GuitarSlayer

1.  York - had just come back from Paris on a research trip and was staying over in London for two days.  I got in the door and got my phone hooked up to Wifi and "beep."   "What the-- OH GOD YORK ACCEPTED ME!!!"
 
2.  Oxford -- sick for most of spring break, assumed that York was going to be it.  Woke up at 11.  Checked email.  Incoherent for 3 hours thereafter. 

Wow, that's very cynical and ... I don't think particularly accurate.
 
Fit in my book is that you work has the support within the department to mature and advance.  If you are a historian of early modern Swedish hip hop, with a particular interest in the cultural exchange with Namibian biochemists than fit would mean that the department has a Scandinavian historian, someone who knows something about early modern popular music, an Africanist and hopefully a historian of science.  That all of these people are open to helping students who do not replicate their work exactly.  Because frankly there is probably not room in the world for a transcultural comparative for 15th century Scandinavia and Africa.

Don't worry about the numbers.  Spend more of your time worrying about your statement of purpose and writing sample.

I'm sorry I'm late to the party, but I am happy you made the decision. What i was GOING to said, you just said:  Keep in mind that there is absolutely nothing keeping you from a post-grad fellowship in the UK or in the US that will net some teaching experience.
 
Congratulations again!!!

Decision made.  I considered the possibility of funding, my comfort level with the POI (who has been nothing but supportive and kind to me), the cost of living, and yes, the prestige factor. York is absolutely nothing to sneeze at, and what's not to say I won't have a fair chance at a post doc at Oxford down the road?   I am so relieved this is all over.
 
Defended my thesis Tuesday, submitted to the grad school Friday, paid grad fees Friday afternoon.  It's over.  It's all over. 
 
And now I play video games to make up for lost time since last summer XD

Decision made.  I considered the possibility of funding, my comfort level with the POI (who has been nothing but supportive and kind to me), the cost of living, and yes, the prestige factor. York is absolutely nothing to sneeze at, and what's not to say I won't have a fair chance at a post doc at Oxford down the road?   I am so relieved this is all over.
 
Defended my thesis Tuesday, submitted to the grad school Friday, paid grad fees Friday afternoon.  It's over.  It's all over. 
 
And now I play video games to make up for lost time since last summer XD

Decision made.  I considered the possibility of funding, my comfort level with the POI (who has been nothing but supportive and kind to me), the cost of living, and yes, the prestige factor. York is absolutely nothing to sneeze at, and what's not to say I won't have a fair chance at a post doc at Oxford down the road?   I am so relieved this is all over.
 
Defended my thesis Tuesday, submitted to the grad school Friday, paid grad fees Friday afternoon.  It's over.  It's all over. 
 
And now I play video games to make up for lost time since last summer XD

Decision made.  I considered the possibility of funding, my comfort level with the POI (who has been nothing but supportive and kind to me), the cost of living, and yes, the prestige factor. York is absolutely nothing to sneeze at, and what's not to say I won't have a fair chance at a post doc at Oxford down the road?   I am so relieved this is all over.
 
Defended my thesis Tuesday, submitted to the grad school Friday, paid grad fees Friday afternoon.  It's over.  It's all over. 
 
And now I play video games to make up for lost time since last summer XD

I'm literally incoherent.  I can barely hold a conversation right now.  I'm in a very happy state of shock over my email from Oxford. 

I'm literally incoherent.  I can barely hold a conversation right now.  I'm in a very happy state of shock over my email from Oxford. 

I'm literally incoherent.  I can barely hold a conversation right now.  I'm in a very happy state of shock over my email from Oxford. 

I'm literally incoherent.  I can barely hold a conversation right now.  I'm in a very happy state of shock over my email from Oxford. 

Well, still waiting on 5 of my 8 schools.  That art history OSU admit nearly made me keel over, especially when "interview weekend" was mentioned.  Also still waiting on funding results from York, and I promised myself that I would not harass the poor history office guy until March 1. 
 
On the bright side, I survived giving my first conference paper.    Got good reviews, and my department head -- who normally bounces around the conference to see his various students -- sat all the way through my panel.  Sent it to York POI, got a nice email back, and then got a "thank you for coming and sharing your paper, can't wait to read more of your work" email from the panel chair.  Maybe this year isn't my year, but at least I know I have some sort of mojo going on and I'm not totally misguided.

Well, still waiting on 5 of my 8 schools.  That art history OSU admit nearly made me keel over, especially when "interview weekend" was mentioned.  Also still waiting on funding results from York, and I promised myself that I would not harass the poor history office guy until March 1. 
 
On the bright side, I survived giving my first conference paper.    Got good reviews, and my department head -- who normally bounces around the conference to see his various students -- sat all the way through my panel.  Sent it to York POI, got a nice email back, and then got a "thank you for coming and sharing your paper, can't wait to read more of your work" email from the panel chair.  Maybe this year isn't my year, but at least I know I have some sort of mojo going on and I'm not totally misguided.

Well, still waiting on 5 of my 8 schools.  That art history OSU admit nearly made me keel over, especially when "interview weekend" was mentioned.  Also still waiting on funding results from York, and I promised myself that I would not harass the poor history office guy until March 1. 
 
On the bright side, I survived giving my first conference paper.    Got good reviews, and my department head -- who normally bounces around the conference to see his various students -- sat all the way through my panel.  Sent it to York POI, got a nice email back, and then got a "thank you for coming and sharing your paper, can't wait to read more of your work" email from the panel chair.  Maybe this year isn't my year, but at least I know I have some sort of mojo going on and I'm not totally misguided.

While I think selecttext's post may be a bit blunt, it is certainly valid.  There may be something amiss with the application material itself.  We also need more info -- again, as I mentioned in my post, if you're only applying to PhD programs from a BA three years in a row, that might indicate that you really need to get the master's first for your desired field.  Some people get lucky and go straight through, but most of us get the MA first.

Unlike others here, I think you are giving appropriate weight to that question.  When you go to conferences, people will give each other a look when they hear the name "Penn State."  Your name will be connected with theirs -- in 10 years, when you're done, people might ask you, "Hey, were you there when...?"
 
The problem with Penn State is the overwhelming football culture that trumps all things.  The NCAA is trying to break it, but they are meeting a lot of resistance - students and adults both remain in denial.  The culture there is pervasive -- I am a Yankee from New York who went to school in PA for undergrad who is living in Texas at the moment, and Penn State is/was Texas North as far as the all-consuming football culture.   You may not be studying football, but you will be dealing with students and faculty that will be telling you those kids were lying, that Paterno did nothing wrong, and that the media was against them. 
 
Here's what it boils down to:  Is Penn State your number one?  Is Penn State your only fully funded offer?  If the answer to either one of these questions is yes, then you do have a decision to make.  If the answers to both of these is "no," then there is no dilemma. 

I'm cognizant of the risks involved.  That's not the likely final scenario at all -- however, at this time, I'm just telling myself that so I'm not obsessing over the 5 schools I'm waiting on.  I still need to do my conference this year and complete my thesis, and wasting away in front of the computer is counterproductive to that.  The stress of waiting is affecting my ability to do work.  So I'm telling myself, $100k or not, I'm going.  End of obsession.  Once I can pull my head out of my last cadaver, then I'll actually start thinking logically about deferring or whatever options I have in April.  Worry not, I've not committed fiscal suicide yet. 

I'm hating that a lot of schools that notified consistently on a certain week in February have not done so this year.  3 years running, and now they decide to change things up. (/rends clothing)

If you have been rejected, why not email your POI or the department to ask, "How can I improve my application?"  Not "Why did you reject me?" -- that's not constructive, and that'll just batter your self-esteemed further.  Also, step back.  Are these schools that actually fit you?  Or are they schools that you'd like to attend based upon factor xyz and not necessarily fit? 
 
If you're going straight from bachelor's to PhD, why not do the master's first?  I think schools prefer that because it shaves 2 years off the time you need to be there, hence a shorter term funding package.  Yes, it'll likely be at a cost, but it'll keep your feet in the game and grow the resume.
 
Keep in mind that with a master's, you can teach at the community college level and also publish -- you may need a PhD to do the whole university thing, but all doors are not closed to you if you have to take a break between the master's and the doctorate.  Take the time to grow your resume, do conferences, and write.  So with the master's you're still further ahead than someone with just the BA. 

I was actually looking into the UC schools, and one of my professors has a friend out there.  Supposedly, funding is ridiculously tight this year -- he actually discouraged me from applying (which isn't a problem, since I wasn't looking that way) because of the funding issues they're having even with their current students.  So definitely don't take this rejection too badly -- it's not you, it's the piggy bank. 

I was actually looking into the UC schools, and one of my professors has a friend out there.  Supposedly, funding is ridiculously tight this year -- he actually discouraged me from applying (which isn't a problem, since I wasn't looking that way) because of the funding issues they're having even with their current students.  So definitely don't take this rejection too badly -- it's not you, it's the piggy bank. 

I'm one of those people who likes shopping and plotting deals, so each acceptance lets me shop for apartments/houses in the area of the school, hehe. 

Could it have been a private heads up from the POI?  That's my situation at the moment -- haven't heard a peep from the school itself, but I know I'm in via my lord and master.  So admits may not officially be out, but someone's POI is excited.  Just putting that out there.  Please continue breathing XD

(reloads OSU page) "Under consideration" x_X
 
Even though York UK says the same thing, I got a private email from the head financial aid officer and my POI -- I'm in!   So at least this season isn't one big goose egg.