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So sorry to read that, Nicko Have you contacted Boston, just to be sure? I know it's still early to think about that, but do you think you'll re apply next year?

First of all, congrats Michelle! Then, I can relate with your dilemma and know how hard it is to make a choice when you have several options. I think what matters most is fit. But if you have to starve yourself for 5 years, then of course you need to consider other parameters. If I were you, I would ask UC Davis what kind of support I would get after the first year, because all that money is great indeed but what if they don't offer you as much for the next 4 years? Have you asked IU about funding lately? You never know what can happen... Do you know if they have a ranked wait list for Linguistics? As for UF, I do think it would be a good fit considering what you said about the department, it seems like you would have more opportunities in linguistics there than at UC Davis. Sometimes a good way of knowing what option we unconsciously favor is to flip a coin. Of course you don't need to go to the university associated with the side it falls on, but your reaction to the potential decision could tell you where you really want to go. If you realize you're relieved and happy or disappointed that it landed on that side and not the other one, then you might get the beginning of an answer... Good luck and do keep us posted about your decision process!

yes, congrats Patick! it does feel good to finally know where we're going after such stressful times, right? Best of luck everyone with the decision process!

Many thanks for your input, m! I really appreciate it. I think you're right, I also feel that Duke is the right fit for me, their program does sound awesome and are indeed very supportive of grad students. Being the only student in my class at Vanderbilt would definitely not be for me, and like you said, I would also be worried about (current and new) budget cuts and would probably get less funding opportunities along the way, which would make the atmosphere between students more competitive, I think. I hope you'll get a funding offer from Indiana soon, but if not, UF does sound like a good place to go Plus, you'd be close to your family, which is always great to have around especially when you need to take a break from the stressful life we'll all probably live in grad school. If you still haven't heard from them, you should be on their waitlists so keep faith! hope you'll get good news soon. Congrats, Fransces! maybe you and m will be classmates^^

Thank you very much for your input, guys. I don't know about the other students who were admitted - I got admitted from the waitlist so I don't have their email addresses... But I really doubt I will be the only student to accept an offer from them. Like TakeruK, I really like to be social at work, so the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that being the only student in my class is not for me. I wish I could have visited the two departments, but the university that already accepted me also offers more research opportunities and the program seems to be more interdisciplinary, so all in all, I think it really is a better fit in the end.

I was also accepted off the waitlist with a great funding package to one of my top choices, so hang in there...!

Hi there! I may have a shot at one of my top choice programs as they are considering me along with 2 other candidates. The thing is that initially, they couldn't make any offers due to budget cuts, but they finally had an opening. They said the downside to this situation was that the applicant they'll accept will be the only one in their class. As it is a small department (12 grad students or so), I'm concerned that I would feel really lonely if I were to be this student. I have also been accepted to my other top choice program, unexpectedly, and am still seriously leaning towards this school as I feel the department, faculty, financial package are wonderful. I know they accepted 3 students this year, so I wouldn't be alone there. Also, the department is a bit bigger, and they seem to be more into interdisciplinarity which, along with being important for my research, also helps you meet new people, I guess. My only hesitation was about the city, but it seems to be ok after all. Considering that I will be moving from abroad, and that I need to be socially surrounded to feel good, I am afraid this situation as the only student in my class wouldn't be a good fit for me. But maybe you have already experienced such a thing, or know someone who has, or would just like to share your opinion on the matter, which would be highly appreciated! Many thanks for your input

Many things can still happen till April 15th, so hopefully you'll get funded offers from both programs, m! But for now, it must be such a tough decision to make I just got news from Vanderbilt. They do have a slot to offer after all and are considering me along with two other applicants. They said what really matters now (considering no one has already accepted an offer from another program, of course) is which one fits best with the program and faculty. As my main interests are in postcolonial literature, 20th and 21st francophone lit from the Caribbean and more particularly Haiti, migrant lit in Quebec, etc.. Duke and Vandy were my top choices. I may not even be accepted at Vandy eventually, but they'd like to know if I'd like to visit. I'm traveling right now, till April 8th, so it might be difficult to go. I am also wondering whether being the only student in my class would be a problem - doesn't sound like the best situation to me, but maybe it wouldn't be that bad, I don't know. I guess i should first ask some questions about what kind of funding they would offer, visiting, etc... and then go from there. Also, I would really appreciate any input you had on the two programs, their strengths, weaknesses, or even the cities, etc...

I hope you'll get off the wait list at Minnesota!! Crossing my fingers for you

That's great news, Patrick! You're right, you still need to hear from PSU and Minnesota before really planning anything at NYU. But it's good to know that if you were to study there, you would get 75% off tuition

Thank you very much, guys, I really appreciate your input and words of support! I spent two years at Pomona College in SoCal and absolutely loved the place and California as a whole, so I guess it'll take some time to get used to the idea of living anywhere else in the US... But you guys are right, I applied to Duke for a reason - with Vanderbilt, it was the best faculty and department's fit for my research interests. It is indeed exciting to be admitted to Duke, and now that I have talked with a grad student (also talking with a professor tomorrow), and started investigating about housing, etc... I can definitely picture myself there Patrick, did you find out more about funding for your MA at NYU? I hope it's good news!

Thanks! Yes, I know how hard it is to be on a wait list so I'll make sure to let the other programs know soon. Hopefully, that'll make someone's day in the same way it made mine

...aaand I just got a rejection email from UPenn. That was expected but it feels weird to realize I finally got my last notification email

thanks for the support, guys! wmb - the way I found out that I had got off the waitlist was a real coincidence. I was thinking about emailing the DGS about it for a few days, just to touch base regarding the wait list. So I emailed her this morning, I told her about my ongoing interest and asked if she could tell me how many offers they had made this year, if it was a ranked wait list and if so, what my rank was, and finally, if they had started admitting applicants from the wait list. When I saw that she had replied right away, I was expecting to read the usual "I regret to inform you that..." but no, she said that she would have very good news for me soon and asked about potential external funding... I think my jaw dropped, and then, 2 hours later, I had the offer letter in my mailbox. Really weird coincidence, right! I couldn't believe it at first, and then I started thinking, freaking, and almost not sleeping haha What is more important for you, guys? location or faculty and department fit? I am so happy that I have to choose between two programs, but to be honest I find it hard to know that I will have to let go of one of the two. At UT Austin, after talking with my potential advisor and a grad student, I realized that it was not the greatest fit as far as research interests were concerned... this professor didn't seem totally on board with my interests and suggested I changed my potential dissertation topic or even that I try to maybe transfer to CompLit after the first years... At Duke, the faculty and department is a great fit, even though the city isn't as great as Austin. So my real question here is: would I be happier ending up doing research for years on topics that do not truly interest me in an exciting city (that I may not enjoy that much in the end since I'll prob be busy), or doing research that really interests me in not such a great city? what is more important? Also, Duke was one of my initial top choices and I know it has an amazing reputation - if it isn't the most important factor to consider, I also know it can't hurt in a future career... I guess I'm also a little scared that I won't know anyone at Duke. Even though I'm sure (or at least I hope!!) I would also make friends there, I already know a grad student at UT Austin, so it's nice to know I wouldn't be alone there. But this doesn't seem like a good enough reason to go to UT Austin haha In the end, I don't see how I could pass up on such a great opportunity at Duke. It's just that I need some time to say goodbye to exciting Austin, I guess

Maybe you guys could send the DGS an email, I don't think they would see it as annoying since it would be the first time you'd email them. I did express ongoing interest right away when I received the waitlist notification, but I don't know if that played any role in my getting off the waitlist... The funny thing yesterday was that I hadn't emailed the DGS since that one message back in early February, and as time was passing by, I thought I should ask some more details on the wait list, so I renewed my interest in the program and asked if she could tell me how many offers of admission had been made this year and whether they had started admitting students from the wait list. I also asked if the wait list was ranked, and if so, what was mine. She replied right away saying that she would have very good news for me soon, but to be honest I wasn't expecting the offer letter to be in my mailbox 2 hours later... What a coincidence that I emailed her on the very same day she was working on my offer of admission, I don't think that my emailing her about the wait list had anything to do with it, but it's still a funny coincidence. Anyway, I think that showing your interest in the process can't be bad for you as long as you're not harassing the DGS or the department coordinator