onerepublic96

Kinda off-topic and kinda whiny, but is anyone else still waiting on BU?

I’m definitely still invested. If I do end up shut out, I’m planning to start from scratch on researching programs, contacting POIs this time and maybe reaching out to current students to get a feel for what the department is like regarding methodological trends, emphases, etc. Also will seriously rework my writing sample and hopefully consult with professors to probably do something very different with my SOP. About my MA... I had a weird time adjusting to grad work and the structure of my particular program, not in the sense that I didn’t do well (I did) but I just found myself not communicating very much with my professors outside class time and paper feedback. As a result I feel like I didn’t develop relationships significant enough to have them write very strong LORs. My undergrad professors were a much better choice because they knew me better, and still remembered me because this was essentially just one year from my graduating undergrad. I did have one MA recommendation, though, from my dissertation supervisor, which I believe should have been pretty strong as I had a good relationship with him and he seemed to be very supportive of and confident in my work. I feel like this is the best way to go, too, but I’m really conflicted. I don’t want to dump a request on them so soon, but at the same time, the uncertainty regarding whether or not I’ll be able to get letters from them again feeds directly into whether or not I’ll be able to apply again, as the three professors I have in mind are really the only ones who know me well enough to write strong letters (my fault, I should have communicated and networked more). It would really suck to get motivated, hopeful, and ready to reapply only to then hear that I can’t get the required recommendations. I think I’ll try to just weasel the hope in there something like: ‘I am not discouraged and am motivated to rework my application materials, rethink my program choices, and try again, and I would really appreciate it if you could help me once more by resubmitting recommendation letters on my behalf. Etc.’ Rationally, I feel like it shouldn’t be that big of a deal because they’ve already written the letters, so provided they haven’t deleted them, they would really just need to resubmit. I guess that’s one more reason to ask earlier rather than later...

I’m still waiting on one school that (I think) is an implied rejection and one waitlist that I’m not optimistic about either. I should probably contact my recommenders about now and ask if they’d be able to resubmit their letters again in the fall, but every time I start drafting emails, I start feeling so embarrassed and awkward and can’t figure out a way to start that conversation. I end up either saying something along the lines of ‘Well, looks like I was a failure this cycle, can you waste more of your time helping me try again next fall?’ or just feeling super embarrassed and like asking them again would make me seem obnoxious. It doesn’t help that this would be the 3rd time they’d have to write letters for me (they were my MA recommenders as well). Does anyone have any tips or advice?

Also agree! For a good long while during this application cycle, I was strongly considering applying to MA programs as well, and only decided against it at (nearly) the last minute and for a reason unrelated to cost. And this is the first I’m hearing about the cut to funding. Super shady to mislead applicants like this; as far as I remember, when I was still deliberating and researching programs, their website still said funding would be available.

Anyone else still stuck in that awful almost/not quite shutout limbo? I’m still waiting on one school that has sent out a couple of acceptances but it’s all weird and unknown regarding whether this is it for them or if they’re still making decisions. I’m starting to write it off as a rejection in my mind but the uncertainty combined with the desperation to get in somewhere is driving me insane...

Thank you so much! Could you PM me?

I know this may be a bit too personal of a request but I was just wondering if anyone who was successful this season would mind sharing their SoP/bits and pieces of their SoP/or at least how they structured their SoP. I’m beginning to think that may have been my weakest part, and I’ve scoured every website known to man for examples of successful statements, but still feel like mine is missing something... Or, if anyone would be more comfortable with looking over mine and giving some feedback instead of sharing theirs, I would really really appreciate that, too.

Oof. The anxiety is really kicking in now. I guess we’ll know for sure next week...

Ohh... idk why I assumed @tinymica’s notification was also the first post on the board. Well... that changes things, huh?

Wonder what’s happening at BU... 2 acceptances (via email) up on the board, but they’re both internationals, so perhaps they’ll be making phone calls to the US acceptances next week...?

Wow! Congratulations!! I hope you don't mind my being nosy, but how did they notify you? Was it by phone or email or just an update on the portal...?

Does anyone know what the proper etiquette is for communicating continued interest and inquiring about waitlist movement?

Wow this is awful. With all the work and anxiety that goes into these applications for us (not to mention $$$), I think we're definitely entitled to at least a few automated sentences addressing us by name.

I’m on the waitlist at Michigan, but I figure coming off the list is unlikely so I’m all but writing it off as a rejection at this point. Kind of pessimistic, I know, but I browsed the results thread a couple years back and it doesn’t look like anyone ever posted about getting in off the list, so...

How I feel when I see anything red, lol. ?

I’ve been half-jokingly going on and on about how horribly tiring and emotionally destructive this waiting process is, but just now I was sitting on the couch and just got hit with this awful wave of pure exhaustion. Like, the emotional burnout is so acute right now that I feel physically tired, drained like I just ran a marathon. Oof.

??????

Re: Boston... anxiety is driving me up the wall so I tore through the results thread back to 2012 and found a bunch of these comments: I had never heard anything like this about BU. Is it true? I have an external MA, too... would really hate to write this off as a likely rejection now...

I’m sorry I don’t have much to offer in response to your concerns. I’m just wondering - to whom did you address your requests for feedback? I’m in the middle of a not-so-great cycle myself and have been wanting to ask several of the schools that rejected me for feedback but haven’t been sure of how to do that...

Just emailed them as well, lol.

It will be alright. No one can tell you whether you’ll get a TT position no matter where you go for your PhD. No one can tell you whether attending any program will be ‘worth it.’ But we can all tell you that if you’re here, you’re smart, you’re talented, you’re a great student, and no matter what you choose to do or what happens, it will definitely be alright.

Anyone who got into Penn, could you possibly let us know the time your email came? Also please just ignore me if I sound absolutely insane.

Congrats! off to check and recheck my email for a couple of hours now...

UPenn acceptances rolling in...

Nope. We’re only receiving acceptances today, adcoms. Thank you all for your understanding.