Kakirsten

Congrats, liszt! I'm glad your funding came through? Is OSU your top choice now? I just got word today that I was awarded a University Fellowship (tuition & stipend for years one, two and five; TA tuition waiver and stipend in years three & four) so I am thisclose to accepting their offer. Provided I don't hate Columbus when I go out next Wednesday, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a Buckeye.

Careful what you wish for! :| I got home late, and there the rejection letter sat in my mailbox. I was admitted to the MA program with the Committee for International Relations, which shows I either did a crappy job on my SOP or they simply flagged the word "nationalism" in it, and sent my app on over. Not really at all what I want to study, and WOW is it expensive! Nevertheless, I'm not disappointed; I'm not fazed at all, really. Huh.... I want to at least feel good because they offered me admission to the MA, but part of me thinks that your application fee buys you an unfunded MA spot as a way for them to make money. Kind of like the "Participation" ribbons they handed out at grade school field days. Or a pyramid scam. In this economy, can't say I blame them!

Late congrats, misterpat!!! It's awesome that you have a choice that you're happy with, and is tough for all the right reasons. I'm completely with you on the Chicago thing, btw. I'd like to close that chapter too.

I'm pretty sure both those options have showers, the absence of which might be the only thing to offend your program. Nobody has any delusions of graduate students being wealthy.

Congrats, kahlen!!! I've never been to WSU, but friends of mine used to live in Spokane and although that city isn't particularly amazing, the area surrounding it is BEAUTIFUL. Then again, I adore Washington- I was in Seattle in December and was kicking myself for not applying to UW. Good luck with your funding.

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." My brain is holding them to it, but I'm in the same boat as you, Sonic.

I remember you mentioning that; I'm surprised you weren't one of the first to hear. Now that I reread my post, I think I just had my cranky pants on, and have now returned to a state of mild apprehension versus full-out angst. I'm rooting for you! Silly to think that mail doesn't come on Sundays... doesn't the USPS realize the stress of radio silence on potential grad students?

It looks like the Chicago letters are starting to radiate outwards from the city. Knowing my luck these past few days, I'll get a rejection letter from them in the middle of the day Monday, during a bloody Nor'easter which will leave me with nothing to do but ponder my failings. Or drink alone. I'm calling it now. :cry: Seriously, though, if I'm hating on my New England winters so much, I wonder if Chicago is really the best place for me! :| Mostly, though, it's just been a lousy week compounded by impatience to know what I'll be doing in the fall. I've never been a neurotic person, but I swear Woody Allen has nothing on me now! Congrats to the Michigan and Brown folks!!!

I actually work as an administrative assistant in Admissions/Academic Counseling at a small college where I did my undergrad. Word MOST DEFINITELY gets around. Granted, I also teach freshman and do orientation, so I have a lot more points of contact, but these people who work in graduate administration are a LOT more than glorified secretaries. They control most of the information flow, and you will most likely be dealing with them at some point if you matriculate at their school, so being extra nice never hurts. At the very least, if they remember someone as unpleasant, they could "misplace" an acceptance/rejection letter for a few days. (This is not to say that the OP ever insinuated that he/she was rude to the contact person!) Even if you don't give your name... um, my phone has caller ID.

I got an email from my POI notifying me of my acceptance and asking about my availability to visit on Fri, Feb. 6th. My application status changed to "Decision" letting me know I was officially accepted on Wed, Feb. 11th. I received my official, one page acceptance letter from the graduate school via post on Sat, Feb. 14th. I got an email today confirming my visit date. However, my specialty (Russian/Eastern European/Eurasian History) needed to change their official visit day from April 3rd to an earlier date, so that may be why I heard so soon. I don't know that they've made decisions in all fields.

I got in with full funding, and I'm visiting in a month, so there's a strong chance I'll be there too. Still waiting on three other schools, though.

Nope, that wasn't me. But thanks for asking!

slawkenbergius, was it you on the results board who got into Georgetown? If so, congrats!

These are my sentiments exactly. I don't know what to think about my chances at Chicago, and I'm not sure that if I get in, it's the school for me, but it would be tough passing it up. To those who got into Chicago: nice work and congrats!!

I work & teach at the same university where I got my undergrad. The same guy I was seeing when I was a student left school, and then decided to return to school at said university after a hiatus... as soon as I graduated. He is in a completely different department than I teach in (I deal with mostly freshmen, anyway) and everyone who needs to be is aware of our situation is but it's still weird and awkward sometimes. It's a major incentive NOT to let this happen to me when I'm in grad school!! :wink:

I have to say, I check the Religion forum as well as this one (since my UCSB application is for Religious Studies rather than History) and this board's posters are far more invested and entertaining. 8) And synthla, you're completely right about the fact that you NEED to want this more than anything to go through with this. There are a couple of kids- and I use that term loosely- in the history program at the university where I work who are toying around with grad school because they "don't want to get a job." It pisses me off, because these are the same students who b*tch every time they are required to do primary source research outside the internet. I'm torn: I've considered trying to dissuade them, since it reflects poorly on the university, but on the other hand, it isn't like they'll get in anywhere great with that attitude. Their application fees might help those who actually care. As for me... I'm pretty sure I sacrificed my vision to the Gods of ancient microfilm and manuscripts the summer after my sophomore year. I was born for this. (Thankfully, one school agrees!)

This is how I feel about OSU now... not the most highly ranked school, but one of only a couple of schools where my interests coincided extremely well with the faculty. Plus, a 90% (!) placement rate, and they have been fantastic every time I've contacted either the department or the grad school. Treating you well after you've groveled at their feet goes a long way.

It seems like today is almost as fantastic for acceptances as the other day was horrible for rejections! Congrats to all the UC Berkeley, SD and Davis admits! It's nice to read exciting GOOD news. It also appears someone got into Harvard! Are you on here?

My dad is both frustrating and proud. He still has to insist, every time I mention my plans, that PhD stands for "Piled High & Deep" and asks me how the view is from my ivory tower. :roll: (Needless to say, I'm a first generation college grad, let alone graduate student!) But then, as soon as I told him that I got into Ohio State with full funding, he took off from work to search every sporting goods store in New Hampshire for an Ohio State hoodie. I didn't have the heart to tell him getting in didn't mean I'm absolutely going there... I should probably tell him before he rents the UHaul!

Congrats to the UC-Davis admit! Nice to see good news after the Yale debacle, although I will admit that slow days on TGC make my work day much more boring. I'm getting just as excited to see other people get in places at this point. My competitive spirit is taking a holiday, I guess. :wink:

Aaaaahhh, how I love microfilm spins, and then trying to drive afterwards. :shock:

Whoa. I'm so glad I didn't even bother with Yale. I was thisclose to applying but... yikes. It would have been throwing away the application fee, and I don't think they need my help feeding their coffers. My condolences to everyone who got that unfortunate letter today. Just keep your eyes on the fact that there are sooooooo many more schools to go! It seems to me that there are more people posting on here who applied to Chicago than Yale, anyway... does anyone else believe that to be true? I'm thinking that my best chance there is getting referred to the MA.

I agree with misterpat, and I'll add the two P's: present and publish. If you have the opportunity to conduct original, primary-source based research and either present it at a research conference or publish it somewhere, it will make you stand out. Even a top 5 degree, if you stick only to the curriculum, won't necessarily write your ticket.

My OSU status page went from Evaluation to AcadRev. Even after I got the acceptance email from the professor, the status page didn't change- it still say AcadRev.

Riss287, I totally agree- this website is both the bane of my existence, and a blessing. Such is life. Before you write off OSU, consider this: I was emailed specifically by the department of Russian, Eastern European & Eurasian Studies before my official notification. Part of their reason was to find out my availability in March to reschedule their "visitation" day, because two faculty members in the department are unavailable on the official history admit day (April 3rd). So, as long as you weren't applying to the same department, don't panic by Tuesday.