Who are YOU rejecting?

[waldenroad]

Well, now that we can do some turning down, who are you giving the axe to? And more importantly, who are you accepting???

I, after a good deal of solid notifications and offers, (a mixed bag really) am unsure of where to go, and who to turn down. Honestly, UNC has offered their accepted students a garbage package and after speaking to the DGS on Friday, apparently North Carolina has had one of the worst economic issues in the US, well, next to CA. Also, a close friend of mine is currently doing her PhD at UNC, and she told me some things about the the history department, and especially some new changes there, and ones rumored to come that honestly make me question the reputation that having a PhD from there in 6 years will be.

Anyways, just trying to get some insight on where other accepted applicants are going, and who they're turning down....

Out of curiosity, and if you don't mind sharing, what are these changes that will be happening at UNC?

[Alea Iacta Est]

I'm turning down a master's in medieval history at Oxford. Amidst slight pangs, 'tis true, but I'm happy with the choice I made.

[GK Chesterton]

No offense, but you come off sounding a bit obnoxious in regard to your doom and gloom predictions for UNC's history department. UNC hasn't suffered terribly badly in the Economic Crisis - they did minor reshuffling in Romance Languages and Cultural Studies (!), but that hardly counts as the worst affected. Konrad Jarausch is one of the most prominent West German historians working in the United States, and he looked pretty happy when I saw him on campus a few days ago.

I'm extremely skeptical that all those who were accepted here will turn it down. I'm an undergrad at UNC who has spent some time around the German Dept., History, and Political Science, and have been quite pleased with the school so far. Sorry your experience was so different - I can't decide if you've been really misled by someone, or if you're harboring some sort of resentment, as your displeasure seems drastically out of proportion.

[Riotbeard]

No offense, but you come off sounding a bit obnoxious in regard to your doom and gloom predictions for UNC's history department. UNC hasn't suffered terribly badly in the Economic Crisis - they did minor reshuffling in Romance Languages and Cultural Studies (!), but that hardly counts as the worst affected. Konrad Jarausch is one of the most prominent West German historians working in the United States, and he looked pretty happy when I saw him on campus a few days ago.

I'm extremely skeptical that all those who were accepted here will turn it down. I'm an undergrad at UNC who has spent some time around the German Dept., History, and Political Science, and have been quite pleased with the school so far. Sorry your experience was so different - I can't decide if you've been really misled by someone, or if you're harboring some sort of resentment, as your displeasure seems drastically out of proportion.

UNC also has the largest archive of Southern history stuff in the U.S. UNC has too many tangible qualities to tank, because the funding is slightly lower... 14k plus health ain't bad...

[GK Chesterton]

Not to mention that someone else on this forum got 20 grand from them this year, so perhaps they aren't actually that crunched...

[VampireLincoln]

Not that it's really worth anything to anybody waiting for wait-list news, but I did send my email declining Wisconsin today. I was sad to do it, but it had to be done.

[virmundi]

No offense, but you come off sounding a bit obnoxious in regard to your doom and gloom predictions for UNC's history department. UNC hasn't suffered terribly badly in the Economic Crisis - they did minor reshuffling in Romance Languages and Cultural Studies (!), but that hardly counts as the worst affected. Konrad Jarausch is one of the most prominent West German historians working in the United States, and he looked pretty happy when I saw him on campus a few days ago.

I'm extremely skeptical that all those who were accepted here will turn it down. I'm an undergrad at UNC who has spent some time around the German Dept., History, and Political Science, and have been quite pleased with the school so far. Sorry your experience was so different - I can't decide if you've been really misled by someone, or if you're harboring some sort of resentment, as your displeasure seems drastically out of proportion.

Given the programs that the OP was accepted into, I have to doubt whether the intention was to be churlish or otherwise resentful. I suspect that compared to the generous funding packages that generally accompany acceptances from schools like Princeton, UNC's funding offer did seem a bit like garbage. Eurocentric's list of A-list acceptances is probably just coloring his/her perceptions a little.

[Nytusse]

Not that it's really worth anything to anybody waiting for wait-list news, but I did send my email declining Wisconsin today. I was sad to do it, but it had to be done.

I declined Wisconsin, too. It's funny because they were my first acceptance, and I was so excited, but their financial situation is disturbingly bad.

I also declined Virginia, which was a real heartbreaker, but again, the money was a huge factor.

[VampireLincoln]

I declined Wisconsin, too. It's funny because they were my first acceptance, and I was so excited, but their financial situation is disturbingly bad.

I had the same experience! I got the acceptance from Wisconsin in, like, late January, and it totally lulled me into a false sense of security. Then I got denied a bunch of places.

But the financial situation there is so terrible that I did, in fact, basically make the decision to *not* go to grad school instead of (most likely) paying to go there. Unless a whole bunch of Americanists turn down offers at Chicago and Indiana, that is.

[deuterides]

I had the same experience! I got the acceptance from Wisconsin in, like, late January, and it totally lulled me into a false sense of security. Then I got denied a bunch of places.

But the financial situation there is so terrible that I did, in fact, basically make the decision to *not* go to grad school instead of (most likely) paying to go there. Unless a whole bunch of Americanists turn down offers at Chicago and Indiana, that is.

A friend of mine who is an Americanist got into Indiana and is turning it down to go to American University because of funding. Good luck to you.

[TMP]

A friend of mine who is an Americanist got into Indiana and is turning it down to go to American University because of funding. Good luck to you.

*cheers* One step closer to getting off the waitlist!

Except VampireLincoln and I don't know who's up higher

[tourist]

*cheers* One step closer to getting off the waitlist!

Except VampireLincoln and I don't know who's up higher

Have you found out what your placement on the waitlist is? It seems like important information, but I don't know whether they would divulge that.

[VampireLincoln]

A friend of mine who is an Americanist got into Indiana and is turning it down to go to American University because of funding. Good luck to you.

Hip Hip Hooray!!

Have you found out what your placement on the waitlist is? It seems like important information, but I don't know whether they would divulge that.

I can't speak (uhh....type?) for ticklemepink, but they wouldn't give me anything concrete. I think they told me I was "high enough that there was a possibility of a spot." Or something like that.

[TMP]

Hip Hip Hooray!!

I can't speak (uhh....type?) for ticklemepink, but they wouldn't give me anything concrete. I think they told me I was "high enough that there was a possibility of a spot." Or something like that.

Yeah, same here. HMMM.... Did the DGS tell you when he might let you know by? My profs here keep asking me that question and I've been saying that he never mentioned anything... like I should e-mail him and ask.

[Nytusse]

I had the same experience! I got the acceptance from Wisconsin in, like, late January, and it totally lulled me into a false sense of security. Then I got denied a bunch of places.

But the financial situation there is so terrible that I did, in fact, basically make the decision to *not* go to grad school instead of (most likely) paying to go there. Unless a whole bunch of Americanists turn down offers at Chicago and Indiana, that is.

YES. I started out with two really quick acceptances, and I was thinking I was going to rock this admissions cycle. Oh, the hubris!

[VampireLincoln]

Yeah, same here. HMMM.... Did the DGS tell you when he might let you know by? My profs here keep asking me that question and I've been saying that he never mentioned anything... like I should e-mail him and ask.

I just emailed him today to check in, and he seemed to indicate that he'd let us know for sure on April 15. He also seemed to indicate that it was NOT likely that I'd be getting in. Bummer.

[tourist]

I just emailed him today to check in, and he seemed to indicate that he'd let us know for sure on April 15. He also seemed to indicate that it was NOT likely that I'd be getting in. Bummer.

At least you'll find out on the 15th. I wish you good luck and hope that you'll both join me in Bloomington in the fall. If not that, then maybe Chicago will work out. Crazy (and good) things can happen in a matter of minutes. Keep your head up.

[VampireLincoln]

At least you'll find out on the 15th. I wish you good luck and hope that you'll both join me in Bloomington in the fall. If not that, then maybe Chicago will work out. Crazy (and good) things can happen in a matter of minutes. Keep your head up.

Aww, thanks! Honestly, I've made my peace with the whole situation. If I don't get in, it won't crush me or anything. Working a real job for a year and having actual income and free time has actually been pretty cool, so I'm OK with continuing that. I just want to know what's going on so I can rent an apartment for next year! And look for jobs and stuff.

[TMP]

Aww, thanks! Honestly, I've made my peace with the whole situation. If I don't get in, it won't crush me or anything. Working a real job for a year and having actual income and free time has actually been pretty cool, so I'm OK with continuing that. I just want to know what's going on so I can rent an apartment for next year! And look for jobs and stuff.

Haha. I'm not making peace with the whole Indiana/NYU thing. I've fought for this... I've dreamed about this for nearly four years when I decided that I wanted to get my PhD in history! Actually it would be quite nice if I do get off the waitlist because then I will actually have something to do until my graduation at the end of the month when I have 2 weeks of nothing to do!

*crossing fingers* Thanks for the info though, VL. Now that the DGS mentioned his thoughts to you about the waitlist, I'm too afraid to e-mail him myself to see how I'm doing. I'll live for the next 48 hours. I had already told him that Indiana's my top choice (and still is!) so I don't think he needs to hear it again especially if we're ranked on the waitlist.

[Riotbeard]

Haha. I'm not making peace with the whole Indiana/NYU thing. I've fought for this... I've dreamed about this for nearly four years when I decided that I wanted to get my PhD in history! Actually it would be quite nice if I do get off the waitlist because then I will actually have something to do until my graduation at the end of the month when I have 2 weeks of nothing to do!

*crossing fingers* Thanks for the info though, VL. Now that the DGS mentioned his thoughts to you about the waitlist, I'm too afraid to e-mail him myself to see how I'm doing. I'll live for the next 48 hours. I had already told him that Indiana's my top choice (and still is!) so I don't think he needs to hear it again especially if we're ranked on the waitlist.

If it's consolation, I didn't get in/ get funding anywhere last year. If you really want you will be really hungry after a year out of the system. Also you may want to apply to a little wider swath of programs, unless you think the only way to go is top 20... which is not true. Good luck though, you still have a good chance!

[TMP]

If it's consolation, I didn't get in/ get funding anywhere last year. If you really want you will be really hungry after a year out of the system. Also you may want to apply to a little wider swath of programs, unless you think the only way to go is top 20... which is not true. Good luck though, you still have a good chance!

Riotbeard, my list of schools is just that because of my sub-field. There are a good deal of professors in my sub-field but many of them are NOT in PhD granting universities. So I have quite limited choices of where I can apply in order to be able to work with just that person in that sub-field. It sucks big time because I would think with the topic of this sub-field being very widely taught and discussed there would be MORE professors in doctoral programs. Alas, that's not the case as many are at LACs and universities that only grants MAs. Even my own professors were a bit surprised.

Also it was a matter of language issue at the time but that's taken care of now. So next time, if that happens, I will definitely be able to apply a bit more widely largely because I have this language now and can expand my search to certain professors working in this particular geographical area that I did not really apply for.

[Riotbeard]

Good luck! I didn't even get waitlisted at Indiana.

[utsusemi]

Eleventh hour as it is, I've finally decided between UCLA and UC Davis. (Not quite as obvious as it may sound to some; there were complexities. Aren't there always?) I'm really hoping it is not too late for someone else to get a nice funding package from Davis...

[Goober]

Made my decision to go to Iowa - rejecting U of Florida and Wisconsin. Pretty excited! Hope I made someone's day on the Florida waitlist, I know there are a few still on it.

[TMP]

Made my decision to go to Iowa - rejecting U of Florida and Wisconsin. Pretty excited! Hope I made someone's day on the Florida waitlist, I know there are a few still on it.

Ah, you turned down sunshine for cornfields?!