2020 Applicants

[MichelleObama]

In at Michigan! WTFFFFFF WHY IS THIS HAPPENINGGGGG

I checked the wrong sub-field box on the application and this is definitely one of the schools I sent the wrong CV to ?

Edited February 18, 2020 by MichelleObama

[jm6394]

Every email I get today drives me crazy and ends up being like:

 

[caffeinated applicant]

1 hour ago, MichelleObama said:

In at Michigan! WTFFFFFF WHY IS THIS HAPPENINGGGGG

I checked the wrong sub-field box on the application and this is definitely one of the schools I sent the wrong CV to ?

Out of reactions but congratulations!!!!!

[Les Miserables]

Does anyone know when UC Santa Barbara will be releasing decisions? I feel like it is well after what they did last year and I just want the last of my decisions in so I know what the rest of my life will look like.

[brownjournal]

Just now, Les Miserables said:

Does anyone know when UC Santa Barbara will be releasing decisions? I feel like it is well after what they did last year and I just want the last of my decisions in so I know what the rest of my life will look like.

Wondering the same thing!

[MichelleObama]

6 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:

Out of reactions but congratulations!!!!!

Thank you!!!

[jm6394]

UC Davis...I wasn’t in the first round of rejections or acceptances. I have an offer I would take over Davis even if I got in, should I just bite the bullet and email them for an update? I really can’t stand the principle of programs that keep you on the hook until close to April without even being waitlisted. 
 

Edit: what to even say in an email like that??

Edited February 18, 2020 by jm6394

[caffeinated applicant]

2 minutes ago, jm6394 said:

Edit: what to even say in an email like that??

It's been what, two and a half weeks since acceptances went out, a week since rejections? Seems fair to email. Something like "dear coordinator, as we near the end of february and my options become clearer, I hoping to inquire about the status of my application." Like "lmk what is happening, I have other options" but make it formal. Thrown in something about being "keenly interested in the graduate program at UC Davis," if that's true. 

Worst that could happen is they reject you (which... would be weird and petty, but that's academia for you!), but you already know you have a better option for you, so even if your email somehow gets you bumped from waitlist to reject pile, all that's really happened is that the next person on the list finds out sooner than if they waited until April for you to turn them down/to turn you down. 

[Indecisive Poet]

58 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:

Worst that could happen is they reject you (which... would be weird and petty, but that's academia for you!), but you already know you have a better option for you, so even if your email somehow gets you bumped from waitlist to reject pile, all that's really happened is that the next person on the list finds out sooner than if they waited until April for you to turn them down/to turn you down. 

I know you're just throwing out a "worst case scenario," but I don't think this would ever happen. They've already made their decisions and they aren't going to reverse a decision because an applicant asked about the status of their application. I think your advice about how to word the email is great, and I encourage @jm6394 to reach out! ?

[tinymica]

On 2/17/2020 at 11:53 AM, gooniesneversaydie said:

Definitely not alone. Last year I made a huge move from east coast to west coast for a program and it turned out to be a nightmare. Not having an established security net makes the process all the more daunting. I also am incredibly introverted (with just a hint of social anxiety) so when I went to the meet and greet weekend, I had a really hard time building relationships - granted 2 days isn't enough time. However, it was a great way to gauge the community and potential social circles. I opted to stay with a grad host over night, which was terrifying but definitely helped. Luckily, they were incredibly honest about the pros and cons of the program. For someone like me, it's hard to force myself into any conversation, but it's got to be done for this process. My undergrad profs always recommended I reach out to current grad students via email even before hearing from the school to gauge the potential support. Did I do this? God no. Again, terrified introvert. But the visits, if offered and possible to attend, do help. 

Thank you for sharing your experience! I have spoken to current grad students at most of the programs I applied to, but I will be sure to ask about community when I do visit. 

[meghan_sparkle]

@ Princeton ... Penn ... Harvard ... WHERE YOU AT

?

[tinymica]

I don't work today, so I'm basically spending all day biting my nails and trying not to check my email every 5 seconds. Seeing that some have already received acceptances from UVA and Brown just makes me think I must be rejected, but it isn't over till it's over I suppose. If anyone is looking for a distraction, I just started watching Next in Fashion on Netflix (knowing nothing about fashion) and it's keeping my brain in check for now!

Edited February 18, 2020 by tinymica

[gooniesneversaydie]

6 minutes ago, tinymica said:

I don't work today, so I'm basically spending all day biting my nails and trying not to check my email every 5 seconds. Seeing that some have already received acceptances from UVA and Brown just makes me think I must be rejected, but it isn't over till it's over I suppose. If anyone is looking for a distraction, I just started watching Next in Fashion on Netflix (knowing nothing about fashion) and it's keeping my brain in check for now!

I've been binging Unexpected (similar to Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant) on Hulu, myself. Reality TV drama is a welcome, albeit non-stimulating, distraction from all this intellectual stress. How did our forefathers apply to grad school without streaming services to help alleviate the pain???

[Wimsey]

I agree with the comfort of streaming services haha. I started Bones recently and am finding it a good diversion from the stress.

[CanadianEnglish]

Only three more schools to go on my list. Let's hope this agony ends this week (looking at you, UNC and Boulder who usually notify by this week).

[tinymica]

1 hour ago, gooniesneversaydie said:

I've been binging Unexpected (similar to Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant) on Hulu, myself. Reality TV drama is a welcome, albeit non-stimulating, distraction from all this intellectual stress. How did our forefathers apply to grad school without streaming services to help alleviate the pain???

Thanks for the recommendation! I hate/love reality tv so I’ll check it out. I don’t understand how people dealt with this in the past. They must’ve been stronger than I am lol

[tinymica]

1 hour ago, Wimsey said:

I agree with the comfort of streaming services haha. I started Bones recently and am finding it a good diversion from the stress.

Oh, I love Bones! I can never get into the last couple of seasons, but I rewatch anyway. Also I just noticed that you did your BA in classics as well as English; that’s so cool! I almost did the same, but I would’ve had to stay longer than 4 years so I ended up declaring a minor in classics. It was so much fun!

[Wimsey]

1 hour ago, tinymica said:

Oh, I love Bones! I can never get into the last couple of seasons, but I rewatch anyway. Also I just noticed that you did your BA in classics as well as English; that’s so cool! I almost did the same, but I would’ve had to stay longer than 4 years so I ended up declaring a minor in classics. It was so much fun!

Yay, another classics enthusiast! I also started with a minor, but my professors got me to declare a classics major at the last minute.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Wimsey

[caffeinated applicant]

4 hours ago, Indecisive Poet said:

I know you're just throwing out a "worst case scenario," but I don't think this would ever happen. They've already made their decisions and they aren't going to reverse a decision because an applicant asked about the status of their application. I think your advice about how to word the email is great, and I encourage @jm6394 to reach out! ?

Oh yeah I'm thinking exclusively in the bat-guano-wild upside-down-world of like, "Oh, this person has another option, and they were already in our second-tier waitlist pool, so we'll just knock them off the list now in case they were gonna reject us." Which like, is so outlandish that I can't seriously imagine a program would do it.

But also, I'm aware that anecdotally (in a different field, I repeat, not in a humanities field) it's believed (not known for sure!!) to be the case that committees will reject candidates that they believe will attend other programs/turn down their program, which is also totally batshit to me, so I try not to rule anything out at this point. 

[tinymica]

4 hours ago, Wimsey said:

Yay, another classics enthusiast! I also started with a minor, but my professors got me to declare a classics major at the last minute.

Oh, if my Latin professor had gotten to me even a quarter earlier than she did, I would've been a double-major for sure. My classics department in undergrad was extremely small (3 professors, maybe 9 students?) so I love meeting other classics nerds!

[Rrandle101]

Idk who needs to hear this but my 19 year-old sister told me tonight that even though everything feels like it's coming down all at once that "you are in control of everything you are doing rn and that you are doing a good job" and felt inclined to share it with others because it made me feel tremendously better about everything  here's to hoping for more good news for everyone tomorrow!

[Wimsey]

9 hours ago, tinymica said:

Oh, if my Latin professor had gotten to me even a quarter earlier than she did, I would've been a double-major for sure. My classics department in undergrad was extremely small (3 professors, maybe 9 students?) so I love meeting other classics nerds!

Same here! My department was also small, which I liked because you got to know the profs very well.

[caffeinated applicant]

My optimism, it sure is waning. With Brown, Duke, Maryland, and Virginia acceptances on the board (two of those quite old acceptances at schools that typically notify rejected applicants weeks later), I'm counting those out, and while I know each school evaluates candidates independently, and the nature of the committee as a collection of individuals with their own research interests and agendas is a recipe for varying outcomes (i.e., each committee does not rate each candidate on shared "objective measures" but evaluates based on their own non-shared interests)... it just feels silly to take these presumed rejections and, rather than imagine a shutout, imagine going to Penn or Harvard.

And if I'm shut out, what then? I would have to move for a terminal MA, and to move both myself and my partner for a two-year degree to then have to move a second time for graduate school, then take out all the loans that typically accompany a terminal MA--well, an academic career is such a risky proposition that it seems ill-advised to stake both my career and my partner's and our shared financial future on that. I could write a new work sample and apply for another cycle, but if I'm shut out a second time, I fear I'll seriously regret spinning my wheels in a job I don't love but can't change for another here, in a location that creates serious quality-of-life challenges for both me and my partner on a number of fronts. (Moving this year and next year would pose career and financial problems.) 

I'm in that spot where I feel like I've spent a thousand dollars to be told, "Well, sure, you're bright, but many people are bright, and we've assembled a group that gives us more confidence than you." Which... fair? But I'm hardly looking forward to giving my recommenders and coworkers that answer. I hate to be told that I'm "giving up on my dream," but folks, we all know that not everybody makes it. 

Edited February 19, 2020 by caffeinated applicant
typo

[merry night wanderer]

53 minutes ago, caffeinated applicant said:

My optimism, it sure is waning. With Brown, Duke, Maryland, and Virginia acceptances on the board (two of those quite old acceptances at schools that typically notify rejected applicants weeks later), I'm counting those out, and while I know each school evaluates candidates independently, and the nature of the committee as a collection of individuals with their own research interests and agendas is a recipe for varying outcomes (i.e., each committee does not rate each candidate on shared "objective measures" but evaluates based on their own non-shared interests)... it just feels silly to take these presumed rejections and, rather than imagine a shutout, imagine going to Penn or Harvard.

And if I'm shut out, what then? I would have to move for a terminal MA, and to move both myself and my partner for a two-year degree to then have to move a second time for graduate school, then take out all the loans that typically accompany a terminal MA--well, an academic career is such a risky proposition that it seems ill-advised to stake both my career and my partner's and our shared financial future on that. I could write a new work sample and apply for another cycle, but if I'm shut out a second time, I fear I'll seriously regret spinning my wheels in a job I don't love but can't change for another here, in a location that creates serious quality-of-life challenges for both me and my partner on a number of fronts. (Moving this year and next year would pose career and financial problems.) 

I'm in that spot where I feel like I've spent a thousand dollars to be told, "Well, sure, you're bright, but many people are bright, and we've assembled a group that gives us more confidence than you." Which... fair? But I'm hardly looking forward to giving my recommenders and coworkers that answer. I hate to be told that I'm "giving up on my dream," but folks, we all know that not everybody makes it. 

You've been such a great cheerleader for the rest of us, and I just want to say: the waitlist at UT Austin is a place many would kill to be. And a lot of us with MAs wouldn't have gotten anywhere near that point without the extra time an MA provides. Certainly not me!

It's good to keep expectations managed. But in my time as a grad school applicant, I've seen numerous cases of people getting into only one. So don't discount the lottery just yet, and remember a terminal MA is not the end of the world. 

Is a funded MA not an option? I can think of a few offhand that are in cities with decent job prospects. It would be a commute, but Villanova is close to Philadelphia, for instance. You are thinking about this very pragmatically, which is good, and moving definitely costs a lot, but in this day and age, it's not a bad thing to change jobs - it's how you get a raise in many careers. This is no small sacrifice, and I know it's just realistic to think about how this will impact your finances. But maybe you can find a way to do it without sacrificing your partner's career.  

Edited February 19, 2020 by merry night wanderer

[merry night wanderer]

Oh and also: someone on the Facebook drafts contacted USC, and acceptances are going to be rolling out... until mid-March. *deep sigh, I mean, take the time you need adcoms but... ughhhh the wait is going to suck*

Edited February 19, 2020 by merry night wanderer