noneckmonsters Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Opinions: UCLA has sent out acceptances, waitlists, and rejections. I just checked both the application and the status portals but nothing has been uploaded as of right now. What does it all mean?! Also, can we talk about how the thread for this English/ Lit cycle has 55 pages?! That is wild and a testament to our overachieving personalities. Cheers!!! coffeelyf, Kelsey1599, Rrandle101 and 1 other 4
onerepublic96 Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 This cycle is so rough. I’ve got a bunch of rejections and implied rejections and still quite a few programs to hear from, but seeing as of the ones left, almost all are higher-ranked than the ones I got rejected from, I’m starting to get really worried... digital_lime and jm6394 1 1
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) I have a slightly embarrassing logistical question regarding best practice and coordinating with multiple schools. Because I have several visits over the month of March starting with Yale on the 2nd and 3rd and Chicago on the 9th and others in the middle/end of the month, I decided it would be best (and most cost effective for all involved) to book the international leg of the trip from the UK to NY, February 29th to March 30th, and the domestic flights (or train, in the case of New Haven) for each visit separately. I'll crash on couches at my brother's/friends in NYC's places in between visits; it just would've been insane to take multiple trips from London for each one. I don’t expect of course any school to cover my accommodation on days that aren’t visit days, but as for the international flight ... I'm not sure who to give it to for reimbursement? Chicago has double the travel budget of my other programs (1k compared to 500 or 600), and both the international flight and the NY --> Chicago flight are not even close to all of it, so that's the obvious choice. But I wonder whether they might raise their eyebrows at the date on my itinerary (Feb 29th and March 30th -- aka a way bigger window than the couple days of being in Chicago). Should I ... just do it? Should I ... ask first and disclose all of my other visits? Should I ... email multiple schools about splitting the international flight equally? I really don't know what the most pragmatic, ethical thing to do here is, but I need to figure it out quickly. I know this is the epitome of first world problems but still, it's stressing me out. Edit: fwiw the international flight would have been the same price whether it was just to accommodate Chicago's visit or the whole month Edited February 13, 2020 by meghan_sparkle
spikeseagulls Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 3 minutes ago, onerepublic96 said: This cycle is so rough. I’ve got a bunch of rejections and implied rejections and still quite a few programs to hear from, but seeing as of the ones left, almost all are higher-ranked than the ones I got rejected from, I’m starting to get really worried... Never give up! I was in a similar position after being rejected from a lower rank program, and that same day I received a call from a much higher ranked program about my "unofficial" acceptance. onerepublic96, ccab4670, jm6394 and 1 other 4
timespentreading Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said: I don’t expect of course any school to cover my accommodation on days that aren’t visit days, but as for the international flight ... I'm not sure who to give it to for reimbursement? Chicago has double the travel budget of my other programs (1k compared to 500 or 600), and both the international flight and the NY --> Chicago flight are not even close to all of it, so that's the obvious choice. But I wonder whether they might raise their eyebrows at the date on my itinerary (Feb 29th and March 30th -- aka a way bigger window than the couple days of being in Chicago). Should I ... just do it? Should I ... ask first and disclose all of my other visits? Should I ... email multiple schools about splitting the international flight equally? I really don't know what the most pragmatic, ethical thing to do here is, but I need to figure it out quickly. I know this is the epitome of first world problems but still, it's stressing me out. I have no expertise here by any means, so these are just my $0.02 1) Is a shorter trip less expensive than a longer one? If it's all the same price, or especially if a longer trip makes the flights cheaper, you might feel a lot less guilty AND it's something you could disclose. On a smaller scale, I have friends in one of the cities I'm visiting, and flights are a tad cheaper if I extend the trip a few days, so I just told them that's what I'm doing. If flights had been more expensive, I would have offered to pay the difference. Or, in your case, you could submit the difference to another program. 2) You can't be the first person to be in this dilemma. What about asking your current top-choice program that's offered to pay for your travel what they recommend people do in this situation? Maybe they have no concerns, especially if the flight cost would be the same for a longer vs. shorter trip, and if it's clear they are high on your list (vs. getting a program you know you're not very interested in to pay for everything, which would feel less ethical to me). merry night wanderer 1
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Just now, timespentreading said: I have no expertise here by any means, so these are just my $0.02 1) Is a shorter trip less expensive than a longer one? If it's all the same price, or especially if a longer trip makes the flights cheaper, you might feel a lot less guilty AND it's something you could disclose. On a smaller scale, I have friends in one of the cities I'm visiting, and flights are a tad cheaper if I extend the trip a few days, so I just told them that's what I'm doing. If flights had been more expensive, I would have offered to pay the difference. Or, in your case, you could submit the difference to another program. 2) You can't be the first person to be in this dilemma. What about asking your current top-choice program that's offered to pay for your travel what they recommend people do in this situation? Maybe they have no concerns, especially if the flight cost would be the same for a longer vs. shorter trip, and if it's clear they are high on your list (vs. getting a program you know you're not very interested in to pay for everything, which would feel less ethical to me). I mean, I really can't say which program rn is my top choice! It's definitely not the case that I'm uninterested in Chicago, though. timespentreading 1
merry night wanderer Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) I'd just be open with them about the situation. It's uncomfortable, but you're allowed to have many choices! If they'd hold that against you, it would be really out of turn for them, I think. I wouldn't email them all at the same time, but an individual note asking what they think would be totally appropriate, and you can maybe take it from there. Edited February 13, 2020 by merry night wanderer
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, merry night wanderer said: I'd just be open with them about the situation. It's uncomfortable, but you're allowed to have many choices! If they'd hold that against you, it would be really out of turn for them, I think. By them do you mean one of the schools, or like ... cc everyone on an email? (Omg the thought of that makes me sweat. It's like being in a polyamorous relationship and having to sit down all your girlfriends and be like, 'Ladies, you're all very pretty, my little harem of universities, mothers of my heart.' Obnoxious in the extreme.) Deleuze and AtlasFox 2
merry night wanderer Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said: By them do you mean one of the schools, or like ... cc everyone on an email? (Omg the thought of that makes me sweat. It's like being in a polyamorous relationship and having to sit down all your girlfriends and be like, 'Ladies, you're all very pretty, my little harem of universities, mothers of my heart.' Obnoxious in the extreme.) Oh yeah, not together. I think it sounds like it's going to be a mess to coordinate but I would personally do it by talking to them all individually, unless they all want to talk to each other and suggest it themselves. Just be open about how you're not sure what the protocol is. I don't think there is protocol! But they've already made you an offer, and it's not like they can rescind it based on you getting into too many schools. I mean, if you asked Chicago about those dates, they are going to guess that you have other places to visit, anyway - they might as well know openly. Most DGS types I've ever spoken to are very kind and candid. They know some people will reject their offers and want people to maintain interest. At this point, the power is in your hands, not theirs, and I think they should be willing to accommodate you, and if they're not, screw them, you have four other excellent schools to consider. (Though fwiw, I would not feel guilty about taking up all 1k of Chicago's money lol. These elite private universities are loaded.)
caffeinated applicant Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said: By them do you mean one of the schools, or like ... cc everyone on an email? (Omg the thought of that makes me sweat. It's like being in a polyamorous relationship and having to sit down all your girlfriends and be like, 'Ladies, you're all very pretty, my little harem of universities, mothers of my heart.' Obnoxious in the extreme.) You said above that Chicago has the highest budget and would definitely cover it, yeah? Bill them for the international leg and explain that because it is an international trip for you, you will be staying longer in the US, and it is more efficient for you to fly into NYC. You do not need to give more detail than that unless asked; they likely don't want to weigh whether your reason is "good enough" or whatever, because it is much easier to assume that people are making reasonable choices. If flying to NYC and then to Chicago is dramatically more expensive than flying directly to Chicago, you may want to offer to cover the difference, but like... idk, I don't expect that it would be a problem. They're giving you a big-ass budget and letting you pick your own flight because they have the money and do not care. This perspective based on my experience booking travel for university guests and requesting reimbursement for travel from other universities. Also, I am cackling at the idea of sitting down all the schools and telling them they're pretty, I love it! Edited February 13, 2020 by caffeinated applicant this time it's because I didn't read meghan_sparkle's first post well enough and missed some details timespentreading, Rootbound and meghan_sparkle 2 1
caffeinated applicant Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Indecisive Poet said: UChicago had 560 this year ? excuse me, I have passed away ? tbh, does make me feel better about getting a straight reject from them/underscores for me how this is all a total crapshoot Indecisive Poet 1
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 17 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said: Also, I am cackling at the idea of sitting down all the schools and telling them they're pretty, I love it! WELL THEY ARE. Thank you for the advice, btw—very pragmatic and logical and calm, three things I am not. caffeinated applicant 1
vondafkossum Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Completely out of reacts because y'all are all so marvelous: congrats to *everyone* and fingers crossed for everyone else! digital_lime and Kelsey1599 2
timespentreading Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 I couldn't help myself: I emailed Oregon, Buffalo, and Brown about my application status. Their deadlines were all mid-December, so it's been over 8 weeks. I'm holding off on emailing any program with a January deadline for now, as well as any without a GC acceptance posted. digital_lime, AtlasFox and BetterLight13 3
inchoate-eyes Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, timespentreading said: I couldn't help myself: I emailed Oregon, Buffalo, and Brown about my application status. Their deadlines were all mid-December, so it's been over 8 weeks. I'm holding off on emailing any program with a January deadline for now, as well as any without a GC acceptance posted. couldddd you please let us know what they say? I'm waiting on Brown (assuming it's an implied rejection) BetterLight13 and digital_lime 1 1
aussiekoala Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Just wanted to say congratulations to everyone on here. But I'm going to leave the forum because it's creating a lot of negativity in my life that I can't deal with currently. My country has been in absolute chaos for the past 3 months and much of our income has been cut in half when we were already struggling, I'm also still mourning the recent death of a family member, and a break-up after my first long-term relationship while attempting to convince myself to write the 75% of the thesis I have left towrite and defend before April. And I can't go through all of that while simultaneously putting myself down for not getting into one of the tougher schools I applied to. This isn't to say that it's anyone's fault or anything cause everyone here has been great and supportive, and it's been relieving going through the process with people who can relate. However, I have a tendency to compare myself a lot to people and put myself down. I decided to pursue a PhD September of 2019 which was pretty late for me, but this wasn't anything I was ever encouraged to do or got any support from my family after deciding to leave. And I was convinced I wouldn't get accepted anywhere. I didn't care about which school I got into as long as I had the chance to continue my studies and research. But being on here has changed that. It's made me feel like the emotional, cultural, and financial struggles I'll have to face by moving to the States by myself won't be worth it unless I get into a top 10 or 20 school cause then the chances of employment decrease as well. And these rejections are increasingly affecting the view I have of myself and my self-worth. Especially when so many of us share which universities we've applied/gotten accepted/ rejected from in our signatures. It's supposed to bring us together, but it just made me feel like I was losing a competition I didn't sign up for. I know this is a hard process and that hundreds apply, but I can't keep comparing myself to everyone getting into top 3 schools. Especially since when I get pulled out of my head and into real life I realize how fortunate I am compared to everyone else in my country. And I am well aware that everyone has their own problems, and everyone's problems are worth being sad and hurt about. But I can't pretend like it doesn't bother me that some people have to worry about booking flights when I haven't been able to afford my antidepressants for a month. And I'm not saying anyone's problems are any less important than others', just that I'm not in a good enough head space that I can stay in the community. And again, this is a problem that I have to deal with and has nothing to do with the forum or anyone on here. I still wish everyone the best of luck throughout this process, and whether you're facing a shutout or anxious over the choices you have to make, just try to keep yourselves healthy. It's been a great trip! P.S. Also having to wait hours and sometimes entire days for my posts to actually get posted has made me feel really left out. Not sure why this was happening to me, but this specific post I published at 9 pm GMT. Let's see how long it takes. Maybe the only thing GC needs to work on. And for anyone questioning how I applied to so many universities while going through a financial crisis: I was offered fee waivers. foreigncorrespondent, AnxiousKnuckles and WanYesOnly 3
onerepublic96 Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 19 minutes ago, timespentreading said: I couldn't help myself: I emailed Oregon, Buffalo, and Brown about my application status. Their deadlines were all mid-December, so it's been over 8 weeks. I'm holding off on emailing any program with a January deadline for now, as well as any without a GC acceptance posted. 14 minutes ago, inchoate-eyes said: couldddd you please let us know what they say? I'm waiting on Brown (assuming it's an implied rejection) Yes please! I’m also still waiting on Brown and would very much like to believe that this isn’t the end of the road for that program... BetterLight13 1
The Hoosier Oxonian Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 3 hours ago, MichelleObama said: In at Cornell!!! Huge congratulations!!! Did the department share when its prospective student visit is? Being on the waitlist I am not, of course, included, but I'm thinking of waiting up until the visit happens to email Cornell and ask them to take me off the waitlist just in case there might be some change in time for me to visit (even if I were to get a spot later than that, I wouldn't commit without having visited).
timespentreading Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 @inchoate-eyes@onerepublic96 I will definitely update here if/when I hear anything!
digital_lime Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 1 minute ago, timespentreading said: @inchoate-eyes@onerepublic96 I will definitely update here if/when I hear anything! I would love to hear, too! timespentreading 1
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Watching my inbox like a hawk and shaking my fist whenever an email that isn't admissions pops up. Just now got super excited when one came in but I opened it to find "The Sexiest Lines From "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" Gracefully Compiled For You", which .... (sighs reluctantly) okay I'm listening. thoreaulymodern, poetryislit, Cryss and 1 other 4
AnachronisticPoet Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Just now, meghan_sparkle said: Watching my inbox like a hawk and shaking my fist whenever an email that isn't admissions pops up. Just now got super excited when one came in but I opened it to find "The Sexiest Lines From "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" Gracefully Compiled For You", which .... (sighs reluctantly) okay I'm listening. ummm share with the class please??
meghan_sparkle Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, AnachronisticPoet said: ummm share with the class please?? from the Shatner Chatner newsletter by Daniel Lavery, yr welcome. not quite the gawain i remember reading for my middle english exam but ... entertained all the same Edited February 13, 2020 by meghan_sparkle AnachronisticPoet 1
Wimsey Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Discussion of "Sir Gawain" reminds me of the time my undergrad university hosted a reading of the poem. One of my profs not only wore all green but also attempted to dye his face and hair green for the occasion. AnachronisticPoet 1
Indecisive Poet Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 2 hours ago, meghan_sparkle said: also wait ... that would make their acceptance rate less than 2% ??? holy shit. Yep! I think it was lower this year because they had about 60 more applications than usual.
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