NOWAYNOHOW

Sorry for any confusion I may have caused regarding NYU. Despite the appearance of omniscience, I am but a humble researcher and my inside source is on sabbatical. The department is also conducting 2 job searches, so that may explain the early results and multiple faculty meetings.  Congratulations to all the admits and people with wait list spots -- you guys are brilliant!

We have so many of the same schools on our lists   That's exactly how I feel as well... hard to interpret silence (and yet so easy to overanalyze)...

I just got accepted to University of Washington!  Who knew they would send out an acceptance email on a Sunday morning?  Offered a 50% tuition scholarship and invited to an accepted students weekend in March - I am kinda freaking out right now!  Congrats to everyone else who got good news this week, I'm sure there's more to come!!!
 
PS: Is it bad that I posted on gradcafe before I even called my parents? 

Hey everyone!
 
I'm new to this whole site, probably happened upon it around winter break or so, but anyways, I'm the Feb 7th poster for Berkeley (anthro/archae).
 
Where else are people applying to/have heard back from?
 
So nice to meet others who are all in the same crazily anxious state of mind of anticipation.

So you're a member of Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays Against Parasitic Parents?

YES! 
 

Let's all hope good luck is plentiful and catching. I'm burning sage and chanting for real. 
 
Your choice of clip is SO spot on. Especially considering this process has me like
 

That NOWAYNOHOW, so hot right now

Just got an interview with Rutgers! Let's hope we are starting to hear more good news for everyone!

YYAAYYYY NOWAYNOHOW!!! AWESOME!!!

Just got an interview with Rutgers! Let's hope we are starting to hear more good news for everyone!

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

AWESOME! I've been following your blog-- you're finally catching your break!

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY CONGRATSSSSSSSSSSss WOOO HOOOO!!!  Iam celebrating with you. Let us know how it goes and write all the dirty little details in that interview topic! cant wait to hear more from you guys! i am crossing all types of fingers for you two!

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

Yaaaaaassssss!!!

http://gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/GIF/2014/03/Happy-and-excited-gif.gif

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

I got an invite to interview over Skype with Yale! I am freaking out! 

General email with 2 professors CCd, one was a POI and another I'm not familiar with.
 
FINALLY!

I'm an Africanist, focused on very current political processes--so, a hot topic. I have a lot of field experience in the region of interest but doing completely different stuff, and have actually not been to some proposed research sites. I don't have an Masters degree, a fact I have been obsessing over for a while. MAs are very tricky. You have no idea how much they'll help you and they're almost always out of your own pocket. Generally a big gamble that is probably best avoiding if you can. You can become exceptionally well read in your topic of interest on your own anyway. It's possible that shows a level of commitment too--learning and engaging outside of a MA program. 
 
I think a major difference between my previous apps and this year's apps is my own maturity level-- Intellectually and personally. I should have recognized a few years back that looking at potential POI profiles, seeing that they aren't working in Africa, and assuming we cannot have shared interests, was a sign of my inability to see more abstract intellectual overlaps. When I started to put together my SOP this time, it was clear I completely understood the range of shared interests I could have with the faculty, no matter where they worked. In retrospect, that was a good sign. So far, the places I have felt great connection to have felt the same way about me. But I have also had surprises. Still have a few more places to hear from too. I did not spend much time contacting POIs. Sometimes a little email, other times I didn't put out anything. I realize they can be annoyances. If any of your letter writers has specific connections, it would be pertinent to ask them to introduce you to respected colleagues at other universities. Anthro is a tiny universe; play up your connections.  
 
Apply to NSF. No ifs-ands-or-buts about it. It demonstrates your willingness to hustle for money (good skill in grad school, I hear). I applied in the past and got HM--which, I think, says to committees that there is high likelihood of actually winning next time or at the very least getting something else in the future. 

I'm okay without calling.  I'm going to assume I didnt make the shortlist.  I already have one acceptance and one shortlist which I thought was a long shot.  I feel pretty good about this round regardless with what happens from now on. 

I know it's wrong but I definitely just reached out to a POI to reiterate my interest. I wanted to clarify why I hadn't visited yet (short version: was very sick last term, just resolved) and to assuage some fears they had expressed to me about students relocating from big cities. Breaking cultural taboos left and right ya'll. 
 
PhD applications be like
 

I second this, but I would add that if it's been a REALLY long time...for example, if there are acceptances from your school on the results board from a month ago and you still haven't heard...then I think you might as well. Just to move on with your life!

Congrats to the Brown admits! Care to share?

A very interesting chat with my boss (tenured at an R1 social science department, intimidating, blunt, brilliant, etc.) just now: a prospective student recently emailed to reiterate their interest in the program. My boss is on the admissions committee and said that despite being a little bit annoyed by the email, that the little nudge turned out to be quite helpful as the committee reviewed the 200+ applications. Now my boss was on the lookout for this student's file. When there are so many stellar applicants for a handful of available slots, just getting your name to the forefront might get your application a closer look than what my boss describes as a "shamefully brief" review of almost all applicants across the board.
 
I didn't mention that I had just done the very same to a POI. I know it's just one professor's point of view, but figured it was worth a share.