Fall 2024 Applicants

[AStark]

Hi guys! I've just received the results from Yale - didn't get in, unfortunately - but I'm not surprised haha congratulations to those who got in!!

[confusedmedievalist]

 

Looks from the results section that everyone is having a rough day, lol, so I'm just gonna drop this meme I just made for my students here, in case anyone else has a terrible sense of humor too.  

[voxanonyma]

Anyone know what's going on with Princeton and if they're actually being delayed by some administrative issues?

[confusedmedievalist]

1 minute ago, voxanonyma said:

Anyone know what's going on with Princeton and if they're actually being delayed by some administrative issues?

Princeton just got a new grad administrator start of February, and did interviews Feb 2 and Feb 9. They said no one will hear a peep until March, and not to worry before then. I greatly appreciate how direct they've been; if only that meant I didn't still check my portal, secretly hoping...

[voxanonyma]

27 minutes ago, confusedmedievalist said:

Princeton just got a new grad administrator start of February, and did interviews Feb 2 and Feb 9. They said no one will hear a peep until March, and not to worry before then. I greatly appreciate how direct they've been; if only that meant I didn't still check my portal, secretly hoping...

Ugh --- I do appreciate that too, but damn is this wait dreadful. Two more weeks...

[liviuslucius]

On 2/16/2024 at 1:13 AM, confusedmedievalist said:

Princeton just got a new grad administrator start of February, and did interviews Feb 2 and Feb 9. They said no one will hear a peep until March, and not to worry before then. I greatly appreciate how direct they've been; if only that meant I didn't still check my portal, secretly hoping...

Thank so much! While i have not even got an interview in Feb 2. and 9., so I suppose maybe I have very little chance to get one in March right...? I suppose they would only inform the interviewed students: (

[foxdonkey]

On 2/16/2024 at 1:13 AM, confusedmedievalist said:

Princeton just got a new grad administrator start of February, and did interviews Feb 2 and Feb 9. They said no one will hear a peep until March, and not to worry before then. I greatly appreciate how direct they've been; if only that meant I didn't still check my portal, secretly hoping...

Any idea what’s going on for pre-doctoral fellowship applicants? I haven’t received a single email from Princeton yet, which makes me a little nervous about my chances, as well as whether I did actually submit my application. (I’ve checked about twice now, and the answer is yes, I have actually submitted it.)

[confusedmedievalist]

25 minutes ago, foxdonkey said:

Any idea what’s going on for pre-doctoral fellowship applicants? I haven’t received a single email from Princeton yet, which makes me a little nervous about my chances, as well as whether I did actually submit my application. (I’ve checked about twice now, and the answer is yes, I have actually submitted it.)

I can't say I know anything about that process, unfortunately! When I applied a few years ago, I heard nothing until I was rejected, but I don't know if that means they don't do interviews or I just didn't get one. 

[JMAurelius]

1 hour ago, confusedmedievalist said:

I can't say I know anything about that process, unfortunately! When I applied a few years ago, I heard nothing until I was rejected, but I don't know if that means they don't do interviews or I just didn't get one. 

There are definitely interviews for the pre-doc, but I don't know if they interview everyone they admit.

[voxanonyma]

33 minutes ago, JMAurelius said:

There are definitely interviews for the pre-doc, but I don't know if they interview everyone they admit.

Interesting. I do know of programs that sometimes interview, sometimes not, and sometimes even admit people without interviews. But since it's only one per year (?) for them, I kind of assumed Princeton would interview people, and, indeed, I also haven't heard anything.

Edited February 17 by voxanonyma

[JMAurelius]

6 hours ago, voxanonyma said:

Interesting. I do know of programs that sometimes interview, sometimes not, and sometimes even admit people without interviews. But since it's only one per year (?) for them, I kind of assumed Princeton would interview people, and, indeed, I also haven't heard anything.

I think they admit two each year now. But you are right. Given it's competitiveness, they most likely do interviews before admitting anyone. But it's not over until it's over! Fingers crossed for you! 🤞

BTW, did you apply to the Bridge MA at Cornell as well?

[voxanonyma]

5 minutes ago, JMAurelius said:

I think they admit two each year now. But you are right. Given it's competitiveness, they most likely do interviews before admitting anyone. But it's not over until it's over! Fingers crossed for you! 🤞

BTW, did you apply to the Bridge MA at Cornell as well?

Really? Well that makes me feel a bit better. Thanks for the well wishes!

Yes, I did apply there, and to Michigan's Bridge MA too, which I was very happy to be offered admission into last week! (no interview for that one, which is what I was referencing earlier; I was really surprised, since I have friends who as PhD applicants to Mich had interviews with a group of like seven people).

Cornell I don't expect to hear from until March, given the deadline isn't until 3/1. Also, they seemed to have changed DGS mid-cycle, oddly, which hopefully doesn't mess with applications; I believe they've sent out their PhD decisions though.

[Rekhmire]

Harvard usually does interviews for Classics, not sure of the timeline, though.

[confusedmedievalist]

Hey all. I know I was literally the one who said a week ago that we won't hear from Princeton until March and not to worry until then. I am, however, worrying, lol, so if anyone does hear please let the rest of us know. 

 

Also, anyone have any thought/ tips on questions I should be asking as I meet with various profs/current students on Zoom/ recruitment days these next few weeks? I have no idea how I'm gonna decide, and would love a silver bullet if anyone knows one. 

[voxanonyma]

4 hours ago, confusedmedievalist said:

Hey all. I know I was literally the one who said a week ago that we won't hear from Princeton until March and not to worry until then. I am, however, worrying, lol, so if anyone does hear please let the rest of us know. 

 

Also, anyone have any thought/ tips on questions I should be asking as I meet with various profs/current students on Zoom/ recruitment days these next few weeks? I have no idea how I'm gonna decide, and would love a silver bullet if anyone knows one. 

I've myself applied to Princeton and know people who have to other tracks, plus faculty contacts who indeed tell me there are delays happening, but especially faculty are (obviously) being vague about the specifics. So I assume all we can do is wait until March.

I too would appreciate some advice for useful questions during recruitment.

[foxdonkey]

If I want to do a PhD in the future, is it better to do a funded postbacc or a funded masters? I can’t tell how one vs two years, degree and no degree, etc are weighed, as well as the timeline of applying (for example in a one year program it would be hard to get good recommendation letters in fall semester because you won’t have spent much time with your professors, right?). 

[confusedmedievalist]

I'd say the funded MA is usually better, but you have to consider for yourself if you want to spend the extra year in school, living on a very small stipend. If you did the post-bac, you'd be getting your recommendations from your undergrad professors, the MA it should be from your grad ones--who do you think will have the most connections and the best letter? In most cases, getting the degree is better than not getting the degree, but you have to consider the schools themselves, the total funding/time, etc.

Best of luck!

[voxanonyma]

With regard to PBs, at least in my experience, my recommendation from my PB institution was quite good, and they followed a system where, recognizing the brevity of time between starting the program and submitting applications, they provided a personalized departmental LoR with inputs from all involved advisors and instructors, rather than from a single faculty member. This seems to be a good way of handling it. However if your main weakness is lack of research experience / writing sample rather than language training, an MA may be better, but again, that's an extra year. So I would think carefully.

[confusedmedievalist]

On 2/20/2024 at 8:40 AM, confusedmedievalist said:

Hey all. I know I was literally the one who said a week ago that we won't hear from Princeton until March and not to worry until then. I am, however, worrying, lol, so if anyone does hear please let the rest of us know. 

Per my own request-I got an email from the DGS at Princeton at 9 this morning with an unofficial offer. Sounds like the unofficial decisions will be going out through the end of this week (not all today, so don't panic yet!) and then official results might take up to two weeks. Best of luck to everyone else!!! I am sobbing; I was literally up at 5 AM thinking about how bad I wanted this. 

[JMAurelius]

58 minutes ago, confusedmedievalist said:

Per my own request-I got an email from the DGS at Princeton at 9 this morning with an unofficial offer. Sounds like the unofficial decisions will be going out through the end of this week (not all today, so don't panic yet!) and then official results might take up to two weeks. Best of luck to everyone else!!! I am sobbing; I was literally up at 5 AM thinking about how bad I wanted this. 

@confusedmedievalist Congrats! 🎉🥳

8 hours ago, foxdonkey said:

If I want to do a PhD in the future, is it better to do a funded postbacc or a funded masters? I can’t tell how one vs two years, degree and no degree, etc are weighed, as well as the timeline of applying (for example in a one year program it would be hard to get good recommendation letters in fall semester because you won’t have spent much time with your professors, right?). 

@foxdonkey If you plan for a PhD, it doesn't matter too much whether a program leads to an MA or not. There also ways you can alleviate the downsides of a shorter program. So everything else being equal, I'd pick a well funded 1-year program over a barely funded (or unfunded) 2-year program. It's even less of an issue if the program lets you directly transfer to PhD after you are done.

[voxanonyma]

@confusedmedievalist Let's go!!! I'm incredibly happy for you. Hoping we all hear good things this week. But it'd also just be nice to know either way from them for people who have other competitive offers too.

@JMAurelius Agreed. I'd also argue against ever doing an unfunded MA personally.  I just don't know that the debt would be worth it. If anything, as I hinted at earlier, PB programs provide more flexibility arguably, though there is also at least one fully funded one-year MA program (Cornell).

Edited February 21 by voxanonyma
GRAMMAR

[JMAurelius]

@voxanonyma absolutely!  I know I would not have been able to do my MA if it had not been fully funded.  To the Cornell program I'd also add the programs at Duke and Princeton.  You don't get an MA, but both have the PhD transfer option and are very well funded like Cornell.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, confusedmedievalist said:

Per my own request-I got an email from the DGS at Princeton at 9 this morning with an unofficial offer. Sounds like the unofficial decisions will be going out through the end of this week (not all today, so don't panic yet!) and then official results might take up to two weeks. Best of luck to everyone else!!! I am sobbing; I was literally up at 5 AM thinking about how bad I wanted this. 

Congratulations!!! Must be a huge relief after all the stress. Have also been anxiously waiting... Can I ask what he said about when the rest of unofficial decisions will go out?

[confusedmedievalist]

16 minutes ago, Stuckonrepeat said:

Congratulations!!! Must be a huge relief after all the stress. Have also been anxiously waiting... Can I ask what he said about when the rest of unofficial decisions will go out?

Thank you! I was so relieved. 

He didn't specify when exactly, just that they weren't even going to be done finalizing the list to send to the graduate school (aka, making decisions) until the end of the week. So I think people should hear good news sometime this week/early next week, and bad news the week after. Good luck!

[Guest]

Thanks so much for letting me know!