Simple Twist of Fate

Hi Vorenus - and welcome. I agree with maeisenb that it's hard to tell what's going on. I was planning to call yesterday but chickened out/was too busy to stress. If you really need a fix of information, search this conversation for "Indiana" or "IU". If you're viewing this topic, the upper right hand search bar defaults to searching this conversation. I've used that often when I'm struggling to keep all of the great information spread across this thread's 146 pages (and counting) straight. I actually have heard from the person who put up the lone PhD acceptance, but I'll PM you with that info.

I don't want to clog up the results survey, but for the person who asked "Is there anyone still waiting for reply?" for IU Bloomington - I am. I am now choosing to interpret that as a positive sign. Lots of acceptances today on the results board. Maybe schools have learned that it's impolite to reject on Valentine's Day?

Congrats Safferz. I'll save others the trouble of finding the post. It's in this conversation, post #5.

Ha. I can't disagree. It think it's got something to do with Ohio University, and the fact that it's easy to confuse them. Though that does happen in other states, which don't seem particularly bothered about the use of articles. That state up north?

Totally agree. I'm also an Americanist applying to UPenn. However, I think I've already mentally "moved on". It was one of the big schools I had allowed myself to get my hopes up for, because my adviser has a connection there (that's literally the only connection he's had of anywhere I've applied, though). If anyone has any concrete info on UPenn, I'd appreciate it also. Also, anyone claiming the admission to The Ohio State University? I'm a Buckeye fan, so I naturally think that their offer should be revoked for omitting the capitalized definite article, but that's just one person's opinion.

I prefer having one thread. It's more friendly and communal. I've looked in that forum when I need to calm down a bit. I think that they're the only people on our level of insanity. Except that their long soliloquys about grad school anxiety are much more flowery and verbose. [if there are English people lurking, know that I'm joking. Mostly.]

First of all, welcome. Second, as H&P said, those are good schools. I'm also applying to UConn (it's true that I haven't seen many other Connecticut applicants around here, though). But now I'm wishing that I had been a bit more pragmatic in my applications, to be honest. What's your subfield? (feel free to PM) I think Grad Cafe tends to proportionally attract more ambitious students, because they're the most neurotic.

Far from "gloating," this has made me feel better than anything written on the board in the past week or so. Thanks.

I haven't heard yet from IU (PhD). I believe there's at least one other person on this board who didn't hear when the massive wave of rejects/acceptances went out earlier this week.

American History R_Escobar, crazedandinfused, hopin'-n-prayin', stevemcn (transnational), Simple Twist of Fate (early American) European History Kelkel, goldielocks (Britain), SapperDaddy (Eastern and Central Europe) African History Oseirus, Singwaya18, Safferz Latin American History teachgrad, BH-history East Asian History Near/Middle Eastern History Atlantic World sandyvanb Others???

Haha, yes. Sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to be a pro athlete or rock star, though.

To be honest, I've not noticed any gloating. Those who have shared their good fortune have always seemed to stop short of gloating. That's just my sense, though, as one who has yet to hear any positive news, and is therefore fairly sensitive right now. I know that if I receive an acceptance (or even a wait-list) I won't hesitate to share it here.

Congrats! And since this was apparently your first post, welcome. Hope everyone's weekend is going well so far. Last night, I was able to distract myself from that feeling. Oh, and I talked to my mentor/adviser yesterday. I told him about the rejections (explicit and implicit) and his only response was "Oh. That's stupid." Thanks.

I hope your luck turns, AFB. I'm in a similar boat, having only received rejections and implicit rejections. I'm not someone who believes in fate or destiny or that "everything happens for a reason" (as my girlfriend and others keep unhelpfully telling me) but I do think that we can make opportunities out of our misfortune. I expect to return as a stronger, more knowledgeable applicant next year if I don't get in anywhere this year (which is a reality I'm increasingly being forced to confront). I hope you do so as well.

Another Penn acceptance up. Excuse me while I curl up in a little ball. (not that I expected to get in, but my adviser had connections there and it would have been wonderful. I dared to dream)

Welcome lurkers. My hopes of getting into IU (and with it, my hopes of getting into a PhD program this year) are quickly dissipating... Two new acceptances (albeit one for an MA, and neither for American history) are up. Having still not received a rejection, I'm not sure where that leaves me (except very dejected). If I don't hear by Monday, I may send a very polite email to the graduate secretary. If anyone has any insight into Indiana, I would really appreciate it (including PMs if need be).

Also rejected from Princeton. Oh well, it was always a long shot. Two of my bigger long-shots are now out of the way at least. This stings a lot less than the first rejection did. Maybe because I knew when to expect it. Congrats to the acceptances this morning. Safferz, if you everdecide that the academic life isn't for you, I bet you could pay the bills by looking over desperate applicants' materials.

Congrats to the acceptances. Wow. Those are some big names. Some day, maybe we'll figure out some of the names behind these online pseudonyms and we'll be able to tell people we were freaking out alongside some bigwigs in our discipline... Still no axe from Indiana yet. Since I'm not one of the people who obsessively called and emailed to check that my application was complete everywhere (though I have no reason to imagine its not) my current theory is that I haven't been rejected yet because they didnt know I applied. We'll see.

Genuinely sorry to hear about the Indiana rejections. Bummer, guys. At least you still have more options to hear from. Needless to say, I will be furiously checking my email throughout the day. Unfortunately, I have a 12-hour day today between class and work, so let's hope my tablet's battery holds out.

Congrats to him/her. Those are two pretty great options to have. Funny that you're the one on this site. Whenever I mention something related to this site, my girlfriend shoots me a dirty look (which is not natural for her because she's really a very sweet person). She thinks it's making the process more stressful than it should be. I counter that it helped me prepare my application and is helping me to manage expectations. Of course, I can't do much to refute her point...

First of all, EEEEEE GENE PARMESAN. Second, nothing is safe. The results board has one acceptance from 2 Feb and one request for an additional LOR. It very well could be that they have sent out acceptances and only one was posted. It could also be that they are still working on deciding on a stack of "grey area" applicants. It's unclear at this point.

Yes, I realize that, but I'd still feel less nauseous if my last name started with an I.

Oy. I'm near the end of the alphabet. This is cruel and unusual punishment. Despite the the looks of my app list, Indiana is definitely one of my top choices for a variety of reasons. A rejection would be extremely demoralizing, even though I'm not confident enough to say I'm worthy of one of ten acceptances in a field of 300... Congrats to tmp and Safferz. That's awesome for you two.

Commiserations to the Brown rejectees. And IU - sorry to hear that, Kelkel. Yikes - 10 for 300... I'm definitely downgrading my chances for acceptance there. If they're sending personalized rejections, I guess it may be a trickle of rejections rather than a machine-gun fire of rejections like Duke and Brown have done. That's only going to make me more nervous for the rest of the day.

I believe my info on Princeton is fairly reliable. I don't have much else to say, but feel free to PM me. I'm (morbidly) curious: are there Duke applicants on this board who haven't heard yet? I'd be interested in trying to suss out what this morning's slaughter meant. Some people have talked about programs that just accept the best and dump the worst applicants quickly, and then focus on the grey area. Or it could just be that Duke isn't accepting very many this year and its acceptances are either largely not on this board or have yet to hear. I know which one I'd prefer (and will imagine, until informed otherwise).