Fineanddandy

Hi everyone -- first forum post from a forever lurker! I was just accepted to the Ph.D. at SUNY Buffalo after a wild ride!!! I was originally rejected from the Ph.D. and accepted to the M.A., which I declined due to lack of funding. Shortly after, I was placed on the Ph.D. waitlist. Just got the acceptance call today! I think one or two others on here may be attending UB 

I'm still sitting on WLs at UT Austin and at UMich for the Women's Studies and English Joint Ph.D., but I'm so psyched to finally have an offer on the table!!! 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

Since we’re sharing our hellish journeys....
This has been a 10-year process for me. Three years running I applied and got shut out each year. Here’s why it was CRUSHING: As intellectuals, we are not used to basically being told, “You’re not smart enough.” Getting that message, so unequivocally, goes to the core of our identities and makes us question everything we thought we knew about ourselves. It took years for me to get my self-esteem back.
 
Last year I applied to only two programs (ones that did not require a subject GRE bc I didn’t think I could take that). Shut out again, and I cried, but not like I did a few years ago. It lit a fire under me. I studied my ass off and nailed the Lit GRE this round. Now I’ve been accepted to one program and given an additional fellowship. I’m waiting to hear from other programs that are ~better~ but that one shot, that one person who finally believed in me, makes me feel so humbled and grateful. 
I hope none of you have to wait as long as I did, but I wanted to share that even tho the rejections are absolutely shattering, and even if they knock you down again and again, there’s always hope, and all it takes is one acceptance (even if it’s not this cycle). 
Good luck ❤️

@a_sort_of_fractious_angel 's experience is strikingly similar to my own. I was shut out last year -- the only one in my MA program to be shut out -- from 10 programs. And I can't agree more with the way this horrible feeling has been articulated above. It was awful. Terrible awful. I felt terribly bitter when I would read reported acceptances on the results board that were like "I guess if none of my other schools accept me I'll go here [insert dream school]." I empathize with you @Fineanddandy , I really really do. But I, like @a_sort_of_fractious_angel, have had some success another go around, so sometimes it does just take a few tries. Don't give up, and just power through it. Also, it's not over yet so you may still be pleasantly surprised! 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

I’m a lurker. I’ve applied to 11 programs. I’ve been told that I was an extremely strong candidate, yet all rejections so far. Not even a waitlist. What bothers me most is the demeanor of some people on these boards who have already been accepted to more than 1 school, yet they are complaining about rejections. Gratitude. Be thankful you have been accepted to ONE. I’m sure y’all don’t mean to sound that way - but that’s how it comes across.  Not a troll. A sad person, who will pick myself up and continue my pursuits. Best to you all and congrats to those who’ve been accepted. 
 

Same here!  I'm a very strong candidate--great writing samples, awesome transcripts, very strong LOR's, 2 conferences, 3 languages, etc., and I've gotten 4 rejections.  I'm still waiting on 6 schools but I'm feeling very anxious and hopeless at the moment.  I would die of happiness to get into just ONE program.