2019 Applicants

[jillcicle]

6 hours ago, kendalldinniene said:

I just realized I'm not even officially halfway through all my schools, results wise.  Why did I apply to so many programs?

On one hand I feel you bc I keep dreading the mental burden of just weathering 5 more potential rejections, and I can't imagine more, but on the other hand it would have been nice if I could have afforded to broaden the net!

[jillcicle]

9 minutes ago, Ranmaag said:

Upon more reflection I agree with all of this tbh. My subject score is... ouch (it was bad enough that I contemplated giving up literary study). Beyond that though, looking at the one acceptance and the implied rejections I have, it is definitely fit that was the bigger factor (outside of the multitude of unknowns).

Honestly my GRE subject score is pretty great and no one seems to care. Esp. with already having a master's, my advisors have told me that GPA and writing sample will be the only things that hold much weight other than fit. They were basically like "ahh, that might be a nice little boost, but don't count on it to get you anywhere." And so many places now (like Stanford) are phasing out GRE consideration anyway. Here's hoping everyone finds a place with a solid fit!

[sad_diamond]

2 hours ago, pdh12 said:

can we collectively brainstorm the nature of this imminent tattoo?

Imminent tattoo? Or...IMMANENT tattoo...

[amphilanthus]

11 minutes ago, Englishtea1 said:

The thing with these schools is it really is a toss-up and there are so many factors that come into play when accepting applicants. However, I think dept. fit plays more of a role than I initially thought. I’ve been rejected from smaller programs but accepted to UCLA (and my GRE subject score is trash) and when I look back at the programs I was rejected from it seems that they were really a stretch regarding fit. Here’s to hoping that we all get into programs that are best suited for the growth of our projects! 

this is great and so important to keep in mind. plus, from our perspective looking in, we might not know as much about departmental fit as we think! there are so many behind-the-scenes factors and a department that seems like a great fit to us might be changing in ways that make it less so, or vice versa; I've been rejected at one school I thought was the perfect fit and accepted at one school that didn't seem like much of one, but in talking to the latter, my perspective on that shifted quite a bit. (so many other, wiser people than me have made this point before, of course, but I found it really hard to understand/fully grasp from the outside.)

it's frustrating in some ways, definitely, but I've also found it very comforting to remind myself that I wouldn't want to go somewhere that doesn't think I'm the right fit, even if it seemed that way to me: they know better than I do whether or not I'd thrive there. and that's what we have to do, just trust in that - everyone here is so brilliant and so capable, and the right program for our growth & our success will know us when they see us.

or, you know... at least this is what I tell myself when I'm on the brink of dissolving into a puddle of anxiety. maybe the true moral of the story is choose to believe whatever works!

[beirut]

6 hours ago, kendalldinniene said:

I just realized I'm not even officially halfway through all my schools, results wise.  Why did I apply to so many programs?

It feels like I’ve been through the emotional ringer already, yet I’ve only heard from 3 schools. How on earth am I supposed to survive the rest of this process??

[jadeisokay]

i wanted another tattoo when my grant money came in but I'm saving it for dental stuff/vacation/moving expenses. got my 13th tattoo in October and it's been far too long since.

[Musmatatus]

Just saw on the results page that someone requested UCLA acceptances/waitlists share stats--If that's anyone here, please feel free to PM. I'd rather not share exact numbers publicly, but I'd be happy to talk about my stats/qualifications privately with a regular poster. I don't think my general GRE or subject scores are particularly stunning though. 

 

[jadeisokay]

another random thought about applying for next cycle: i was already furious having to submit transcripts with grades over half a decade old that were very, very low and feeling the need to explain in my sop. waiting a year and submitting those same transcripts (that will be a full nine years old at that point) is probably going to enrage me again. 

[Whoopsiee]

Hey y'all. Long time lurker here (you seem like a lovely bunch! It's embarrassing how invested I've become in your individual application processes lmao)

Just had a question. I just got a strange email from Columbia asking if I'd be willing to talk on the phone tomorrow morning. I'm not sure if this is an interview request? The language in the email led me to believe they're interested in me, but interviews aren't usually requested at 9 on a Saturday night to happen the following morning. I realized recently that the POI I had listed in my SoP had retired the previous year (I am a Big Idiot), so I'm hoping they just want clarification about that? If anybody has any advice or any info about Columbia's typical interview process, I'd really appreciate it! (I'm a medievalist by the way. I hear it's typical that they interview that sub-specialty).

[mandelbulb]

22 minutes ago, Ruta said:

Hey y'all. Long time lurker here (you seem like a lovely bunch! It's embarrassing how invested I've become in your individual application processes lmao)

Just had a question. I just got a strange email from Columbia asking if I'd be willing to talk on the phone tomorrow morning. I'm not sure if this is an interview request? The language in the email led me to believe they're interested in me, but interviews aren't usually requested at 9 on a Saturday night to happen the following morning. I realized recently that the POI I had listed in my SoP had retired the previous year (I am a Big Idiot), so I'm hoping they just want clarification about that? If anybody has any advice or any info about Columbia's typical interview process, I'd really appreciate it! (I'm a medievalist by the way. I hear it's typical that they interview that sub-specialty).

welcome to the thread! from what i've read here, that's probably a good sign? maybe not super professional, but professors are often very busy and i think sometimes they forget a 9pm email to a prospective student is not the same as a 9pm email to their actual advisee. (though, if this is something that would bother you as their advisee, maybe keep that in mind? some professors don't really have appropriate work/life boundaries with students.) good luck!

[victoriansimpkins]

7 hours ago, jadeisokay said:

another random thought about applying for next cycle: i was already furious having to submit transcripts with grades over half a decade old that were very, very low and feeling the need to explain in my sop. waiting a year and submitting those same transcripts (that will be a full nine years old at that point) is probably going to enrage me again. 

I truthfully didn't explain bad grades in mine (I had an F in calculus 2 and a C in world literatures my first semester freshman year), because I had nothing below an A-/B+ sophomore-senior years (even the calculus that I needed to retake). My mentor told me that if adcoms can't figure out that I (along with 90% of freshmen) screwed up but fixed it, then they just didn't want me anyway. I focused primarily on my research and what I'd done in my MA and what I plan on in the future. If anything, I'd only give it a line or two but not dwell? 

[jadeisokay]

thanks! yeah, i gave it a line and a half. the first three or so semesters of undergrad for me were rough for a slew of reasons but from there it was nothing but up. it just felt painful enough having to upload those transcripts so many times this year.

[Whoopsiee]

14 hours ago, mandelbulb said:

welcome to the thread! from what i've read here, that's probably a good sign? maybe not super professional, but professors are often very busy and i think sometimes they forget a 9pm email to a prospective student is not the same as a 9pm email to their actual advisee. (though, if this is something that would bother you as their advisee, maybe keep that in mind? some professors don't really have appropriate work/life boundaries with students.) good luck!

Okay phew thank you! The email was no bother. It was completely lovely and kind. It just seriously made me consider whether I was being punk'd or not lmao 

[3131]

29 minutes ago, Ruta said:

Okay phew thank you! The email was no bother. It was completely lovely and kind. It just seriously made me consider whether I was being punk'd or not lmao 

How did the call go?

[jadeisokay]

i received a letter from an, uh, intense jeopardy fan who found my address online (he appears to have autism and going by posts from others, this isn't his first awkward letter to a female contestant) who wrote that i am a "beautiful shining intelligent star" and all i could think was "gd, i wish the adcoms felt that way about me, too." 

 

Edited February 10, 2019 by jadeisokay

[stressbot3000]

Is it safe to assume that not hearing from Berkeley means it’s a no? I wish they would send the rejections along with the acceptances and end my suffering.

[Musmatatus]

24 minutes ago, stressbot3000 said:

Is it safe to assume that not hearing from Berkeley means it’s a no? I wish they would send the rejections along with the acceptances and end my suffering.

From the list of projected acceptance dates, it seems like Berkeley generally notifies over a few days. @Warelin, am I interpreting this correctly?

j

[Warelin]

1 minute ago, sugilite said:

From the list of projected acceptance dates, it seems like Berkeley generally notifies over a few days. @Warelin, am I interpreting this correctly?

You are interpreting that correctly!

[stressbot3000]

@sugalite @warelin thank you for this last gasp of hope to save my Sunday evening

[CaffeineCardigan]

Anyone else ready for the week to start just in hopes of hearing more news? 

[amphilanthus]

3 minutes ago, CaffeineCardigan said:

Anyone else ready for the week to start just in hopes of hearing more news? 

yes! I’m not expecting to hear much until the end of the week or maybe even next, but prepping myself nonetheless for a very slow week spent smashing refresh on every app portal.

[Musmatatus]

11 minutes ago, amphilanthus said:

yes! I’m not expecting to hear much until the end of the week or maybe even next, but prepping myself nonetheless for a very slow week spent smashing refresh on every app portal.

I applied to Michigan E&WS too!! Are they one of the ones you think might notify this week? I saw Michigan English is about mid-Feb, but have no idea about the joint program. 

[amphilanthus]

Just now, sugilite said:

I applied to Michigan E&WS too!! Are they one of the ones you think might notify this week? I saw Michigan English is about mid-Feb, but have no idea about the joint program. 

ah, yay, glad to see someone else who’s applying! I’m not sure with so few people having posted results; there’s not much to go off of. I’ve dug in the results and it seems more likely to be next week, I think. off the top of my head I want to say maybe around the 20th?

good luck to you - maybe we’ll be the lucky two!

[Musmatatus]

2 minutes ago, amphilanthus said:

ah, yay, glad to see someone else who’s applying! I’m not sure with so few people having posted results; there’s not much to go off of. I’ve dug in the results and it seems more likely to be next week, I think. off the top of my head I want to say maybe around the 20th?

good luck to you - maybe we’ll be the lucky two!

Good to know, thanks! 

[barshmie]

Good morning everyone-- Hang in there today!

I'm nervously awaiting news from some of my top schools this week and am hoping it will come soon ?.