Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) / Projected Rejections

[FriendlyNeighborhoodWolf]

What are y'all's backup plans if grad school doesn't work out this cycle?

[havemybloodchild]

28 minutes ago, FriendlyNeighborhoodWolf said:

What are y'all's backup plans if grad school doesn't work out this cycle?

I’m already working on next cycle’s SOP and trying to figure out which of my interests are most marketable considering my own lived experience.

I also need to move and get a new job. After I finish crying, like, a lot.

 

[CaffeineCardigan]

38 minutes ago, FriendlyNeighborhoodWolf said:

What are y'all's backup plans if grad school doesn't work out this cycle?

I definitely need to move. I'll probably sub or ideally teach somewhere while I work on my creative projects and put a lot more effort into next year's cycle. That's as far as I've gotten towards a plan, at least. Oof 

[aporeticpoetic]

15 minutes ago, CaffeineCardigan said:

I definitely need to move. I'll probably sub or ideally teach somewhere while I work on my creative projects and put a lot more effort into next year's cycle. That's as far as I've gotten towards a plan, at least. Oof 

If you don't mind me asking, did you get an email rejection from Buffalo or was it updated in your portal? My app there still says under review so I'm just curious if that's an implied rejection as well.

[trytostay]

If grad school doesn’t work out this cycle, I’m not sure. I have a few options. 

One option is to move to a town that my best friend lives in and end things with my significant other. It would be expensive to move, but my current rent is just astronomical. 

The other option is to just stay put and re-do this year all over again: stay with my significant other, work the same job, etc. 

I’m torn. This year went by fast, but it wasn’t the happiest. But I’d imagine moving and entirely disrupting my life would be difficult — plus, living in NYC has a lot of perks throughout the application process, namely being able to use NYPL, being close to my mentor, and being able to attend seminars and socialize with faculty from schools I want to apply to. I’ll have to do a lot of thinking. However, it was quite a difficult year on a personal level. I’m really torn! It’ll give me something to think about instead of my impending rejections though, lol.

Edited February 7, 2019 by trytostay

[CaffeineCardigan]

Just now, aporeticpoetic said:

If you don't mind me asking, did you get an email rejection from Buffalo or was it updated in your portal? My app there still says under review so I'm just curious if that's an implied rejection as well.

No worries! I got a letter in the mail on Monday. I could no longer log into the portal by the time I got the letter. If you haven't, I imagine you are still under review! 

[brontebitch]

1 hour ago, CaffeineCardigan said:

No worries! I got a letter in the mail on Monday. I could no longer log into the portal by the time I got the letter. If you haven't, I imagine you are still under review! 

Thanks for the info on this! I still haven't heard anything from them. My boyfriend only heard yesterday that he was accepted. 

[ArcaMajora]

Thanks to all who provided info on Buffalo! I can't deny I've been hitting refresh on everything today. Applied to Buffalo as well but also receiving radio silence on my end, and my app status is still under review.

I've seen an acceptance on the board in poetics, which scares me. Now considering Buffalo an implied rejection

Good luck to all though, hope we hear good news today.

[brontebitch]

4 minutes ago, Ranmaag said:

Thanks to all who provided info on Buffalo! I can't deny I've been hitting refresh on everything today. Applied to Buffalo as well but also receiving radio silence on my end, and my app status is still under review.

I've seen an acceptance on the board in poetics, which scares me. Now considering Buffalo an implied rejection

Good luck to all though, hope we hear good news today.

It really seems like acceptances are trickling in and they are letting people know as they decide, which I feel is pretty uncommon? There was one much earlier in the month and then my boyfriend, who received the presidential fellowship, only heard yesterday morning. I reached out to the department but haven't heard anything yet. 

Good luck to you!!

[ArcaMajora]

2 minutes ago, natalielouise said:

It really seems like acceptances are trickling in and they are letting people know as they decide, which I feel is pretty uncommon? There was one much earlier in the month and then my boyfriend, who received the presidential fellowship, only heard yesterday morning. I reached out to the department but haven't heard anything yet. 

Good luck to you!!

Ahhhh, I don't wanna get too excited tho considering how strange the process is in general for apps. Still, thank you I hope it results in good news for us both haha. I can't deny this pattern is strange for Buffalo, though... The early acceptance follows their pattern from years past, but then a Master's referral and a rejection before regular admits? o_O

Good luck to you as well! And congrats to your boyfriend!

[dilby]

My Chicago Cinema Studies rejection has arrived!

[mandelbulb]

15 minutes ago, dilby said:

My Chicago Cinema Studies rejection has arrived!

huh, i've got nothing over here. checked the portal(s) and those decision envelopes disappeared, too. i'm sure it'll roll out for me soon, but they just wanted to give me one more last shred of hope... ucruelty.

[dilby]

13 minutes ago, mandelbulb said:

huh, i've got nothing over here. checked the portal(s) and those decision envelopes disappeared, too. i'm sure it'll roll out for me soon, but they just wanted to give me one more last shred of hope... ucruelty.

Fingers crossed for you!

[mandelbulb]

6 minutes ago, dilby said:

Fingers crossed for you!

pretty sure it just means i won't get referred to the MAPH lol

[dilby]

Received my Madison and UCLA rejections.

[lyonel_]

U Mass rejection letter finally uploaded to my application portal. And I'm anticipating a CUNY rejection as the fit is rather tenuous compared to other institutions I've been rejected from. So, I'm just gonna call this cycle over with! Hopefully everyone receives acceptances from their remaining programs! 

[rr732]

34 minutes ago, lyonel_ said:

U Mass rejection letter finally uploaded to my application portal. And I'm anticipating a CUNY rejection as the fit is rather tenuous compared to other institutions I've been rejected from. So, I'm just gonna call this cycle over with! Hopefully everyone receives acceptances from their remaining programs! 

i wonder why umass is rolling out decisions so slowly? it seems all the acceptances were the other day. assuming my "pending" will be a rejection as well. congrats on your acceptances!!

[jillcicle]

On 2/6/2019 at 11:29 AM, dilby said:

It's an understandable feeling, for sure! I think that each rejection suddenly, sharply makes the outcome more concrete. It stops being "I could end up in these places" and starts being "I am not going to live in Durham." That stings, and the newness and intensity of it can overpower our more levelheaded considerations (i.e. most people who get admitted only get admitted to one or two places total, so a few rejections shouldn't really change our expectations).

Oh my gosh this is EXACTLY what I've been trying to explain to people. Both rejections so far has just been this feeling of a gate slamming down between me and what was previously a potential reality. It's especially weird the longer you've wanted to go somewhere - Stanford's been my top choice since undergrad so that was a lot of potential reality I'd daydreamed about over 6 years  being cut off. People keep asking if I'm sad and it's more a weird adjustment feeling. (Although today I am in a MOOD - ups and downs I suppose lol.)

[jillcicle]

On 2/7/2019 at 9:20 AM, CaffeineCardigan said:

I definitely need to move. I'll probably sub or ideally teach somewhere while I work on my creative projects and put a lot more effort into next year's cycle. That's as far as I've gotten towards a plan, at least. Oof 

Saaaaaame! I've been subbing this year during my year off after a Master's already and it's not bad. I mean, I'm SO poor but the work is satisfying and I can get by and have time for creative stuff/working on apps. That's the big problem, is I could only afford 7 apps this year and I don't see that changing drastically for next round unless I get a way better job.

[The Wordsworthian]

I'm an avid climber and was texting my mom about some progress I've made lately and she excitedly responded "Wow!  If you end up going to Colorado you'll have some great climbing there."  I didn't have the heart to tell her about my implied rejection so I just responded with a meager "haha yeah."  Talk about pouring salt on a wound...

[CaffeineCardigan]

3 hours ago, jillcicle said:

Saaaaaame! I've been subbing this year during my year off after a Master's already and it's not bad. I mean, I'm SO poor but the work is satisfying and I can get by and have time for creative stuff/working on apps. That's the big problem, is I could only afford 7 apps this year and I don't see that changing drastically for next round unless I get a way better job.

I feel that! I could only afford 7 too (had one waived), and there really isn't a likely scenario where I can spare more than that. It sucks to feel so limited by finances in the process. 

[victoriansimpkins]

10 hours ago, The Wordsworthian said:

I'm an avid climber and was texting my mom about some progress I've made lately and she excitedly responded "Wow!  If you end up going to Colorado you'll have some great climbing there."  I didn't have the heart to tell her about my implied rejection so I just responded with a meager "haha yeah."  Talk about pouring salt on a wound...

my mother's already planning trips to Nebraska, no matter how many times I explain that if the funding doesn't come through I can't go there.. 

[havemybloodchild]

2 hours ago, victoriansimpkins said:

my mother's already planning trips to Nebraska, no matter how many times I explain that if the funding doesn't come through I can't go there.. 

Same. People keep congratulating me on that acceptance and I’m like yeah butttttt this very likely won’t happen. There’s no guarantee I’m going to grad school this year. Lol I need everyone to get out of the clouds and onto my slightly bummed level.

[jillcicle]

So anyone have any clue what the deal is with emailing programs after a rejection? Seems like they are sometimes willing to give you feedback (although I assume NOT Stanford since there was some bit about "cannot provide individualized responses" in the email) but I'm not sure how to go about getting this. Should I email immediately after the response? What's the protocol here?

[mandelbulb]

5 minutes ago, jillcicle said:

So anyone have any clue what the deal is with emailing programs after a rejection? Seems like they are sometimes willing to give you feedback (although I assume NOT Stanford since there was some bit about "cannot provide individualized responses" in the email) but I'm not sure how to go about getting this. Should I email immediately after the response? What's the protocol here?

i think it's bet to wait until you hear back from every program, then maybe reach out to the DGS or your POI and explain your situation and that you'd like to improve your application for the next year. and maybe only email your top program(s)?