Feel like I'm going Crazy

[PickleJuice_Aly]

I feel like I'm in a constant state of anxiety about it all! Especially when the schools I've applied to are so far away from where I live now. So i also have to take into consideration apartment searching (remotely), so I won't be able to take tours of places, and then my current lease ends May 15th and we have to move out by then. 

FREAKING out! It's almost the end of February so hopefully I will find out soon...

[RunawayBaker]

I applied to 5 schools and have received only one rejection email very early on (mid-Jan). I have had complete radio silence from the other 4. I checked the list and it seems like they reached out for interviews awhile ago....if you're not going to outright reject me could you at least give me a status update?!?! someone said they got waitlisted and I haven't even heard THAT much. At this point, I have double-triple checked my contact information and like everyone else I compulsively check my email every .034 seconds. I am trying to keep cool but it is nerve wrecking!

 

Applying (Fall 2020): DePaul (Clinical-Community Psych) * UIUC (clinical-community psych) * Columbia (Clinical Psych) * WashU (Clinical Science) * Georgia State (Clinical-Community Psych) 

Applied * Accepted * Waitlist * Rejected

[Iamawreck]

I just want to come in and say, WE GOT THIS! I've lost a few pounds from all the anxiety and stress the last few months. From writing the statements, turning it in, waiting if I even made it to the interviews, and then waiting for results. We're almost to the end for most of us and I wish us all the best! Here's to hoping I get my appetite back soon! 

[aldebaran_]

Anxiety levels are through the roof this week -- I applied to three schools and the program director from NYU called me on Friday alluding to but not stating that I was accepted.. and now I can barely focus on anything else. I was fine before she dangled it in front of me. Anyone else out there still waiting?

Applying (Fall 2020): NYU, Columbia, Berkeley (all pending)

Edited February 25, 2020 by aldebaran_

[MarkySharky]

21 hours ago, aldebaran_ said:

Anxiety levels are through the roof this week -- I applied to three schools and the program director from NYU called me on Friday alluding to but not stating that I was accepted.. and now I can barely focus on anything else. I was fine before she dangled it in front of me. Anyone else out there still waiting?

Applying (Fall 2020): NYU, Columbia, Berkeley (all pending)

I am still waiting! It doesn't help that I found out that the applicants to the program I applied to are supposed to hear back basically this week (or possibly next). I just want to k n o w for gosh's sakes! It's driving me absolutely nuts!

[LadyWolfshadow]

The waiting is absolutely the hard part!  I thought the apps would be the worst and nobody warned me that this would be SO much worse.  (Yet they all yell at me for being on the Results page...)

One of my programs said that the earliest I'd hear back is the 28th and the other pending ones had 12/1, 12/3, or 12/15 deadlines so I'm assuming silent rejections at this point.

[dustbunnies]

I've gotten one rejection so far, still waiting to hear back from another program. I wasn't doing too badly (read: only compulsively checking email/app portal/grad cafe twice a day) until two people posted acceptances on grad cafe. Now I'm borderline camping on my laptop refreshing every page and trying not to be too optimistic. 

[EmmaJeanB]

I applied to 4 schools and still haven’t heard anything. My biggest concern is what if I don’t hear from any of them until April? I work during the summer so my time would be extremely limited to find housing (all 4 schools are out of state) and furniture. It’s just inconsiderate to make us wait for so long?. 

[RomeSweetRome]

Really appreciating the solidarity on this thread! If you'll let me vent for a moment...I applied for ~7 PhD programs 2 years ago, got rejected from them all, then last minute (literally in April) applied to a MA program that I started that fall. I did the MA because a couple of the POIs I had skyped with during the app process recommended it. Now I'm about to finish that MA and have 9 PhD apps out in the world with 4 rejections, 2 surely on their way based on the posted results, a waitlist at what I thought would be my absolute backup school, and 2 that I haven't heard a peep about. If I could sum up how I'm feeling in a word? Disillusioned.

I've learned the best thing you can do for your mental health in these trying times (at least in my experience) is picture life not only without that degree, but with hope. I've spent the last couple weeks applying for a ton of jobs outside academia, some of which I'm actually weirdly excited about, and one of which resulted in an interview for a paid summer internship for something I never, ever thought I would get. And even if it turns out I don't get it after all, it's a reminder that there's more out there. So, fellow gradcafers, keep pushing - rejection in one aspect of your life is not a reflection of you, neither as a professional nor a person. We'll get through it.

[BeachFossils]

 I'm wondering whether it is still effective to cold-email professor of interest at this point, are there any opportunities left? I only received one offer from a backup school in the first week this month, and I was asked by the future supervisor to give my final decision within two weeks. So I just send inquiry emails to several other schools about their review timeline, and luckily one of them gave me a reply soon with a fully-funded offer, without any interview. The left ones replied me that I need to continue to wait till early March or even later, and some even suggest me to consider the offers I already received if I haven't been contacted at that time. Actually, I didn't receive any update from all the five PhD programs that I mostly want to go, no rejection, no waitlist, no interview, so desperate, I'm afraid they'll come together next month. Oops, I just received my first rej when I finished these words...

[feralgrad]

Currently experiencing a waiting double whammy: waiting on funding info from my singular acceptance, and waiting for results from the other two programs (one of which is an implied reject at this point). It's so frustrating to have everything up in the air... I feel like I spend all day at work refreshing my email and GC.

[dustbunnies]

I was rejected from one school, and waitlisted at the other. I spoke to the department chair this afternoon and he basically told me I might not hear back for another 6+ weeks, it all depends on other applicants who received offers responding to them. Yay more anxious waiting!  ?

[FrogMN]

I didn’t know waiting would lasting this long and much worse than applying...
I’ve been in a long distance relationship for two years, and my boyfriend and I both agreed that we need to be in the same city after I finish undergrad. So basically wherever I choose to go, he’ll go with me. But the thing is he’s a software engineer in the Bay Area, well-paid. I don’t want him to give up a lucrative job for me, and he also seems reluctant. For me, my top programs are all on the east coast. I’m already accepted by a program that I really like at UPenn, but Philadelphia... not a software engineer friendly city. Should I go to Berkeley then? But I really like Penn and I want to go explore the east coast for a bit. Wait, what am I talking about, I haven’t even heard back from Berkeley, maybe they’ll reject me... I’m preoccupied with these thoughts everyday, and at the same time i have to focus on school work, because I did so many internships in my third year and now I’m taking an insane amount of courses in order to graduate. 
 

[doughdough]

i am on the same boat... i've applied to 13 schools and interviewed with three schools. One rejected me after the first round, another waitlisted and then rejected me, and the other one gave me a really good offer but this school is my absolute backup school. I have been in contact with my top choice program's coordinator since late january and he implied that i was pretty high on their waitlist so there is hope of getting an offer (without an interview!) but it's been over a month since i started talking to him and it's driving me nuts... I am refreshing emails like crazy and need to stop... There are three other schools that I haven't heard from (all the others have rejected me) but at this point if i can get an offer from this school I will withdraw all other applications! wishing everyone including myself best of luck!!!!!

[tashkey]

Is it weird that I have already started planning to re-apply in the next intake?? I've received 1/6 rejections so far. It's more frustrating because I am an international applicant with no other backups even in the country I currently reside in!

It would be relatively easier to just continue with  a PhD here but my referees aren't even letting me apply anywhere other than North America because they have high expectations of me! Every time I email them about possibility of applying elsewhere, they just respond with 'I wouldn't advise that'. This is so so frustrating!!

My self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth and the whole lot is down in the dumps!

Edited March 4, 2020 by tashkey

[Neurowoman]

Guys, my first (and only) option is taking forever to reply. Do you think e-mailing asking for an idea of when the decisions will be sent could have a negative impact on the decision?

 

 

[Tyger]

2 hours ago, Neurowoman said:

Guys, my first (and only) option is taking forever to reply. Do you think e-mailing asking for an idea of when the decisions will be sent could have a negative impact on the decision?

 

 

I can tell you one thing. I called some universities, and most of the time, they would tell you something vague, and that wouldn't be even right. They'd tell you "probably next week", and still no news after two weeks.

 

So... I know what you want, but an e-mail from you to them ain't gonna do you any good, whatever the answer is. Hold on, dear, hold on.

[Mag11]

I'm dying inside. Haven't heard anything back from my top school and at this point I'm losing hope. Why can't I think of anything else?

[AvantGardener]

48 minutes ago, Mag11 said:

I'm dying inside. Haven't heard anything back from my top school and at this point I'm losing hope. Why can't I think of anything else?

I feel you. I haven't heard from my top program either. I've been trying to get back into other things I love and try to feel passionate about non-school stuff. It works out sometimes, obviously I'm still checking my email and this site constantly. Best of luck to you.

[Neurowoman]

On 3/8/2020 at 2:48 AM, AvantGardener said:

I feel you. I haven't heard from my top program either. I've been trying to get back into other things I love and try to feel passionate about non-school stuff. It works out sometimes, obviously I'm still checking my email and this site constantly. Best of luck to you.

exactly same situation over here... btw, do you or some friend want to host me and two collegues in nyc in april? I'm going for a conference and am losing hope on couchsurfing

[Cdz]

I had a dream last night that my #1 I'm still waiting to hear back from cancelled the program because of covid19 ?

Edited March 11, 2020 by Cdz

[M.L]

On 3/4/2020 at 4:26 PM, tashkey said:

Is it weird that I have already started planning to re-apply in the next intake?? I've received 1/6 rejections so far. It's more frustrating because I am an international applicant with no other backups even in the country I currently reside in!

It would be relatively easier to just continue with  a PhD here but my referees aren't even letting me apply anywhere other than North America because they have high expectations of me! Every time I email them about possibility of applying elsewhere, they just respond with 'I wouldn't advise that'. This is so so frustrating!!

My self-confidence, self-esteem, self-worth and the whole lot is down in the dumps!

It's in the middle of march already, I am already losing hope of getting admitted (3/6 rejections). 2 of my applications are still "All Documents Received" so it is not a good sign.

I have been thinking of what are the things that I did bad this time, and what things I could improve next year. This 2 months has been hell for me

[DanaMA]

Waiting to hear back from the third (and final school) and it's been crazy, especially that it was the first school I applied to back in December. Application portal has now been updated with the following message: 

GIAC Closure Notice

Note: Out of an abundance of caution for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors, our office is currently closed. While GIAC staff will not be available in person or by phone, you may still contact us by email.

 

Should I just give up? 

[masthana]

On 3/12/2020 at 12:38 AM, M.L said:

It's in the middle of march already, I am already losing hope of getting admitted (3/6 rejections). 2 of my applications are still "All Documents Received" so it is not a good sign.

I have been thinking of what are the things that I did bad this time, and what things I could improve next year. This 2 months has been hell for me

I received six straight rejections before getting admitted to my dream school for my seventh decision. I stopped what I was doing and started bawling because I was so sure after six out of 10 of my total decisions, that I would not get into school. You only need one to make it work. Don’t lose hope.

[Larkin]

The coronavirus, in combination with the election, is making this period so much more stressful. I'm only waiting to hear back from one more school (waitlisted), so there should be a sense of relief and joy. It's almost over! I have offers that I'm excited about! But having to spend time at home and the tension and fear around is making that sort of lightheartedness difficult. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I would also really like to know whether/how it is influencing admissions decisions.