2020 Applicants

[meghan_sparkle 418]

Just now, caffeinated applicant said:

To be clear, this program just wanted to know if my friend was accepting another offer/if program could give friend's slot to the first candidate on the waitlist! But they were extremely persistent. The professor who extended the informal offer (shortly before the full details came through) also sounded kind of like they expected my friend to turn it down, realizing that the small amount of money, only for three years, in a high COL city, with no health insurance, was not going to be a competitive offer. 

Ahh right I see. Still, so pushy!

[caffeinated applicant 210]

1 minute ago, meghan_sparkle said:

Ahh right I see. Still, so pushy!

It was very off-putting just to hear about! I suppose it worked, though--I'm pretty sure my friend notified this program within hours after they received a fully-funded offer (with health insurance!) at a much higher-ranked program. 

[MichelleObama 221]

I bartend at a mid-sized music venue which has 2 venues and 5 bars within, so we have a crazy huge staff, lots of security, etc. Last night I was working a [terrible] show, and walked in to balloons, flowers, a bottle of champagne, and a card signed by the whole staff. Two of the touring bands yelled "CONGRATS ON YALE!" because they had been served by an old friend of mine in a town 2 hours away earlier that day, who happened to have told them I had gotten in. Needless to say, I cried in public multiple times yesterday. I've never happy cried this much in my whole life. 

This process is still the worst f*cking thing tho 

[meghan_sparkle 418]

1 minute ago, MichelleObama said:

I bartend at a mid-sized music venue which has 2 venues and 5 bars within, so we have a crazy huge staff, lots of security, etc. Last night I was working a [terrible] show, and walked in to balloons, flowers, a bottle of champagne, and a card signed by the whole staff. Two of the touring bands yelled "CONGRATS ON YALE!" because they had been served by an old friend of mine in a town 2 hours away earlier that day, who happened to have told them I had gotten in. Needless to say, I cried in public multiple times yesterday. I've never happy cried this much in my whole life. 

This process is still the worst f*cking thing tho 

this is the purest thing i've ever heard

[caffeinated applicant 210]

1 minute ago, MichelleObama said:

I bartend at a mid-sized music venue which has 2 venues and 5 bars within, so we have a crazy huge staff, lots of security, etc. Last night I was working a [terrible] show, and walked in to balloons, flowers, a bottle of champagne, and a card signed by the whole staff. Two of the touring bands yelled "CONGRATS ON YALE!" because they had been served by an old friend of mine in a town 2 hours away earlier that day, who happened to have told them I had gotten in. Needless to say, I cried in public multiple times yesterday. I've never happy cried this much in my whole life. 

This process is still the worst f*cking thing tho 

Out of reactions but this is the most heartwarming story I've ever heard and I love it 💕💕💕

[sidneys 12]

4 hours ago, sidneys said:

I'm emailing the grad program administrator now––I'll let you all know if I hear back from her!

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!

[meghan_sparkle 418]

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 232]

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 293]

So lovely MichelleObama!

[caffeinated applicant 210]

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 239]

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 210]

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 407]

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 8]

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 418]

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 13]

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 418]

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 418]

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 407]

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 232]

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 26]

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 369]

@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 210]

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 221]

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 407]

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.