voxanonyma

How are we all feeling? Have any of us decided on a program yet? It's a whirlwind of a time with everything going on, to say the least...

I'm so sorry. That is utterly horrible. I don't have any other words for it, other than to agree that clearly it had absolutely nothing to do with your own abilities or qualifications and is the definition of being beyond your control, though I know that is little comfort at a time like this. Do you have a place you can go in terms of work once your current program ends? I actually came to the thread today to ask about this. Some of you may have seen this article that is just stunning and 'deeply concerning' as my advisor put it. I'm worried that Classics - already a field considered in decline - may be hit by this too, though I don't know enough about whether much federal funding goes to Classics programs. I'm so concerned about it that I'm thinking of accepting at Yale now, just in case their graduate school too starts to feel pressured to cut costs; I feel it would be unlawful for them to revoke an offer that has been accepted by the student. The April 15 Resolution also now allows students to withdraw their acceptance to go to another program provided they notify the first program in advance. What do you all think? The absolute nightmare scenario for me now is having the rug pulled out from under me and I'm extremely worried about waiting to hear from elsewhere or even to visit other schools to which I've been invited.

I am curious about this, as I've heard no such things. You could ask the /r/classics subreddit as well about this. Based on a somewhat faulty ranking system, they are, of the three elder Ivies, below Harvard and Princeton in terms of job placement, as well as Stanford and Berkeley, but I don't know how much of a difference that really is, especially when their own placement data seems to be pretty good relative to the job market? But I'm curious what others think. Brown's been talked about the past few years as having a lot of problems for example, but I've heard nothing like that about Yale.

I will almost certainly accept at Yale if Harvard does not offer me a position off of their waitlist, which obviously depends on a lot of factors and takes time unfortunately. I am visiting them next month, and I am hoping that at least one of their admits will prefer to accept at another institution, as they are my top choice, followed by Yale and then Michigan (also waitlisted) based on the work I want to do. But I won't complain if they don't given the opportunity I now have.

I heard from Yale's DGS today with an unofficial offer! I am so overjoyed and completely stunned. I've been celebrating with my family all day since I got the news this morning. I am so grateful. I know people say that, but I truly mean it. I've been up late at night and thinking every morning in the past weeks about how incredible this would be, to have this opportunity, and I am just overwhelmed that it has actually happened. I've cried a lot of tears in this past month, but they are finally happy ones. The absolute best luck to all of you still waiting to hear!

I did hear from UNC earlier this week. Waitlisted, was not interviewed. I withdrew from consideration by them, as I was admitted to Cornell and don't feel I would accept at UNC over them for several reasons. I hope you and @Silsmh heard good news! @Unmoved Orpheus I have a few thoughts. Sometimes admissions committee members will give you feedback on your application if you ask what you could do to improve for future cycles. I for instance was told two or three years ago by one reviewer that he 'didn't get much' out of my original writing sample (in a totally different field so it made sense; I had no Classics paper of any length to provide), which told me I'd need to put together a more relevant paper. So you could solicit feedback respectfully and use that advice to guide future applications, though consider too that in many cases they will not provide such feedback (for whatever reason). If you are in the US, many people work jobs teaching Latin (more rarely Greek) in local secondary schools while waiting to reapply, as it keeps them involved in relevant work and more teaching experience is always a helpful factor (though I myself have not taught). Sometimes you can get a temporary/part-time position at a local college as an instructor if you're lucky by sending out CVs, but that is much rarer in my experience. Depending on where you live, I've also known people to volunteer or work at local museums or archives as guides, materials/historical researchers, etc. as well. Staying connected in the field with your past recommenders and working in some capacity that relates to it helps, but you could also work in an unrelated area, as I did for a year, while drafting a new writing sample, getting feedback from a prior mentor or another qualified person on it, and trying to read a few more Latin/Greek texts to add to a works read list (which I personally recommend always including as an additional application material, even if they don't request it, as it gives them a sense of where you're at with the languages: just a bulleted summary of everything you've read in the original along with the sections if not the whole work). Keep in mind too that it's also not necessarily a matter of your application not being strong enough or you not being qualified; it may be more that the work the faculty are experts in/pursuing/excited about didn't match with what you wish to work on, which obviously varies from place to place; I have been told by an advisor in the past that his program (a very prestigious American institution) frequently will reject people who are totally qualified if their research interests don't align at least peripherally with any faculty member, as they feel it's irresponsible to admit someone whom they know they can't advise. So e.g., if you want to work on Pindar, but their only literature scholar focuses on silver age Latin, it may not be the best fit. For this I'd recommend not only checking faculty pages (which can be horribly outdated) but their CVs, as their publications can tell you a lot more about whether someone has had past experience with a topic, as even if they aren't presently focusing on it, that doesn't preclude them being interested in it any further. Those are some initial thoughts I had but I'm happy to give more specific advice here or via PM.

Thank you for the info on Stanford. And I'm so sorry you haven't heard anything back. While I feel there's still time to see if things change, I also agree with your proactive decision about looking for jobs. That's what I had to do three years ago. I'm not trying to spin it as a positive, but you can bounce back and be stronger in the next season - if that is something you are considering. At the same time, I understand the decision not to as well: I started this whole cycle off saying it would be my last, and I still mean that, but I also personally know people who were out for a decade teaching or doing something else but managed to successfully come back. Either way, I empathize with you and @Unmoved Orpheus greatly and know how difficult it is (at least generally: I am not trying to equate my experience to your own).

Congratulations @Sisinnes! I was also invited to interview with them next week! I was surprised as I would have thought they'd send out the requests along with the ones for Classics. Very happy, and I hope you do great! On another note, has anyone heard anything at all from Stanford or Chicago?

Thanks so much for this, it makes me feel a lot better at an awful time. I am indeed waitlisted at IPAH, so it helps a lot. And I'm waiting very nervously on Harvard, because while I feel I did well in the interviews, I also felt somewhat the same after speaking with Michigan. I just want to know! And while they said in the first interview they won't decide until mid-February, in the second another faculty member said they'd be back in touch 'very soon', which I suppose is mid-February? But I just don't know! The wait is excruciating.

Do we know of any programs that definitively admit without interviews or campus visits of some kind? I had started this whole process thinking that some did do so, but now it seems most of them do have something of the like, and the more I think about it the less really that it makes sense for such a thing to happen given the long-term commitment (for both parties).

I did submit mine to any that had an upload option and e-mailed the DGS or graduate coordinator in all other instances. I don't personally think it has that much effect, but it can't hurt so long as the grades are good, and if the courses are at an advanced level for the languages or your subfield. But I doubt it's a fully necessary component of admission.

I've mainly stuck to asking questions like what is their philosophy on / process for mentorship and student development, what options are there for secondary fields, modern language study, etc., how do I access specific material resources at their institution, etc. Those seem to be good. I think whatever provides an opportunity for them to tell you about their program (and consider how they would support you) helps. I personally really hope to hear from Michigan this week. I'd like to know definitively I have a place somewhere, even as I should be feeling optimistic. I guess I just am reserved because I don't want my hopes dashed.

I would like more information on this too. I believe that Harvard, Yale, Duke, Cornell, and Brown have interviewed/invited to visit everyone whom they are going to interview/invite.

Yale has sent out their prospective visit invitations. I have not heard from Chicago yet. Looks like Columbia just started sending out interview invites too.

I saw a Princeton interview result! Congrats to whoever you are! Am I wrong in remembering Princeton doesn't send out all their interview invites at once, unlike a lot of other programs?

I have not heard from them yet or from Stanford.

One of my recommenders has written for me since undergraduate. I think it depends on your relationship to them. If it's someone whom you haven't really worked with in several years, as is my case, I think it's only helpful for them to write if they can speak to your qualities as a person outside academia, e.g. your track and growth that they've observed over time. But even in this case, you still want to make sure they are updating the letter at least a little; I don't think it would be a good look to use the same letter from prior years, especially if, let's say, it has a date on there that identifies it as old.

I was invited to interview with Harvard. I received the request from their graduate chair earlier today. I am absolutely stunned, in the literal sense of the word too. My Michigan interview I think went very well too, I felt great after. I don't mean to impose this upon you all, but my sweet dog I've been with since childhood died yesterday, he got sick incredibly suddenly and we had to make the horrible decision, and I was and still am just struggling with everything; he was my best friend, and I wanted him to come with me wherever I went next, wherever I settled to earn my PhD. And I still can't honestly accept he isn't going to be there. My first thought when I saw the message was how much I wished he were here to celebrate with me; I shared so much with him. So, in all, this news is something that is astounding to me. In both senses of what I have related, I really cannot believe it.

Woohoo! Congratulations! And I agree, I'd certainly prefer that over things dragging out to March.

Well we are entering mid-January and I know a decent number of programs do much between now and the end of the month, so hopefully you do hear soon! Same for all of us. And then of course there's February, which will be here before anyone notices...

This will be my first interview at this level as well, so I'm going back and reviewing my materials and whatnot; I'd sworn off of them after submitting, but now it's quite relevant! I have some anxiety about it, but all in all I am quite hopeful. You too @Sisinnes! I also applied to ANCH, so I feel that program may be a bit more out of my reach now as I did not happen to hear from them yesterday, but one never really can know how these things will go. Irrespective, Penn is a lovely department and I hope the best for your chances there!

I have an interview with Michigan next week! I was contacted yesterday in the afternoon. I applied for the Interdepartmental Program in Ancient History; I've been trying to think about it but I don't know whether the bloc of times are just for IPAH or for all Michigan tracks. Regardless, good luck everyone! I also saw a result from UIUC, so things seem to be moving!

Yeah I'm officially starting to feel a bit loony from it all. It's hard not to think about it especially when you know your current institution has started their review... to say nothing of the rest. Distractions are good, obviously. We don't return to classes for two more weeks so until then it's going to be tough for time to really pass by, but it will, slowly but surely... And eventually...

Eheu! Me too. I knew I wouldn't be the only one. I think the thing for me is that I know - from unhealthy searching of old threads and past cycles - that programs could theoretically start sending out notifications around now, especially into next week, and that has turned me into quite the wreck. I'm hopeful, given how many programs I applied to, that I will hear from somewhere by Jan. 15 or so, but that is absolutely not guaranteed, especially if it's not an interview or admission offer. Provided at least one program admits me, though, things will get easier after I hear that news - but the question is whether that comes next week or next month! It's atrocious; all I can do is try to distract myself and wear away the days and hours. Still checking the portals every couple of days...

Well, friends, the last of my own applications are away. Fifteen in total. An exhausting process --- but hopefully one that bears sweet fruit in just a little while. It's incredible that we could start hearing back in less than month! Until then, I hope everyone gets a welcome break. Take some time for yourself, if you can, and rest.