fields&charts

1. number of years you've applied: 2 2. number of schools applied to: 5 programs 3. number of rejections so far: 2, waiting on one more 4. what do you think went wrong?: My academic record is ok. I think my writing sample could've been slightly better, but all in all I think I just don't have a very competitive list of accomplishments outside of my grades. Stronger foreign language background could be good too. 5. will you apply next year?: No, I've been accepted to two MA programs, possibly three. I suppose I'll go to one of them, but it just seems like I only got accepted to places that seem to take anyone which is kind of, not to be a baby about it, depressing. 6. if yes, how will you improve your app? if no, why not?: My applications were already good. The second time around I improved them already but it's not just about that. 7. what will you do in your off year/the rest of your life? Either go for an MA somewhere, even though I'm going to have to pay through the nose (again I feel this is kind of a rejection in a way) and try again in a year or two.

For the folks who applied to American Studies last year and heard "good news" in April: Were you phoned for an interview prior to this "good news"? I've heard that they usually do interviews and whenever mid-February came around I hadn't heard a peep I figured I'd count that app as a waste of $85.

This is definitely a possibility with professional programs.

I think a small bottle of bourbon should be overnighted with the rejection notice.

For the reasons based on improvement to future applications, I completely agree with the need for a reason. When I applied several years ago to a program at UC-Davis, I actually got a fairly candid email from the director of the program in addition to their checklist style rejection letter (I believe some people mentioned it on here and said that they all said the same thing, mine actually cited my statement and LORs as the issue, not my writing sample or lack of "competitiveness" as others have mentioned). Basically, in addition to submitting a fairly half-baked LOR, 2 of my 3 recommenders did worse than write negative letters. They simply hand wrote illegible, meaningless garbage and mailed it in. I obviously don't know what was in them, but I at least got some hints as to whom not to ask the next time around and some constructive criticism regarding what sort of sample to submit for writing (basically my writing sample kept me in the running, but the fact that my LORs were "the worst they'd seen in 20 years" and the fact that the sample was on a fairly well written about subject didn't help at all). This time around I know I solved at least two of those problems, but I'm still looking at 1 definite rejection, 2 most likely rejections, and two who knows schools. After I give up unless I get some sort of amazing feedback from somewhere that urges me to try again.

Yeah, I don't know. The whole process can kind of be iffy. A few years ago I tried to apply to a handful of programs an did more or less what you just said. One school told me "quite frankly your writing sample, grades, test scores, and statement were all quite good, but your recommendations were the worst I've ever seen (and I've been in admissions for 20 years). I'd recommend never speaking to those folks again except for your department head who wrote you a really great letter." Basically two out of three people wrote gibberish. Another program said that they couldn't even tell what they were reading. This was after many phone calls/visits to offices/emails saying "if you don't feel that you can write it, please tell me". I just don't understand why people, when given an easy way out of doing something, choose to instead do something harmful and fairly traumatizing.

Sorry, I think i was reading two threads at once and misread that. That said, I stand by my statement of negativity.

They probably did. In all honesty, if you hear absolutely nothing after a month you probably got rejected and you'll get a letter in March or April. In my experience if you haven't heard anything by now or early march (especially no phone call for an interview or anything in a humanities program like English), then you're more likely to be a reject than an accepted student.

well first official rejection today. Since the other schools already have acceptances posted online and/or started calling people for interviews 3 weeks ago, I guess that means 3 out of 4 rejections for me with a fourth one on its way shortly. This is me finally giving up. I don't think I can deal with the emotional stress of a applying a third time.