard POI and received really valuable advice~) Hope I'm the only one here who has to do a second cycle! Thanks in advance!

I already wrote emails to professors who wrote my recommendation letters to apologize to them that I didn't get in Harvard or UPenn though I don't currently have the rejection letter and I'm gonna reapply this year. They already replied with kindness, surprise, and encouragement (mostly surprise) so it may be a problem if by some miracle I was not rejected.... I know, I am just weird.... Ok, 15 min later after this ^ post I got an email to check website and Harvard's released my rejection.

Congrats!! Alas...does this mean that all acceptances were sent out? My sub-field is East Asian history and despite the interview I had in early Feb there is no news yet... (It would be extremely tragic for me since I'd have to reapply in this fall if I didn't get in...Penn is the last school I'm waiting to hear back)

thanks for emailing them for the rest of us!! I've already so successfully constructed this perception that I am rejected by Harvard (bc there is no informal emails of any kind) that when I read about your idea of framing the official letter, I was thinking "that's way cool and I'm gonna do the same, or maybe even print it on a T-Shirt, so where did i put my rejection letter?"--then I realized there has not been one, yet... lol @Freudzter I think Penn will send out results in the mid Feb so possibly next week?

Oh I got my official rejection from Columbia a few hours ago and it also says my application is now being considered for MA. I don't want another MA but see it as...err...free extra evaluation of my application material.... +_+

I just want to vent about how rejections have made me so upset about everything. I'm supposed to be a supportive force to my significant other who's at the last stage of finishing PhD and is under lots of pressure....But I just can't conjure up a smile and say both of our academic career will work out just fine. And I can't help but letting him know how upset I am because of all the rejections. Then after sharing another piece of bad news I feel like I've let the person I care so much about down again... T-T It sometimes feels like that we are a pair of wolfs but despite all the effort I still cannot hunt on my own so the other wolf has to bring meat back every time.... (I am ever so grateful for having someone so patient with me...ugh, for what reason do I deserve this... )

If I am waitlisted I would consider it a huge honor and success (yep, "low" bar). unfortunately my situation is that I haven't heard anything (at this moment, it would be informal email from POI or department) at all. Thank you for the kind words though! I really appreciate it!

Japan. Focus is post war Japan especially the American Occupation. (I'm an international applicant btw) However, I haven't got an offer (or campus visit invitation, or update of any kind) from Harvard....based on my understanding I must have been rejected already. T-T But since it's Harvard, I've decided not to be too hard on myself. Last week I had this crazy idea that I must be an entire moron because Harvard doesn't want me haha. (<--First cycle applicant mindset.) Congrats again to everyone who got accepted by Harvard! I won't say it is my "dream school", but I'd certainly go with dream POI + library + archive system so should I fail to get in UPenn this year I'd keep applying~

Oops sorry. I thought you meant "plain history" (i like this term btw ). I actually struggled about whether i should apply for Heal or plain history and decided that I'd go for the latter. Honestly, I just wanted to try the less "complicated" one out of the two because POI works at both dept. and I have no idea which one is more competitive. Also, I am changing major so I ended up only applying to Harvard and UPenn. (I was not thinking straight because of the identity crisis I was going through, apparently...) I'd say I am still quite ignorant of the differences between doing history in the history dept. or doing history in the heal dept. aside from different emphasis on language. If i do need to reapply this year, I guess I gotta figure out which one to target...*sigh* And!! Thank you for the encouragement! i know it is not over yet but I tend to prepare for the worst before it comes haha.

Congrats!!! Michigan sounds great! And...I've got a question..I'm also applying for Harvard History Dept. East Asia focus. But I think since Harvard sent out informal acceptance emails last week and I didn't get one, I can safely assume that I am (unofficially) rejected? Or is there any possibility that we can still wait (and have a bit hope)? O_O So far I only had an interview with UPenn, not knowing the acceptance rate after the interview..errr...I'm preparing myself for a second cycle... ><

I like this reasoning! In my case, sitting in an office feeling like a small replaceable part of a big machine through my 20s doesn't make me feel secure at all. So, if I was not applying for PhD I'd be working with NGOs after graduation, which could lead me to "make" less money than studying in a nice graduate school with full funding. (I see why I can never be rich. lol) That said, I think the OP made a solid point. But being an international applicant I am already fine with living in another continent for 5 years so I am truly flexible.. Travelling and experiencing a new culture is always a bonus point! (Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds? Worst scenario, I tell them I fell into a rabbit hole and stayed there for 5 years. ┑(￣Д ￣)┍)

IR here~ P.S. The reason I applied, aside from interests in professors' work, is that on their website they say “ The Department celebrates methodological pluralism: it seeks to promote an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies so that students can evaluate and select the approaches most suited to exploring the research questions in which they are interested. ” For a person who at times favors qualitative over quantitative research, there is not many good options out there and UVA is one of them~ (Not saying that I don't like math or statistics though..lol)

Thank you for the information! Yep that's what I thought. Fairytale story doesn't happen a lot in real life I guess~

Love the positive energy! I'm actually defecting from political science (my major for almost 7 years) to apply for PhD programs in history... >_< I'm also determined to keep applying until I get to research what I like most. (That is to say, if I got in none of the six programs I applied this time) Fingers crossed for you! (And myself...)

Alas! I wanted to ask the same question... I've got nothing so far and I'm assuming that means I'll get a rejection sooner or later though I sincerely hope I am wrong. (really want to work with some professor)

I had my interview today. It kicked off really awkwardly but I am a politics grad student....so, hopefully this is common among people who try to change their major. I think I got similar (if not the same) questions. I think I did alright but I'd probably wake up tomorrow morning thinking that I've screwed up. Speaking of which, did they mention if they are gonna reject people whom they interviewed or humanely put them on the waiting list and..leave them waiting?

Another Chinese here...waking up on the self-doubting side of my bed every day to have a routine panic attack. Already got one result (rejection) and five more results to come! I'm preparing myself for the worst--making plans about my second attempt of PhD application in this fall. Fingers crossed... (｡ì _ í｡)

Aww I love this thread! Currently working on the proposal of my master thesis, so first of all a lot of archives in Japanese. Then a lot of UN resolutions, reports, communications because of my research work with a human rights NGO. For fun, I'm re-reading The Count of Monte Cristo (in English though) because, you know, if Edmond Dantès can come back with all the grace (and a successful revenge plan) after being imprisoned for nearly 15 years, I certainly can survive plural cycles of PhD application! (this is the first time I applied.. >_< don't know if I have to go through the application season again this year errr...hopefully not...) Also, I want to finish reading George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series during the winter vacation~ (I've read Harry Potter too many times already )

I got rejected as well. (was not a good fit as well) This is my first cycle of PhD application and my first result so I was quite unprepared and upset. I contacted my supervisor (I'm currently doing my master) at around 11:30 p.m. after being sunken all day to inform him about this news, trying hard to sound alright in my email. And... the first sentence of his reply was: Rejection by all means is a tragedy, feel free to feel sad! I was like..what??? I didn't know one rejection qualifies as a "tragedy"...but I now I feel so much better and cheered up after accepting that it is... +_+ LOL