OnceAndFutureGrad

In a somewhat related vein, I hemmed and hawed about hinting at my religious affiliation (in the form of the club I ran at my undergrad) on my CV. I also thought long and hard about mentioning my hobby of experimental archaeology, which is in my opinion an extremely important method of scholarly discourse, but can look to some people like LARPing. I ultimately decided to keep both in my application, because they're an inherent and indelible part of me - I won't hide them if I am a PhD student - and so if an adcom writes me off for either or both, well, I wouldn't have fit in there anyway. I feel the same about programs that are going to get their knickers in a twist about me bitching about grad apps.

I wrote about this elsewhere but I'll repeat it here. In 2009, I was contacted by my current school to clarify something I wrote on the application, and at first I was really worried but, as it turned out, they wanted the clarification because I was on the short list. Whew! It's not a sure sign, but I'd say it's a good sign that they want more information about you.

That certainly puts things in perspective My best case scenario: I get into the Met summer internship and become a star in the New York museum circuit, then I go on to a top-20 art history program, bouncing effortlessly between academics and museum studies, continuing my experimental archaeology all the while, and then after defending my PhD I am given an incredible opportunity where I simultaneously delight scholars and dazzle the public with early medieval material culture. Worst case: I don't get into anywhere, I don't even get re-accepted to where I'm getting my MA, so I cut and run from academia with my tail between my legs, become a personal trainer, yoga teacher, and ZUMBA instructor, and open a personal gym called Viking Fitness. Hmmm...methinks I should stop worrying so much.

I'm in my current program off a wait-list. I got an email at the beginning of March, a phone call from my POI in mid-March to let me know I was near the top, and by the end of March I was in and fully funded.

I agree with Benzene. Enjoy your time away if it is a holiday, or work hard/stay busy if it's a business or family trip. I can't think of any scenario where a school would NEED to get in contact with you inside of a week, and it could get stressful and pricey to frequent netcafes.

Thanks everyone for the advice and the link to previous discussion. My anxiety has not abated but I'm very glad you talked me out of contacting anyone. I must keep reminding myself that I got into the school where I am now without a word between the POI and me, so there's no reason to feel like I'm missing something by not contacting my POIs now. Thanks again and good luck!

Hi GradCafe, I love yous all and I was hoping you could help me. I searched a bit for conversation on e-mailing POIs and I found one big thread in Applications, but it was more about e-mailing them prior to applying. Now, don't worry, I've contacted ALL of my POIs before (and good thing too because it knocked some schools out, etc.) so there won't be any cold-emailing. What's the etiquette for e-mailing POIs at this stage, particularly when some results have gone out on the board? Or is any contact at this point unnecessary and potentially damaging? In particular, I'm interested in e-mailing my potential advisor at School A which tends to make decisions early and has some news out. Previously I had e-mail contact with three professors including the DGS and several graduate students. I also spent a day in the fall visiting School A, including lengthy personal conversations with my potential advisor and another POI. (Handwritten thank-you cards quickly followed in the mail.) So, my hopeful advisor might not remember me clearly/fondly, but he ought to remember me somewhat. Could I send him a brief, excruciatingly polite, yet unsolicited e-mail asking about the status of my application? Or do I ask about results in general? Do I ask him if he has accepted someone for 2011, or if I am still in the running, or is all of that is too crass? I would also like to email two POIs at Schools B and C, where I was unable to visit but had pleasant and encouraging e-mail conversations. Again, how am I supposed to ask "Do I still have a chance or have you made your decision already?" without sounding horribly rude? Also, is there anything I can say at this point to improve my chances? I sent a mid-term grade report in January. I'm a semifinalist for the Met summer internship but that's all, and no one's been outright accepted yet, so I don't know if announcing that would be smart (it's an honor to get to this point, even if I don't make the final cut) or smarmy (yeah, anyone can get nominated for an award, but it's not winning it!). Thanks for your help. If I missed a thread on this please link. I really do appreciate the collective genius of the Waiting It Out forum!

I hope to have a sequel for 2011; for now though I will share the 2009 acceptance story. It was the day before my senior thesis final draft was due. I was a commuter in my senior year, so I had driven in early to do one last read through and reference check in the library. I had a copy of my thesis in my email (I'm notorious for losing thumb drives) so, for once, I opened my inbox without thinking about what could be in there. I don't even think I saw the email at first, I was so bleary-eyed and tired that I was only thinking about my thesis. It was about 8:30am and my POI had written me just fifteen minutes before; the funding was there and I was accepted! I had a brilliant white-out moment where everything just blanked as my entire world turned upside down - from sleep deprivation and despair to a shining new future - and then I jumped up from the library computer and said aloud, "I got into graduate school!" Fortunately or unfortunately, it was early in the morning in the middle of the semester, so the library was empty. I ran outside and shouted "I GOT INTO GRAD SCHOOL!" but only a kindly old gentleman walking on the sidewalk was there and he smiled and nodded at me. I pulled out my cell phone and began calling people, waking them up, and most of their contribution to the conversation was: "yawn, why did you wake me - OH GOD IS IT AN EMERGENCY oh you got into grad school that's grea- zzzzz". Hmph! That's what I get for being a morning person, along with my POI and now-advisor. I remember how much my hands shook. I hope to get the shakey hands again

On V-day itself I'll have class and work, but my LD boyfriend (4.5 years, LDR for 3.5) is here for the weekend so it's an extended celebration just to be together in person. I bought him tickets to a Finnish metal concert and he bought me a Viking sword hilted umbrella...aren't we just perfect for each other?

Penn is driving me crazy! (I'm surprised there are so many of us clamoring to hear/get in, but it reinforces my decision to make it my top choice.) I really want to email my POI - whom I've emailed several times and met in person - but I'm so worried that I would be obtrusive. Could be the straw on the camel's back to decide against me? I'd really like to know if I stand a chance of acceptance, but if my email netted a rejection in reply, I might spend the rest of my life fretting over whether it was my fault or not.

I hate to say it, but Hyperbole and a half always makes me feel better about my life. Her stories are very funny (and her ability to capture expressions in a crude computer drawing program is outstanding), but reading about the difficulties she faces getting through the day can be heartbreaking. For those historically inclined (or not), one must not miss Kate Beaton: http://www.harkavagrant.com/

Six and five and four and three and two and one, and three of the finest champions, and the high-king of Ireland. (Been re-reading the Táin.)

keen eyes

A photo - nay, a video - of me in period clothing doing Viking combat demonstrations. Photos of my Old Norse and Irish tattoos (yes plural). That I watched the sun set through the gap in the hills at Drombeg Stone Circle at the winter solstice. That I walked seven miles to see an early Manx church site, and almost nine for a Norman castle. That I poured out a bottle of Skullsplitter Ale into the Stromness harbor under the Northern Lights to honor the landvættir (nature-spirits) of Orkney. That I've watched the Secret of Kells like a gazillion times

No, but I wasn't expecting to. If you look on the results board, it's completely normal to not hear anything from a school for humanities until end of February, even the middle of March. And anyway, no news is, generally speaking, good news - they want to reject you as soon as possible, so not hearing when other people have can mean that you're on the wait list, or a shortlist for acceptance.

Oof! That's exactly why I didn't make a filter. I go mad enough when I get a new email, I don't need to do a cartwheel if I see something in a folder. Will you keep your filters up? I had to cross the campus after lunch today and then move some books around, so I was away from my Gmail for (gasp) almost two hours. I had six new messages, none of which were from grad schools, and thought, "well there's six adrenalin surges avoided"...

Any curse words I can string together will be wholly inadequate in response.

Hi there whatshewrote! It looks like you've had a bit of success since you posted this but I thought I'd reply. What specifically do you want to study? A friend of mine did an MA at Leeds and really enjoyed it. I believe a colleague of mine was at York, though it may have been UCL - I'm not sure. Anyway, I'm surprised you haven't applied to either of the places I have, Yale and UConn. I'm at UConn for the MA at this moment and we've got a great Old English/Irish/Norse program, and plenty of later medievalists as well. I'm guessing that your UK MA programs are unfunded? I wish you luck in the coming weeks!

There's a recent discussion on this topic I was discussing this with my SO (you can read our "story" on that thread) and we agreed that there are some things that are more important than graduate school and careers. Come to think of it, I'm also reminded of jaxzwolf's on life being the journey, not the destination. (Hm, I'm spending a lot of time on this forum.) Good on you for having doubts and airing them publicly! There are many out there who display a maniacal "if you aren't rabidly and single-mindedly fervent about graduate school YOUDON'TDESERVETOBE(T)HERE raarararrrr!!" attitude. When competition is fierce, it's like we have to pretend to be superhuman just to make it, let alone achieve success. Poo on that, I say!

Water slide

sleep walking

wolf pack

Sake. And Viking combat practice. Usually not at the same time, though.