LolJustAdmitMe

I’m gonna be honest. It’s kind of frustrating to see people talk about “only” receiving one acceptance, when it’s my second round of practically getting shut out. I would appreciate any acceptance or interview that dropped into my inbox but idk...maybe it’s all about perspective and circumstances. But it’s frustrating to see and I’m 100% sure it’s all tied into my own shortcomings but yea...it almost always comes off as a humble brag haha

Awwww :/ try not to get discouraged. People have described the game of admissions to practically be a crap shoot, meaning you could apply with the same credentials and get in easily next yr and wonder why the previous year was SUCH a hassle. Also, I’ve noticed this with myself, all the schools I thought would be easy to get into, I spent MUCH less on the application and ended up getting rejected, as well. I even asked one of the “easier” programs to get into why I was rejected and they told me it was JUST my personal statement. Looking back I realized I assumed they would just let me bc of my qualifications and literally forgot to put enough effort into the full application. Of course this may not be your own issue but next time around (if you have to reapply, which happens) broaden your scope of schools and areas you’re willing to study in. It can help with the admissions process (it’s helped for me at least getting onto waiting lists and not flat out rejected). I’ve said too much. Lol

Yea, I’d take the hint and go elsewhere if you can. But, if you must attend there, simply respond that you’re still interested and willing to wait.

^^^^^^ Me in the morning vs me at night:

B

At least you guys have an acceptance! I would kill for one, especially after this being my second round of attempts.

Lol no. I got into a Masters Program with an overall 2.71. You’ll be fine. Sleep easy tonight.

After milling around the Gradcafe results and recieving a rejection from a school I thought I forsure had a chance w/ today, I think I’m officially out of the running for a PhD this round...already. This hurts really bad. Like it physically hursts. I don’t want to tell my family or friends bc I’m so embarrassed and they really just don’t get how it feels to be rejected time and time over again. Being this is my second round of investing so much time, energy, money and emotion, I think I’m just gonna call it quits. Good luck to everyone still in the running! I hope you guys kill your interviews and all of your wildest dreams come true! Lol

That’s a great idea and I’d love to ask but do you think I’ll come off ass annoying if I send an email asking almost 18 days later? And, I’m not even sure of how to ask that without sounding like a nuancance. Basically I don’t want to annoy them w/my optimism lol

Lol I hear your concerns and appreciate them but: 1) My background’s psychology and I’m currently working as a therapist. I would’ve steered clear if it seemed like THAT bad of an idea. 2) It’s just a space for people to vent, especially if they have no where else to vent or anyone to understand them. The point is to give people a space to let it out. Holding it in only heightens the emotions someone may be feeling. I’m just trying to give people a platform to clear their mind for the time being. I appreciate your concerns but...you could apply that theory to the forum as a whole lol

I’m in almost the same position, except it’s with my top choice. I’m hoping 6 of their invitees get invited to interview at Harvard(or somewhere nice) that same weekend and turn my choice down. I have no idea where I am on the list so hopefully a crap ton of people decide they’d rather be elsewhere. Good luck to us, btw!

I love how goal oriented and unapologetic you are about your academic endeavors! I hope to hear good news from you (and Harvard!) within the next coming months! Definitely keep us updated!!

Awww thank you! Hopefully, we’ll all have PhD Cinderella endings! Lol

This whole post is unbelievably relateable. I have so many friends and family members who treat me as if I’m Einstein and owe’d a spot in PhD programs. It’s like they don’t get how BIG and competitive PhD programs have become. My grandma swears it’s a simple as a phone call to get in haha! Bless her soul. It’s not just good grades and experience that get you in anymore. It’s so much more and you’re facing so many wonderful candidates that it’s hard to really believe it’ll work out, especially when you know what you’re up against. It would be 100% fabulous if people knew how to be supportive, yet realistic and that’s why I made this thread. A lot of our family and friends just don’t get it. Some of them are tired of hearing our worries that they equate to just being ‘anxious’, when in reality most of us KNOW the reality of this process. Great post!

I’m glad you love it!!

Ugh! I emailed my POI a paragraph restating my interest in the program, since I was placed as an interview alternate, and only received back a “Thank you for your email Tammy!”....Idk what I was expecting(lol jk I was expecting a “Actually a slot did open!”) but I have a tiny feeling I won’t be receiving an interview and that I’m prob at the bottom of the alternate list. It sucks but I feel like I’m going to half to accept that this year of applications may be a bust as well *sigh* Maybe I’m just dramatic but I feel like the chances of getting off the alternate interview list are super slim, if not unrealistic.

I have a question but don’t really know where to drop it so I’ll leave it here and hope someone w/experience sees it: I got waitlisted(long listed, pre-interview meaning I wasn’t offered an interview) on the 15th by my top choice and I immediately emailed the program coordinator back stating ‘I was still interested and happy to be still in the running blah blah’. Didn’t get a reply back, not that I was necessarily expecting one. But the more I peruse this forum I realized that maybe I supposed to email my POI and not the department??? Is that true and I should’ve emailed my POI or am I fine and the department will just check off something next to my name, like “Yeap! Still likes us!”?

Depends on the school. Some have already let me know and some haven’t sent an email at all, despite me seeing that ppl have already gotten invites. Last round of apps, I didn’t hear back from Hawaii, Wisconsin and another school I can’t recall until March/April. That could be because that’s when they got around to sending out their rejections or I could’ve been unknowingly waitlisted but from my perspective and the amount of folks who posted the same rejections from programs at the same time, I’ll say it depends on the school and when tthey care to show their cards. I automatically tell myself it’s a ‘no’ if I see people getting invites to avoid getting excited over possibly being waitlisted. So once you see others getting invites, just count yourself out and be pleasantly surprised if you receive a waitlisted notification! Lol

As of late, I’ve really been at peace with the idea of ‘whatever happens, happens’. My top choice waitlisted me and for me, that’s 100X better than the 8 PhD rejections I’ve received within the past yr and I now know for a fact that I’ve given it my best shot(for now, can’t change anything really) and that’s REALLY been helping me move through the holidays but I’m sort of worried if the anxiety will return after the holidays knowing they could email me at anytime to say “We’d love to see you” or “I regret to inform you”. Mainly because there’s a higher chance I’ll receive a “We regret to inform you” and I know it will hurt the most after getting so close.

It’d be weird if I made this post and never shared my own feelings during this process, so I’ll share. For short, I have a lot of mixed feelings. This is my second round applying to PhD programs. I’ve watched my friends whom said they only wanted to get their PhD “for the title” get into PhD programs. I’ve had friends state that they wanted to get into the easiest program they could (one of them is flunking out rn) and get into programs. Despite the fact I felt my intentions were pure, motivated and shared the same educational background as them, I’ve failed to get into a program. In the past yr I’ve felt so embarrassed by it as countless people would ask “Why didn’t you get in??” and I have no good answer. But despite being left speechless by the question, it also hurts. Going into this round of applications felt more meaningful for me. I started to realize how EXPENSIVE it’s become. I’ve become more invested in the programs, POIs and the application process. This round would hurt even more than the last if I strike out, again. I’ve put so much effort and time in and I know I’m up against a million great applicants but *GOD* all I need is one shot. Just one interview and I have faith I could make into a Program. But I’m almost positive my GRE scores are the sole reason most schools would pass me up, despite all the great accomplishments I could bring to the table. So far this round, I have been rejected by one School and waitlisted by my top choice (which is a miracle in comparison to last yr’s turnout). I was heartbroken to not receive an invite but then I realized how lucky I was that they even considered to put me on their waiting list, which helped me stop crying and moping around about it.... So basically I’m super emotionally involved. I spend most of my work day worrying about it, hoping and praying I hear good news back but it really sucks when the odds are stacked disgustingly high against you. That’s all.

Linda, you already seem 10x smarter than me haha. I have a funny feeling you will make it in to the program that fits you perfectly and if not, that’s their loss, not yours!

Your worries are so relateable. I have a similar story, minus the professor being accused of sexual assault, and to be transparent I wasn’t accepted my first round of apps either. It was super discouraging, I cried a few times and gained a bit of weight. It was tough to watch others get accepted and wonder “What’s so wrong w/me?!” Luckily, I’ve learned a lot from the first round and mended a lot of those mistakes this round and have gotten better results already than last round (I was completely shut out before but now I’ve managed to weissel my way into a waiting list lol)...mind you this is with the same qualifications. Like many have said it’s sometimes all luck and depends on the group you’re up against :/

Wow. As someone w/uncompetitive GRE scores, I just want to let you know that I’m rooting for you! I hope you get in!

Wow. I had no idea research was so limited in Brazil :/ Which schools are you applying too? There are tons of American schools and sometimes it’s better to aim for lower ranked schools due to all the applications higher ranked schools receive! Overall, it seems like you’re super motivated, especially since you’re planning to move to the US! I’m sure they’ll see that in your applications!

Yes! Same. The application process always leaves me feeling frustrated, powerless and in the dark!