Rupert Pupkin

Thanks for that. My pessimistic take: As someone at the end of the alphabet, my application has yet to even be reviewed and will be promptly rejected as soon as it has been.

Thanks perry. Due to some rejections, Ohio State is now at the top of my list.

I have the urge to contact the department, but I'm scared the heartless adcom overlord would set my application aflame if I revealed myself. Is there anyone at OSU that can give us the scoop?

I feel the same way about setting your sights too high. Like I said in the Michigan thread, I'm just starting to feel embarrassed about this whole process. Little old me earnestly applying to these top notch schools (Michigan, NYU, Texas, UNC) and telling people that I did. I feel ashamed for even having my recommenders send their letters to some of these schools. I used a close reading as my writing sample. I didn't articulate some trendy theory in my SOP. I couldn't, as a newly minted B.A. who had never actually done any real research during undergrad, neatly describe how professor x's work aligned with my own. What did I expect?

Thanks user_name. I apologize if I come across as insensitive to those who received rejections. I just wish they could have let us all know in a more humane way.

After each rejection is posted, I anxiously check my status, only to find it as "in review." I'm going crazy. This is a mad way of sending out notices. Accepting a few people early on and then trickling out rejections for the rest of the month, leaving those "in review" with absolutely no sense of whether a rejection/acceptance/wait-list is impending. I would email the department if not for superstition.

Thanks for sharing that. Wow. I just can't believe the acceptance rates at some of these schools. I see that you have Ohio State on your list. Is your application there still "in review" too? I am starting to get really nervous about that one.

ekant, so I take it that anyone that hasn't heard anything is rejected?

Any news here? I am still "in review" as well. After seeing some rejections posted, I am starting to feel cautiously optimistic about my chances.

I imagine all the acceptances went out at once. Hope I'm wrong.

There's been more than one round of acceptances? There's only a couple of acceptances posted on the results board. Not nearly as many as previous years. I have been assuming that there would be more.

Welp, there goes my top choice. Does anyone else feel embarrassed for earnestly applying to top-notch schools like Michigan and actually thinking you had a shot? Even though it was an absolutely perfect fit, I guess I just can't compete with the big boys.

Yea, I've already written this one down as a rejection.

I'd say that it's a very good thing. And that you are likely still in the running.

At first, I was devastated by this rejection, but this thread along with the results board makes it clear that a ton of really qualified, competitive applicants didn't get in. CUNY's larger cohort size gave me a false sense of optimism about this app. Seeing my rejection instantly made me think: "damn, if I'm not good enough to even be wait-listed at CUNY with their 25 or so spots, I surely have no shot at Michigan, Rutgers, Boston, Texas, etc." But seeing some of the regulars on here, along with some people with great stats on the results board, get rejected, I realize that CUNY is as competitive as anywhere. This is also starting to make me lean towards the "mention specific profs in SOP" argument. On some applications, I mentioned my fit with specific professors (one of which has already accepted me; I haven't heard back from the rest). On others, I wrote more vague and generic fit paragraphs (this accounts for most of my early rejections/implicit rejections). It really is disheartening to have to give up my dreams of studying in New York. At least NYU and CUNY have dashed those hopes rather swiftly.

I pray that all of the acceptances didn't just roll over en masse. Mine still says "In Review."

Anyone want to claim this? I assumed that there would be no news from my crop of schools over the weekend. That result just sent my heart rate up.

Man, the post about the first admit getting early notice only because he/she is an international student got my hopes up. With 6 acceptances posted, I now know this pipe dream is done.

In the notes of one of the Northwestern rejections: "Kinda sad. Was kinda hoping to get in--it's hard to write a strong essay in 500 words. Maybe I shouldn't have stuck to the word limit. Oh well, got into Illinois seven mins after being rejected. Congrats to everyone who got in." But there are no Illinois results on the board. Anyone want to claim this? I am interested in Illinois results.

I am applying to 15 schools. 12 PhD programs and 3 funded MA programs. I have been using the same SOP (with customized fit paragraphs) for all of my PhD applications. As I outline a very specific research proposal in my statement, I am wondering if I should alter it for my M.A. applications. Since the MA only takes 2 years, and the programs I'm applying to aren't really geared toward my stated research interests, I am wondering if my MA SOPs should be less specific. I fear that the way my statement currently reads, the MA programs will think that I am applying to them as a fallback option (which I partly am). Am I wrong here? Do MA programs like to see the same kind of specificity of interests as PhD programs?

Just wanted to pop in here as I am stressed out. A few things bothering me right now: 1. Illinois asking for my address, phone number, and email address on my writing sample and SOP. Why on earth do they need this information on my written materials? When they are reading my writing sample, do they want to text me their criticisms? I know this is petty, but it looks really tacky. 2. I paid $15 for an "official" PDF transcript from my undergrad institution. Little did I know it was bogged down with useless "security", making it unacceptable for most applications. It has an "electronic signature" and an encrypted password (that I was not given) meaning I couldn't alter it in any way. I uploaded it to some applications just fine, only to find in the "preview your application" that it had not actually been accepted. I took shitty looking screenshots of it for a handful of my schools. I finally "hacked" my own transcript last night after hours of investigation. 3. One of my LORs claims that she received confirmation of receipt after uploading her letter to CUNY. This was over a week ago. It still has not been verified on my CUNY app. My other LORs were posted immediately after they submitted theirs. Applying to 15 schools while working a full time menial job might not have been the best idea...

Are you sure about that? Per their page: "During the 2010-2011 admissions season, the Department of English received 390 applications, and we accepted 18 students in English and Comparative Literature." That seems to be in line with most other programs, maybe even a little more.

Unless I'm missing something: Deadline for Fall Enrollment — Dec 15

I have a problem relating to CUNY. I completed my online application and mailed everything in early last week. On Friday afternoon I received an email claiming that they have received my application, but my transcript is missing. This is impossible as I sent everything in one envelope including my official transcript. If my other materials were received, I don't understand how my transcript was not received. For some reason, they sent the email after 5 on Friday, meaning I have no chance of hearing from them until tomorrow.

Yea. I'm mailing mine as well. I just read under the program application requirements that they request a faxed copy in addition.