GirlattheHelm

I haven't heard more than a peep so I understand the pain you're going through. But my departments aren't hit as badly with people trying to "weather through the recession" and we historically didn't have as much cash to play with so it's marginally worse at this point (for Anthro and Historic Preservation folk). However, with lots of pessimism, I'm in the same boat. Hoping and praying... Just take deep breaths, drink, and avoid researching graduate acceptance results.

**HUGS!** You're allowed to feel bummed out but do not be too upset. The grand adventure is not the weight of 'top choices' - because, remember, the decision of admission is not yours. This process is arbitrary and sometimes downright cold hearted. The silver lining is that there are more adventures yet to be that you will still have the opportunity of chasing - let the other ones roll in before we count curses or blessings...

I totally agree. The test is fun in its own creepy way though - like, a self appointed challenge. But it's hardly a reflection of anything. But, what are you going to do? If you fight it you can't apply, so they've got you by the short and curlies. Nobody said life was fair. PS - I BOMBED my GRE's after 5 months of hardcore studying (I had a panic attack during the test). Figures.

It's a visit for a purpose. If you have a 'better' offer it's the schools wine and dine deal - they understand you still might not be coming to their University. Go, have fun, see something and get a feel for people. That can't hurt. Just don't tell them you're not interested while you wander around their campus... That'd be awkward.

My counterparts would all know I'd be lying. They're all going to get to see the acceptance and rejection letters in print anyway so I might as well own up to it... My top choice is actually the University of Vermont - and for a Master's program nevertheless - but if I can get into a PhD program I won't count that as a failure. Though I really-really-really want to go to UVM. (Oh, Vermont how I love thee!)

Are You Afraid of the Dark was awesome. And, even though I disliked Ren and Stimpy, I still sing "HappyHappyJoyJoy" in the shower...

4:00am - Wake up for the final time (I'm an insomniac) and convince self it's better to just get up. Then make a pot of coffee, check email, phone, facebook, and revel that nothing has changed since I last checked at 2am. 5:00am - Shower & Get Ready while cranked out on a pot of coffee... 6:00am - Start checking email again. 7:00am - Make second pot of coffee and visit the Grad Cafe. 8:00am - Put clothing on. 9:00am - Continue procrastinating 9:30am - Head to school. 10:00am - Check email at school and post on message boards abound... 11:00am - Class. 12:00pm - Get food for my boss and myself. 1:00pm - 4:30pm - Check Grad Cafe & youtube; at 2:30pm go to work and continue all that right there at my computer terminal until 4:30. 5:00pm - Get dinner for boss and myself. 6:00pm - 8:30pm - Sit in boss's office and let him pontificate aloud to me until he gets bored of that. 9:00pm - Say goodnight to boss as we leave to respected vehicles. Chit chat on way to vehicles. Wait until he asks me to call him in a half an hour... 9:30pm - Call boss for 10 minute conversation about nothing, laugh, note we'll see each other in the morning, hang up. 9:40pm - Wonder, for about twenty minutes, why he has me call him every night for a ten minute conversation when we spend ALL DAY together doing whatever it is that we do... 10:00pm - 2:30am - Fail to figure out answer to above question and commence with email/message board checking. Then drug myself with sleep aids to try and convince my brain it is tired. Fall asleep on couch for an hour... Wake up and check email... Manage to get to sleep around 2:30 in the morning and wake up around 4am to repeat... :?

I think it has significant impact and is stressing very hard on the academic world. But it's not like we can do anything about it since the government isn't really offering us any money. It's pretty bad, I'd say, but that's what you get trying to bail out big corporations and screwing the rest of the country. And, everyone's trying to run towards school, I think, in order to find safe haven. I mean, the whole idea is that the US will protect students. Like somehow we'll be provided for if it all goes to hell... Sigh. Hopefully this too shall pass. :|

I wasn't a huge cartoon junky until I was in my teens. I really liked the old school Sesame Street, even though I am slightly afraid of puppets I still like it. Edit: OH! My mother reminded me; I was OBSESSED with She-Ra, Princess of Power, and He-Man.

If your going to your top choice and you know that that is your final decision, you need to contact the school whose program you've all ready accepted to notify them you won't be attending said university. You may need and/or want to write a letter of explaination; this does the following: it thanks them and lets them know that you are retracting your informal acceptance. You needn't give them too much information as to why, just tell them that your situation has changed in a manner that forces you to withdraw your acceptance. Also note that if you have all ready paid a deposit it will most likely be forfeited by this action. FYI: Paying the deposit is NOT concrete acceptance on your part, as people regularly do that and then just don't show up; that just means that they will save a seat for you - if you pay the initial deposit, and then fail to inform them you're not coming, someone who is waitlisted gets screwed! I warn you, DO NOT write them until you are absolutely sure you are going to your top choice! Use this as a learning experience - you should not have assumed the power and authority of accepting or rejecting yourself from any school. These institutions are making the decisions, not you, and so you have a decent shot until they say otherwise. Then the ball is in your court. If your top choice is your final choice, then make it so - but be sure of that fact before you make the next move. Then you have one last thing to do - sit back and relax. You're in!

Campus Email. Oh, and offers for emu chicks...

Yeah, going in cold makes a person happy in ignorance. And, while the search results are indeed kind of evil, everything is in some way the Devil in disguise. The problem is when people take it too much to heart - like allowing the results to bother us. Think of it this way: If an institution invites me/you to attend, then let the problem being deciding if you are going or not. Until then there are no options anyway, so why does it matter right now? I know, I know... it does. But not the way we think it does. Do manage to go have a drink, though. If you have one thing to celebrate, it's getting the damn applications in anyway.

First thing: Take my blood pressure and make sure I'm NOT still at stroke level. Second thing: Get drunk. Third thing: Get laid Fourth Thing: Pack my car and head (hopefully) north!

I'm okay with it ... so long as the beer holds out.

We live and learn. Life is nothing without regrets since those are the proof you stumbled trying to live it... But enough of nauseating platitudes - it's also really freakin' scary - as you're finding out when facing the feeling of, "Did I make a big oops?" What's more awful? Well, for starters you really could have shot yourself in the foot...however, that doesn't mean you did! My advice is to take this part of the experience as a learning curve. Then sit back and don't let it torture you until you hear another word about where you could possibly be getting in. That's all you can do right now. Wasting away worrying about it is pretty much it unless you can dump that load of crap and go do something else. Live life. Make another really horrible mistake that compounds your time - like random one night stands or buying a kid off the street. Something! Anything! And, hell, while you're at it, start a drinking habit*. It always helps me when I do things that could ultimately bite me in the bum... *Note: Don't do it; it's a trick!

I feel no need for a reason for rejection. And I won't put a reason here for not needing a reason.

Giggle. I thought I was republican for the longest time too. And then I realized I just wanted people to stop yelling at me, "Throw away your guns!" or "Why do you own that breed of dog!?" or "You can't take that medication!" or "You're too young/too old/too something to make life's decisions...Quickly! Die for this country!" I want to live my life and for other people to live theirs - rather than telling me what they like or dislike about MY life. And sure, I want the world to run smoothly but I also want to make sure I am allowed to be a capable and useful human being - which means I can protect myself in a situation when necessary or make a decision about my life rather than allowing the government to start chewing at my heels about it. I need a giant, "GO PISS OFF" sign for the rest of the world. That's what freedom is; but, I might add, it's a lot of self responsibility. After seeing most of the graduating class here it's fair to say we're doomed.

Sigh. Libertarian's are not anarchists! I'm a civil libertarian. BIG difference. We want the individual and our bill of rights to stand supreme against all other things; including government infringement/total socialization of our lives. Self reliance, in so many ways, means that people are supposed to be capable of living their lives, not critiquing other peoples from a higher place. That doesn't mean we're going to let the sewers clog or forget to hand out social security. We are too big of a nation to fail at that at this point, in my opinion. I do want to keep our system alive; and outright self-policing of over expanding hundreds of millions of people is ridiculous. But if we could be a smidgen better at it we'd help out the system a lot more than having it carry our dead weight.

I don't even, technically, have my BA done yet... 'cause I'm in my last semesters worth of this glorious nightmare. But technically I'm finished; at least credit wise. I just got screwed and had to take this semester so I didn't have to pay back my loans. Yet. 8)

Raging Civil Libertarian here. Which means I believe in: Build your fences high, ignore your neighbors, keep the second amendment, I don't care about your sexuality so go do what the hell you want, allow states to govern unto themselves more, be very self reliant, and stop picking on everyone elses hobbies. Now I'm going back to my cave.

Good to hear, sfbbgurl! Okay, Yellow, the chicken thing was creepy but also really fun to play with. #40-Something: Call your parents and ask them a question they would know the answer to if they thought about it... I was on the phone with my father for a long time today trying to figure out what this rifle cartridge was that I was looking at (it was historic material from the site I dig at). And, yeah, I kind of knew what it was but it was my father who was quick to jump on it and go, "I bet you it's a .45 - check and see what variations are there; it's probably black powder." Low and behold - .45-70 Government Issue rifle ammo from 1882 for the Trapdoor Springfield (Or Springfield 1873 Rifle) with its initial production starting in 1873. Dad's are great.

Oh no! I might have to reconsider Montana all together! j/k...

My real backup plan would be to reapply to my current University for a department here that I know would let me in. However, in that case I might as well flush my academic career down the toilet so I probably wouldn't bother. My more likely backup option, if I am completely rejected from all Universities, is to go home. There I'd help open the bar my sister is working on. I mean, it's her plan but I can make good money managing the joint. And I can drink until I'm 60 for 'free'... It's not much but I suppose beggars can't be choosers. :|

I only applied to the PhD programs in Anthropology. And so, yeah, I applied for the Masters at Cornell and the University of Vermont. Granted, I have a lot of friends at Cornell and, although it has a great name, it never really impressed me that much... even less when I had to spend $70 bucks on the application. But it's a good name on a resume so if I could squeeze in, I'd definately be interested... However, I want to go to the University of Vermont for all I'm worth. I don't know if it's a poor compulsion or what, but I love Vermont and need to get out of New York State and it's like this weird pull - and somewhat not of my own doing. UVM has a fantastic relationship with their State Historic Preservation Office, where I wanna work, and it's in the perfect location. Hell! The perfect situation. But I also have this itch that they'll look at my GRE's, laugh, slap the rejection on it and send it at me via pigeon. Worse yet? I've psyched myself out and can't tell the difference between a 3.0 and a 3.7 let alone a Masters or Ph.D. program and admissions difficulty... ... But thank you for making me feel better for saying I have a chance.