RBsister

Hey guys. I didn't match either. Bummed and a little confused. Trying just to feel the feels right now, but I think I'm still in shock.

Your age alone won't make a difference. I was told when I first looked into applying a few years ago, that, say, 7 years back my previous career experience and some course TAing I had done would probably have been taken to fulfill requirements. However, it has gotten competitive so rapidly that this isn't necessarily the case any more. So, I've spent my last two years getting other experiences and courses I needed while working fulltime and holding down the fort. There were people at my last interview who were fresh out of college or still wrapping up their degrees, people who were applying for the second time (myself included), and people across a range of backgrounds and experiences. This honestly is like any highly competitive process, and it depends on who is in the pool with you, every single time. Keep at it if its really what you want to do!

Readers, this is a great opportunity if you are in the SF Bay Area. This team is FABULOUS!!!! (PS: Also: Hi A. It's A.)

I wanted to revise that I did hear back from the JHU Director with a *very* nice note. Sounds like they were slammed last week (and I'm sure the weather there didn't help!!). Anyway, the official notices (of their declines on our applications) should come out "soon". Best wishes to all still waiting on responses from JHU and elsewhere, but especially: @Raerae32 @Adterry @AJM19

@NW1995 I did the same. I heard back from one of the interviewers as well as the director, but it may be because I shared something of particular interest with her. I imagine response may vary from school to school. In academic interviews (ie: teaching), it is common that there is only one person who is cleared to communicate with the candidates. I would not take the lack of response personally!

@AJM19 @raerae32 @adterry And anyone waiting to hear from Hopkins I wanted to let you know that I reached out a week or so back but have heard nothing. I personally am assuming at this point that they are passing on me, so I'm focused on just discerning how I would rank the schools where I do have interviews.

@Mshazelnut I'm sorry to tell you that UCI sent out invites a few weeks ago and their interviews start tomorrow. Fingers crossed that you are on some sort of waitlist! I am in your position WRT Hopkins. I reached out but... crickets. Applied/Interview/TheyMissedOut: Augustana, Brandeis, Denver, Hopkins, Stanford, Stanislaus, Irvine, Maryland, UWMadison, Utah, VCU,

@Nefelibata When you book with points, how flexible are the tickets? My strategy was to book with Southwest (no change fees!) and JetBlue (my besties live in a hub city) so I could get the most personal benefit if I got an additional interview and had to sequence trips with tight turn around. I decided I was willing to do early, late and redeye flights since I was planning to arrive at least a day before most interviews. I'm turning some of hte interview trips into mini vacays, visiting friends. When I had to look at non-stop flights, I tried to choose airports that would enable teh greatest flexibility to get to some of my destinations, if asked. Just waiting to hear from CSUS at this point, and definitively from JHU. @Raerae32 , Let me know if you hear anything, and good luck! Applied/Interview/TheyMissedOut: Augustana, Brandeis, Denver, Hopkins, Stanford, Stanislaus, Irvine, Maryland, UWMadison, Utah, VCU,

@bB0769 I was going to say basically the same thing as @Nefelibata. This is a very common problem in competitive application pools. It's also possible that they wanted to see some additional growth from last year to this. I personally have been taking heart that schools that are interested in what I have to offer are the ones which will interview me. @Methylation Still booking some of my lodging for this year, and just in general I (and I"m sure this community!) would love tips on how to lower costs in this pricey process. Applied/Interview/TheyMissedOut: Augustana, Brandeis, Denver, Hopkins, Stanford, Stanislaus, Irvine, Maryland, UWMadison, Utah, VCU,