2024 East Asian Studies (EAS/EALL/EALCS/EALC)

[purplegoggles]

On 1/22/2024 at 8:47 PM, onf said:

Congrats to those who got the third-round interview! I didn't hear anything from Princeton, so guess I'm rejected😢 (Kinda expected though..) I also applied to Chicago, Cornell, UC Irvine, UPenn, and UC Santa Barbara but haven't heard anything yet. Just want to know whether they usually have interviews or not. Anyway, good luck to those who received the interview invitation!

I did have an invitation for UPenn but that was Jan 15

[seho]

Since I am most likely to be rejected by all the Ph.D. programs, I am wondering if anyone knows which schools will consider offering you a place in their master's program. The rejection letter from Columbia said they sent my application to the MA program. I don't know if any other schools do the same thing. 

[cyberpunk2099]

On 2/10/2024 at 8:47 AM, seho said:

Since I am most likely to be rejected by all the Ph.D. programs, I am wondering if anyone knows which schools will consider offering you a place in their master's program. The rejection letter from Columbia said they sent my application to the MA program. I don't know if any other schools do the same thing. 

Hello, I also applied to the EALC program at Columbia, but my portal wasn't updated. Did you also apply for the EALC PhD program?

[seho]

On 2/11/2024 at 12:18 AM, cyberpunk2099 said:

Hello, I also applied to the EALC program at Columbia, but my portal wasn't updated. Did you also apply for the EALC PhD program?

Yes, EALC PhD program (Chinese)

[purplegoggles]

has anybody heard back from upenn yet?

[Annie2024]

Has anyone gotten any news about NYU? Do they have interviews?

[BlueB]

Hi all! Long time lurker, thought I'd throw in my experience so far! Subfield is Japanese media and film.

Last year was a total shut out for me (8r), but my application wasn't as strong as it could be. So this cycle, I really polished up a section of my MA thesis for my writing sample, spent a lot of time individualizing my cover letters and... Immediately got rejected by Chicago and Michigan Anne-Arbor lol.

I also applied to UCSB, USC, Minnesota, and University of Texas-Austin. Haven't heard a word from any of them, and I know UCSB and USC typically do interviews, so I've basically written them off. Refreshing the portals five times a minute surprisingly has not helped my anxiety!

As a fair warning: I got my MA at WashU and intended to go straight to their PhD program, but the entire department is a mess. They won't have ANY tenure-track modern Japanese literature professors next year and the chair of the department is very difficult to work with (if you're not in their subfield you may as well not exist). The Korean side just lost most of their resources due to the librarian leaving, and the Chinese track is full of internal politics. Practically everyone in the department said I shouldn't even bother applying. Getting any offer is a miracle, but if it's from WashU... Well, I can answer any questions in DM. 

[cyberpunk2099]

Hi everyone, I also do Japanese literature and film. I interviewed with POIs at Harvard, UW-Madison, and USC, but I was already rejected by the first two universities. My POI at Harvard emailed to inform me that I didn't make it to the second round interview, and I got a generic rejection email from UW-Madison. (And I got many rejections without interviews.)

USC put me on the waitlist, so now my only hope is to go to USC. This year they only have 3 slots, and I'm No.2 on the waitlist. That means, if two offer holders decline the offer, or one offer holder + the No.1 person on the waitlist don't choose to go to USC, I'll get the opportunity. One person already nicely told me he/she was going to decline the offer via gradcafe, and now I'm waiting for one more person to do the same thing! Guys, please let me know if you're going to decline the offer from USC! I wish you all go to Harvard. I'm waiting for the update of the waitlist so anxiously.

Edited February 15 by cyberpunk2099

[Yuz]

Hi all! I just got message from my poi at ucsb saying that I was admitted. So for those who applied ucsb and haven’t received rejection, your offer is probably on the way!
My subfield is premodern Japanese literature and visual culture. I thought ucsb would do interview but they actually not(?). I have been waiting for it since early December without any message from the department. Pretty anxious at times. 
I wish all the best for your pending applications and interviews!

[Ralstini]

Hey guys, received an unofficial acceptance from Princeton (PhD) yesterday. If anybody is still waiting, results should be out soon!

[BlueB]

Rejections from USC and UCSB! Save me, Minnesota and/or Austin... Minnesota and/or Austin, save me...

[kj1271]

Has anyone heard back from the MA programs at Stanford (EAS and EALC) and UCSB (Asian Studies)? 

[baekbaek]

4 hours ago, kj1271 said:

Has anyone heard back from the MA programs at Stanford (EAS and EALC) and UCSB (Asian Studies)? 

I'm still waiting for a response for the Asian Studies MA program at UCSB too! The wait is killing me

[Elio]

Hey guys, I got 10 rejs already and possibly another 5 are on the way. Just wish to share with you if you also applied to UBC: they seems to release the final decision by mid-March. A longer process than one might expect. I didn't hear from cornell, did anyone have any interview with the university? It's going to kill me and I am also looking for MA in history program, ancient history (early China, pre-Qin to Han), any suggestions?

[smcfsfy]

Hey everyone, just wanted to share what I've been through. Did six interviews with multiple Ivies. Every poi I met told me I was a strong candidate, yet in the end all I got was rejection after rejection. I'm kind of lost now and starting to feel like I’m not cut out for academia. I have no confidence that I could make it into my dream programs even if I gave it another shot next year, so I’ll probably just settle for the offer I've got- it's not a bad one, just not what I had envisioned for myself.  

This whole application process has been way tougher than I ever imagined. Hopefully the ordeal will end this week, once I receive the official rejection letter from my dream school. I don't have the courage to go through all of this again, but I truly respect those who plan to. Wishing you the best of luck for the next cycle. And to those still waiting for results, hang in there. Tomorrow is bound to be a better day. 

Edited February 19 by smcfsfy

[purplegoggles]

3 hours ago, smcfsfy said:

Hey everyone, just wanted to share what I've been through. Did six interviews with multiple Ivies. Every poi I met told me I was a strong candidate, yet in the end all I got was rejection after rejection. I'm kind of lost now and starting to feel like I’m not cut out for academia. I have no confidence that I could make it into my dream programs even if I gave it another shot next year, so I’ll probably just settle for the offer I've got- it's not a bad one, just not what I had envisioned for myself.  

This whole application process has been way tougher than I ever imagined. Hopefully the ordeal will end this week, once I receive the official rejection letter from my dream school. I don't have the courage to go through all of this again, but I truly respect those who plan to. Wishing you the best of luck for the next cycle. And to those still waiting for results, hang in there. Tomorrow is bound to be a better day. 

thank you for sharing and just know that you are not alone. I have shared the same feelings as you and i'm sure others might feel the same as well. it's been super taxing and anxiety inducing so just know that you are validated in how you feel and sending hugs your way!

[wanlichangcheng]

Somehow, I got an offer from my first choice program, and I accepted the offer. I'm finally going to be a PhD student. But for anyone out there who is feeling discouraged, frustrated, or that maybe they're not made of the "right stuff" to get into a top program, let me note what it took for me to finally get an offer: 

-Five years of my life
-Four application cycles
-An MA
-Lots (and lots) of debt
-A good deal of embarrassment and self-loathing
-Significant opportunity cost

Many times I felt certain I just wasn't good enough. For weeks on end I'd feel untethered, directionless, stuck in a maze of my own making. I knew I didn't have the smarts, or the motivation, or the knowledge, to do what my peers had done--which was to get over the line, to win the recognition of the faculty, to somehow make it through the gauntlet and come out ahead of dozens of applicants with stronger resumes and more compelling projects. 

It is possible. You do have it in you to achieve this goal of doctoral study and research--if it's what you want. But it was not, in my case at least, easy, cheap, wise, or even rational. I stand ready to begin my PhD program fully aware that the argument that my doing so is crazy is a pretty strong one. 

I wish you all the best in this mysterious, unpredictable mission to become scholars. 

Congratulations, keep going, add oil, etc. etc.!

[Ralstini]

9 hours ago, wanlichangcheng said:

Somehow, I got an offer from my first choice program, and I accepted the offer. I'm finally going to be a PhD student. But for anyone out there who is feeling discouraged, frustrated, or that maybe they're not made of the "right stuff" to get into a top program, let me note what it took for me to finally get an offer: 

-Five years of my life
-Four application cycles
-An MA
-Lots (and lots) of debt
-A good deal of embarrassment and self-loathing
-Significant opportunity cost

Many times I felt certain I just wasn't good enough. For weeks on end I'd feel untethered, directionless, stuck in a maze of my own making. I knew I didn't have the smarts, or the motivation, or the knowledge, to do what my peers had done--which was to get over the line, to win the recognition of the faculty, to somehow make it through the gauntlet and come out ahead of dozens of applicants with stronger resumes and more compelling projects. 

It is possible. You do have it in you to achieve this goal of doctoral study and research--if it's what you want. But it was not, in my case at least, easy, cheap, wise, or even rational. I stand ready to begin my PhD program fully aware that the argument that my doing so is crazy is a pretty strong one. 

I wish you all the best in this mysterious, unpredictable mission to become scholars. 

Congratulations, keep going, add oil, etc. etc.!

Congratulations!

Besides here, when lurking through previous threads during application season I had seen you a few times so I was wishing you luck this time around.

What school did you end up getting in to? 

[wanlichangcheng]

2 hours ago, Ralstini said:

Congratulations!

Besides here, when lurking through previous threads during application season I had seen you a few times so I was wishing you luck this time around.

What school did you end up getting in to? 

Thanks, Ralstini. I'm going to an Ivy; that's as much as I'll share here. 

[CsyJ]

Hi all,

After six rejections, I finally got accepted to UToronto's MA and UCLA's PhD program! Although I still have to hear from three schools, I will most likely choose UCLA. 

It has been a harrowing process but I am really excited to conduct research in Korean literature and feminist/queer studies. I wish you all the best in the remaining cycle and your future endeavors!

[Annie2024]

Has anyone gotten the offer from Cornell's Asian program? Could you please let me know if you will decline it or not? I am on their waitlist and I really want to go to this program. 

[WanderingThe World]

On 2/21/2024 at 3:18 AM, CsyJ said:

Hi all,

After six rejections, I finally got accepted to UToronto's MA and UCLA's PhD program! Although I still have to hear from three schools, I will most likely choose UCLA. 

It has been a harrowing process but I am really excited to conduct research in Korean literature and feminist/queer studies. I wish you all the best in the remaining cycle and your future endeavors!

Congrats! I also received unofficial acceptance from poi at UCLA in early Feb but my portal hasn't been updated yet... I'm doing premodern China

[gradcafeuser222]

8 hours ago, WanderingThe World said:

Congrats! I also received unofficial acceptance from poi at UCLA in early Feb but my portal hasn't been updated yet... I'm doing premodern China

Hi Congrats! May I ask what's your track in premodern China? Literature or History?

Edited February 23 by gradcafeuser222

[WanderingThe World]

8 hours ago, gradcafeuser222 said:

Hi Congrats! May I ask what's your track in premodern China? Literature or History?

I'm doing early Chinese literature

[gradcafeuser222]

Thanks for your reply. Wishing you a great academic journey at UCLA!

Edited February 24 by gradcafeuser222