going crazy

I'm in your shoes. I'm not thinking in terms of good and bad, but great and best. And Austin is awesome! If it comes down to location, it'll be difficult to beat. Have fun!

Also, if you are simply leaning away from an option or two but haven't decided against anything yet, feel free to talk about the process.

I was just curious as to whether folks have started officially declining offers, from where, and for what reasons. I officially declined my offer from Minnesota last week (because of funding, fit, and climate) and after reading this ASR article by Val Burris (http://pages.uoregon...09/asr_2004.pdf) on the academic caste system and the importance of departmental prestige in getting academic jobs I'm seriously reconsidering whether Rice would be the best place for me. The funding is awesome, and the fit is good, but I just don't think it would have the cachet on the job market of my other option(s?). I'm not really interested so much in debating that point. Rather, I'm curious as to how other people are working through their own decisions and what conclusions they've come to.

The national poverty threshold for 1 person was recently $10,830 a year, so yeah I'd say it's gonna be pretty difficult to live anywhere on that stipend alone. Loans suck, but that may be an alternative to barely scraping by.

I was told by a professor a week or two ago that e-mailing the head of the department or director of graduate studies about your wait-list status does not hurt your standing on the wait-list. Nor is it rude. Since then, I've e-mailed both the places where I was wait-listed and got helpful information about what to expect. Here's what I've written both times: [Dear Contact Person], I was recently informed that I have been placed on a short wait-list for the PhD program in Sociology. First, I just want to express how excited I am about this opportunity and that I sincerely hope circumstances work out towards my eventual acceptance. [Your School] is by far my top choice. However, faced with the very real possibility that I will not be accepted, and as I must consider other offers, I was wondering if you would be able to give me a general idea of where I stand on the waiting list in light of what you expect your yield to be for this year. I understand if you are unable to provide me with specifics regarding my status, but any further information would be helpful as I make decisions about future graduate training. Thank you so much for your time. I think you can e-mail them to ask general questions about your wait-list status without seeming pushy. You've got to make decisions too and they know that. My two-cents anyway.

Just got wait-listed at Chicago. The e-mail reads: "In a normal year, I would be offering you admission and financial aid at this time. Due to the economic realities of the current year, however, we must place you on a short wait list. If subsequently we are able to admit you, we will provide substantial funding, including a full-tuition scholarship and health insurance, and possibly stipend support." A POI at Chicago told me that he thinks I'm at the top of the list, so if you're not going (and I know some of you are going to Harvard or Princeton over Chicago) please let them know soon so I can stop being tortured by these waiting lists! Thanks! I find that "possibly stipend support" sort of scary . It would be especially difficult to accept an offer with no stipend support given that both Yale and Rice are offering extremely generous stipends. My spouse would much rather live in Chicago than New Haven, however. Guess I'll cross that bridge if and when I come to it.

Congrats! Is that the first acceptance? That's a great school too! What a great feeling!

Thanks! Honestly, just being wait-listed at Princeton and complimented by a stud like Wuthnow was an honor, even it doesn't work out.

Just had e-mail correspondence with Robert Wuthnow. I asked him if he could give me a general idea of where I was on the wait-list in light of their predicted yield for the year (I had just heard that a guy got wait-listed last year and waited all the way till April 15th and never heard anything back). He was very nice. He said that he was sorry that he couldn't be more reassuring but that the graduate school hadn't let them pull from the wait-list in the last few years. However, he did say that he was hoping I could come to the program because he thought I was doing "some interesting research." All that to say, I haven't lost hope yet (even though that's probably what he was very nicely telling me I should do).

In at Rice. Literally just got back from the interview weekend and checked my e-mail. Sounds like they are working hard to make it a really strong program. It's new (which is risky) but the faculty seem extremely eager to mentor and publish a ton with students. Also a really nice funding package: 27k for five years and only RAships. No TAs. Decisions, decisions.

And ditto for those Princeton admits! Go to Harvard or something! Incidentally amanda (if I may), I think the soc programs you got into are really awesome! I'm totally jealous actually. I can promise you this, If I ultimately get in at Princeton (please God) you will immediately see a spot open up at Yale.

I got into Yale as well. Someone posted that they were offered 5 years of funding. My e-mail mentioned a generous stipend (26,500 per year) but did not say five years. Does anyone know if the funding situation is different for different students. I'm supposed to call the DGS sometime this week so I suppose I can ask myself but didn't know if someone know something already. Thanks!

Hell yeah you're in at Harvard! Congrats!!! Out of curiosity, what is it that you want to do anyway, socme? What are your research interests? Edit: Incidentally, I think you may be able to make a lot of money helping people write their grad school apps. You clearly kick ass at it.

Congrats if you got into both! That's incredible! Both schools have great reputations and both have giants working for them. Academically and professionally you can't go wrong in either department (unless someone knows something I don't, which is certainly possible). I don't know. It probably just depends on what you want to do. You're going to get a great job coming out either way. If you're taking votes, I'd say go to Harvard. It's too legendary to turn down. You'll get to drop the H-Bomb on folks for the rest of your life! ("Yes, I went to Harvard. No big deal. Where did you go?") Again, congrats! Disclaimer: I'm totally biased in telling you to go to Harvard.

Damn right. I just want to get it over with and I feel like schools totally drag their asses on this.

You're probably right.

Dammit, Socme! No more congratulations for you. You're hogging all of the cool schools. Please God, let socme get into Harvard so she/he pulls her/his applications from all the other schools and the rest of us have a chance. Amen. Okay fine, congratulations.

Good. I'm glad that was a personal e-mail rather than something that probably went out to all acceptances. I'm biting my nails over here! Congrats, dreaming!!!

I sent an e-mail to your address posted. Feel free to delete your e-mail address from the post now. Best of luck!!!

I'm fine with that. She's very nice. Can you give me your e-mail so that I can give you her name and e-mail without posting it on the forum?

Selfishly, I hope you get into Harvard so you drop Princeton (you're right, it's a horrible fit for you and Jersey totally sucks ) and make room for those of us on the wait list! The rest of us are envying your "problems"! Best of luck!!!

I had a friend last year who was wait-listed at Michigan and got in on April 15th! You still have a chance, but it might require waiting till the last minute. The good news is the programs who accept you will wait till you decide as well, so you're not going to get dumped by them while you wait on Michigan's final decision. I'm in the same boat waiting on my dream school. Good luck!!!

No kidding. I'd absolutely freak out if Princeton gave me the nod. Good luck to you as well! Still hoping plan A works for you or that plans B and C somehow lead you back to A.

You were right, sarauwani. I called Evelyn and she was super-nice. She went through my application and was extremely complementary but indicated that they had no one to mentor me. Since Chris Ellison has left and Woodberry is preparing to leave (which I didn't know) Regnerus is the only religion guy available and apparently he's overbooked as it is with current grad students. Alas, no admissions offer for me. Looking back it was a lousy fit anyways. Stings a little bit, but I couldn't hope for a nicer rejection. To anyone still waiting, Evelyn said she would try finish rendering notifications soon, but the decisions have been made. If you didn't receive an offer, you probably didn't get in. Sorry to be another bearer of bad news.

Teabee and Rollright, that is fantastic news! So I guess we're still in the hunt. Glad I don't have to write that one off as a rejection....yet.