Spritely

This is a salient point from Darkholmme: It's very difficult for people to make such a big decision on short notice. They will if they have to, but to put them in that position unecessarily does seem problematic. How about this: Don't make a decision today, but give yourself a week and weekend to think it through and a deadline of next week, maybe Monday? Talk it over with those close to you and come to a final decision, knowing you've set a deadline for yourself. This would allow the process to move along at the other schools but also give you a few more days to come to terms with your situation. I think programs would be more frustrated if you kept them in limbo until April 14 and then declined them rather than letting them know soon. Programs realize that not everyone admitted will attend, but at the same time it puts them through a lot of stress to have to contact wait-listed applicants and finalize their cohort in the last few hours around April 15 rather than if you were to give them a couple of weeks notice and they can more uniformly go through the process of finalizing their cohort with wait listers. Just imagine being a DGS or faculty member having to make several frantic calls the morning of April 15 to try to finalize a cohort. I'm sure they do not want you to put them in that position unecessarily, once your decision is made. In the meantime, good luck with your decision!

One of my closest friends did his MA and is working on his PhD at Boulder. He was not initially funded there, although he did ultimately get funding after the first year, but he had to teach a pretty heavy courseload (two full courses per semester) and the pay was much lower than I was getting to just TA at U Texas. Seems like their funding did not compare favorably to better funded programs, but I don't know how things stand for this year specifically. Good luck!

Are these MA or PhD programs? It was my understanding that CUNY did not pay for health insurance, whereas that was provided by UT when I was there. I loved UT but I'm sure CUNY and living in NY would be great too. Good luck with your tough decision!

I e-mailed yesterday and was told this morning that the DGS has already made the first round of funding offers. She said that funding will not be available to everyone and that "there is a good chance" that funding will not be offered, so I should go ahead and accept any other funded offers I have. I'm writing off UNL as I didn't want to live in Lincoln and it sounds like funding would be shaky from year to year (no guarantees), which would be pointless for me to pursue. Good luck!

Upon reviewing their web site, they do mention that funding is not available for all Ph.D. students who request it, and that was probably written before the budget crunches that are likely to further reduce their funding. Lincoln was already a toss-up for me so if I don't get funding (and I have not received any word on it yet) I will most definitely not be accepting. In some ways this would actually simplify the decision making process, although it does burn a little to be admitted and then find out you aren't funded. It feels like they just want you around to help defray the costs of funding their highly preferred students.

For what it's worth, I was a Ph.D. applicant and have not heard anything yet (despite all the wait list e-mails and acceptance calls being reported). I'm assuming this means I'm in the reject pile, probably with a letter in the mail.

I suppose there is probably Greyhound to these cities, but I don't own a car (never have, never plan to), so 45 minutes and 3 hours are a bit far for me. I suppose I should have been clear that this was relative to my transportation options, but thanks for clarifying.

I agree that an MA might not be a bad idea. Maybe try to get into a well-respected MA program with promise of moving onto the Ph.D... and try to only apply to those with funding so you're not putting yourself in a hole (plus it would be good to get more teaching experience for your future applications). I might also add that many schools do not require the subject test. While the majority do, I was able to find a lot of schools to apply to without it since my score on the subject test was much lower than I had hoped.

In many ways you do sound like a "dream candidate." But, there is no perfect candidate, or a perfect program for that matter. It seems to me that your qualifications are more impressive than mine, and our test scores and GPAs are comparable. I applied for grad school four times (this year included): once after undergrad, for a masters; once after my master's, for a second master's, but did not go back; last year for Ph.D. and did not go back; this year for Ph.D. and will go back. So, needless to say I empathize with your frustration, confusion, and anger, if there is any. I will rattle of some brief thoughts, hoping that one or two might help. If you want to go back to school and get a Ph.D., I would not let the current economic situation stifle you, or your current frustration. It took me a few months after last year's rejections to get back in the application process, but you do recharge and can approach it with a new focus and determination, perhaps finding several ways in which to improve your application. It sounds like location is not a determinig factor for you since you applied to UC schools, Ivies, and top 40 schools. I would broaden your search and consider a handful of schools ranked lower or even unranked. Top 40 is not a safety school, unless perhaps you're one of those people on this forum that got into several top 20 or Ivy League schools. If you are like the rest of us, Top 40 is a dream come true in this application process. If you reapply next year, and I think you probably should, I would try one or two Ivies and UC schools, but also look for compelling programs lower in the rankings. I applied to several schools in the 50-70 range on this list: http://www.english.ucsb.edu/undergrad/a ... nkings.asp. While I do not consider this the definitive ranking list (and it's dated 2001, anyawy), it is a starting point and helps put things in perspective. You can probably find some good programs for you in the 60s or 70s that would be a good match. If you want to really put the "safety school" idea into practice, you may also need to apply to two or more schools you could be happy at but that do not even appear on that list. Look around at the schools to which others on this forum have applied to get some ideas of these schools. In my case, this resulted in my first two acceptances this year, although I got into UN-Lincoln today and am hopeful to also get into other programs off of wait lists. I think GRE scores are really only decisive in the very top programs. If you have fairly strong GREs but a great GPA, experience, and letters, you should be fine. I think it's much more important to have a strong statement that is tailored to the programs, which should be good fits for you. Granted, some of the application process comes down to sheer luck, but if you continue to work on your app and branch out a little more in which schools you apply to, you are likely to have better luck next year. If you are reapplying, you might consider meeting up with those in the thread about reapplying next year. I really wish I were on this forum six months ago as I was starting to work on applications. Good luck!

Sounds extreme. Thanks for the advice. Do you have any other thoughts on the city? How does it compare to other cities you're familiar with, especially college towns? Many college towns are quite nice, but the ones I have been to are all relatively close to a larger metropolis (within an hour's drive, at least). Lincoln just strikes me as so... middle of nowhere. And cold. But I know one wouldn't want to base their graduate program decision on something like climate (or tornadoes) alone. Thanks again, and congrats!

What great news for you, then. Congrats! Maybe we all got into UNL, after all. I'm pretty conflicted at this point as it has a much stronger reputation than the other schools from which I have offers. My main hesitation is that I do not want to live in Lincoln. I know the program is not the highest ranked, but I am very pleased to have been admitted. Anyone have thoughts on weighing this against the location? Granted, I have never visited Lincoln. Maybe it's worth a trip...

I still have not received an e-mail or postal mail from UNL, but my status on WAM was updated from yesterday to "Accepted" today. Of course, no word on funding. (I don't remember what kind of funding promises they make on their web site.) Good luck to the rest of you as you check your status! (I am in the creative writing track so this shouldn't really have any bearing on your status.)

I would wait until April 15 as you may hear by April 14 to from BC. If you haven't heard from BC by the 15th, I would go with your funded offer (if it's an otherwise acceptable program). Seems like MA funding is hard to come by (outside of creative writing, where it is almost guaranteed). FWIW, I think most of us waiting on some kind of wait list will be waiting to finalize things until April 15 when we hear from our prospective schools. Good luck!

So far my best offer is from New Mexico State University. I did visit Las Cruces for an evening in 2004 but my memory is hazy. Does anyone have more experience with Las Cruces or NMSU? I hope it's not a bad place to live and study for the next five years.

Welcome! I also recently joined (about two weeks ago), but wish I had found this forum during my application process. I think my applications would have been stronger and I would have applied to a couple of different schools. Per your question, I don't know specifics on WashU, but in my experience DGS are careful not to promise more than they can deliver. If you were told you have a significant chance (in writing!), I would take that to mean that you are very high on the wait list and that they typically only have a few people decline their offers. I was told by one of my wait list programs that they think I have about a 50% chance of getting in off the wait list. Since I know they try not to promise too much, even telling me I have a 50% chance seemed fairly promising. Then again, I do delude myself. I hope your news comes soon and that you get to go to your top choice. Congrats--

FWIW there is a link to WAM on the GAMES page (lower left I think), but you have to log in again when you click it. I just called the graduate school and was told that applications they received from the English Department are still being processed (she wasn't able to give me my application status at this point, even though they have received the Department's recommendation). She said the English Department has sent or is sending postal mail notification and that they may do the same after they are done with their final processing. I apologized profusely for calling twice today (morning and afternoon) and promised not to pester her again. Upon further reflection, I think I was reading too much into GAMES and that we probably did not all get in. However, I bet one or two of us did, so let's remain cautiously optimistic that some of us will be hearing good news.

I really wanted to apply to UH but I wouldn't be able to take all my pets. Bummer. For what it's worth from last year: University Of Hawaii Manoa English (Lit/Cultural), PhD Accepted via E-mail on 26 Feb 2008 U 29 Feb 2008 4 year GAship, possibility of 5th. So one person got an early acceptance last year, although that doesn't mean you've been rejected. If nothing else you could at least be wait listed. And those dreams do come true. Best of luck to you.

Ugh, I don't know what it means, but mine says the same thing. (Note that I checked WAM and it has not yet been updated with a decision.) If this is not an acceptance, it is among the poorest wording I have encountered in this process. I think something more generic like "Admission decision sent to graduate studies" would be used. The phrasing "Recommendation for admission" is very common for those who have been accepted (most of the letters say that they have "recommended" or "not been able to recommend" admission). So, while this does not clear anything up, the more I think through it the more it seems a good sign. We should probably expect an e-mail today or maybe tomorrow. I have seen others post results where they were e-mailed from UNL in the past two days and was wondering where mine was. Good luck!

This literally made me laught out loud at work. I did submit this question to a school I am wait listed at and that I am VERY interseted in attending. I had originally received an e-mail about the wait list from the DGS, so I e-mailed back asking him if it was fair to ask where I am on the wait list. He did not divulge this information, but told me that the person numerically on my spot last year was admitted. However, it does make me wonder if their wait list is also according to field of study, which makes my numerical place on the wait list relatively less important. As with most questions, I think it is probably fair to ask if you are able to couch it in the right terms. I doubt that they will be antagonized by such a question unless you are rude about it. They realize your position, but they may not be able to give you specifics. Still, you can ask in positive terms: you are very intersted in the program (top choice?) and it would be helpful for planning ahead if you had an idea of where on the wait list you sit. I do feel for your position. My partner will likely not move with me to the schools I currently have offers from, so I'm hoping for a bigger city school to come through where he has an opportunity to find work opportunities that would make moving a possibility. Good luck!

Just reserved it at the library. Thanks. Should be a more productive use of my time than seeing everyone else on here get into the schools I applied to.

I wish I had applied to Maryland. I seem to remember them having a later deadline so I should have just done it. As you can see, there is a feeding frenzy of people hanging on any last hope to get into Maryland over in one of the other threads. Don't let them see you or they'll tear you to shreds! :wink:

I didn't apply to Loyola, although it was originally on my list of schools to possibly apply to. I do have some regrets this year--I wish I had not applied to some schools and instead applied to others that I originally considered (Loyola, Temple, Tufts). Live and learn. In any case, good luck with your wait lilst. I feel like the odds are good that most programs will be letting in at least one or two wait listers, as those fortunate applicants with several acceptances cannot accept every offer they received. I just wish I could fast forward to April and know one way or another about mine. I don't feel that my remaining schools will admit me, so wait lilsts are all that's up in the air.

I e-mail (or, better, call) the administrative person rather than the DGS and say something like: Sorry to bother you with what I assume is one of many requests, but is there a timeline for notification of PhD applications? And how will those be sent out (e-mail/phone/postal)?

I can't imagine turning down four funded offers to top 40 schools in this economic climate. I simply can't! 1) There is no guarantee you will improve your tests scores. I studied a lot and my subject test score went down. That certainly did not help me out, and I was forced to apply mostly to schools that do not require the test. 2) As many can attest to, cohort sizes and funding are shrinking. There is no guarantee that this will improve or even that it will not get worse next year. Many schools will probably be making additional cuts in cohorts or funding by the next time you apply. If Top 50 schools are accepting cohorts of 3-6%, then your top choices may be even selective if they are top 10 or top 20 schools. Maybe you really are that spectacular of an applicant, but if none of your three top choices waitlisted or accepted you, maybe this is not hopeful for next year. 3) I ultimately agree that it is dishonest to go into a program knowing you are going to apply elsewhere and want to leave. I also find it hard to believe that you applied to all four of these schools without a serious interest in attending them. We all experience the nagging question of opportunity costs and what we are missing out on by wherever we may go, but I think your perspective is not reflecting the grim reality of grad school applications. I don't want to kill your optimism or dreams of ideal programs. Yet, as someone who has applied to graduate school four times (for my Master's, second Masters but didn't go back, first try at PhD and didn't go back, and this year when I will go for my PhD), I can say that your application will probably become stronger, but there are no guarantees. I was rejected this year at a school that accepted me last year, just as one example. Good luck with your decision and I hope you're happy with wherever you go. And if you don't go anywhere, knock them out next year!

Well in that case I hope you get in off the wait list and love it there as much as I did!