2020 Applicants

[inchoate-eyes]

To everyone who just got rejected from UW, here is what my English prof there had to say: 

"We just finished our admission yesterday and we rejected many stellar applicants because we do not feel that we could support them in the work they are proposing, or because the people they want to work with are overburdened with other commitments at the moment. It often does not have to do with the work itself." 

[merry night wanderer]

^ I know this is a factor, but no matter how many times I tell myself, it always helps to hear it. Thanks inchoate-eyes. 

[Kelsey1599]

6 hours ago, timespentreading said:

YES! Someone brought donuts in to the office, so my frantic page-refreshes are now fueled by excess sugar! All the UConn acceptances on the board make me fairly sure it's a rejection for me. Still a bunch of programs pending, but I haven't heard from any this week. 

Feel this so hard! I am still an undergrad but a friend bought just me a dozen donuts knowing this app cycle has not been my friend thus far. Sending good vibes to all this Valentine's Day!!

[ArdensApple]

59 minutes ago, inchoate-eyes said:

To everyone who just got rejected from UW, here is what my English prof there had to say: 

"We just finished our admission yesterday and we rejected many stellar applicants because we do not feel that we could support them in the work they are proposing, or because the people they want to work with are overburdened with other commitments at the moment. It often does not have to do with the work itself." 

I wish someone said the same for CUNY. I have been heartbroken and forlorn ever since I got its rejection. Had my heart set on it for months. The letter says "We would like you to know that this decision was reached by the program's admission committee after careful consideration and examination of all the materials you submitted." before saying that they has a limited number of positions. All I can do now is overthink the mistakes I made in its app and feel tonnes of regret. :'( 

[vvolgate]

58 minutes ago, inchoate-eyes said:

To everyone who just got rejected from UW, here is what my English prof there had to say: 

"We just finished our admission yesterday and we rejected many stellar applicants because we do not feel that we could support them in the work they are proposing, or because the people they want to work with are overburdened with other commitments at the moment. It often does not have to do with the work itself." 

This is so true, and of so many schools. I can’t stress this enough. I’m finishing a second Master’s (both related to English Studies) and I’ve worked in higher ed long enough to really have a strong, strong testimony of this. So many things come down to minutia like budget fluctuations in a given year, how many people matriculate, how many people defend, how many are ABD... sometimes programs that have 10 and 15 spots one year only have 5 the next. I’m currently waitlisted by a school I’d prefer not to name; the DGS sent me a beautiful letter in which they stated that in more sturdy years, I would’ve received a first round offer. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it is what it is.

[coffeelyf]

Johns Hopkins acceptance and Emory rejection came within a span of 10 minutes. JHU is fantastic and a completely different kind of department (because of their small small cohort size), and I'm so thrilled.

In other news, Princeton is really dragging it til next week, huh.

[onerepublic96]

15 minutes ago, coffeelyf said:

Johns Hopkins acceptance and Emory rejection came within a span of 10 minutes. JHU is fantastic and a completely different kind of department (because of their small small cohort size), and I'm so thrilled.

In other news, Princeton is really dragging it til next week, huh.

Congrats!! I’ve only got good things to say about Hopkins’ English department. 

[coffeelyf]

16 minutes ago, onerepublic96 said:

Congrats!! I’ve only got good things to say about Hopkins’ English department. 

Thank you! I hope to visit in March

[onerepublic96]

I’ve read somewhere on these forums that applicants sometimes write to the programs where they were unsuccessful to ask about the weaknesses of their applications. Does anyone have any idea how one might do this? I’m still waiting to hear back from a number of schools but I’ve had a fair number of rejections as well, and several of those at programs where I felt there was a strong fit... so I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to know, from the adcom’s perspective, where things went wrong.

[ArdensApple]

1 hour ago, onerepublic96 said:

I’ve read somewhere on these forums that applicants sometimes write to the programs where they were unsuccessful to ask about the weaknesses of their applications. Does anyone have any idea how one might do this? I’m still waiting to hear back from a number of schools but I’ve had a fair number of rejections as well, and several of those at programs where I felt there was a strong fit... so I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to know, from the adcom’s perspective, where things went wrong.

I don't know if this will help you but I applied to Northwestern two years ago and got rejected. I wrote to Nathan Mead asking if I could get some insight into why my application was rejected or what I could do to make it better (in terms of profile, GRE scores, etc.) I was very inclined on reapplying back then. He replied very politely, telling me that the sheer number of applications makes it difficult for them to answer such questions. 

[scotty2]

19 hours ago, Wimsey said:

There's a waitlist from Michigan on the board...?

i have a feeling this isn't real or was listed for the wrong uni or program?xx

Edited February 15, 2020 by scotty2

[gooniesneversaydie]

I can't decide whether I should take my one acceptance and run or try again for a 3rd cycle (I still have 7 schools left, but 3 are implied rejections and 3 others are high tier). This year is so different compared to last that it's comical. I had 5 acceptances last year while I was in undergrad: 1 Ph.D. and 4 MA. This year, however, I have 5 rejections and 1 acceptance to Ph.D.

Last year, I accepted my Ph.D. offer to the University of Oregon and moved my family from CT to Oregon. Long story short, it was a complete DISASTER (nothing to do with the school, but the move itself). Due to the circumstances experienced, we decided to move back home. I had to do what was best for my family, but friends, it was not easy to walk away. The school knew the crazy circumstances I was dealing with and offered me a deferral to 2020*, but the only way it could work was if I went alone this time. Even though this has been my dream, I couldn’t be that far away from my partner and cats (especially my cats). So, I had to decline and try again for something closer.

I’ve been accepted to Tufts (sobbed), but I know it isn’t the most highly ranked program. The school itself has a strong reputation, but I’m concerned about future job placement. I know we’re all concerned about that since the academic climate is steadily worsening. Tufts doesn’t have specific placement data on their website, so I’ll find that out during my visit. My POIs have produced strong scholarship and match my areas of interest quite well. I know there are other factors to consider, such as my committees’ letters, future publications, networking, etc. It’s hard to shake the fear though that because I’m not in a prestigious program I’ll automatically be tossed aside. This fear stemming from the fact that I’m a non-traditional who dropped out of my first undergrad due to anxiety, returned to a community college 10 years later to kick ass, and then transferred to an unknown state school to finish my BA (and kick some more ass).

I know I need to be patient and wait for the remaining schools (vomit), but if Tufts is the one, do I take it and get on with this process? Or do I change up my materials, retake the GREs, and try again a 3rd time?

Could this post be any longer? Yes. Yes, it could.

*To current Oregon admits: They love their grad students! I could sing the praises of the faculty and Graduate Director all day. If you choose to go there, you will not regret it.

[noneckmonsters]

22 hours ago, vondafkossum said:

And with that, my season closes. After two cycles of shut outs, I want to be very grown up and mature about all this (like I said I was going to be). But I am just so sad. 

Hi there. I am very sorry to hear that. Based on your profile interests, we are into similar stuff. Have you thought of applying to other departments? This is my first cycle and I've had positive feedback from women studies and ethnic studies departments? Unfortunately, a lot of schools talk the big talk about doing interdisciplinary research and expanding but when they get really cool interdisciplinary scholars they end up turning them down. I'm really sorry this has been your experience. 

[vondafkossum]

24 minutes ago, noneckmonsters said:

Hi there. I am very sorry to hear that. Based on your profile interests, we are into similar stuff. Have you thought of applying to other departments? This is my first cycle and I've had positive feedback from women studies and ethnic studies departments? Unfortunately, a lot of schools talk the big talk about doing interdisciplinary research and expanding but when they get really cool interdisciplinary scholars they end up turning them down. I'm really sorry this has been your experience. 

It certainly seems that way! I might send you a PM when I feel up to really thinking about it. I promised myself I’d only do two cycles and then move on for the sake of my mental health and all-around pragmatism.

[foreigncorrespondent]

On 2/14/2020 at 11:45 PM, Indecisive Poet said:

In other news, I just learned that I majorly messed up my funding chances at Oxford and Cambridge: I didn't tick a box to be considered for a scholarship that I am actually eligible for at Oxford, and I applied to colleges at both universities that don't offer full-funding. This was just plain stupid of me. I am sending desperate emails to try to fix this and I am still eligible for one other funding source at Cambridge, but damn. Oxbridge is looking like the only option for my partner and I (he has been shut out from his American programs) and it would be so incredibly heart-wrenching to have to turn down offers and re-apply next year because of my stupid mistakes (especially because things are looking really positive for me at Cambridge right now, pending funding). Ugh!!!!!!!!

Hey, check out my dm!! This isn't such a mistake as one would think (more in your inbox)!

[meghan_sparkle]

For work , I had to call one of my POIs at an institution I still haven't heard from on Friday (not going to say which for obvious reasons but didn't have anything to do w/admissions obvs) and at the end of the call she said "I have a feeling we're going to be speaking again very soon" and sorta laughed. I was so flustered and confused I ended up saying "Oh, alright, um, bye" and hung up on her and then I screamed "OH NO...OH GOD....FUCK". Tact, grace, gratitude. Love that for me. 

[dorabot]

Hi! I'm on the waitlist at CUNY for English and was wondering if it's worth it to go to the open house? Does anyone know if these things actually increase your chances of getting off of the waitlist? I'm interested in getting to meet current students and observing a class, but it's a big trek for me to get out to NYC. Thanks for any insight.

[merry night wanderer]

1 minute ago, dorabot said:

Hi! I'm on the waitlist at CUNY for English and was wondering if it's worth it to go to the open house? Does anyone know if these things actually increase your chances of getting off of the waitlist? I'm interested in getting to meet current students and observing a class, but it's a big trek for me to get out to NYC. Thanks for any insight.

Do you know where you are on the waitlist? If you got the offer, would you take it? 

[dorabot]

Just now, merry night wanderer said:

Do you know where you are on the waitlist? If you got the offer, would you take it? 

They told me it's not a ranked waitlist, per se. I don't know if I'd go there, but probably. I'm waitlisted at other schools I'd like to get into too.

[merry night wanderer]

1 minute ago, dorabot said:

They told me it's not a ranked waitlist, per se. I don't know if I'd go there, but probably. I'm waitlisted at other schools I'd like to get into too.

If it's not a school you're gunning for, and it's a huge financial or time hassle, I personally would not, and I'm sure any adcom would deny it has anything to do with who gets an offer off the waitlist. But only you can assess whether you are invested enough in the school to visit!

[Indecisive Poet]

9 hours ago, meghan_sparkle said:

For work , I had to call one of my POIs at an institution I still haven't heard from on Friday (not going to say which for obvious reasons but didn't have anything to do w/admissions obvs) and at the end of the call she said "I have a feeling we're going to be speaking again very soon" and sorta laughed. I was so flustered and confused I ended up saying "Oh, alright, um, bye" and hung up on her and then I screamed "OH NO...OH GOD....FUCK". Tact, grace, gratitude. Love that for me. 

Oh deary me. Well, the good news is it sounds like this program has already made its decisions and you'll be hearing from them despite this incident. If it's the same professor who contacts you with an offer, you'll have a chance to bring it up again and hopefully make light of it/jokingly apologize! But I think admissions comittees/POIs are, as a general rule, understanding of awkward verbal nervousness like this. There was this huge, painful awkward silence on the phone when Notre Dame contacted me with my offer because it seemed like maybe I was supposed to be saying something more, but I didn't...have anything to say? (had already run through my thanks and excitement, etc., plus asked loads of questions at my interview weeks earlier). I also said something very stupid at the end of a phone interview for a different program a few days ago, and I still maintain that my UChicago interview was an utter cringe-fest. Blegh, but, here we are.

8 hours ago, dorabot said:

Hi! I'm on the waitlist at CUNY for English and was wondering if it's worth it to go to the open house? Does anyone know if these things actually increase your chances of getting off of the waitlist? I'm interested in getting to meet current students and observing a class, but it's a big trek for me to get out to NYC. Thanks for any insight.

Is CUNY offering to reimburse your journey? If so, I would attend. If it's a program you'd seriously consider attending were you accepted off the waitlist, it would be great for you to get an idea of what it would be like to go there. If you'd be paying for the trip out of pocket, it's up to you, but I would probably give it a pass myself.

 

In other news, NYU is still sending out waitlists? Brown has yet to send out anything but 2 acceptances, and Colorado sent out its waitlists but nothing else. Seems like a handful of programs are taking their time with this...

Edited February 16, 2020 by Indecisive Poet

[meghan_sparkle]

21 minutes ago, Indecisive Poet said:

Oh deary me. Well, the good news is it sounds like this program has already made its decisions and you'll be hearing from them despite this incident. If it's the same professor who contacts you with an offer, you'll have a chance to bring it up again and hopefully make light of it/jokingly apologize! But I think admissions comittees/POIs are, as a general rule, understanding of awkward verbal nervousness like this. There was this huge, painful awkward silence on the phone when Notre Dame contacted me with my offer because it seemed like maybe I was supposed to be saying something more, but I didn't...have anything to say? (had already run through my thanks and excitement, etc., plus asked loads of questions at my interview weeks earlier). I also said something very stupid at the end of a phone interview for a different program a few days ago, and I still maintain that my UChicago interview was an utter cringe-fest. Blegh, but, here we are.

Aha it came after I said I'd loved speaking to her and been very gracious and just sounded slightly awkward, probably nothing that rises to level of incident or needs apology—but I will be headdesking for a while!

[tinymica]

Hi everyone! I came onto this topic months and months ago asking for advice about applications and I just wanted to say thank you so everyone who helped me out! I'm happy to say I've gotten an offer from UW. Rejected from Cornell (this was expected) and waitlisted at UC Davis. Still waiting on some more schools (which sucks) but it's really nice to know this community is here and we're all relatively in the same "waiting" boat

[Michel FoucOhNo]

On 2/12/2020 at 7:11 PM, karamazov said:

I'm one of the Tufts PhD acceptances! Based on past years' results, waitlists seem to come out a few days later than acceptances, so I wouldn't say it's necessarily a rejection if you haven't heard anything yet. 

On 2/12/2020 at 9:29 PM, gooniesneversaydie said:

I'm one of the PhD Tufts. Don't give up hope - it's quite literally all we have to cling onto. It's been my only acceptance so far, with 3 rejections and 2 implied rejections taunting my brain-space. It's only over when it's over. 

Briefly emerging from my cave to announce that I've been waitlisted at Tufts (and on a Sunday no less).? Thank y'all for the reassurance when I desperately needed it (hopefully we can meet up during one of the visit days?)

[MichelleObama]

After getting home from work at 4am, I violently woke at 8am to check my phone thinking "Princeton Princeton PrincetonPRINCETON!!!!" as if the odds of them notifying on a Sunday were higher than the more likely, and more reasonable, possibility of Monday ? I truly cannot wait to wake up without the waiting feeling. I truly cannot wait to wake up thinking about ONE school and a definite move and a definite program. I can't wait to be institutionally monogamous! Here's hoping this is the last week I have to spend with potential rejection as my constant companion, and maybe I can finally just feel excited. It takes so much courage and so much hard work to even get to the point of submitting a strong application to PhD programs, and my first acceptance was from my top choice! That is very cool! I did it!!! But I can't even be fully stoked because I'm not fully done getting rejected yet! WHAT AN UNHOLY PROCESS THIS IS PLEASE LAWD LET THIS BE THE WEEK 

The solidarity of this forum has been wicked helpful and I probably would have gone insane without it/y'all. As nervous I am about rejections, I am ~so~ excited to see what acceptances y'all get!

1 hour ago, tinymica said:

Hi everyone! I came onto this topic months and months ago asking for advice about applications and I just wanted to say thank you so everyone who helped me out! I'm happy to say I've gotten an offer from UW. Rejected from Cornell (this was expected) and waitlisted at UC Davis. Still waiting on some more schools (which sucks) but it's really nice to know this community is here and we're all relatively in the same "waiting" boat

Congratulations on your UW offer! I just finished my undergrad there in December and the English Department is so hella wonderful. I've also lived in Seattle for my whole life should you (or anyone) have any questions.