crazygirl2012
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Posts posted by crazygirl2012
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Generally they only send out rejections when everything is set in stone already. I know some of the schools I applied to sent out rejections if they didn't send you on to the interview phase. However if you got an interview and don't hear anything back and were rejected, you probably aren't going to hear anything back for a while, simply because they won't definitely let your application go until they have everything finalized. Unfortunately that takes a while. Sometimes candidates let offers go for weeks or even months or don't contact the program at all. The PI of the lab I work in now is also on the adcom for the graduate program here and he's told me that sometimes they will send out an offer and the applicant won't contact the program until the very last minute, and then its just to say they won't be attending because they chose another school. This is why they can't send out rejections until so late, because they never know when or who they might have to contact if that first applicant turns the offer down. The other thing is that by that point, most of the candidates on the waitlist have probably accepted an offer somewhere else. He's said they have had years where they meant to accept maybe 4 or 5 candidates, but only gotten maybe 3 accepted offers since candidates on the waitlist had made other plans. I don't think this happens very often, but it certainly gives you an idea of why they're waiting until the last minute to send out rejections.
Thank you! That was a helpful answer and things make a lot more sense now.
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I applied to a certain school, had all my stuff submitted by the deadline in January. Called the admissions office up a week after the deadline to make sure they had all my stuff. They said it was too soon, they needed a couple weeks to process my materials. They said they would call me if I was missing anything. I didn't hear anything, so I figured everything was ok. I called admissions again today because I noticed some people were receiving admits and rejects. Guess what? There was some an error on their end and my application was not marked as complete even though I submitted everything. They told me they would would fix it now.
Problem is the department has probably given out all their admits at this point. This school wasn't my last chance, I still have other applications pending, but I thought it was my best fit and best chance. Feel like I'm going to be sick
That's terrible! You have every right to be mad. It sounds like you really like this program, but the fact that you've had multiple problems like this may be a red flag. Over time, as a student there, you might get increasingly frustrated with it.
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One of my recommenders is now at a different university, so I no longer see her in person. I'm definitely going to send a thank you, but I can't decide if I should do an email or a card. Cards are really nice, but maybe I should send an email in case she wants to reply? I guess if she wants to contact me after receiving a card in the mail, she can email me. Thoughts?
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Mine felt like an awful week, but it ended in me accepting an offer, so I guess it wasn't so bad. I'm happy with my new program and relieved to be done with the process.
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I don't know what their problem is! Out of the 10 schools I applied to, I have only gotten two "official" rejections so far. I wonder if I'll get any other emails, or if I just assume that the majority of the schools I applied to will never tell me anything at all.
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Hi all! I just accepted an offer at University of Toledo yesterday, for the experimental psychology Ph.D. program. If you're going to Toledo too and you want to chat, let me know!
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I haven't found a thread for Toledo on here. Does anyone have information about the city that they'd be willing to share with me? I'm going to contact the current students in my new program, but the more advice I can get, the better!
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I'm going into social, and what I've been told is that you get a job based on how many publications you have, not which school you went to. But prestige can really help you along the way, as far as resources and grants go. I tried not to take rankings into account during the application process, but now I'm finding that I do consider them.
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"WHAT IF YOU WANT TO START A FAMILY? YOU'LL BE AT LEAST 30 WHEN YOU COME OUT!"
I'm currently on a quest to change the perception that grad school is another 5+ years of undergrad both academically AND sociodevelopmentally (made up that word)...people seem to think that more school is such a DELAY of REAL LIFE that in fact I would be incapable of commencing toward milestones that one might achieve in their 20s.
I really wish people could understand that grad school is a job, one with very long hours and relatively little pay! It took me awhile to really accept that academia is, and has always been, my calling. It's not an easy road. Plus, people do get married and have children in grad school!
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I GOT ACCEPTED THIS WEEK!
Wooooooo, congratulations!
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...I hate this week.
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As corny as it sounds, use this really difficult time to figure out coping mechanisms. If you don't get in this year, there will be next year. If do get in, there will qualifying exams, your defense, job interviews, someday applying for tenure.... The point is, this is a profession with a lot of really stressful, really difficult waiting. You've got to build the skills to get through it, and without falling into major insecurities (seriously, I work at a university now... some of the profs are so insane, because they have deep-seated insecurities... dude, we all know you're smart, calm down!).
Wise words!
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I ran out of up-votes on this thread! So, so funny.
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Am I the only one who felt absolutely nothing? I'm usually a super emotional person, and when I got my first rejection email yesterday, I truly did not care. Maybe it's because I'm obsessed with waiting for news from my top choice. I was just angry that the subject line said "decision" and it wasn't an email from my top choice. But still... weird that I felt nothing. Weird for me, anyway.
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It seems like it's most common among the top-ranked schools. It's weird, but I guess it works for them.
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Oh god, I thought I was alone. My classmates are ready to murder me because I just keep talking about my concerns and analyzing my interview over and over.
Message me whenever you want to! Seriously. I'll listen. My classmates are probably going to hurt me soon too. I can hardly blame them!
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I feel like I've finally reached my breaking point with the waiting game. I do have one acceptance, but I'm waiting on my dream school to contact me after my interview. My POI promised to tell me as soon as she had information, but interview day was 12 days ago and I cannot deal with this. Is anyone else seriously questioning their sanity? I do nothing but stare at my email (like 9am-2am, at least, except for when I'm in class). I broke down crying in the lab in the middle of the day today. My whole body feels heavy. My friends, family, and professors are supportive, but I hate how much I burden them with my existence these days. The only relief I get is from helping others with their work nonstop, while I mostly avoid the little coursework I have as a second semester senior (undergrad). I don't know what to do with myself. I would sleep all the time, but I'm not good at that.
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I told them I was really excited about the offer (which I am), and that I was still in the interview process (which I was) and I'll probably need a few weeks to consider my options. I said I understand that there may be a wait list and I will update them as soon as I can. They were very understanding and told me to take all the time I need and to ask any questions I may have.
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I don't know how common this is, but I know for certain that Harvard works off of the same system--as a program they offer a few more spots than they optimally would like to fill (in terms of funding) with the idea that some of those offers won't be accepted. Even if an offer is turned down, a POI is unable to offer that spot to another candidate even if he/she would like to because of the program's admissions guidlines.
Thank you! I'm pretty sure this school follows the same procedure and reasoning.
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At my top choice, one of the grad students said that the program has no wait list. They make their offers, and if those applicants don't accept them, the offers simply disappear. Has anyone ever heard of this? I made it very clear to them that they're my top choice! I hope it helped.
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Two bills. I have to file an insurance claim for one of them. The only thing that could make that mailbox worse today is a grad school rejection... but that one was in my email inbox.
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"Did you hear anything yet?"
No, I'll tell you when I do.
Five minutes later:
"Did you hear anything yet?"
No. Staring at my email inbox is not working.
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I'll still be 21 when I start my Ph.D. program and I've had the same concerns. Maybe not to the same extent, but I think that those of us on either extreme of the age range are going to be a bit nervous about it. I doubt it will be awkward for you though! If they seemed welcoming to you, they probably are. 33 doesn't sound old to me at all!
This will be a good week. Say it with me.
in Waiting it Out
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Thanks! And yes, I think yours counts as a good week.