Plan B: What to do when rejected EVERYWHERE?

[Paradoxex22]

Amanda, thanks for adding some clarity.

To extend her input, most professional schools (not sure about MBAs) appreciate work experience, and very few of them will penalize you for pursuing the PC or TFA. Duke University has fellowships set up for folks who either of those programs specifically. If the degree is something many folks pursue as an extension of undergrad, then perhaps the worth is somewhat mitigated, but for programs where experience is a plus, those programs are typically looked at very highly.

[amanda1655]

I am teaching for a third year, but not in my original placement. I am fully certified as an elementary school teacher and have an M.Ed. that I received as part of the program so transferring to another school was quite easy. One thing that your boyfriend should remember is that schools fail for a reason, and that many of the schools that are TFA schools have bad leadership. Also, there are going to be fantastic teachers at the school he is placed at and many of them resent Teach for America corps members coming into the classroom, all the while knowing that they are going to leave in 2 or 3 years. Underprivileged students need stability and a sense of community.

Next year, I am going to be enrolling in a history PhD program (although which one is yet to be decided).

I applied to Teach for America for a few reasons:

1 - I found myself swept into the rosy picture that they painted. Their literature is very inspiring, and it's easy to believe that you are going to walk into your classroom and dramatically change the lives of your students. Once you are actually in the program, however, you begin to realize that there structural elements in play that keep underprivileged kids from achieving and that significantly improving your students' academic outcomes is going to require more than anyone can do in two years. Curriculums need to be changed. Schools need to be restructured. Medical care offered to low-income communities needs to be changed. Immigration policies need to be overhauled. Teachers need to be better supported and trusted.

One of the most discouraging things that I realized as a corps member was that no matter how much my students and I achieved during our year together. It was likely not going to be enough. It was ONE year out of thirteen. For the other twelve years, they were likely to be subjected to the same curriculum and policies that had already failed them and left them reading at a first grade level as fourth-graders.

2 - I wanted to work in a non-profit organization for a few years because I believe that is important to be fully engaged with your community. Joining Teach for America was a political act, in that it allowed me to identify with the underprivileged and work to improve the opportunities offered to them.

3 - I knew that I wanted to apply to graduate school eventually but my advisor convinced me that I should take a few years off to make sure that I wanted to dedicate myself to a PhD program that may or may not end in a tenure-track job.

[hopingforfunding]

Thank you again for your insight and advice. This is very helpful and I will be passing it on! Good luck with the History Ph.D. program decisions in the future.

[Cornell07]

Well... I've been rejected everywhere! 0 for 9, baby!

[Intaglio5]

amanda1655, where did you teach? I applied to TFA but was rejected first round (I think it was because I listed that I had been arrested. I understand that TFA is very competitive, but I talked to several people that said I'd have no problem at least making it to the interview).

[rising_star]

Intaglio5,

I applied to TFA, made it through the interview, and realized at the interview that they were going to reject me. Why? Because I answered the question, "Would you quit for any reason?" with honesty. I told the interviewer about my friend who had been physically threatened and actually hit by a middle-school student while doing the Baltimore City Teaching Fellows Program and said that if that happened, I'd quit. The look on her face told me right then that I should've lied and said "I'd never quit!" but, to be honest, I value my health and if someone threatened me with physical violence, I'd have to think twice about showing up every single day. I think if I'd lied, I would've stood a better chance...

[amanda1655]

Umm... I'd rather not say where because my employer doesn't know that I've applied and been accepted to grad school yet. I will say, however, that I am teaching in the West in a major city in one of the largest school districts in the country.

rising_star: I didn't quit teaching when one of my students hit me last year but it was enough to switch schools, especially when the principal involved didn't even suspend the kid. I think one of the major problems with TFA is that they don't do enough to support corps members who have difficult students or classes. It's a you're-on-own kid, sink-or-swim attitude. I have a hard time believing that placing a bunch of privileged, middle class students into low-income schools is going to transform our education system. What would change it is creating small schools with plenty of support for teachers and resources for struggling families.

[nike of samothrace]

Well... I've been rejected everywhere! 0 for 9, baby!

Oh, Cornell07 - I'm sorry. I know that feeling far too well.

Good luck with your next step.

[hambergrrr]

My friend told me about this site about 2 days ago. He told me it might take over my life (at least, until I heard back from schools), and he is completely right. To get rid of some anxiety, I thought I'd post something here... I'm nearly convinced that I've been rejected by all 3 schools at this point, especially from reading all the posts on other threads!!

I've been working for almost 2 years now, come May (not including work/internships in college). My original plan had been to work for 3 before entering graduate school, but I ended up applying a year earlier for a whole slew of reasons. One of these is that having worked at a foundation and currently at a health policy center at a university, I know I need at least a master's to do anything substantial in my field. But, I also went into the app cycle knowing I had lots going against me (grades, GRE somewhat, and age), so I've thought A LOT about a back-up plan.

I am quitting my job at the end of May, no matter the outcome of schools. I'm extremely excited about this, so it's at least something to look forward to (can you tell I'm not enjoying my job?)! Then, going to Beijing for 2-3 months to do research at a health economics center at Peking University, while probably also enrolling in an intensive Mandarin course to improve my Chinese. Thinking and planning this is enough to keep me going during this dreadful cycle... The only thing I'm waiting for is to hear back from schools so I can pick a flight return date!

After China depends on schools also... If I don't get in, I'm looking for a job in New York or San Francisco (I currently work in Palo Alto). I'm leaning toward New York, since I've been in the Bay Area all my life and want to get away while I'm young!!!

[Minnesotan]

Intensive language courses are also apt to take over one's life. Be careful you don't expect to get too much done while doing that.

[hambergrrr]

Intensive language courses are also apt to take over one's life. Be careful you don't expect to get too much done while doing that.

True... however, the research I'm doing is unpaid so I'm not obligated really to do any number of hours. And either way, I'll be doing something I really want to do!

[TMP]

My friend told me about this site about 2 days ago. He told me it might take over my life (at least, until I heard back from schools), and he is completely right. To get rid of some anxiety, I thought I'd post something here... I'm nearly convinced that I've been rejected by all 3 schools at this point, especially from reading all the posts on other threads!!

I've been working for almost 2 years now, come May (not including work/internships in college). My original plan had been to work for 3 before entering graduate school, but I ended up applying a year earlier for a whole slew of reasons. One of these is that having worked at a foundation and currently at a health policy center at a university, I know I need at least a master's to do anything substantial in my field. But, I also went into the app cycle knowing I had lots going against me (grades, GRE somewhat, and age), so I've thought A LOT about a back-up plan.

I am quitting my job at the end of May, no matter the outcome of schools. I'm extremely excited about this, so it's at least something to look forward to (can you tell I'm not enjoying my job?)! Then, going to Beijing for 2-3 months to do research at a health economics center at Peking University, while probably also enrolling in an intensive Mandarin course to improve my Chinese. Thinking and planning this is enough to keep me going during this dreadful cycle... The only thing I'm waiting for is to hear back from schools so I can pick a flight return date!

After China depends on schools also... If I don't get in, I'm looking for a job in New York or San Francisco (I currently work in Palo Alto). I'm leaning toward New York, since I've been in the Bay Area all my life and want to get away while I'm young!!!

Yes this board is very, very addictive. I swear that my producivity level for my thesis has gone down major time. :mrgreen:

We're actually thinking along wthe same lines for plans after May. I am graduating... I already am planning to spend my summer in Israel and take intensive Hebrew. I did that last summer and spring (when I studied abroad). I will tell you that those language intensive courses are no jokes! I had planned to study for my GRE and write my research paper for an internship/seminar while during the ulpan in July and oh man, guess what i had to abandon? Yup, you guess it- I bombed the GRE So don't expect a lot of research done if you want to stay on top of your class in Chinese. The only question is- when do I come back to the US? That'll definitely depend on whether I'm definitely going to grad school or not (c'mon, guys, I have airfares to be on the watch for!!!). But yup, yup, I'm putting that in front of my mind now in getting through all of this (oh the beaches, warm nights of hanging out in the city, camping and sleeping in the desert... haha). But beyond August? I have no idea if I don't get in anywhere AT ALL.

Anyway, I say go for it! You'll learn SOOOO much. If anything, I'm pretty much slacking off in my Hebrew independent study course this year because I know that I'll cover most of the material again and finish the level in four weeks.

[zigazowohnow]

I'm really worried about admissions this year. Last year I applied to 3 programs and was rejected (none of the faculty I applied to work with was accepting students) now this year I applied to two, that I had intended to apply to last year but it's a long story. Now I've got one rejection and one wait list and am now realizing how important it is that I get a PhD in my field since it is the only way I can have the freedom to explore my research interests. Of course I could have applied to more programs but I would have just been applying to work with professors that were doing research that I was only tangentially interested in. I don't want to be a drop out so I figure I should follow my passions as I could easily get accepted into some low tier program!

Now potentially facing the possibility of not getting off of a wait list I'm thinking about the fact that I'll have to give up on a dream and get a 9-5 hopefully doing something I'm interested in.

To keep myself from feeling really down, I tell myself that I'll find a great job in NYC, get involved in some great volunteer work, enjoy the city + life, and join a dance studio to get in shape and shake my booty. Hey, you always gotta have something to look forward to!

[travelingartmuse]

I am 0-6 and waiting on 2 (Princeton and NYU). This is the third time in four years that I have applied to Art History programs. Art History...let's face it , the field is so exclusive and not even lucrative! Why be so damn selective in a liberal arts field? Granted, I have chosen only Ivy schools and the best of the best. But,three times is humiliating. I not only already have an MA, albeit not a traditional Art History master's but a Humanities degree from a Jesuit U. with a focus on Art History, I moved to NYC and paid for grad classes at Columbia (one the #1 rated programs for the field) as a non-matriculated student to prove to myself and the Ivies that I can handle Ivy coursework, landed a research gig within my area of focus for upcoming exhibition at the most prestigious museum in the country (if not one of the best in the world), included a recommendation from an esteemed curator and expert in the field of focus for this go around, and landed a job at said museum (which would pay for tuition!) = so far, all rejections. I travelled, met with Professors and discovered that some are retiring, the lot is so limited that the sky has to be purple on the day they are looking at applicants for that area etc... Spending exorbitant amounts of money on applications, traveling to schools, moving to New York, living in New York and now having a job at the museum which is administrative is depressing. I was working on a career, not on landing a job. Not the Plan B I had hoped for, nor do I want for my life's career. So, for me. It is reassessment time. In the meantime, I've started a blog so I can publish, write and discuss my passion in the field over the web for anyone interested in reading. It's only yielded $11 in the past month, just enough to cover the cost of running the blog and paying for the .com address, buy heh, it's an avenue to explore. Also, I am buying a mega lottery ticket. Seems the odds are similar to getting into a PhD program, maybe luck will be on there for me.

Rejections: Columbia, CUNY, Bard, Yale

Waiting: Princeton, NYU

PS. Anyone else still waiting to hear from Princeton? I thought they were sending it all out yesterday?

[DUguy333]

I only applied to the ivy leagues at first as well....then, at the last minute, I realized that I wasn't an omnipotent, unique individual that put me at the top echelon of academia and applied to some practical schools and call me crazy, but I just may end up receiving an equitable educations sans the reputation. Big deal...

[Minnesotan]

I love the people who list Brown as their back-up school. lol

[travelingartmuse]

DUguy33 - Applying to the Ivies this third year of going through this hell was just because they happen to be local to where I am and my employer will pay for it, if I get in. However, having an MA from a great private, non-Ivy school, yes I too agree that you will get a great education and most likely more enjoyable experience from a non-Ivy school. I am at the point in my life where I don't have the luxury of quitting my job to pursue this dream, should I be accepted anywhere but locally or gasp somewhere without funding. I already have an MA that I am paying for. Plus, my decision to apply to these PhD programs had nothing to do with their reputation of being elite Ivy League schools. At this level, one should be applying to school's where the advisor's research interests and yours are similar. Mine just happen to be at these schools.

[rising_star]

I love the people who list Brown as their back-up school. lol

I'll admit, it was a backup school for me as an undergrad.

[Minnesotan]

You're such an elitist snob! =)

[FastForward]

Proud with my 0/7.

Let's see if anyone can beat that !

[Cornell07]

Proud with my 0/7.

Let's see if anyone can beat that !

0/9 ...

[FastForward]

Cornell07 - Your list is similar to mine - we clearly underestimated the competition. I was misguided by my good GRE score )

Good luck with next year ! will be tough but not tougher at least

[GopherGrad]

0/3

Awesome.

Has anyone here ever written to a school that rejected you asking for an explanation? It would be nice to know if factors I can't really change kept me out or if I could re-apply with greater experience, etc.

[crazycot]

0/8, 3 waitlisted

not proud of the result :\

My prof said it's normal to be rejected as an undergrad who haven't even finished her degree. Schools may cast doubt on the final grade and particularly my honor thesis is still in progress. I wonder if this is the case for psych students?

[Lizzy23]

0/3

Awesome.

Has anyone here ever written to a school that rejected you asking for an explanation? It would be nice to know if factors I can't really change kept me out or if I could re-apply with greater experience, etc.

Yes, I did for one.

Found out that I had been discarded by mistake and received an offer soon after. Maybe I should have inquired about the others that refused me, but at that time I assumed that these things were not open for negotiation and that foolish mistakes related to grading conversion were simply not made... :roll: