2020 Applicants

[meghan_sparkle]

10 minutes ago, sidneys said:

I just got a response from the princeton administrator and she said that decisions will be received "by the end of february"...not super helpful but I guess it was worth a shot!

Hahahahahaha

*continues laughing, goes down my apartment stairs, opens door, slams it, walks across the street to wine bar*

hahahahahahhaa

*downs a glass of malbec*

kill me.

Edited February 19, 2020 by meghan_sparkle

[Cryss]

5 minutes ago, sidneys said:

I just got a response from the princeton administrator and she said that decisions will be received "by the end of february"...not super helpful but I guess it was worth a shot!

Welp.

Thanks for trying! 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Cryss

[merry night wanderer]

So lovely MichelleObama!

[caffeinated applicant]

this is a mostly facetious comment but.......... do you think that programs are excited that because it's a leap year, they have an extra day to wait to release decisions and have it still be "by the end of february"? 

[Wimsey]

2 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:

this is a mostly facetious comment but.......... do you think that programs are excited that because it's a leap year, they have an extra day to wait to release decisions and have it still be "by the end of february"? 

All the calls and emails will go out at 11:59 pm on the 29th.

[caffeinated applicant]

Just now, Wimsey said:

All the calls and emails will go out at 11:59 pm on the 29th.

first response: honestly wouldn't even be mad to be woken up at 11:59pm on the 29th by a call from penn

second response: "text from unknown number (maybe: harvard): hey u up?"

[gooniesneversaydie]

I don't know if I could get out a "hello" to answer the phone if it started ringing. I'd be sobbing as soon as I answered. Knowing my luck it'll be a very confused scammer on the other end, like, "Girl...do you need to talk? Also, what's your social security number?"

[Kelsey1599]

57 minutes ago, Rani13 said:

Just a little strange because it said something like “you're on the waitlist but let us know if you actually want to be on it.” Just a little different from the standard “you're on the waitlist and we'll be in touch if there's any movement.”

Same email here. Like are you surrrreeeee you want to be considered when someone else pulls out of consideration? Weird but I will take it with open arms

[meghan_sparkle]

19 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:

first response: honestly wouldn't even be mad to be woken up at 11:59pm on the 29th by a call from penn

second response: "text from unknown number (maybe: harvard): hey u up?"

someone at harvard said to me i would hear back "very soon" but that was last week and i'm sure "very soon" for a university that was founded in 1636 could be like ... march or something

[surplus_value]

4 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said:

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

*continues laughing, goes down my apartment stairs, opens door, slams it, walks across the street to wine bar*

hahahahahahhaa

*downs a glass of malbec*

hahahahahahahaha

kill me.

hey! I know the process of waiting is really tough (as we're almost all in this at the moment)—and that this is a forum as much for celebrating success as commiserating about disappointment—but as someone whose struggles with mental health do not afford me the luxury of enjoying a comedic distance to prospect of being killed or injured in some way or another by this process, these kind of comments are pretty tough to read...

you've had an incredible season, and your success seems wholly deserved! in fact i'm very jealous of you! some of us haven't been admitted anywhere, however, so please just be mindful of the different situations people on this forum are in. the stakes are different for everyone.

all that said, I have hopes for (and confidence in, in light of your already incredible achievements to date) a continuation of your success! and please continue to add to the forum with your light and grace. 

solidarity to everyone facing a shutout!

[meghan_sparkle]

Just now, surplus_value said:

hey! I know the process of waiting is really tough (as we're almost all in this at the moment)—and that this is a forum as much for celebrating success as commiserating about disappointment—but as someone whose struggles with mental health do not afford me the luxury of enjoying a comedic distance to prospect of being killed or injured in some way or another by this process, these kind of comments are pretty tough to read...

you've had an incredible season, and your success seems wholly deserved! in fact i'm very jealous of you! some of us haven't been admitted anywhere, however, so please just be mindful of the different situations people on this forum are in. the stakes are different for everyone.

all that said, I have hopes for (and confidence in, in light of your already incredible achievements to date) a continuation of your success! and please continue to add to the forum with your light and grace. 

solidarity to everyone facing a shutout!

hiya, apologies if my post was triggering; as someone who also struggles with debilitating mental health issues/depression that was 100% not my intention! i would never make, say, a joke about suicide, or a joke about harming another person—both of those are offensive and ableist, and to me quite different from a quite obviously facetious 'uggggh kill me'. but, not my place to say where others draw the line. (too late to edit the post or i would)

that said, i think frustration at the slowness, randomness, and anxiety of this process weighs on everyone, and the forum is a place for all to celebrate, vent, offer advice and commiserate. i don't think i've ever once implied that any anxiety or frustration i feel at waiting for decisions is equal to the feelings of those who have yet to get an acceptance, are on waitlists, or are facing a shut-out. (in fact, i believe the exact opposite.) i'm not sure how i could be 'more mindful' of the stakes you mention, other than just not posting, but am happy to to contribute less if it grates on anyone's sensitivities—and i mean that sincerely! impostor syndrome and jealousy have been bedfellows for all five years of my adult life so far, and i have zero desire to be an asshole and add to anyone's burden in that department.

i will just say i find it a little odd that while i'm not the only person on the forum accepted to multiple top programs, i am the only one who's been oddly singled out for slightly passive aggressive and at times intrusive comments. it's an anxiety-inducing and frustrating time, and everyone is running off of a combination of confusion, fatigue and adrenaline, so these reactions are understandable, but i don't think either of these reactions are very helpful, for anyone.

[meghan_sparkle]

tbh am getting the sense that forums would be better without me posting in them lol—signing off this account, it's been fun and wishing everyone the best of luck! x

[gooniesneversaydie]

7 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said:

tbh am getting the sense that forums would be better without me posting in them lol—signing off this account, it's been fun and wishing everyone the best of luck! x

We all have a right to be here and express our frustrations, joys, heartbreak, and impatience, in whatever way helps us through this insane process. We can't forget that we are all in this together - regardless of who has gotten into what program or not. You, I, her, him, they, etc, we all completed these crazy applications, lost sleep, cried, yelled, worked our asses off to be the best, etc. We all have our heart set on that *ONE* school, and just because there are acceptances, doesn't mean there isn't a real fear for the next. We celebrate (even if we have to push through the jealousy) our fellow posters who've been accepted and stand united with those who may be struggling. 

[Cryss]

10 minutes ago, gooniesneversaydie said:

We all have a right to be here and express our frustrations, joys, heartbreak, and impatience, in whatever way helps us through this insane process. We can't forget that we are all in this together - regardless of who has gotten into what program or not. You, I, her, him, they, etc, we all completed these crazy applications, lost sleep, cried, yelled, worked our asses off to be the best, etc. We all have our heart set on that *ONE* school, and just because there are acceptances, doesn't mean there isn't a real fear for the next. We celebrate (even if we have to push through the jealousy) our fellow posters who've been accepted and stand united with those who may be struggling. 

Ran out of reactions for today but I cosign this 100%. I enjoy having you here @meghan_sparkle and I don't think it's fair for anyone to tell anyone how they should feel about this process whether they have acceptances or not.

It's a really hard time and everyone's allowed to feel stress even if their situation is different. Also I will say intentions and tone are easily misconstrued in writing, especially without knowing the strangers on the other end. But so many of us support everyone here and are happy for each other, even if we wish for more for ourselves. 

(Not my place to speak about the mental health discussion so I won't)

[vvolgate]

First rejection of the season in from UCF! I’m 1a/1w/1r/2p now. Not too sad about the rejection, either, as it was my worst fit program and UCF notoriously has poor funding... 

[punctilious]

@surplus_value - My husband and I were in this process two years ago, so I get how incredibly hard and stressful this can be. But you have to recognize in yourself what you can handle when it comes to seeing other folks' success. Listen to yourself and see whether being in this community is helpful or hurtful to your mental health. You do not have to be here. For some people, the camaraderie is joyful, for others it is stressful. I think it is unfair to expect other people to cater to you, and not express their frustration at this process. This should be a safe space to vent about the process, not a place to tear down one another. @meghan_sparkle and every person here should feel comfortable engaging in this community, whether their applications have been accepted or not.

[caffeinated applicant]

33 minutes ago, Cryss said:

Ran out of reactions for today but I cosign this 100%. I enjoy having you here @meghan_sparkle and I don't think it's fair for anyone to tell anyone how they should feel about this process whether they have acceptances or not.

It's a really hard time and everyone's allowed to feel stress even if their situation is different. Also I will say intentions and tone are easily misconstrued in writing, especially without knowing the strangers on the other end. But so many of us support everyone here and are happy for each other, even if we wish for more for ourselves. 

(Not my place to speak about the mental health discussion so I won't)

Out of reactions, co-signing as well. Ditto staying out of the mental health discussion. 

Sometimes it’s difficult to feel joy instead of envy when confronted with others’ success. When I’ve felt despair seeing that someone else has been admitted and I haven’t, I log off. I come back when I can celebrate with them. It works for me; if it didn’t, I would log off permanently. IMO, there should be no impulse here to censor your celebrations or your stress on account of another’s potential feelings, within the bounds of reason (no mocking others, for example). I’m afraid that impulse is developing within the forum as February wears on, and it’s disappointing. 

Edited to add: seconding comment just above from @punctilious. 

Edited February 19, 2020 by caffeinated applicant

[MichelleObama]

4 minutes ago, punctilious said:

@surplus_value - My husband and I were in this process two years ago, so I get how incredibly hard and stressful this can be. But you have to recognize in yourself what you can handle when it comes to seeing other folks' success. Listen to yourself and see whether being in this community is helpful or hurtful to your mental health. You do not have to be here. For some people, the camaraderie is joyful, for others it is stressful. I think it is unfair to expect other people to cater to you, and not express their frustration at this process. This should be a safe space to vent about the process, not a place to tear down one another. @meghan_sparkle and every person here should feel comfortable engaging in this community, whether their applications have been accepted or not.

Well said.

[gooniesneversaydie]

18 minutes ago, punctilious said:

@surplus_value - My husband and I were in this process two years ago, so I get how incredibly hard and stressful this can be. But you have to recognize in yourself what you can handle when it comes to seeing other folks' success. Listen to yourself and see whether being in this community is helpful or hurtful to your mental health. You do not have to be here. For some people, the camaraderie is joyful, for others it is stressful. I think it is unfair to expect other people to cater to you, and not express their frustration at this process. This should be a safe space to vent about the process, not a place to tear down one another. @meghan_sparkle and every person here should feel comfortable engaging in this community, whether their applications have been accepted or not.

Out of reactions, but agree with @MichelleObama. Very well said.

[caffeinated applicant]

40 minutes ago, vvolgate said:

First rejection of the season in from UCF! I’m 1a/1w/1r/2p now. Not too sad about the rejection, either, as it was my worst fit program and UCF notoriously has poor funding... 

Hauling the conversation in a different direction--welcome to the rejection club, and if I may speak frankly, lowkey congrats on one of each, 1a/1w/1r? There's something kind of satisfying about that.

[Lblack]

On 2/17/2020 at 6:54 AM, Lblack said:

Has anyone else heard from USC? I saw one acceptance on the board 

Update: I got in! I was shocked to find an acceptance email today. Apparently they called and left me a voicemail over the weekend, but I never got a voicemail or had a missed call. The email was so kind and included all of the committee comments about my application.
 

This ends my cycle. 2 acceptances and 1 rejection. USC offered me an amazing funding package. I had my heart set on UCR, but now I’m not sure what I’m going to do. 
 

Good luck to everyone who’s still waiting for news! I really wasn’t expecting to get in. You really never know when good news will pop up! 

[merry night wanderer]

Three years of fellowship! And friends of mine on the CW end say they also have tons of research travel opportunities, grant opportunities, etc. as well (some of which are even underapplied to). It's an excellent situation. Good luck with your decision @Lblack.

Edited February 19, 2020 by merry night wanderer

[karamazov]

What are folks' thoughts about fellowships vs. opportunities to teach upper division courses? Of my two current top choices, one is offering me a fellowship for my first year, and the other requires me to teach my first year. The school that requires teaching the first year, though, offers opportunities for students to teach upper division literature courses when they're ABD, and I'd love to have that experience. Since research-focused positions are even rarer than teaching-focused positions (which themselves are, of course, insanely rare), I would think the extra courses would be good for pitching myself to a teaching-focused institution when I'm on the market, but then again, a year on fellowship sounds pretty nice. Of course I'm considering a number of other factors, but I'd be interested to hear what y'all think about this point. 

Edited February 20, 2020 by karamazov

[jm6394]

8 hours ago, jm6394 said:

TBH I’d be glad to just receive a rejection—I already live in NY and wouldn’t choose to move to Davis (though it sounds cute haha) and turn down CUNY, a better fit anyway. I’m eager at this point to just commit. But thank you both @Indecisive Poet for the encouragement, just emailed their DGS!

Following up on this. I emailed Davis’ DGS and many hours later received an email to check portal for status update (not a reply from the DGS). Their standard rejection letter was awaiting me. If you’re in Davis limbo and want to rip off the bandaid I recommend doing this! I’m inclined to believe anyone they have waiting around is just waiting for a rejection. 

[Cryss]

35 minutes ago, karamazov said:

What are folks' thoughts about fellowships vs. opportunities to teach upper division courses? Of my two current top choices, one is offering me a fellowship for my first year, and the other requires me to teach my first year. The school that requires teaching the first year, though, offers opportunities for students to teach upper division literature courses when they're ABD, and I'd love to have that experience. Since research-focused positions are even rarer than teaching-focused positions (which themselves are, of course, insanely rare), I would think the extra courses would be good for pitching myself to a teaching-focused institution when I'm on the market, but then again, a year on fellowship sounds pretty nice. Of course I'm considering a number of other factors, but I'd be interested to hear what y'all think about this point. 

Will you be a teaching assistant or have your own courses that first year? If you haven't been an adjunct or had teaching experience yet (usually you may have some experience while doing an MA),  it can be intimidating. I'm guessing there should be some sort of training somewhere. If you are expected to have your own ENGL 1 and ENGL 2 courses from the first semester, that seems a bit crazy to me.

I think a big factor is how you foresee yourself adjusting to grad school. Learning to write 15-25 page papers for each class and read a book per class per week can be a huge jump from undergrad experience. To add teaching service on top of that when students are just transitioning is a lot. A fellowship for the first year seems like the better deal to me and perhaps you can eventually seek opportunities at that school to at least TA for literature-heavy courses.

But ultimately, if the teaching experience is what you value more, and you think you are willing to push through the transition phase, then it's your decision. 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Cryss