Bopie5

This is just my two cents, but I think all of us are set up for an uncertain future, no matter what program, no matter the ranking. I'm thinking about how Columbia has had trouble placing any of their recent PhD grads in TT positions. If we put any credence in US News rankings (I don't really), we can solidly say that top 10 and even top 5 schools struggle to place their graduates. Adjuncting is profoundly precarious, and VAPs/postdocs are extremely competitive (and still precarious). 
In my opinion, I would go with the place where you believe you are most likely to thrive for the next 5-6 years. Not to be a downer, but there are no jobs in English on the other side of the PhD, and I think unfortunately the situation is more likely to get worse than it is to get better. So I would say, factors like a good funding package, health insurance, a strong grad student union, program culture, and other financial support (conference travel, emergency fund, additional fellowship, etc) should be weighed as more important than program ranking or reputation. If you haven't already, I'd ask these kinds of questions to make sure you're making the best decision. Is there a union? If so, how strong/active is it? Does the department or graduate school offer any relocation assistance? Does the department or graduate school have support in case of medical/personal emergencies? What does the health insurance, if offered, actually cover? Is there funding available beyond the 5th year, and how competitive is it? What is the most common time to degree? What are placement rates like, and where have graduates ended up if not in academia? What is your assigned advisor's mentorship style? How does the stipend scale to cost of living? Do students have to work other jobs outside the school to make rent? Is the social culture more collaborative or competitive? 
The one thing I would say is that I think it would be worth trying to get in touch with more students at the first program. I'd take the opinion of the student who had a bad experience seriously. But I think you need more data points before you take their opinion as your conclusion about the program. It might be worth re-upping your emails to students and faculty at that program. If no one responds again, that's more data too.
This got long, but hope it helps!

This is just my two cents, but I think all of us are set up for an uncertain future, no matter what program, no matter the ranking. I'm thinking about how Columbia has had trouble placing any of their recent PhD grads in TT positions. If we put any credence in US News rankings (I don't really), we can solidly say that top 10 and even top 5 schools struggle to place their graduates. Adjuncting is profoundly precarious, and VAPs/postdocs are extremely competitive (and still precarious). 
In my opinion, I would go with the place where you believe you are most likely to thrive for the next 5-6 years. Not to be a downer, but there are no jobs in English on the other side of the PhD, and I think unfortunately the situation is more likely to get worse than it is to get better. So I would say, factors like a good funding package, health insurance, a strong grad student union, program culture, and other financial support (conference travel, emergency fund, additional fellowship, etc) should be weighed as more important than program ranking or reputation. If you haven't already, I'd ask these kinds of questions to make sure you're making the best decision. Is there a union? If so, how strong/active is it? Does the department or graduate school offer any relocation assistance? Does the department or graduate school have support in case of medical/personal emergencies? What does the health insurance, if offered, actually cover? Is there funding available beyond the 5th year, and how competitive is it? What is the most common time to degree? What are placement rates like, and where have graduates ended up if not in academia? What is your assigned advisor's mentorship style? How does the stipend scale to cost of living? Do students have to work other jobs outside the school to make rent? Is the social culture more collaborative or competitive? 
The one thing I would say is that I think it would be worth trying to get in touch with more students at the first program. I'd take the opinion of the student who had a bad experience seriously. But I think you need more data points before you take their opinion as your conclusion about the program. It might be worth re-upping your emails to students and faculty at that program. If no one responds again, that's more data too.
This got long, but hope it helps!

I've just declined my offer at Davis, and also removed myself from CUNY's waitlist. Hope this helps someone!

I've just declined my offer at Davis, and also removed myself from CUNY's waitlist. Hope this helps someone!

Thanks for the update Bopie5! I am also waitlisted at CUNY, and that is my top choice. I am waitlisted at UConn and Delaware as well, so if anyone is planning on rejecting an offer at any of these programs, that would be amazing to know. Best of luck to everyone else on this painful waitlist game! 

Me waiting on Rochester, UCSB, Syracuse and Penn State

The extension for abstracts is the only thing that saved me, lol. I'm presenting on the Irish female celebrity body and it's connections to the Irish landscape in a way that sort of acts as an extension of colonial ideals! But more broadly it will be about Grace Kelly ?

See you there! I'll be presenting as well.

Omg congrats! I couldn't pull my life together enough to submit to NeMLA this year, but I wish I could come to your panel. What are you presenting on?

Hi all! Despite what I think may be an encroaching shutout for me, I'm trying to get excited about other things happening in my life. That said, I'm presenting at NeMLA this Friday (it's virtual)! If anyone else is presenting there and would like a friend in their audience, feel free to let me know because I would love to meet some of you and see your neat research in action! I have the day off so besides my panel (5-6:30), I'll have plenty of time to check out people's amazing work. 

So after being pretty sure of a shutout, I've just been accepted into a fully-funded MA programme!!!!! Beyond shook 
If anyone has attended UK, please do drop me a message! 

I got an acceptance today, y’all!!

I think it's always helpful to remember rejection isn't any indication of how smart someone is.

It’s pretty shocking. Two of the smartest folks I know had to apply twice, even in non covid times, so I’m reassuring myself with the fact that it’s hard in general and nearly impossible this year. Still sucks tho! At least we have good memes and satire (your amazing essay) to get us through. 

I mean, at least we now have this amazing meme. DYING.

It's truly a tough year. I do think that's the case. I don't think I've seen a year where so many, many talented people got rejected by every single school they applied to. 

I finally have a reason to wear makeup again

Okay the whole #TeamBEN paragraph sent me! I was laughing out loud throughout but that part really got me. Also... "no more difficult and complicated than the vast web of lies your professors have clearly been spinning about your talent and scholarly potential to keep from hurting your feelings" OUCH! 

Ahhhh! It's not true!! It's the Imposter Syndrome telling lies, haha! I literally had to have my friend ask me, "Would you go out of your way to tell someone that something badly-written was good?" before I realized what an odd line of thinking I had going on. Thanks for reading it! 

that bit HURT!!... I’m sending it to my former prof?

This is literally my entire inner anxious ass monologue throughout the application process in the most hysterical, brilliantly written piece. Woke my cat up with my laughing, and now he’s giving me a death glare. Pretty sure he’s on #TeamBEN now.

You are funny and creative and I laughed out loud. All these years later, I now know I'm not the only person traumatized by the presidential fitness test.

GUYS! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!!!! THE BABY ARTICLE IS OUT IN THE WORLD NOW!
I do hope some of y'all can relate to this as well. 
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-graduate-school-rejection-letter-as-written-by-my-anxiety-disorder-at-3-am

I think my application cycle has officialy ended, I was denied from around 12+ schools and accepted to only one, which I guess is all that matters... I will most likely attend the program that offered admission to me in the Fall--I really wish you all good luck in all your endeavors, this cycle has been extremely tough

Have heard that there were even bigger increases for some programs, unfortunately, with greatly reduced cohort sizes. 
now, more than ever, I think we gotta keep in mind the whole ‘an acceptance is personal but a rejection is not’ mantra