onerepublic96

I had the first bits of the Canterbury Tales drilled into me way back in high school and I like to hold on to them for the sole purpose of reciting to people who try to tell me that Shakespeare is ‘medieval English’; even still, oh lord, Old English... I could never ?

your professor is the role model we all need in these trying times ??

Well then... Of my remaining schools, looks like only 3 are not implied rejections, and unless Princeton is planning on sending out more acceptances on Monday, that number dwindles to 2. The idea of going through this process again is awful, but I’d be up for it if I do get shut out. I want this badly enough that I know I’d work my ass off to have a better cycle next time, but I’m terrified of asking my recommenders for a third round of letters. (Would they be the same exact letters? Would they need to change anything? How laborious would that process be?) These three people are really the only ones I could ask, unfortunately, so if they decline, I just... wouldn’t know what to do then... It’s looking grim.

major congrats!! do you mind sharing your subfield??

Not to be obnoxious but can anyone... would anyone... please lord can someone try to figure out what’s happening at BU? ?

Just came home with a $50 haul of random skincare products, chosen by me in a highly emotional state simply because their packaging looked nice and soothing, haha.

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I’m with you on that cheesecake idea.

No email from Harvard, and considering there are already 4 acceptances on the board... ? Now if only Princeton, Penn, and Boston could come through; and Brown, what is going on in Providence??

You said this so well! Thank you.

My waitlist notification from Michigan was the same way. I suspect it may be because getting in off the waitlist at these institutions is rare, but still... a weird way of putting it.

I feel this. I'm on one waitlist and have 9 pending programs (of those, possibly 2 or 3 implied rejections). This has been so tough and up until a few days ago I was having a very hard time, imagining nonstop what it would be like to get shut out, and feeling completely lost. I'm still afraid, and it will hurt a lot if this cycle ends disappointingly for me, but I've just become so tired of the emotional roller coaster that I was able to fully bring myself to that 'it's out of my hands now; there's no way to predict anything; whatever happens, I'll just take it one step at a time.' If this cycle is a wash for me (and I do still have some hope it may not be), then I'll try again. Just thinking about writing up new applications, reworking writing samples, going through the waiting game again, and—most of all—asking my professors to write a third round of reference letters (they recommended me for my MA, as well as this PhD cycle) scares me so much, but I just keep reminding myself that there is nothing I can do right now at all, and if I do come to a position in which I have to try again, all I can do is try. I can't predict if I'll have the energy, the resources, if I'll be able to get references, etc., so what's the use in stressing about it now? I'm just wearing myself out that way. I know this probably doesn't help, but I just wanted to write all this to let you know, as others have already done, that you're definitely not alone. This entire process is the most gruelling thing I've been through, and it has a uniquely awful way of wearing out a person in a myriad of different ways. It's tough seeing people get really great news over and over, as happy as we all are for them, but we just have to keep reminding ourselves that admission decisions are incredibly complex and in large part depend on chance.

mvp

@jm6394 @digital_lime @Wimsey thank you!

Just got waitlisted at Michigan! It’s silly but this makes me so happy and gives me so much hope both for Michigan and for the remaining programs I have yet to hear from. If you were offered admission and are likely not going to accept, please let them know!! I’m absolutely in love with Michigan and it would be the greatest thing to get off that waitlist!

I’ve read somewhere on these forums that applicants sometimes write to the programs where they were unsuccessful to ask about the weaknesses of their applications. Does anyone have any idea how one might do this? I’m still waiting to hear back from a number of schools but I’ve had a fair number of rejections as well, and several of those at programs where I felt there was a strong fit... so I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to know, from the adcom’s perspective, where things went wrong.

Congrats!! I’ve only got good things to say about Hopkins’ English department.

Has anyone heard anything from Boston U yet? Last year they notified around this time, but there hasn’t been anything on the results board.

Oh my god congratulations! Hopkins was my undergrad institution, so seeing your post made me all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s a wonderful department with very friendly, helpful, and supportive academic and admin staff. I would have definitely applied if only it had been a good fit. Huge congrats, again! ?

I really hope Princeton comes through today... but also am terrified that Princeton might come through today

Really (really!) hoping for some good news from Princeton soon. ?

Definitely vague af. But it does seem like in previous years there have been more acceptances, so here’s hoping that there’s still a light at the end of this tunnel. @timespentreading thank you for sharing this info with us!

Yes please! I’m also still waiting on Brown and would very much like to believe that this isn’t the end of the road for that program...

This cycle is so rough. I’ve got a bunch of rejections and implied rejections and still quite a few programs to hear from, but seeing as of the ones left, almost all are higher-ranked than the ones I got rejected from, I’m starting to get really worried...

Today’s not over yet!