PeppermintTea

Rubbish, this is terrible advice. Do what is right for *you* and nobody else. 

My two cents about applying to or accepting offers from Columbia:
I am a current 2nd year PhD student at Columbia. The majority of grad students are currently on strike for a living wage, better healthcare, and protection from harassment and discrimination. I have been watching the process of our new graduate union try to bargain for our first contract for over two years. In these sessions, I have seen admin (and their sleazy lawyer, who charges $1,500/hr) do everything possible to stall negotiations, belittle us, and play down heartfelt testimonials that make clear why our demands are reasonable and necessary. Every time we've gotten a raise in the past, our Columbia rent magically goes up by a higher percentage. Our wages are not enough to live in NYC. There is no dental or vision coverage, and they recently removed the better health insurance plan option. The school has a terrible history with harassment and discrimination cases brought by both undergrads and grads (Google it), and at the moment they are doing everything possible to avoid meeting our contract demand about changing the investigation process to give more rights to the complainant (see link below).
We're entering the 3rd week of the strike, and Columbia has made very clear that they plan to not only doc our bi-weekly pay (which we receive for TA/RA work), but our academic stipends--yep, they are going to debit our student accounts, thereby jeopardizing course registration, degree progress, visas, and health insurance. We have a legal right to strike, but this later action constitutes illegal academic retaliation.
Long story short: I'm sure a lot of schools are as corrupt as Columbia, but I've just seen first hand how rotten this place is to the core. They only care about profit (their endowment grew $300 million during the pandemic alone), squeezing as much our of grad workers and adjuncts for as little pay as possible, sweeping bad press under the rug, and gentrifying Harlem with multi-million dollar campus expansions.
I encourage folks thinking about attending/applying to Columbia to express concerns to department chairs and administrators, and ask them why they insist on denying grad workers a fair contract: 
President Lee Bollinger officeofthepresident@columbia.edu, Phone: (212) 854-9970 Provost Ira Katznelson provost@columbia.edu,  +1 212 854 2404 GSAS Grad Admissions: gsas-admissions@columbia.edu  
https://gothamist.com/news/columbia-grad-students-strike-over-wages-and-harassment-policies-nyu-counterparts-vote-similar-actions

Speaking of which, is it just me or is it really quite rude that programs will just ignore you if you've been waitlisted? I've had three now that were just dead silence until I reached out. I worked very hard these past years and I even paid an exorbitant amount of money for them to look at my application, and they can't even give a status update after sending out acceptances. I feel like if I hadn't reached out, I wouldn't even know they'd looked at my application until I got a either a 'congrats you've been admitted with no funding!' or a 'heh sorry no dice, we regret to inform you that...' email at 11:59 pm on April 15.
 
Edit: Sorry for ranting, I know everyone here is dealing with the same kind of events right now.

So, while it's a bummer I didn't get into any of the PhD programs I applied to, I did have one other thing I was waiting on: I officially got the acceptance offer for the UPenn Post-Bacc! This year they're also offering a Fellowship, so I'll be waiting to hear back about that later in the month. But, this means I'll be able to strengthen my languages (usually it's 1 Greek, 1 Latin class per semester for the Post-Bacc, but I'm going to ask if I can do 2 Greek, 1 Latin per semester) while I do my next round of applications. Here's to hoping it helps on my next go. ?

Received and will be accepting a PhD offer from Duke today with full funding! I still can't believe it!

Anyone else still waiting for a few more results (rejections)? It's so odd to me that they're waiting this long... like I know I'm not getting in, what's the hold up?

Applied to Maryland, Rutgers, Michigan, John Hopkins, UNC,  and Duke.  Have a rejection from Michigan, acceptance from UNC and haven't heard from the others (assuming on waiting list with little hope of getting in).  Pumped about UNC as it and Duke were the top two choices.   Applied to 8 schools for 2020 and got all rejections.  Tough couple of years - but keep hope alive everyone.  Spent the past year (after getting MA) being an adjunct professor at a small private school and being an intern at a state museum.

Guys, I did it! 
I applied to three programs and was rejected by one, accepted by one and still have not heard back from the last one. Today I got an offer of an assistantship at the school that accepted me with stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance! I am beyond excited. I had almost given up hope.
After a process of about six years (deciding what I wanted to do, getting a second bachelor's degree, started applying to programs for fall of 2019) I have finally gotten where I want to be. 
Congratulations to my fellow new graduate students! If you haven't gotten in this cycle or haven't heard back yet, don't give up!

I am incredibly lucky because I have a support system of a bunch of lovely people who have been helpful with helping me do certain things; one of my friends who is already a professor has offered to coach me through next application season and I have many people overseas who I know asking around to see if professors would be keen about my research so I know who to reach out to, so that's helped immensely. I played video games all day today after my Greek class, I have stuff to distract me tomorrow, and I teach during the week, so I definitely have things to distract me before diving back into things I want to work on to help with the next application cycle. And if you ever want to message and talk about it, I'm all ears! 
 

I'm sorry to hear this. I've been reading your posts on this thread and have been really rooting for you. I hope that Rutgers comes through! You only need one.

Well, just now was informed I got into Brandeis' MA program. Got some funding, so that's a win! But unfortunately not nearly enough funding, so that's a bummer. 

Anyone else know they have a string of rejections coming soon and wish they would just send them and be done with it? All this waiting and false hope, such a bummer lol 

Anyone else know they have a string of rejections coming soon and wish they would just send them and be done with it? All this waiting and false hope, such a bummer lol 

Anyone else know they have a string of rejections coming soon and wish they would just send them and be done with it? All this waiting and false hope, such a bummer lol 

I must not have gotten one of those Princeton interview requests because they plan to just admit me with no interview! *laughs nervously*

Sounds like it should be relaxing, doesn't it? But then you jump every time you get an email or a phone call. I'm going to throw my phone in a river.

The waiting! I'm waiting for decisions still and also waiting on a ton of waitlists. Fun!!

Congrats to everyone hearing back! For those who are still waiting who else has been bamboozled into answering those "This is an urgent message for the vehicle owner..." scam calls because who knows maybe that unknown number is my dream school offering me everything I could ever want

Just got an informal email from a potential advisor at NYU saying that I got in! Official response should arrive in the coming week. Ahhhh, I'm so excited!
A special thanks to everyone who contributes to this forum, you made the experience of applying and waiting for responses much more bearable! Hope I get to meet some of you in academia down the line  

Thanks, @screwdriverfemme! I have yet to hear back from five more schools, so I'm crossing my fingers. At this point, I just want to know, I'm so anxious from waiting, lol.

Hey, just wanted to update you all that I received an email this morning for an interview with NYU on Thursday. I had received no other responses before this, so I am ecstatic to say the least! 

Anyone else just feel like going, "AHHHHHHH"? this waiting is killing me

I've gotten into Toronto!! I am so so so happy!! Soooo happy!! I hope I'd get to meet some of you there next year! 

I've gotten into Toronto!! I am so so so happy!! Soooo happy!! I hope I'd get to meet some of you there next year! 

I've gotten into Toronto!! I am so so so happy!! Soooo happy!! I hope I'd get to meet some of you there next year!