semiotic_mess

@mashatheicebear
(And anyone that needs interview advice)
I am so, so, sorry! I had some personal stuff come up and totally forgot I promised the doc. I will just post what I have here.
My personal advice after my own interview that was very academically oriented (some of it is just reinforcing what others have said): 
 
Review your own material. Focus more on the things you mentioned in your SOP rather than researching the faculty work. I am not sure about others, but, there wasn't any point that I needed to know faculty work or could have shown this off at all (definitely worth at least knowing what each of the committee members do generally, just as context for their comments or just generally to be familiar. But this isn't more than checking the faculty website)
 
Write out an explanation of your past/current work. Take the time to do this because externalizing it will help. Then, PRACTICE SAYING IT. I wrote out my explanation and then come interview, my brain decided to do its own thing. I wish I had practiced an elevator pitch or talking points MULTIPLE times so that I had something already ingrained in my brain. See if you can practice with a friend and have them ask about your work and future plans. 
 
Also prepare an answer for "Why X university?" or "Why are you a good fit for X?". And say something specific about the program and yourself. If you can say it about any university or candidate, it isn't a great answer.
 
Don't get thrown off by a critical comment or question. Consider it thoughtfully and if you don't have an answer don't try and BS, just say that was a good point you hadn't thought of and digging into questions like that further are part of the reason you want to get a PhD (good place to sell yourself as dedicated to academia) and then thank them for the question. They just want to see how you respond (it is nothing personal); they like you enough to interview, so don't think something critical means they don't! If you are mentally ready for them being harsh, you are either going to be prepared and not sweat it, or it turns out they were really nice and it is a nice surprise! Go into it thinking it will be like a tough conference crowd and then you won't be thrown off by critical comments or questions.
 
Remember, most of the interview is just to see that you are professional and a person they would want to be around for the next 5-6 years, so be nice, humble, and highlight your passion and dedication to the discipline and a career in academia.
 
That is all I have to add to the great advice below.
 
Most of this is not my own words, but a collection of different advice I found or was given:
____
From a professor:
 
"There could also be wildcard questions like “What do you like to do when you’re not doing philosophy?” or “What’s your favorite book?” These are designed to assess whether you have the maturity and well-rounded life to succeed in a doctoral program and not crack under the pressure. The oldie-but-goodie “Tell us about a challenge you faced, a time when you failed at something, etc.” might also surface. The most important thing here is NOT to say that you’ve never failed or faced challenges; be ready with a genuine example. Finally, they might ask you in general terms what areas of study you’re interested in, but I doubt they’d ask detailed questions designed to assess your knowledge of a specific figure or text."
 
From previous gradcafe threads:
(https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/119255-2020-applicants/page/26/?tab=comments#comment-1058724006)
As someone else said, feel free to admit that you haven't read something/don't know much about something. However, the best thing to do is not let that "I'm not sure, I haven't read that" end the conversation or question. Instead, try to turn the conversation back around into something you either DO know, or turn it into a relevant question. i.e. "You know, I actually haven't read much Foucault, so I don't think I'm confident speaking about his ideas of biopower. However, I have found myself really interested in X, who says Y-- and you're right that I should dive into Foucault to see what he can add to my thoughts about Z." Or, "I haven't read Frankenstein in a while, but I think you're right that it could open up an interesting question in my work. For instance, I'm really interested in... Thanks for the recommendation!" 
With the above, if someone asks you something that you REALLY know nothing about-- say they mention a theorist or author that you've never heard of-- ask for clarification! Say something like, "I don't know Jane Doe's work. What's her take on eco criticism?" Then, use their answer to similarly make connections like I said above
 Don't feel like you need to have a definitive answer. Places where they ask you something that you haven't thought through yet are a great place to (1) say where you thinking IS at, but then follow that up by saying (2) this is why you want to be in a PhD program. Great phrasing would be something like, "I really do think that the relationship between gender and the publishing industry has had a huge impact on the reception of certain authors. I think to get to a definitive answer, however, I'll have to do some archival work, which I haven't had the time to do while in my M.A. That's one of the reasons I'm really excited about the prospect of being in your program-- you have such a great collection of early publishing records, and I love the work that Dr. X has done with them."
Have some questions prepared to ask them, if they give you the opening to do so. Even if you don't really have any questions, have some-- saying "I don't have any questions" can make you seen uninterested. These questions, though, should be higher-order questions about the program, and not nitty-gritty. i.e. DO ask about recent placement, but don't ask about specific stipend questions (unless they give you the space to do so). DO ask about the availability of funding for conference travel, but don't ask about how much. After you're admitted, you can ask about details, or about the city or housing or whatever. Right now, you're just trying to get in the door.
The best advice-- for interviews, and for campus visits when y'all get to that stage-- is to fake it 'til ya make it. It's ok to say that you're nervous if you are! But also, act confident, sociable, and kind, no matter how you feel inside. I used to teach speech, and I'd tell my kids that everyone starts to feel nervous before public speaking. That's a normal, healthy, bodily response. The key is to turn those nerves into energy, rather than thinking that they mean you're going to fail, and letting them shut you up. 
 
1. This may be obvious to you, but think of the interview as you pitching your work to the department. The point of the interview is to share your work with the faculty – both the past work you've done and future work you want to do – and to explain why you are excited to do that work at that particular program. I had no idea what kinds of questions to expect – did they want to get to know me better as a potential colleague? Did they want to hear about more ideas that didn't make it into my materials? Nope – they just wanted a better idea of how all of my interests fit together and some clarification of what I've done and what I want to do, research-wise. Our conversation never strayed from my SoP and WS. Talk about your past and future work in as specific terms as possible, rooted in arguments you have made and methods/avenues of research you want to pursue
 
2. Review your statement of purpose and writing sample very carefully for at least a few days before the interview. Practice talking about them with confidence in very specific terms, and be able to explain how they link together. Do not waste time reviewing books/articles written by the faculty at that program. I spent far too much time doing this and didn't have a single opportunity to hint at my knowledge. I should have spent the time reviewing my own materials carefully.
 
3. As @urbanfarmer mentioned, do have questions prepared for your interviewers. But while questions about funding and placement may be welcome at some departments, I very much got the sense that my interviewers did not want to be asked about classes, placement, job support, teaching (whoops). They made it fairly clear at the end of the interview that I should have asked about the opportunities available to me within my specific field/subfield at the program, and what the work culture is like in those areas. I didn't think to ask about those things because I had already researched them well and I didn't want to seem like I hadn't, but in retrospect, I do not think it is necessarily a bad idea to ask questions you already know the answers to. For my next interview, I plan to begin the "question" section with "I'm really excited about University's program because of x opportunities in my Field. Would you mind talking a little bit about the opportunities and culture in Field at University so I can get a better sense of how I would fit in to your program?"
 
4. Similarly, when possible, throw in phrases reiterating that you are excited about and think you are a good fit for the program because of x. Only after my not very good interview did I realize I really just talked about me the whole time and made it seem like I didn't know or care about the program. I thought my understanding of the department's opportunities in my field and my fit with the department was evident from my statement of purpose, but in retrospect, I wish I had emphasized these things during the interview.
 
https://dukeofbookingham.tumblr.com/post/190293342155/so-ive-been-in-the-room-for-prospective-phd

____
Here are some questions I wrote for a meeting with faculty before applications that could suit an interview well (These are particular to program, but you can extrapolate for other department specifics):
 
Website mentions: What is the mentoring program? Tell me about the teaching apprenticeships? What are the certification programs? Dual degree and minors? 
 
Professional development?- info on Graduate Placement Officer, who organizes placement workshops, arranges for mock interviews and works closely with students to put together a compelling CV and dossier?
 
Support for DAAD, Fullbright applications?
 
Lecture series? reading groups? department affiliated extracurriculars
 
**Would you say that students are often involved with faculty scholarship or vice versa (research assistants, co-editors, etc.)?
 
Dissertation advisor process?- how frequently do you meet, is it one person or many, how self-directed is it?
 
For the coursework requirements, are the courses taken exclusively graduate seminars or do you take some courses that are undergraduate/graduate mixed level courses? What is the typical class size of the graduate seminars?
 
I saw that taking courses in other departments is an option, but it does not count towards philosophy credits, only as credits required by the graduate school.  Would the credits required by the graduate school normally be fulfilled by the regular program requirements entirely in the philosophy department? Would this mean that by taking courses in other departments you would be taking more credit hours than the requirements for graduation? 
 
For the foreign language requirement, is there any assistance for students to fulfill this requirement or is it something that needs to be done independently? Do you know if there are student-based study groups for this? I saw that auditing requires permission, is it common practice for students to audit language courses?
 
Question examples (and what not to ask) from a professor:
 
"Something you’ve seen on the website and want further information about — this will not only let them know that you’ve visited the website, but will also allow them to learn about some aspect of the program you’re particularly interested in
 
Opportunities for contributing to the department (e.g. whether grads are involved in organizing a lecture series, conference, or some other aspect of departmental life) — in other words, a “what can I do for you” type question
 
How they organize TAing/teaching (if not clear from the website) — it’s a good idea to find something to ask about teaching, to show that you’re exited about it and not someone who will just want to do your research and not pull your weight in the classroom
 
Placement (if not on the website) — makes it clear to them that you’re interested in an academic career and serious about completing the program"

 
Things NOT to ask (almost as important)
 
"Anything that you could easily find the answer to on their website — you don’t want it to look like you’re not invested enough to check out the website for basic information and answers to common questions   
 
Anything about specific faculty members (e.g. whether they’re taking on new advisees) — that could make everyone else feel resentful or more likely to favor candidates who might want to work with them. Questions about the faculty or the department’s strengths in general are fine, as long as it’s not about info that’s easily available online.
 
In general, avoid asking too many “what can you do for me” type questions — asking about one resource that’s particularly important to you (e.g. travel funding) is fine, but don’t ask a list of questions that will make them think you’d be a diva or high maintenance"
 
_____
I am currently on my tablet, so I will go back and edit to add the sources from the gradcafe threads (also that's why there might be some spelling or grammar mistakes, sorry!
I hope this advice helps someone! I have no idea how my interview went, so who knows if what I have to say is useful ?

No worries! Glad I could help! I know I was extremely nervous for my interview and any bit of info or advice made me feel a bit better and more prepared, so I can only hope that I can help any way I can with the trauma that is grad school applications. I tend to be an over planner (yet somehow still a procrastinator?), so I tend to go on intense internet hunts for little gold info nuggets for these kinds of things in order to feel like I have some charade of control over what's happening (I have ADHD an am extremely impatient ?. I am dying on the inside with every moment of radio silence ?)

@mashatheicebear
(And anyone that needs interview advice)
I am so, so, sorry! I had some personal stuff come up and totally forgot I promised the doc. I will just post what I have here.
My personal advice after my own interview that was very academically oriented (some of it is just reinforcing what others have said): 
 
Review your own material. Focus more on the things you mentioned in your SOP rather than researching the faculty work. I am not sure about others, but, there wasn't any point that I needed to know faculty work or could have shown this off at all (definitely worth at least knowing what each of the committee members do generally, just as context for their comments or just generally to be familiar. But this isn't more than checking the faculty website)
 
Write out an explanation of your past/current work. Take the time to do this because externalizing it will help. Then, PRACTICE SAYING IT. I wrote out my explanation and then come interview, my brain decided to do its own thing. I wish I had practiced an elevator pitch or talking points MULTIPLE times so that I had something already ingrained in my brain. See if you can practice with a friend and have them ask about your work and future plans. 
 
Also prepare an answer for "Why X university?" or "Why are you a good fit for X?". And say something specific about the program and yourself. If you can say it about any university or candidate, it isn't a great answer.
 
Don't get thrown off by a critical comment or question. Consider it thoughtfully and if you don't have an answer don't try and BS, just say that was a good point you hadn't thought of and digging into questions like that further are part of the reason you want to get a PhD (good place to sell yourself as dedicated to academia) and then thank them for the question. They just want to see how you respond (it is nothing personal); they like you enough to interview, so don't think something critical means they don't! If you are mentally ready for them being harsh, you are either going to be prepared and not sweat it, or it turns out they were really nice and it is a nice surprise! Go into it thinking it will be like a tough conference crowd and then you won't be thrown off by critical comments or questions.
 
Remember, most of the interview is just to see that you are professional and a person they would want to be around for the next 5-6 years, so be nice, humble, and highlight your passion and dedication to the discipline and a career in academia.
 
That is all I have to add to the great advice below.
 
Most of this is not my own words, but a collection of different advice I found or was given:
____
From a professor:
 
"There could also be wildcard questions like “What do you like to do when you’re not doing philosophy?” or “What’s your favorite book?” These are designed to assess whether you have the maturity and well-rounded life to succeed in a doctoral program and not crack under the pressure. The oldie-but-goodie “Tell us about a challenge you faced, a time when you failed at something, etc.” might also surface. The most important thing here is NOT to say that you’ve never failed or faced challenges; be ready with a genuine example. Finally, they might ask you in general terms what areas of study you’re interested in, but I doubt they’d ask detailed questions designed to assess your knowledge of a specific figure or text."
 
From previous gradcafe threads:
(https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/119255-2020-applicants/page/26/?tab=comments#comment-1058724006)
As someone else said, feel free to admit that you haven't read something/don't know much about something. However, the best thing to do is not let that "I'm not sure, I haven't read that" end the conversation or question. Instead, try to turn the conversation back around into something you either DO know, or turn it into a relevant question. i.e. "You know, I actually haven't read much Foucault, so I don't think I'm confident speaking about his ideas of biopower. However, I have found myself really interested in X, who says Y-- and you're right that I should dive into Foucault to see what he can add to my thoughts about Z." Or, "I haven't read Frankenstein in a while, but I think you're right that it could open up an interesting question in my work. For instance, I'm really interested in... Thanks for the recommendation!" 
With the above, if someone asks you something that you REALLY know nothing about-- say they mention a theorist or author that you've never heard of-- ask for clarification! Say something like, "I don't know Jane Doe's work. What's her take on eco criticism?" Then, use their answer to similarly make connections like I said above
 Don't feel like you need to have a definitive answer. Places where they ask you something that you haven't thought through yet are a great place to (1) say where you thinking IS at, but then follow that up by saying (2) this is why you want to be in a PhD program. Great phrasing would be something like, "I really do think that the relationship between gender and the publishing industry has had a huge impact on the reception of certain authors. I think to get to a definitive answer, however, I'll have to do some archival work, which I haven't had the time to do while in my M.A. That's one of the reasons I'm really excited about the prospect of being in your program-- you have such a great collection of early publishing records, and I love the work that Dr. X has done with them."
Have some questions prepared to ask them, if they give you the opening to do so. Even if you don't really have any questions, have some-- saying "I don't have any questions" can make you seen uninterested. These questions, though, should be higher-order questions about the program, and not nitty-gritty. i.e. DO ask about recent placement, but don't ask about specific stipend questions (unless they give you the space to do so). DO ask about the availability of funding for conference travel, but don't ask about how much. After you're admitted, you can ask about details, or about the city or housing or whatever. Right now, you're just trying to get in the door.
The best advice-- for interviews, and for campus visits when y'all get to that stage-- is to fake it 'til ya make it. It's ok to say that you're nervous if you are! But also, act confident, sociable, and kind, no matter how you feel inside. I used to teach speech, and I'd tell my kids that everyone starts to feel nervous before public speaking. That's a normal, healthy, bodily response. The key is to turn those nerves into energy, rather than thinking that they mean you're going to fail, and letting them shut you up. 
 
1. This may be obvious to you, but think of the interview as you pitching your work to the department. The point of the interview is to share your work with the faculty – both the past work you've done and future work you want to do – and to explain why you are excited to do that work at that particular program. I had no idea what kinds of questions to expect – did they want to get to know me better as a potential colleague? Did they want to hear about more ideas that didn't make it into my materials? Nope – they just wanted a better idea of how all of my interests fit together and some clarification of what I've done and what I want to do, research-wise. Our conversation never strayed from my SoP and WS. Talk about your past and future work in as specific terms as possible, rooted in arguments you have made and methods/avenues of research you want to pursue
 
2. Review your statement of purpose and writing sample very carefully for at least a few days before the interview. Practice talking about them with confidence in very specific terms, and be able to explain how they link together. Do not waste time reviewing books/articles written by the faculty at that program. I spent far too much time doing this and didn't have a single opportunity to hint at my knowledge. I should have spent the time reviewing my own materials carefully.
 
3. As @urbanfarmer mentioned, do have questions prepared for your interviewers. But while questions about funding and placement may be welcome at some departments, I very much got the sense that my interviewers did not want to be asked about classes, placement, job support, teaching (whoops). They made it fairly clear at the end of the interview that I should have asked about the opportunities available to me within my specific field/subfield at the program, and what the work culture is like in those areas. I didn't think to ask about those things because I had already researched them well and I didn't want to seem like I hadn't, but in retrospect, I do not think it is necessarily a bad idea to ask questions you already know the answers to. For my next interview, I plan to begin the "question" section with "I'm really excited about University's program because of x opportunities in my Field. Would you mind talking a little bit about the opportunities and culture in Field at University so I can get a better sense of how I would fit in to your program?"
 
4. Similarly, when possible, throw in phrases reiterating that you are excited about and think you are a good fit for the program because of x. Only after my not very good interview did I realize I really just talked about me the whole time and made it seem like I didn't know or care about the program. I thought my understanding of the department's opportunities in my field and my fit with the department was evident from my statement of purpose, but in retrospect, I wish I had emphasized these things during the interview.
 
https://dukeofbookingham.tumblr.com/post/190293342155/so-ive-been-in-the-room-for-prospective-phd

____
Here are some questions I wrote for a meeting with faculty before applications that could suit an interview well (These are particular to program, but you can extrapolate for other department specifics):
 
Website mentions: What is the mentoring program? Tell me about the teaching apprenticeships? What are the certification programs? Dual degree and minors? 
 
Professional development?- info on Graduate Placement Officer, who organizes placement workshops, arranges for mock interviews and works closely with students to put together a compelling CV and dossier?
 
Support for DAAD, Fullbright applications?
 
Lecture series? reading groups? department affiliated extracurriculars
 
**Would you say that students are often involved with faculty scholarship or vice versa (research assistants, co-editors, etc.)?
 
Dissertation advisor process?- how frequently do you meet, is it one person or many, how self-directed is it?
 
For the coursework requirements, are the courses taken exclusively graduate seminars or do you take some courses that are undergraduate/graduate mixed level courses? What is the typical class size of the graduate seminars?
 
I saw that taking courses in other departments is an option, but it does not count towards philosophy credits, only as credits required by the graduate school.  Would the credits required by the graduate school normally be fulfilled by the regular program requirements entirely in the philosophy department? Would this mean that by taking courses in other departments you would be taking more credit hours than the requirements for graduation? 
 
For the foreign language requirement, is there any assistance for students to fulfill this requirement or is it something that needs to be done independently? Do you know if there are student-based study groups for this? I saw that auditing requires permission, is it common practice for students to audit language courses?
 
Question examples (and what not to ask) from a professor:
 
"Something you’ve seen on the website and want further information about — this will not only let them know that you’ve visited the website, but will also allow them to learn about some aspect of the program you’re particularly interested in
 
Opportunities for contributing to the department (e.g. whether grads are involved in organizing a lecture series, conference, or some other aspect of departmental life) — in other words, a “what can I do for you” type question
 
How they organize TAing/teaching (if not clear from the website) — it’s a good idea to find something to ask about teaching, to show that you’re exited about it and not someone who will just want to do your research and not pull your weight in the classroom
 
Placement (if not on the website) — makes it clear to them that you’re interested in an academic career and serious about completing the program"

 
Things NOT to ask (almost as important)
 
"Anything that you could easily find the answer to on their website — you don’t want it to look like you’re not invested enough to check out the website for basic information and answers to common questions   
 
Anything about specific faculty members (e.g. whether they’re taking on new advisees) — that could make everyone else feel resentful or more likely to favor candidates who might want to work with them. Questions about the faculty or the department’s strengths in general are fine, as long as it’s not about info that’s easily available online.
 
In general, avoid asking too many “what can you do for me” type questions — asking about one resource that’s particularly important to you (e.g. travel funding) is fine, but don’t ask a list of questions that will make them think you’d be a diva or high maintenance"
 
_____
I am currently on my tablet, so I will go back and edit to add the sources from the gradcafe threads (also that's why there might be some spelling or grammar mistakes, sorry!
I hope this advice helps someone! I have no idea how my interview went, so who knows if what I have to say is useful ?

Also waitlisted at Villanova.
I have a much better offer so I will be turning it down, but it might be a week or two until I do because per strong recommendation of my professor I am going to wait until I officially accept elsewhere and have things locked in and I want to wait until after the virtual visit to do so. Since I am on the waitlist anyway my spot doesn't matter as much atm, but if I get off of the waitlist beforehand I will make sure to turn them down earlier so that the next person can hear back quicker. Best of luck to everyone!

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

I've had a number of folks reach out to me directly when they hear back because they don't want folks to know and then be pressured to make a decision when they're trying to work through their options as best they can. But they still want the spreadsheet to be up to date so folks stay informed and have been kind enough to drop me a few lines.

As you said, the vast majority of folks won't be jerks and will decline as soon as they can. For the folks that are jerks, it's not as if pressuring them will likely make them decline from places any quicker ??‍♂️

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Hey I understand the anxiety and a lot of people are in the same position, but this isn't really cool. Generally putting it out there for people to decline at a certain school is already a grey area, but asking a user directly if they can decline soon is an unfair position to put someone in and is crossing a boundary.
I don't want to sound mean because I totally understand the pressure and position you are in and no one will hold it against you, just a general note to everyone that as long as you are taking others into your considerations, everyone has the right to take the time and manage their decisions how they need to and it isn't fair or cool for anyone to be pressured to decide or make their move fast (especially asking a specific person directly).
I only say this because there are people gracious enough to share publicly their offers and where they stand which is some insight that is very useful for those anxiously waiting to hear back, but if people start getting targeted and asked to decide quickly then people will feel uncomfortable sharing this information and we won't have it anymore.
99% of people aren't jerks and know that there are people who will be affected by their decision and know to make their decision as soon as they are comfortable, so everyone deserves the time they need to be 100% sure and officially decline.

Also waitlisted at Villanova.
I have a much better offer so I will be turning it down, but it might be a week or two until I do because per strong recommendation of my professor I am going to wait until I officially accept elsewhere and have things locked in and I want to wait until after the virtual visit to do so. Since I am on the waitlist anyway my spot doesn't matter as much atm, but if I get off of the waitlist beforehand I will make sure to turn them down earlier so that the next person can hear back quicker. Best of luck to everyone!

Also waitlisted at Villanova.
I have a much better offer so I will be turning it down, but it might be a week or two until I do because per strong recommendation of my professor I am going to wait until I officially accept elsewhere and have things locked in and I want to wait until after the virtual visit to do so. Since I am on the waitlist anyway my spot doesn't matter as much atm, but if I get off of the waitlist beforehand I will make sure to turn them down earlier so that the next person can hear back quicker. Best of luck to everyone!

Also waitlisted at Villanova.
I have a much better offer so I will be turning it down, but it might be a week or two until I do because per strong recommendation of my professor I am going to wait until I officially accept elsewhere and have things locked in and I want to wait until after the virtual visit to do so. Since I am on the waitlist anyway my spot doesn't matter as much atm, but if I get off of the waitlist beforehand I will make sure to turn them down earlier so that the next person can hear back quicker. Best of luck to everyone!

Sometimes universities have a policy where a department can't send out rejections until all spots have been filled (there are also variations of this). It makes no sense and is cruel, but that is one of the reasons. I know the anxiety is rough. We are all there with you ❤️ Hang in there! 

Sometimes universities have a policy where a department can't send out rejections until all spots have been filled (there are also variations of this). It makes no sense and is cruel, but that is one of the reasons. I know the anxiety is rough. We are all there with you ❤️ Hang in there! 

Sometimes universities have a policy where a department can't send out rejections until all spots have been filled (there are also variations of this). It makes no sense and is cruel, but that is one of the reasons. I know the anxiety is rough. We are all there with you ❤️ Hang in there! 

I got shut out of PhD programs two years ago. I did a funded MA and now I have 4 offers, 0 rejections, and 8 still pending. It's very doable.

Hey, no hard feelings, I'm glad that you're feeling better about things

I've taken some time off of Gradcafe for the past two days to clear my mind and think about my situation rationally. I would like to first apologize to @PolPhil for making unsubstantiated, emotional, and irrational claims and charges against them. I am not sure why I was so antagonistic and belligerent a couple of days ago. I think it was just a mixture of my own inferiority complex and resent towards those who were accepted to the programs that I was rejected from, which I now understand is irrational and immature. I have nothing against those who were accepted to many top programs and I genuinely would like to congratulate them on their success this cycle. 
Further, I do want to agree with @PolPhil that rejections from these top schools do indicate that my application is weak, and there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. Maybe I can try again next cycle with an improved dossier and perhaps that would yield a better result. Further, so far I've only gotten rejections from 4 schools out of 16 I applied to so I shouldn't necessarily despair yet. If I do get rejected from all of them then so be it, but I guess I shouldn't necessarily be too depressed or anxious prematurely before all the decisions are released, although that is definitely easier said than done. Nonetheless I shall try my best.
Now for the vent: In the case that I get shut out this cycle, it is just somewhat disheartening to see that my philosophical aptitude is not as high as I thought it was. I've been receiving many compliments and encouragements from my professors in my institution and I've always thought that I had a good chance in the admissions but perhaps I was too arrogant and self-centered. Of course everyone applying to philosophy graduate schools would have been "the number one student" of their schools. Also, it just sucks that many people are getting some kind of positive responses such as acceptance or waitlist and I've been only getting rejections. I can't do anything about it but this just makes me sad and depressed. And yes, I know the cycle isn't over yet but my anxiety and depression regarding the results are killing me. 
Let's all keep our hopes up, even though I know very well that it is hard to do so (especially this cycle with the increased competitiveness). Again, my sincerest apologies to @PolPhil. 

Also waitlisted at UVA!

Waitlisted at UVA (Virginia)