ElusiveMuse

Great news, lunalee! I guess maybe there is some hope for those of us who haven't heard yet from the "big ones." I'm still going to assume I'm rejected just because it makes it easier to function until I hear for sure. You must be ecstatic!

Can I head up Art History? We shall send out notifications via liveried messenger. There shall be engraved invitations for acceptances and cartoons mocking the applicant by Daumier for rejections. Here are some of the required courses- 501- Modern/Contemporary; Why your kid can't paint that 502- Baroque/Rococo; Pictures of rich people 503- Nineteenth Century; Drafty Garrets and Absinthe 504- Seminar- Picasso; So's your face! 505- Medieval Art; WTF happened there? 506- Feminist Art History; Artemesia Gentileschi is gonna cut a bitch 507- Art of the Roman Empire; Jeff the god of Biscuits and Simon the god of Hairdos 508- Art of Asia; We thought of it first

I vote for no GRE, just a writing sample and an essay to a specific question...something ridiculous such as "What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

Not yet. I've been rejected by UCSB (which made me cry for two days, I love love love the Americanist there) and Indiana University (no big deal, not thrilled about it in the first place). I am waiting on University of Delaware and Boston University, both of which I would be absolutely thrilled with. I'm also waiting for my official rejections from Stanford, Penn, Harvard, and Columbia. I applied to them because I had fee waivers for the application fee so I figured hey, if they're going to reject me at least maybe they'll read my Senior Thesis first! I've not heard anything from them yet but I think I would have if I were accepted so... Crossing my fingers for Michigan, Delaware, or Boston. Good luck with funding l'espoir! Where are you from originally?

Want to hear something sad? I am a retired dancer (ballet/musical theatre, not exotic :!: ) and Art History is my Plan B. WTF is wrong with me? It may turn out that I go back to teaching ballet full time. Oh my hips cry at the thought.

I called them yesterday and they said they'd send out final decisions after the recruitment weekend the 13th and 14th! I am really hoping for them, too. What is your field? Mine is American and they hinted it wasn't stacking the odds in my favor to be. The Graduate Director doesn't respond to my emails. I sent her one after the initial notification more than two weeks ago and one yesterday. I asked if, as a waitlister, I should come for a visit and they were like "I guess...if you're in the area...email the Graduate Director and ask." And so her silence doesn't bode well I fear. Also, I am 99% sure I'm going to decline Notre Dame. No funding = no thanks for me, but I am going to talk with some professors here to see if they think I should just suck it up.

I am just guessing here, but my instinct would be no, you don't need to follow up. In fact, I'd wager they'd be more grateful for one less email to read than to see your thanks. Unless you have more of a relationship with the professor, I'd say they probably don't need a response unless they ask. Edited to add- I hope this doesn't sound mean! I didn't mean your thanks wasn't worth reading or anything like that, just that they are inundated with email right now and unless it's a specific question or answer to their question, they likely won't miss it. In other email etiquette questions- If you are invited to email a specific prof with any questions, and you do, and they never respond or even open your email (I get a notification when people do), should you phone them or keep emailing or let it be?

Unfortunately in some disciplines, the rank and prestige of your program and its faculty are directly related to your ability to find employment on the other end.

My only offer so far comes with no funding, not even tuition, for the first year of an MA program at a university that doesn't even offer a PhD in my field. Last night I heard on the news about a guy who was hit by a bus AND a train. I briefly wondered if he was feeling worse than I am.

My rejection from UCSB sent me into the exact same paranoid freak out!

Michigan told me they would make some waitlist decisions after the recruitment weekend the 13th. I wasn't invited to it so I'm not hopeful. Delaware said maybe two more weeks, no decisions made yet. Anyone waiting for BU?

I definitely wouldn't go somewhere that didn't pay. I'd reapply next year if my only offers didn't come with financial support. But I must have misunderstood the Notre Dame art history website, where it says this- "Students accepted into the MA program typically receive financial aid in the form of a full tuition waiver." Full tuition waiver does not mean both years? I knew their stipends were hard to come by and only for second years but I thought that meant at least that you got two years of tuition. Should I call the faculty member who notified me?

I go to UCR right now. If you are not used to extreme heat, you will definitely want your own car. It is sometimes difficult just to get from my apartment, which is within walking distance, to classes. Between the heat and pollution, it's rough. Also, for about 4 or 5 months out of the year, my electric bill is over $300. I don't even run the air conditioner 24/7 either. But it's just really, really hot. Taking the Metro Link to LA sounds good, but once you get to LA you have to get to your destination and that can take another two hours alone. I highly recommend a car for anyone coming here. I grew up in West LA, and it was a bit of culture shock coming here. But in recent years they have vastly improved the campus so that is a plus!

What is parking like on/around campus?

Did Notre Dame already tell you they aren't giving you any financial assistance? I was accepted today but no mention of that one way or the other. I'm worried about UMich. I was waitlisted about two weeks ago but not invited to any recruitment weekend or anything. I applied to 10 schools (2 Masters, 8 PhD) and have been rejected from UCSB, Indiana University, and I'm sure the rest because other people have been accepted according to the results search and I haven't heard anything. Granted, who expects to be accepted to top tier schools? I certainly didn't but it is kind of bitter to know that I should sit back and await rejection when I don't have many acceptances to sweeten the situation. Boston U is still a possibility I suppose. I'm pretty depressed about my prospects! I'm an Americanist by the way. Edited to add- I'm also waiting on Delaware, I forgot. I didn't notice any results in the search yet...anyone?