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Somehow, I got an offer from my first choice program, and I accepted the offer. I'm finally going to be a PhD student. But for anyone out there who is feeling discouraged, frustrated, or that maybe they're not made of the "right stuff" to get into a top program, let me note what it took for me to finally get an offer: 
-Five years of my life
-Four application cycles
-An MA
-Lots (and lots) of debt
-A good deal of embarrassment and self-loathing
-Significant opportunity cost
Many times I felt certain I just wasn't good enough. For weeks on end I'd feel untethered, directionless, stuck in a maze of my own making. I knew I didn't have the smarts, or the motivation, or the knowledge, to do what my peers had done--which was to get over the line, to win the recognition of the faculty, to somehow make it through the gauntlet and come out ahead of dozens of applicants with stronger resumes and more compelling projects. 
It is possible. You do have it in you to achieve this goal of doctoral study and research--if it's what you want. But it was not, in my case at least, easy, cheap, wise, or even rational. I stand ready to begin my PhD program fully aware that the argument that my doing so is crazy is a pretty strong one. 
I wish you all the best in this mysterious, unpredictable mission to become scholars. 
Congratulations, keep going, add oil, etc. etc.!

Hey everyone, just wanted to share what I've been through. Did six interviews with multiple Ivies. Every poi I met told me I was a strong candidate, yet in the end all I got was rejection after rejection. I'm kind of lost now and starting to feel like I’m not cut out for academia. I have no confidence that I could make it into my dream programs even if I gave it another shot next year, so I’ll probably just settle for the offer I've got- it's not a bad one, just not what I had envisioned for myself.  
This whole application process has been way tougher than I ever imagined. Hopefully the ordeal will end this week, once I receive the official rejection letter from my dream school. I don't have the courage to go through all of this again, but I truly respect those who plan to. Wishing you the best of luck for the next cycle. And to those still waiting for results, hang in there. Tomorrow is bound to be a better day. 

Hi all! This is my first PhD application cycle, I want to say good luck to everyone still waiting, and congrats to everyone who has received good news already. I wish I found this thread earlier, so allow me to share my experience so far:
I study Japanese modern/contemporary lit and film, and I applied to Stanford PhD, Berkeley PhD, Columbia PhD & Harvard PhD. So far I have been accepted to Berkeley, informally notified by POI last week and formally notified via portal on Jan 29. I have had two informal meetings with POI’s from Harvard in early January, and just completed final round interview with admissions committee. I have no clue when I will hear back about the results, but one POI said they generally start notifying by second week of Feb (about Feb 10). I have yet to hear anything from Stanford or Columbia. Hope this fills in any blanks on others timelines. Best of luck to us all!