jedi76

I've been waitlisted at 2, maybe 3 programs (the third hasn't contacted me yet but I have seen rejected and accepted posts on the results forum). Going NUTS over here. This is my second round of PhD apps. Last year I didn't get in anywhere so I'm thankful for the 2(3?) waitlist spots - especially as one spot is at my top choice and the other comes with excellent funding - but terrified that nothing will pan out and then where am I at? A question for you all if you'd be so kind to help a gal out. I am just short of guaranteed a spot in the phd program at the school I just got my MA from. Funding is questionable, it's in a city I've been dying to leave since I got here, and it's in a related field, not my actual chosen field. On the bright side, I'd have an awesome advisor who would push me really hard. The application is due Apr. 15th. Do I apply? If I don't get into any of the 3 programs I'm waiting on, it would be a backup. The other backup plan would be to get my butt to DC to find a job in hopes of boosting my resume for another round of apps in a year or two. I'm (only?) 25. Do I settle for a mediocre program (with a great advisor) or take my chances in the real world before playing the application game again? Ugh - here's keeping my fingers crossed that I get accepted off a waitlist! Best of luck to everyone!!!

I did this 2 years ago with my MA apps. My Mr. Dreamy accepted me without funding and damn near gave me a heart attack every time I thought of the loans I would need. Then came Mr. Good offering me 2/3 of my tuition and a modest research assistant stipend. I choose Mr. Good and had a great 2 years with a wonderful cohort and profs. Now I'm applying to PhD programs. Thrilled not to have the debt that I would have but now terrified I blew my chances at getting in anywhere good with funding. I think if you work hard though, you'll be fine and happier in the end without the debt. A friend of mine in my same program with Mr. Good got into 2 notable PhD programs last year with full funding...she worked HARD (conferences, retaking GREs, excellent GPA) for it but it paid off for her. Good luck to you!

I graduated in December...was super busy with my thesis, GREs, grad school apps, graduation forms, ect. Now I'm unemployed and not in school. My friends have been giving me the occasional part-time work but it's only like 10 days a month if that. I signed up with a temp agency in December and they've gotten me a whopping 6 days of work so far. I feel like my life is ENTIRELY on hold until I know where/if I'm going back to school in the fall. Then I can start the moving plans (didn't apply anywhere in my city) and go get settled. I hate being in limbo. Especially with no serving experience in a service industry town whose economy has yet to start rebounding. And it won't stop raining...but that's besides the point. Bah. Anyways, best of luck to all those with senioritis! Try and enjoy the down time before we're all (hopefully) bombarded with grad school work in the fall!

Warpspeed - I just finished my MA with about $27k in loans (including living expenses as I wasn't working for the 2 years...tuition was like $10k of it as I had assistance but was out of state). My degree is not from a super awesome school (name-wise. I'd argue that the department has excellent profs) and not super awesome at placing us MAs in amazing PhD situations. BUT I'm happy I did it. It gave me a leg up for my phd apps just having a masters and some more experience, it was an awesome time for me and I have an MA to help me get a job in the real world if I can't get into PhD programs this year. In short, I'd say totally worth it for a great program that will send you down the path you want to go down. More than $30k though and I think you enter sketchy territory. That's just my two cents though.

Finally heard from the school I thought had lost my application (had seen accepted, rejected, and waitlisted posts on the results search). I'm waitlisted which is why they didn't contact me...they'd only been telling people who'd called/emailed and asked.

I got into Denver back when I was applying for MA programs and opted to choose a state school in OR instead as it was $10k total tuition vs. $70k tuition (state school offered me funding). Now I've got my MA and am in the boat of people struggling to get into PhD programs and/or get a job and really glad my debt is relatively low. Maybe check out more scholarship options or contact the schools' financial aid offices for more info? Reapply to some different schools next year? Getting a MA was an awesome experience and I'd never tell anyone not to do it but I personally would have been super bummed to go $80k in debt for it.

I've been postponing my thank you letters to my LoR profs 'cause I have this fantasy of giving them some awesome news....so far it's 3 rejections, 1 waitlist, and 2 have been silent. Wondering if I should just give them the thank you letters or hold out for some confirmations.

Just read this as I was about to pick up the phone to call my first choice. Definitely going nuts over here. They sent an email at the beginning of Feb saying that all decisions should be made by Feb 25th and not to contact them unless we hadn't heard by the end of the month. Well, it's Mar 10th and nothing. I emailed 2 days ago briefly saying that I hadn't heard, understood that they are swamped and just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed any emails/letters. No response. I am trying to be patient and know I probably shouldn't call but the kicker really is that on the results page I've seen acceptances, rejections, AND waitlist notices for their program while I have gotten none of the above. Any advice?