flowersandcoffee

I was just accepted from the waitlist for UMich history/women's studies joint PhD (my number one choice for two cycles). Any Michigan insiders around want to connect? I accepted already but would nonetheless love any doses of sane advice and information anyone can throw my way! I'm equal parts thrilled and terrified--hope that's normal ?

An admin officer from Harvard told me that most students (even if they've made up their mind months ago) tend to wait until the April deadline to reject their offers. This seems to be the general trend and it must be a psychological thing. Even my friends who had numerous offers last cycle and KNEW which school they wanted to go to, waited until April to reject their other offers (even though they had accepted their main school ASAP). Anyway, that's just what I've heard/observed. Other people may have a different experience/understanding. 

An admin officer from Harvard told me that most students (even if they've made up their mind months ago) tend to wait until the April deadline to reject their offers. This seems to be the general trend and it must be a psychological thing. Even my friends who had numerous offers last cycle and KNEW which school they wanted to go to, waited until April to reject their other offers (even though they had accepted their main school ASAP). Anyway, that's just what I've heard/observed. Other people may have a different experience/understanding. 

Good luck this week everyone! Shout out to all the emails in my inbox that are not grad school related and get an immediate grunt/eyeroll/delete reflex. 

fellow south asianist- crushing rejections as well-- what are yours and @Pocoloco's fields? and what schools did you all apply to?

Hi, I know that it is hard not to take rejections personally (I am at two this season - no acceptance yet). But try and treasure the good feedback from those profs. Now, THAT is what you should take personally  

I know that you know - schools make their decisions on such an aethereal plane, on the basis of so much that we cannot possibly know...But having good feedback from individual profs can give you the motivation and, yes, the reassurance that one sometimes needs. At least that's how I function. I had received such a nice feedback from a Princeton prof that I had allowed myself to hope...But, while my application has been rejected, his kind words are still there and I can conjure them up on my screen whenever I feel like it!
Sometimes one needs, not just some motivation, but also the awareness of being worthy of consideration, of being at least good enough to hold one's own in academia (otherwise, why would you even want to be part of it?). Most of the time we know our worth, but sometimes, especially when receiveing disappointing rejections, it's nice to have an external confirmation (not that we should get used to that, for I am told they don't come often once in academia ?).

I hope these words can be of help for all of us still hoping for some good news! Good luck, everyone.

Hello! South Asianist here too. I applied to 7 schools. I have been published and have ridiculously good grades. I think my application was GOOD. I even received tons of good feedback from individual profs at depts for my SOP... still got rejected everywhere. Hard not to take it personally, but this app season does seem to be esp hard for SAsianists as I have not heard of any of my batchmates getting through either.

If any current applicants would like to participate in an alternative platform for discussing applications/notifications/decisions, PM me. 

Congratulations to the GW, Penn, Harvard and Columbia admits! ?

Yeah of course Kashew Nuts! I'm a modern Europeanist 

Aw, but three waitlists at fantastic schools looks like some pretty good odds to me. Hoping one of them manifests into an acceptance for you.

American history; both 19th and 20th C interests mentioned in statement.

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Being on the waitlist is better than being rejected! It at least means you're still in the running for a spot! I'd reach out to your PoI and ask about how the list looks and where you are on it. Hopefully you have better luck this year getting off it if Harvard is your number one pick!
 
Also, congrats to all the Wisconsin admits! 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Just got waitlisted at Harvard. Second year in a row. Not sure what to make of this, as I never got off the waitlist last year. 

Anxieties are running high and it could have happened to any of us! Congratulations, though! Which program did you get through? 
Also congratulations to the Wisconsin admits! 

I want to take a moment to lift a glass to the poor person who got six rejections this week. I am so sorry and hopefully you’ll have better luck upcoming soon.

Yup, feeling deeply sad. I really liked the program and had such a good connection with my POI. 

Hi everyone,
First message here but I thought sharing my experience here might be helpful to some of you.
I applied to five programs. So far, I got a rejection from Brown (official update in the portal and notification by email). I am on the waitlist for JHU (email, the portal is not updated). I've been admitted to Princeton (email from the graduate program administrator on Feb, 2 and I received the official update in the portal a few hours ago) and Yale (Medieval Studies program. I got an email and the portal updated a day after). I am still waiting for Stanford.
My sub-field is medieval history.
I hope this helps. Good luck to all and don't hesitate if you have any questions.