shaodiao

“academia is also one of the least meritocratic fields out there”, I may not totally agree but I do feel you to a great extent! I applied to 8 top-20 schools and get into none of them, not even a waitlist. I was told my many of my professors and supervisors that as a undergraduate student, my profile is comparable with many PhD students they have worked with. So I totally didn't expect this result and it increasingly looks like a joke to me. I used to think that at least some of those I applied will accept and I will have a chance to choose but it turns out to be a fantasy. It's really hard for an undergraduate graduating from a selective (ivy/elite/highly selective/selective/ordinary 4 years/bob's community college) institution to get into the small circle. Please don't perceive that as your lack of intelligence as I can assure you kids from those institutions are mostly just normal people with some superior resources and connections since I have been to several conferences and saw many of them presenting and asking questions. In terms of the argument whether you want to give up, I would say no unless you figured that there are something that interest you more than being in the academia. As far as I'm concerned, I will start to prepare my application for fall 2019 while pursuing a master's degree. Applying to the top-20 programs comes with a price, as I was told, a general's success is usually shored up by thousands of his soldiers' lives. That's what I nowadays understand how those programs works, they need soldiers' lives to shore up the generals admitted. Whether someone is a general or a soldier is really at odds.

Agreed, I think I have placed too much expectation on myself. Plus, my MA is fully funded so why not.

Unsuccessful applications this year so far (Only tier 1 schools and Alma Mater). Graduating undergraduate applicants from program ranked 50-100. GRE V156 Q165 AW4.0 in one attempt. Lots of research experience with about $10,000 research funding in total and a senior thesis. Material reviewed and commented by four full professors and many others. Might end up in my Alma Mater for master. I think there should be a strategy change next time: for those who really want to go to tier 1 schools, I think it would be easier if you can get into any program (other than sociology, literally anyone) in that tier and approach professors from the inside. Just my personal opinion.

it might be the case that people admitted there really don't come here to discuss.

I'm not that optimistic now since Penn also sent waitlist. Looking at rejections from Penn and Yale soon.

That might be very much true.

Congrats to the Yale admit! And dear the Yale insider, may I ask if Dr. Davis is accepting new grad student this year?

Thank you very much! I guess the email saying they are still processing is true.

Could anyone claim rejections from UNC Chapel Hill? What is the email to check status about?

That could be professors leaking decisions to their top applicants personally.

Life is hard. We can't expect anyone but ourselves to give us hope.

I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Not hearing is still not bad.

It was personal originated from a email I sent to ask about the overall admission process and result. The coordinator told me the bad news along with the status of other applications. I already know that I'm not the perfect fit so I'm not taking it too hard.

I claim that sad rejection. Based the email I received, all admission decisions are already made and they will notify you soon. Good luck!

Congrats!