trytostay

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

Officially starting at Columbia in the fall! 

For me, having that full year off was crucial. I didn't feel rushed in getting my materials together, and was able to dedicate much of the fall/early winter to nothing but my application. I don't think I would've had as strong of an application if I had attempted to rush it, or if my attention was hindered by school work. Also, it was an incredibly peaceful year of self reflection. Having time away from school allowed me to reflect on what it truly was that I wanted to study, and reaffirmed to me that going back to school was the right decision. 

For me, having that full year off was crucial. I didn't feel rushed in getting my materials together, and was able to dedicate much of the fall/early winter to nothing but my application. I don't think I would've had as strong of an application if I had attempted to rush it, or if my attention was hindered by school work. Also, it was an incredibly peaceful year of self reflection. Having time away from school allowed me to reflect on what it truly was that I wanted to study, and reaffirmed to me that going back to school was the right decision. 

For me, having that full year off was crucial. I didn't feel rushed in getting my materials together, and was able to dedicate much of the fall/early winter to nothing but my application. I don't think I would've had as strong of an application if I had attempted to rush it, or if my attention was hindered by school work. Also, it was an incredibly peaceful year of self reflection. Having time away from school allowed me to reflect on what it truly was that I wanted to study, and reaffirmed to me that going back to school was the right decision. 

Just received an offer off the waitlist from Johns Hopkins! Time for the difficult deliberations that some part of me wished would never be necessary. Still, not complaining; I feel unbelievably fortunate to have this choice that needs making. 

Well, I guess this means turning down Berkeley and Chicago. Very painful. Loved the faculty at both places, Berkeley especially, but can't see myself settling there for six or more years (I mean the avg. time to completion is like 8??).

@FiguresIII congratulations! What an exciting time  

Yale Comp Lit!

I got accepted to Chapel Hill!!!

YAAYYYYYY @cassidyaxx!!!!!
 
Meanwhile I just received my third letter of rejection from Johns Hopkins. Guess they saw from my app what a tenacious go-getter I am and they’re real worried I won’t take no for an answer and just show up for class the first day. 

I just got a funding offer from Villanova!!! I'm crying this week has been so hard for me and finally something good has happened!!!  

Taking a class at the institution that rejected you being like... 
 

Sure--It feels like it might be an open secret at this point! I'd been warned of tokenism by one of my POIs at another school (who had actually gone to Michigan), and it was also evident upon meeting the cohort and faculty. The admitted student group was not very diverse and neither were the current students or the faculty; as a POC it felt like I would struggle to find a place in the department, and this was emphasized when they had a separate diversity panel. (I appreciate that they are putting in effort to making sure everyone's voices are heard, but it felt segregationist and forced.) 
In my own personal experience, I had a bad encounter with a POI. I also heard secondhand from another POC admit who experienced something similar. Some of the students talked about having to lodge a formal complaint against a racist professor the previous semester, too. The visit was only two days, so I can hardly imagine spending five or six years there. 
That said, this is really only my own personal experience and I don't want to dissuade anyone from going there or applying in the future. It really is a very strong program, and the current students that I met there were very welcoming and seemed happy (including the ones who needed to lodge a formal complaint!). 

Hey, how did you confirm that number? I have been told personally by Columbia faculty that it’s very rare for them to not use *anyone* from the waitlist. I know it has happened, but when I was still in limbo with them, I was told it’s “very uncommon” and that it would be “essentially unprecedented” (direct quote) for at least one waitlisted person to not be made an offer. 
On another note, I was accepted off Columbia’s waitlist and given an offer!  So I know there is waitlist movement happening, but it’s extremely slow. 

Hey, how did you confirm that number? I have been told personally by Columbia faculty that it’s very rare for them to not use *anyone* from the waitlist. I know it has happened, but when I was still in limbo with them, I was told it’s “very uncommon” and that it would be “essentially unprecedented” (direct quote) for at least one waitlisted person to not be made an offer. 
On another note, I was accepted off Columbia’s waitlist and given an offer!  So I know there is waitlist movement happening, but it’s extremely slow. 

Headed to Rutgers! 

Hey, how did you confirm that number? I have been told personally by Columbia faculty that it’s very rare for them to not use *anyone* from the waitlist. I know it has happened, but when I was still in limbo with them, I was told it’s “very uncommon” and that it would be “essentially unprecedented” (direct quote) for at least one waitlisted person to not be made an offer. 
On another note, I was accepted off Columbia’s waitlist and given an offer!  So I know there is waitlist movement happening, but it’s extremely slow. 

Hey, how did you confirm that number? I have been told personally by Columbia faculty that it’s very rare for them to not use *anyone* from the waitlist. I know it has happened, but when I was still in limbo with them, I was told it’s “very uncommon” and that it would be “essentially unprecedented” (direct quote) for at least one waitlisted person to not be made an offer. 
On another note, I was accepted off Columbia’s waitlist and given an offer!  So I know there is waitlist movement happening, but it’s extremely slow. 

Hey, how did you confirm that number? I have been told personally by Columbia faculty that it’s very rare for them to not use *anyone* from the waitlist. I know it has happened, but when I was still in limbo with them, I was told it’s “very uncommon” and that it would be “essentially unprecedented” (direct quote) for at least one waitlisted person to not be made an offer. 
On another note, I was accepted off Columbia’s waitlist and given an offer!  So I know there is waitlist movement happening, but it’s extremely slow. 

Declined UVA. Welp. That sucked.