Wimsey

Ahhh what wonderful news!!!

Looking forward to meeting you!

Very happy to announce that I have accepted Washington University's offer of admission! It was an immensely tough choice, but I am thrilled to be joining such a welcoming and supportive program.

Thank you both for your input! I'm continuing to weigh the pros and cons for both schools, and I hope I can feel at peace with whatever decision I reach over the next few days. I have no prior teaching experience, so even though I am excited to teach and have confidence in my abilities, the lighter load at WashU appeals to me. Still, the Penn State teaching would be doable, especially with the fellowship they've offered me. I'll keep talking with people at both schools, and hopefully I'll reach a breakthrough soon.

I am finding myself stuck in my decision between WashU and Penn State. The stipend/COL is roughly the same for both programs. I have gotten along well with the faculty members I have met at WashU. They all indicated that the university would be a great fit for my interests; the DGS was especially adamant on this point. At Penn State, I have spoken with only one faculty member in my prospective field, but I got along well with her. There seem to be many resources for studying the twentieth century at PSU, and the larger department could give me more opportunities to branch out into other subfields. At the same time, Penn State requires more teaching than WashU. I would be on fellowship during my first year and then teach three classes in my second year, whereas WashU would have me teach a 1:1 starting in my third year. In contrast to PSU, WashU's stipend is not dependent on my teaching, which I think is a major point in that program's favor. One of my undergrad professors has told me as well that in this economic climate, attending a private university might be the more stable choice. But then again, Penn State would be the easier move for me, and, from what I have heard about crime in both areas, State College would be the less stressful place to live, at least during the beginning of the program. I'm in contact with my mentors and with professors from both programs, but I still feel stuck. Does anyone have thoughts?

These last stages of the decision-making process are excruciating, especially under the unusual conditions! Today I graced my favorite professors' inboxes with a thousand-word email about the pros and cons of my top two choices. Writing it all down really helped me clarify my own thoughts. I know which program I prefer, but I'm having trouble getting over the trepidation of moving nearly a thousand miles from my hometown, especially when my second choice program is much closer.

Thanks, you too! I have been making Irish soda bread, so that will be my contribution to the festivities 😄

Popping in to join the UVA rejection party! I'm just glad I know now and not on April 13 or some such nonsense. With Virginia out of the way, I am leaning toward WashU.

In the midst of all this chaos, I learned that Chicago MAPH accepted my referred app. At least I can enjoy a bit of certainty in the knowledge that I will NOT be attending.

Not sure how I am supposed to make an informed decision when I have enlisted all of my brain cells to stave off the anxiety of decision-making in midst of this coronavirus hellscape.

Love to get my first ever jury duty summons while I'm trying to choose a grad program. Come on, universe, don't make this harder for me 🙃

Waitlists are definitely complicating my decision. I have a favorite among my acceptances, but being accepted off the waitlist at UVA or Rutgers could completely change my perspective. The uncertainty is tough.

I believe in you! I got accepted to Penn State several days after seeing a Penn-State-themed Monopoly game in my local grocery store. Yes, I live in a state bordering on PA, so it makes sense that the game would be there, but that didn't stop me from interpreting it as a sign from the grad school deities 😅

As of last night, I have officially heard back from all of my schools! 3a/2w/11r/infinite exhaustion

I feel similarly, even as a more traditional applicant. Looking back, I can see that I applied to some schools (Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard) mostly because of the prestige and not because I truly saw a place for my work in those departments. I really didn't need to put myself through the pain of applying to 16 schools. I also wish I had had more frank conversations with my professors about prestige and about how top-tier schools might perceive aspects of my academic background, like my community college degree. Those aspects might have had little to no bearing on my rejections, but I wish I had discussed it more with my mentors.