menalta17

Update: just rejected by one of the schools I waitlisted by two days ago. Fantastic. Praying for a Cinderella story.

Anyone else riding the wave of mediocracy with me here? I've been officially waitlisted by 3 of the 6 schools I'm waiting to hear back from (the others have yet to send an update) and it's starting to occur to me that I'm not the best applicant but I'm juuuuuuust good enough to be a second thought and it sucks. I just want to be someone's first choice and not have to cry & beg via email to be reconsidered. BUT although it sucks, its better then the shut out I received last year. Anyway, is anyone else on a million waiting lists? How are y'all holding up and how often do you contact the program or POI?

I emailed a school that has already sent out rejections and offered an interview (which I didn't even know they did interviews since the website doesn't state they do, nor do their past acceptances/rejection submissions show they do...maybe that professor just wants to chat for clarification...who knows) and basically asked what my application status was. The answer: 'We're still processing applications. Your letter will be sent out by March.' Idk why but the realist/occasional pessimist in me was like, "Gorl, that's a rejection." Sadly at this stage, it almost feels better to receive a definitive 'no' :/.

One school I applied to has sent out rejections weeks ago but I've yet to be rejected. I want to see that as a good sign but at the same time its getting late in the game. I could either waitlisted or maybe my POI hasn't gotten to email her rejections list. IDK. Plus...the last time I reached out and emailed a school to ask about my status, I was brutally rejected b/c of my "personal statement". I feel like that was their way of just saying 'we were thinking about keeping you but now that you've annoyed us, we'll let ya go'. So I want to know, but I don't want to ruin my chances or MOSTLY break my own heart too early. One part of me has walked away from the whole process but the other part of me is stuck on hold, praying some good news comes. It really sucks.

lmfao this is what I needed to see today haha

SAME. I feel like once it hits February, chances of getting into a PhD program plummet drastically. Around mid-January(after being waitlisted by my #1 choice and passively rejected by 4), I literally told everyone the same as well. Like 'hey guys, don't hold your breathe because I'm not.' I'll recant my statement when pigs fly.

1. Holy hell. You and I have very similar stories and reactions to how our stories have been playing out. The first time I applied to PhD programs, I was f*ing suicidal. Nothing made sense. I couldn't sleep. I cried a lot. I couldn't be happy for the people around me because I was in so much pain and embarrassment. I wanted to just drop off the planet because NOTHING, NOTHING WAS WORKING OUT. Even the Peace Corps rejected me. Yea...WTF. It was a bad time. Point blank, a year later I'm in the same position of getting locked out, again. I don't see any hope and I've truly given up because why waste all this money on being told no. But, as soon as I accepted that this may not be my path, a lot of that pain has lifted. I put my all into getting a job (it took 5 months to find a job) and honestly, I like it. School stressed me out and I wake up now not dreading the amount of work I have to do. All I'm saying is, is from one person in a similar position to another, don't let rejection change your life for the worst. There is life outside of our hopes and inspirations and you never know, forcibly having to take a different direction may eventually take you somewhere you actually love or at least prepare you for the next steps. 2. This thread (if you haven't been on it yet) has been SUPER helpful to connect w/other ppl who are going through similar things! Please drop a line there as well and stay in contact with us!

Sort of. I haven't heard from all schools but seeing interviews have been had weeks ago, I've assumed it's a no. I did get waitlisted but once again, I'm just going to assume it's a no since I've heard nothing from them after their interviews. So yea, I guess you can say I've been shut out. Sucks but...hey thats life :/

LOL All of them. Every single one of them. Again. Can't win for losing. If I didn't have an amazing job and a life that's finally starting to launch, I'd be pissed to tears.

yes hilarious.

For Masters, not necessarily, unless they state you should in their SOP directions. The stating your POI in the SOP is usually more of a PhD thing, since you're basically interviewing for a job (in Clinical Psych at least). But other than that I got into a Masters program w/o even looking at the faculty page :/

I applied to 6. Sometimes I don't think its enough, especially in comparison to other people who've applied to 15-20, but unfortunately financially I can't send in more than 6 :/ Just those schools alone drained $1500 out of my paycheck and I can't imagine spending anymore. Can someone share their financial security w/me? haha

At this point I've seen 4/6 schools I've applied to post interviews. Hard not to feel defeated right now but I feel extremely down on my luck and depressed. I wish I was one of those people that lost weight when they got depressed but I'll probably end up binge eating my feelings and moping around work the next 3 months until I strike out on all of my apps. This really sucks. My family thinks I'll get in somewhere so it's gonna be pretty hard to talk to them about it without them becoming motivational speakers. Maybe I'll just avoid it. They'll figure it out.

...that it's Rain Man haha Right? It's Rain Man, right?

1. Always remember requesting an alternate date is possible and many programs already have a date set aside for students who are unable to attend the first initial interview date because they're attending another, already. So take comfort in the fact that you'll have that option of requesting an 'Alternate date' if you do receive an overlap of interviews. 2. If you don't care as much for School X, as you do School A, B, C, D & E (I hope this is your situation! lol), you're not obligated to interview. If you received a good amount of interviews from schools you LOVE, it's okay to turn one down. You can send a nice 'Thank you, I know what I said earlier about attending but never mind' email and go about your business w/ A, B, C, D & E. This would actually be perfect for other students whom may be alternates, waiting for an interview slot to open and you may be opening a window of opportunity for someone else! Best of luck!!

Yes, I'm definitely underrepresented and I know what you mean. My research focuses on Stereotype threat in academia, specifically stereotype threat in African Americans and Latino Americans in STEM fields and one of my studies had shown discrimination is actually, and sadly, more prominent than people care to discuss. Our study showed a significant amount of dropouts and major-changers because of stand-offish faculty, obvious discrimination (Ex: One student reported a friend of theirs(White) sought extra credit after failing a test, despite never coming to class. Friend received extra credit immediately w/o question. Latina student said she went to the same professor and was turned down after being forced to unexpectedly and orally answer 20 random questions in that moment w/the professor, DESPITE having a a higher grade than her friend and attending class regularly. She later asked other students what had happened when they went in for extra credit and people's responses were divided exactly by race. White students immediately received extra credit, ethnic minorities were put through a random assessment of their knowledge. Yea......he was a major d*ckwad and needed to be reported but unfortunately he still strikes every few years just to save his tenure.), faculty who are unwilling to work with a student or accept them into labs, etc. Sometimes being aware of discrimination in academia makes it hard to not equate rejection and discrimination, especially when you look at cohort website picture and out of 30 ppl, no one looks like you. I like to think it's still a numbers game with most academic institutions receiving so many apps and that it just comes down to the best candidates but you can never really know...and that's scary.

This is random but I like your profile picture...I get it. Haha

Try not to harp on her. Save your time and find somebody else to write your LOR...especially since it doesn't seem like you like her much or have had positive interactions w/her. She may be feeling the same way, too. Cut your losses and email a prior boss or two.

Thank you for the advice. I've already CC'd my POI and the program in a thank you. I liked your idea of being upfront and asking but I wish I asked this question earlier to include that in my email because now I don't want to scare them by sending another email asking 'what are my chances or getting an interview?' lol

I got my first waitlist notification. I'm scared I'll receive 12 more and be left in limbo while watching everyone receive their decisions. This is crazy to say but I think waitlisted may be worse than rejection because most of the time you're given hope only to get let down months later. I'd rather know months later 'yes' or 'no'.

Hey guys, this is my first time on this forum so...be nice to me, please lol Two hours ago I received an email from one of the programs I applied to and it said I was waitlisted and they would follow up if a first round selected interviewee rejected their invite. I'm not too keen to the program as I am to the others I applied to but bc I'm assuming my options may be low in February I kind of want to get at least one interview. How often do waitlistees gets invited to interview? I would think most people would accept the offer, especially this early on. Also, does being waitlisted like this only count for interviews or will it still be possible to get an interview months later? Thank you ahead of time if anyone knows the answer!