Who hasn't gotten accepted anywhere yet?

[Jennifer]

yea i think if it does come to that, i will consider re-taking GRE. i just barely made over 1000, and only a 4 in the writing for someone who wants to write professionally one day, UGH!

maybe even applying to some programs that have late application dates (state schools that admit through summer).

who knows? i'm not ready to think about all of it, i haven't even heard 1 no, let alone 5.

if they all come at once, i may lock myself in a room with a bottle of jack daniels, but that is still a ways away.

and with that...........I'M OFF TO CHECK THE MAILBOX!

[martizzle]

I registered just to cheer you guys up!

Here's my story....

Rejection 1 - Stupid Yale. I wouldn't go to your program anyway

Rejection 2 - Wait a second, wasn't Duke my backup school? [web search] oh I guess it's pretty competitive. No wonder I got rejected

Rejection 3 - Stanford? Better not tell my girlfriend... (she lives in Palo Alto

Rejection 4 - Carnegie Mellon's Public Policy program rejected me? WTF?

Rejection 5 - Princeton Woodrow Wilson - WHYYY!?!!?

Rejection 6 -Harvard. Haawvvaad? Oh Geeze.

Rejection 7 - Brown!? F***.

Rejection 8 - Johns Hopkins - damn, I'm in trouble.

until....

Acceptance 1 - University of Chicago, with full funding.

It happens people. It happened to me!

Good luck!

well Eric1025, thanks for sharing. your story was literally epic. Its never over till the fat lady sings/all the chips are down...(basically: its not over till its over). i appreciate your signing up to post in this topic, it means a lot to me personally, that you took the time out just to share your story. but perhaps you should have read the title of the topic before posting lol...it says: 'who hasn't gotten accepted anywhere yet' not 'did you just get accepted' lmao...sorry i just had to say that, it was wayyy funny in my head. i really should write a script for a sitcom....but seriously though, your post cheered me up. every summer when i applied for internships, i only ever got accepted into one program (out of like 10-12), sometimes, it would be the last school that would say yes...but that was internship, this is grad school; wish my luck came back

Note to self: apparently, rejections = depression => being delirious => saying and typing random irrelevant things

[waytooold]

Me. I'm too old. Oh no one has said that directly. Instead I'm told my potential career is too short, I wouldn't attract enough funding. Or - why would I want to go to grad school anyway when I could just get a (another) job. Or - it's wonderful that you went back to university for undergrad but isn't it best if you let the young ones have their chance and not take a scarce position (that could generate funding !!)

Sucks to be old.

I feel your pain. I really thought 20 years of applied work, two books, national speaking and deep knowledge would get me somewhere, but what I got was "you really don't want to do this, do you?" Ummmm....did you read my SOP? Do you think I sat for the GRE after no math for twenty years for FUN? My favorite was "Well, your verbal score would increase our mean by a significant amount, but your age would REALLY increase our mean."

So I have a waitlist, a reject, an implied reject and waiting on two more schools I have heard not a peep from, so unlikely to be accepts. Oh well, at least I have not yet closed down my consulting practice.

Edited March 18, 2010 by waytooold

[ootg]

I think you are the guy who posted elsewhere: 'misery loves company', and I replied something along the lines of 'yes it does, question is why are you in its company'....looking back it seems a lil mean...i was joking, i wasn't aware...sorry about that.

I'm also down 5 (at least), so we are in the same boat...it sucks rite

martizzle, I do ask myself the question. Here I am with a PhD and two Masters degrees, and still wanting to do another PhD. I guess the grad schools probably think I am a little loony to be wanting to cross from Chemistry to Marketing. So I have only got rejections from them, even though I think I could probably start on my thesis if they would give me access to a behavioral laboratory and access to volunteers (test subjects). Well, it looks like I am back to looking for work in earnest.

[ootg]

I feel your pain. I really thought 20 years of applied work, two books, national speaking and deep knowledge would get me somewhere, but what I got was "you really don't want to do this, do you?" Ummmm....did you read my SOP? Do you think I sat for the GRE after no math for twenty years for FUN? My favorite was "Well, your verbal score would increase our mean by a significant amount, but your age would REALLY increase our mean."

So I have a waitlist, a reject, an implied reject and waiting on two more schools I have heard not a peep from, so unlikely to be accepts. Oh well, at least I have not yet closed down my consulting practice.

I feel for you too. I thought that my previous experience with graduate research, plus years working in marketing would have helped me. In the end, it is still the age that is working against me.

They must think we just love to torture ourselves doing GMAT/GRE exams and writing SOPs and asking for LORs...

[martizzle]

I feel for you too. I thought that my previous experience with graduate research, plus years working in marketing would have helped me. In the end, it is still the age that is working against me.

They must think we just love to torture ourselves doing GMAT/GRE exams and writing SOPs and asking for LORs...

dude, i totally understand...i think i made a record in most number of internships/research assistantships/teaching assistantships in a three year span as an undergrad. one summer, i did two internships! i was NOT a geek; i was THE geek. now, i'm here hustling for grad skool admissions one would think all those lab work/research exp would count for something....sometimes, it pays to not love your field/research

[Babbling Dweeb]

I'm starting to think clipping $100 to an application with a note saying "Can you call/email me when you get to mine?" might have been a good idea.

[Jennifer]

hi friends.

my first answer came today. it was a rejection. i was ready so i'm fine. but part of me feels the need to wallow or at least drink a couple beers and contemplate my options. 1 down, 4 to go and it feels like crunch time. the first answer came from the one program/school i knew the least about, but i liked where it was located. silly me. now i'm mad that i chose to apply there instead of one of the places on the long list i made this fall. i also am feeling superstitious about the items of clothing i am currently wearing (including jewelry) and where i am sitting right now (where it happened) etc..........what's happening to me?!

anyone else feeling like there are things they should/should not do luck-wise?

[emilywantstogetin]

Jennifer- yes! One of my worst was imaginary scenarios. I am convinced that if I get ahead of myself it will not happen. Like, if I imagine how it would feel to tell my Mom the good news, that good news will never come. Unfortunately because I think about not imagining such scenarios, I dreamed about all of them in my sleep. And here I am.

[ootg]

Difficult as it may be, I've realized that it is best to get on with life and not be too bothered about the applications. If it happens, it happens. Yes, we all want to be admitted, but the admissions this year have been particularly tough.

At least getting on with life will give us some normality instead of this madness...

[SublimeDelusions]

I'm in this boat. After all of the headaches and troubles I've dealt with over the past year, this round of applications hasn't been easy, and it seems that my search for a new Ph.D. program may be over. Amazingly, this doesn't upset me about prospective programs, as much as it does my current program and former advisor.

I applied to 6 schools this time. Two of which I had interviewed at previously, one was way out of my league, one was a long shot, one was a 50/50 chance, and the other was a backup plan. I thought I'd be able to expect quick rejections from the long shot and the one out of my league and only really be waiting on the other four. Sadly, I got a very rapid rejection from one of the previous interviews (possibly due to limiting new students to only new faculty members), so that wasn't the greatest of news. I'm surprised that I haven't heard anything back from any of the other schools though, except my backup as they didn't begin their review process until this month.

I'm going to assume that this puts me squarely in the "waitlisted" column. Right now, I guess that I can be hopeful in terms of possible admissions, but I'm just trying to focus on a "plan b" if I can't get into another Ph.D. program. Hopefully there's some kind of good news in the mail soon! I'm just getting concerned as to when I should begin to inquire about these other programs.

Edited March 19, 2010 by SublimeDelusions

[Lousy Test taker]

I have 3 rejects so far and 4 more schools in the waiting. It is getting worse by the day and my plans of going on a vacation to Singapore and KL after I receive an acceptance will have to wait until I get one . It sucks more than anything that my summer plans depend on how soon the universities make the decisions and positive decisions at that.lol

[idm]

... the theme of this topic might be a little depressing LOL

Anyway, I haven't gotten accepted anywhere yet either. Got 3 rejections, and I'm still waiting for my fourth decision. I go through waves of being hopeful and being hopeless... But time will tell.

Pizzapie - You still have a lot of possibilities on the table. I know it's easier said than done, but definitely don't assume the worst yet especially with those kinds of odds.

i'm in the exact same situation. i applied to 4 schools. rejected 3 of 4. and now waiting for the last.

did you hear from pittsburgh

[Think_Positive]

i'm in the exact same situation. i applied to 4 schools. rejected 3 of 4. and now waiting for the last.

did you hear from pittsburgh

Hi fellow public-health-er No not yet, and it's really starting to worry me. Did you apply there as well? What's your last school?

[ootg]

I have 3 rejects so far and 4 more schools in the waiting. It is getting worse by the day and my plans of going on a vacation to Singapore and KL after I receive an acceptance will have to wait until I get one . It sucks more than anything that my summer plans depend on how soon the universities make the decisions and positive decisions at that.lol

If you ever make it to Singapore, and need a local guide...

[ootg]

Had lunch with my boss today, and he asked me about my apps. Told him that I have been rejected by a bunch of schools, and don't hold too much hope in getting in anymore. He was trying to be positive, and told me to hang in there, and talk to him in a couple of weeks, when I am clear whether I am still headed States-side. I hope that I'll be able to continue working with him, and convert my temp status to something permanent if grad school apps fall through...

[summer_reader]

I just received an acceptance to Laurier - apparently I'm not too old for them. I don't know how the program ranks and don't particularly care, I just want the opportunity to learn more about philosophy.

[coyabean]

Me.

I still have to hear back from the last one, and I have one wait list.

a week ago, the rejection letters from my dream school and my absolutely-perfect-fit school came simultaneously. It was very hard.

I cried. Then I took a long nap. Then I organized everything I own-- computer files,old notes from college, books, wardrobe, etc. Then I cleaned my laptop,my bike, and my apartment...everything. Then I threw out everything that is either unnecessary or distracting, along with all the junk food I bought a while ago when the anxiety of response-waiting was too much. Then I showered for about an hour. Then I contemplated for a long time if an academic career is really what I want.

All of these took about 2.5 days.

When I made up my mind about what to do next, I called a professor who I felt could provide some guidance, and talked to her about what to do next. Then I made a plan for maximizing my chances next round.

I've been on that plan since, so I've been very successful not thinking about rejections.

(switch out academic career for "significant other/life partner", professor for "my sister", what to do next for "who to date next", and maximizing my chances for....uh, "maximizing my chances", and now you know how I deal with a break-up.)

You should probably consider a career as a writer. I found this charming.

[ootg]

I just received an acceptance to Laurier - apparently I'm not too old for them. I don't know how the program ranks and don't particularly care, I just want the opportunity to learn more about philosophy.

Congratulations! At least not everyone is ageist!

[parapluie]

Jennifer- yes! One of my worst was imaginary scenarios. I am convinced that if I get ahead of myself it will not happen. Like, if I imagine how it would feel to tell my Mom the good news, that good news will never come. Unfortunately because I think about not imagining such scenarios, I dreamed about all of them in my sleep. And here I am.

This is me too! I keep going back and forth between "I need to be realistic and know I probably won't get in so I don't get over excited and jinx myself" but..... "I need to think positively because what if all that negative energy is making it somehow not come true! Wish for what you want to happen not what you don't want to happen!!!"

In the end I'm just going crazy trying to latch on to anything I can

[Think_Positive]

This is me too! I keep going back and forth between "I need to be realistic and know I probably won't get in so I don't get over excited and jinx myself" but..... "I need to think positively because what if all that negative energy is making it somehow not come true! Wish for what you want to happen not what you don't want to happen!!!"

In the end I'm just going crazy trying to latch on to anything I can

LOL this is me to a T as well. This roller coaster makes me hysterical.

And then every now and again I have second thoughts abt starting a whole other degree process... but I think that's mostly my mind's way of comforting itself since I've only gotten rejections so far.

All in all, I can't tell which way is up anymore

[Jennifer]

sorry to see your updated signature think_positive

at least you know though, does that make it any better?

after hearing back from my first school, even though it was a rejection, i started to feel MORE anxious and excited to know the outcomes so i can just get on with my life already.

i'm actually trying to get excited about the opportunities i could have if grad school isn't the next step. maybe i'll travel the world! hehe

[emilywantstogetin]

ootg- thanks! Now, lets get you into an ad. com...

[ootg]

ootg- thanks! Now, lets get you into an ad. com...

Into an ad com? I think I'll end up being chucked out for disagreeing with so many of their decisions that the admissions process would grind to a halt!

[ootg]

LOL this is me to a T as well. This roller coaster makes me hysterical.

And then every now and again I have second thoughts abt starting a whole other degree process... but I think that's mostly my mind's way of comforting itself since I've only gotten rejections so far.

All in all, I can't tell which way is up anymore

I sorry to hear about your updated status. I'm pretty sure that I'm in the same boat (just that they haven't bothered to inform me). At least you can know get on with life, rather than fretting over this day and night.