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Arrghhh another Harvard decision, two Cornell calls and a Chicago waitlist. It's going to be a looong weekend of hopeless anxiety.

No idea with Virginia - there seems to have been one official email sent, but it might not mean all decisions have been made. Looks dire for anyone studying European history though; someone who emailed said they were only taking two admits in the field. I just missed a call from a blocked number and I can't stop wondering if it was a POI or somesuch...of course, they'd probably leave a message, but I'm not going to let that get in the way of nervous speculation.

I have this feeling about virtually everywhere I've applied except maybe silent Cornell and inconsistent NYU.

I wonder if applications might actually be down across the board because of people frightened about the state of the job market. Not that that would make me feel any better about my myriad probable-rejections (quite the opposite). I'm going to assume that if POIs can communicate unofficial acceptances now, the deans' meeting to finalize things sounds like a formality? Or is it to make the harder decisions for those that hadn't been decided on as definites, somehow, yet?

I am foreseeing major tears (including my own) during the Harvard, Columbia, Chicago and Stanford bloodbaths.

Thanks, Katz! Also: another Harvard email. Was this one official? If so, there goes that.

Whoa, Harvard decision (via POI, but guess they're made?)

Well, I guess that at least means more tenure track positions for the rest of us.

Don't forget the victims of the Great Princeton Massacre of 2/12! Speaking of which -- I know I have 0.0001% chance of being taken off their waitlist, but anyone have any tips for making that 0.0002%? Should I contact the department and ask explicitly about my chances? Email every POI (but which and what if someone else was actually more interested in my app? I've heard this process can be strange and that it could be that this other person actually promoted by application)?

It sounds like you said exactly what you needed to and that you should probably expect some good news.

It's awful, but maybe they need the time to decide on who's waitlisted vs. rejected? And I know if I were accepted somewhere, I wouldn't want to wait for that whole process to be over...just think, you could still be waiting on Columbia.

HistoryPHD - just out of curiosity, what exactly DO you intend to do with your life after your doctorate? Is this just a retirement gift to yourself? If you do plan to get another career, I'd think carefully about whether you actually want a grad degree in history; it can actually be a hindrance to getting some positions outside academia.

Some of that steadfast, stiff upper lip, "keep calm and carry on" spirit would be great right about now.

I guess Stanford is just going to stand the rest of us up today. It's Valentine's Day, Stanford. At least drop us a line and tell us how you really feel.

Congrats, unchien! Now I have to keep an eye on my email and not try to get my hopes up at the same time...

Two people received POI calls from Stanford. Unless you see a wave of official emails (or got one?), I don't think it's time to count it out just yet. As for NYU - no, don't count yourself out. There's no rhyme or reason to their process. Congratulations, regalrenegade! I hope I hear something good today, too...

Well, two Stanford acceptances (by phone from POI) are up...maybe tomorrow will bring official word?

Sad news for Europeanists at UVA (only taking a couple of us!?) I wonder if they've both been notified already? I haven't heard anything.

Another congrats. I would've expected a wave if these were coming all at once, though - so maybe this is going to be another one at a time school?

Seems UVA offers might be out? Acceptance on the results board looks official.

Under no circumstances ever accrue $400k in debt. I wouldn't advise this for someone going into a lucrative field like law or finance, let alone history. Is your goal to work in the US? If so, Miami might be a more known quantity for hiring committees than UK schools. I don't think Leeds would really beat it reputation-wise. Maybe Edinburgh, but it may also depend on your field.

I was thinking that, since it's a joint degree and the applicant was admitted for history, he/she would have to be cleared by the history department, and they would probably need to know something about the rest of their offers to do so? I guess it's possible that if all funding/support comes from CMES, though, that they wouldn't have to have reached final decisions on their own applicants to approve one in MES. Either way, I would be surprised if they hadn't made their decisions by now. Last year they sent emails out on Valentine's Day.

The person who posted said they applied for joint Middle Eastern Studies with either history or art history, and his or her art history POI said that history was the department he or she was admitted to.

Looks as if Harvard decisions must be made! Wonder how long it'll take them to come out...

I feel you, Katzen. I am still ogling photos of the UChicago campus and reading through their beautiful History Dept. website, even though it's clear by this point that it's probably not happening.