Nothingtown

Accepted at Duquesne's MA program

UT's probably stressed because of all the SXSW-goers wanting to move to Austin.

Good point about the public transport. There's a UT shuttle that leaves from Riverside (Crossing Place and a few others). It was a decent place to live in terms of general walking distance to things. If you have a car though, the hidden cost of living there is that your car insurance will go way up in that area. I saved $50/month just by moving out of Riverside. You could put that towards rent in a better area--again, if you have a car.

Not including gas, but iirc gas was a couple hundred. Honestly, from someone who's moved around a good bit, there's a lot of cost-benefit analysis that goes into this. Furniture, if it's decent, is almost always cheaper to transport than buy again. Moving also gives you a good opportunity to downsize on things like clothes and stuff you've just hung onto for a while but never used, or won't have use for again (ie posters from your dorm room, pots and pans that are in poor condition, all those random free T-shirts and water bottles colleges like to give away, etc). Also, check out some local Facebook groups for buying/selling/giving away free stuff. You can usually score free moving boxes. Those can get expensive if you buy them new, but there are always people looking to get rid of their old ones. Invest in some packing paper and tape too. Things get jostled around quite a bit, and part of the art of knowing how to move house effectively is knowing how to pack your things efficiently and without breaking them. You can also use clothes as cushioning. Don't give things much room to move around in a box, and wrap anything that could get scratched up or break (which is most things tbh).

When I was moving my stuff cross-country, I checked into PODS and Penske was more cost-effective than PODS. I didn't check U-Pack. However, I was moving my stuff from Austin to an undisclosed location on the east coast (lol) so, had it been in the other direction, I don't know. I did just run a quote on U-Pack's website and it's about 2x what I paid for my Penske 3 years ago. I hear you on the not wanting to tow your car behind you though. You can also look into getting a trailer to attach to your car and tow some of your stuff in, rather than towing your car. I know U-Haul has those; I don't know if they charge by the mile on their trailers though. My best advice is to use the website quotes and call these places asking for quotes. Calling is nice because you can usually negotiate a little, but the web quotes will give you a ballpark idea.

Echoing what @brightorangesocks said, it largely depends on your own situation--finances being a big part of it. Most apartments are unfurnished, but you can definitely find a furnished one if you want. If you'd like to take your stuff with you, I'd recommend going with Penske over UHaul. They don't charge by the mile like UHaul does, so it comes out waaaaay cheaper for cross-country trips (I've done this a few times). Also, their pricing changes based on where you're coming from and going to. For instance, it's more expensive to take a Penske TO Austin, TX, than FROM Austin, TX, just because a lot of people live here and they have enough trucks here already. This may work for or against you, but definitely take a look at their site and give them a call. I negotiated the price down a little--definitely be nice to the reps on the phone, as kindness goes a long way in these situations.

Hey there! Congrats on the acceptance to UT! I'm a native to Austin so if you have any questions about the city or housing, let me know! These links may be helpful: UT Austin Roommate/Sublet finder and UT"s Graduate Housing Resources If you're new to Austin, I would advise avoiding the housing off Riverside/Oltorf. There are large complexes off East Riverside that cater to students, 99% undergrads. I've lived there and it's not pleasant. They basically pair you up randomly unless you have roommates you'd already like to live with, and since it's not official university housing, sometimes you aren't even matched with other students (one of my roommates was an aspiring graffiti artist who left the place smelling of spray paint, let random people in to sleep on the couch who would later break back in to sleep on said couch after being kicked out, and was such a terror in the kitchen that we had a permanent fruit fly infestation). Even if you find roommates you'd like to live with, please look elsewhere with them, as these places are loud and there are lots of car break-ins.

Not a veteran, and I probably can't answer this question quite as well as some others will be able to. I did just want to chime in and say that Duquesne is so kind and really goes out of their way to help you in this process. They seem unique in their application processes and are one of the few programs I've seen forward applications to the MA committee with the chance of funding. Most places just tell you to apply to the MA program in a mass letter and don't help you with that process, much less give you a shot at a funded MA, but myself and a few other PhD applicants had our rejected PhD applications sent by Dr. Selcer to the MA committee at Duquesne. I have seen a few other places award MAs if you just barely miss the PhD cut, but it doesn't seem like it's the norm. In my experience, Duquesne stands out as different from other programs in how they handle things. I wouldn't count on other schools doing the same. Just my two cents.

If you open Developer Tools in Chrome, what does it say? Does it display any errors when you click? If not, looks like the hyperlink just isn't actually working and you may need to contact them. Worth trying Dev Tools though.

I can't answer for how they notify waitlisters, but I know that a couple of us reached out to graduate admissions today and they basically said that if there are changes to our status, they'll let us know. I suppose the rest of us are in weird limbo or rejected.

Thanks for starting this thread! I'm curious what advice people have regarding renting? I'm unsure where I'm going in the fall, but my husband and I would like to rent a home or townhome. He'll be searching for work in the area too, so budget is of course up in the air. We'd like to avoid apartment living if at all possible (mostly due to the noise factor). I've read up on some articles detailing what to look for when renting a house, and I got the sense that it's not a whole lot more complicated than apartment searching. We've just never done this before. Are there things to watch out for? Can a realtor show you both townhomes AND houses for rent, or do you have to go to two different sources for those? If anyone has done this before, what did you wish you knew when you started looking?

I have heard of people sending formal letters of interest, but I think that's overkill in these cases. Instead, try sending an email saying you're excited to still have a shot, and maybe ask if there are some current grad students to talk to. This shows you're interested in the program, and gives you a chance to ask those grad students if they know how good your chances at coming off the waitlist are; it varies by institution. As for how quickly people turn down offers, that's the big question isn't it! People are starting to turn down offers now, and it'll continue in greater numbers until 4/15. Unfortunately, because a lot of people wait to get off waitlists at their top schools, they hang onto other offers as backup and only turn down offers formally on the 15th, which makes other waitlisters wait till the 15th too. It's normal but sucks for everyone involved.

AHA I knew my eyelid twitch was anxiety related! I'm not alone! My foot keeps doing it too, so violently it wakes me up at night. Maybe it'll all go away after Prospectives' Weekend....

Future applicants, if you read this early enough to reconsider which schools you're applying to, I hope you may consider my advice. Your credentials and achievements are no guarantee of admission. That's been my big takeaway from this cycle. If I could do it all over again, I'd have applied to more MA programs (ones with a good record of placement in a PhD program and with high likelihood of good funding). A lot of people go into a PhD program from MA--there's nothing wrong with that! Just try to avoid paying too much for it. I thought (naively now, I know) that I was good enough to get into PhD programs. I assessed my financial situation, got a partial scholarship to cover application fees, and got a waiver for 1 and paid around $550 - $600 for 10 schools after the scholarship. (Side note--You'll see a lot of people here do more than 10, but please don't go broke doing this. Instead, be honest with yourself and apply to schools that are a good fit for you. Not schools that have a great reputation--don't apply solely on the reputation. If your AOI fits and they have a good reputation, awesome! But focus on fit above all else.) In my case, I decided to apply to 9 PhDs and 1 MA because I thought that is where my application money would be the most effective, and I thought my chances of getting into a PhD program were quite good. I'd been told by several professors at different schools that my Fulbright would be a major boost to getting me into grad school. Not quite a golden ticket, but almost. I had a 4.0, I was valedictorian of my graduating class, had a few published papers and presentations, spoke a second language. I'm waitlisted at two schools, waiting on an interview/preview weekend for a third, and accepted in an MA program. That's it. My point is not to brag about my accomplishments (they didn't get me much of anywhere, did they?) but rather to advise future applicants that nothing is guaranteed, no matter what anyone told you. This process is going to suck. There will be people who get into 5 top schools, but most of us don't have that kind of choice. And it's not your fault. It's not a judgment on your capacity as a philosopher or scholar at all. This is a highly competitive process, and sometimes things just don't work out--your POI is going to be leaving or is on sabbatical, last year's cohort had too many people with your AOI, etc. So many things are outside your control, and the chances you'd know about them in advance are slim, depending on the circumstance. But if you read this early enough, add those MA programs to your list! Assuming you are coming straight from undergrad, that is. They'll give you a leg up and a chance to come back with a stronger application next time. They're a nice fallback plan if the PhD apps don't work out. Best of luck to everyone!

I'm right there with you. I can't concentrate, my performance is lacking lately, and I'm starting to get physical symptoms of anxiety. Now, I should preface and say I already have anxiety and depression as-is (both under treatment; I'm functioning fine), but this is making it so much worse. I have this muscle twitch that won't go away, it's great. Basically, what you're experiencing is perfectly normal under the circumstances, but there is never anything wrong with seeking professional help, especially if it would help you weather the storm. Go for it!

Congratulations!!!! Well done!

Thank you! I'm optimistic, as they've made offers to many people on the waitlist in previous years.

"Very high" on the UVA waitlist. Pretty excited!

Looking on....the bright side?

Hey! I hope I'm not too late. I wish you luck! Here is a link to a similar question asked in the philosophy forum: Included in the thread is another link to answers from a similar question, you should find all these helpful I've never done a skype interview for grad school specifically, so I'm not the best person to ask for advice. But in general, make sure you're somewhere with a neutral background and a good internet connection. Speak clearly, and if you're a nervous talker who speeds up under pressure, intentionally slow down what you're saying until it feels waaaay too slow. It'll sound normal speed to the people you're interviewing with. Don't ramble or go back over your answers if you're second guessing yourself--it makes you sound insecure. Best of luck!

Wow really? I thought he went to Penn. I would Google it but I don't want to look at his face...

Hey! Your apps are out, and you're going back over what you said like a conversation you had with someone that you were really nervous about. You know, those conversations where you look back and in retrospect you start kicking yourself for everything you said. We all do it, and probably a lot of people here are going back over certain things in their applications just like you. I know I am. It's going to be okay, and if you don't get into programs this year, live, learn, and apply again next year. I know some of my profs didn't make it in the first round either. That being said, I think the answer to your question is "it depends on the specialization." For example, one of the AOIs I have is bioethics. It's not wild to say, to a bioethics program, that you'd like to work on a hospital ethics board at some point. Actually, ethics in general is one of the AOIs where stating what you did is probably more acceptable. Also, I don't think it's the worst thing anyone has ever said in a statement of purpose, not by a long shot. It'll all work out!

I agree, it is a ridiculously low number. I could be wrong. I just heard it from someone on the Facebook group who does have connections to the program. Nah it wasnt my first choice. Pretty reach actually. I am super interested in philosophy of science but my background is in more history of philosophy and political philosophy so it wasn't surprising. Still disappointing. Would have been ecstatic if I had gotten in.

I was rejected yesterday. The first rejections were genuine, speaking with people in the group chat. A few of them have waitlists and acceptances but not very many. One person mentioned they only had 50 applicants this year (!!!). My best guess is that the initial rejections were the first cut, and they have been slowly moving through the rest of us. Possible that some of the remaining number will be wait listed. Someone did solicit a rejection, so writing them and asking is a good option if you haven't heard.

I graduated in 2015 with excellent grades and accomplishments from my undergraduate university. I'm applying to grad school this year after a long wait (for family reasons, not anything to do with my mental health). As you can see in my signature, I've gotten mostly rejections. My anxiety drove me to achieve when I was an undergrad. Once I graduated, my anxiety got much worse and out of control, and I developed severe depression as well. The years off were probably a good thing, because they gave me a chance to recover and learn to cope with something that may follow me my whole life. Not going to lie though, each rejection hurts, because I feel like it's a judgment on how well (or poorly) I actually have recovered. I can take them very personally, especially when I see people who I view as my peers with very similar backgrounds getting into programs that rejected me. And, people with depression are more sensitive to rejection in general so it makes sense I would feel this way. It is a little scary to be going into an environment known for causing mental health issues, but I truly love academia and what I study, and I feel like it's going to be good for me in the long run. Plus, I've learned a lot of coping mechanisms that I wouldn't have had if I had gone straight into grad school after my Fulbright (2015-2016). I just hope I can find a therapist in my future city who is as good as the one I have now.