posting ethics

[hurrah]

I was first drawn to gradcafe last year for the promise of helpful, useful information about when I could expect to hear from my school of choice. I resisted it for a while, knowing that I would be obsessive about checking the results page, and then I gave in and of course I was just that. And when my school of choice finally started posting acceptances, I was heartbroken. But then, by the time I got the official rejection in March, I was already over it because I had known for so long.

Fast-forward a year and I am delighted to say that I have two acceptances so far. Before I heard, I told myself that I would post immediately, to spare others the horrific waiting game they put us through. It just sucks so badly to be so much in the dark. But then when I got in, I felt really reluctant, because I knew that my little posting could completely ruin someone's day.

Am I being a wuss about this? Obviously people come here for information, knowing full well that the information they get might not be the information they want. But I still remember my own sinking feeling, and it's just not a good memory....

[waddle]

But then when I got in, I felt really reluctant, because I knew that my little posting could completely ruin someone's day.

Am I being a wuss about this? Obviously people come here for information, knowing full well that the information they get might not be the information they want. But I still remember my own sinking feeling, and it's just not a good memory....

Ditto. I figure I will post all my results after the entire process is done. I look at the results board as more of a guide as to approximate notification times (using previous years' data), than an actual results ticker, but I don't think that's a view that's widely held.

[hurrah]

I guess part of that is the paradox of the internet: information you want, alongside the peril of information you don't want.

[milou]

Ditto. I figure I will post all my results after the entire process is done. I look at the results board as more of a guide as to approximate notification times (using previous years' data), than an actual results ticker, but I don't think that's a view that's widely held.

Me three. I'm happy to see these posts, because I also avoid posting results, even though I know this site is good for that kind of information - especially since most schools don't give any precise timelines for decisions. That said, it can also be bad for your mental health. Last week was a pretty good example for me - I checked the results for my (relatively small) program, and found two acceptances from a school to which I had applied. They were e-mail acceptances, and I figured there would be no need for the school to send out e-mails to such a small number of applicants over several days, so I just assumed I didn't get in. I wasn't heartbroken, per se, but I was pretty bummed that night, and not looking forward to the rejection. Then the next day at work, I received the acceptance e-mail - BAM. Totally unexpected. Maybe it was my fault for making the reverse assumption so early, but checking this site (and last year's acceptance patterns) certainly didn't make me feel great for that period of time. I guess the best thing is to take the results with a grain of salt, and just use the section to get a ballpark time frame for decisions from your schools, as waddle said. No need to pore over them.

[SimilarlyDifferent]

I think that sometimes the waiting is worse than the actual rejection. If you consider it that way, then you are being merciful when you post the results.

You have to remember that you aren't the one rejecting the students, the schools are, and the others will find out sooner or later anyway so you might as well go ahead and put them out of their misery.

[hurrah]

I think that sometimes the waiting is worse than the actual rejection. If you consider it that way, then you are being merciful when you post the results.

That's the only thing that tipped the scales for me. Having experienced both, the waiting is definitely, definitely worse.

[ZeChocMoose]

As someone who has been both accepted and rejected this admission cycle, I think it is really helpful to have a heads up when bad news is coming your way. To me the worse thing is not the rejection per se, but the *surprise* rejection especially if you think it may be positive.

[YA_RLY]

No, you are not being a wuss. You have to decide what feels right to you. You are being a considerate fellow Gradcafe member.

I have had 1acceptance and 2 rejections, and I posted them both soon after receiving them. I value the information I have learned through looking at the results, and feel that posting my results is one way to show my appreciation to previous cohorts and fellow hopefuls.

It's true that reading the results *could* be bad for you...if you check obsessively and without salt. I've found that limiting the frequency I check results and reading with a grain of salt is 100% key to navigating results without agony.

Like a previous poster said, things are not always what they seem. Sometimes we are fortunate and receive an acceptance despite being convinced that we have a rejection in store. Although, a lot of times information does lead us to the correct expectation. I truly believe the value of the results section is for information only, and for information that is not held on too tightly.

It's a blessing that it's not just results; that we have Forums too. Inevitably we will be heartbroken and/or elated at one point or another, and this is a great place to find like-minded people to share a hug or high 5!

P.S. Congrats on the 2 acceptances so far!

I am delighted to say that I have two acceptances so far. Before I heard, I told myself that I would post immediately, to spare others the horrific waiting game they put us through. It just sucks so badly to be so much in the dark. But then when I got in, I felt really reluctant, because I knew that my little posting could completely ruin someone's day.

Am I being a wuss about this? Obviously people come here for information, knowing full well that the information they get might not be the information they want. But I still remember my own sinking feeling, and it's just not a good memory....

[frenchfries]

Someone's day eventually will be ruined one way or another, either when they get the email/letter themselves or when others start updating the results. The waiting is horrible, so I say updating is most helpful. If someone doesn't want to know, they don't have to check the results page.

[space-cat]

I think (hope?) most Grad Cafe users understand that the results page should be used as a general overview of what's going on, not a perfect recreation. Not all acceptances or rejections are sent at once, and there's no way to verify that the submitted results are even accurate, especially when you have people adding comments like, "my friend said they got 4, 327 applications for 4 spots and they're sending carrier pigeons this week!" or "I have a perfect GRE and GPA with 14 first author pubs and they still rejected me!" Actually, maybe there should be a disclaimer of sorts at the top of the page..."Please note that all results are user-submitted and not verified for accuracy," or some such.

Personally, I do a quick search for my subject area maybe once or twice a week. I had an idea of when to expect notifications to come out for my schools, and the results board "confirmed" that things seem to be running a bit slow this year, so that kind of set my mind at ease. Although there is definitely a point of diminishing returns for that kind of intel, I really wish I would have known about the results board last year, when I first applied. I had one rejection and one consolation prize arrive very, very late in the game (like mid-April), and I could have spared myself a good 3-4 weeks of anxiety.

[jprufrock]

I enjoy knowing when a school has responded, even if it implies a rejection for me.

As long as the results board is kept honest and clean, I appreciate all entries.

[YA_RLY]

I enjoy knowing when a school has responded, even if it implies a rejection for me.

As long as the results board is kept honest and clean, I appreciate all entries.

Completely 2nd that!

[drumms9980]

I've been posting shortly after hearing back from each school. I don't mind seeing results from schools I'm waiting for, and I've been able to anticipate two rejection letters in my mailbox before I even got home. I think it's a great tool but I guess everyone has their own opinions.

[lydibird]

The sooner I realize I'm probably rejected, the sooner I can get over it and concentrate on other things. While I procrastinate a lot of things, I don't like procrastinating bad news unless I know that there are things that MUST be done that I won't accomplish if I receive bad news. In this case, though, it's easy to just not visit the results page for a few days.

[Guest Amon-Ra]

I really appreciate people who post their results quickly. When there are no posted acceptances for a program in my field I assume the program is still fair game, and that assumption makes me happy and hopeful. But if I know people delay posting their acceptances then I know my hope is unfounded. The system can only survive if we feed it the information it needs. Please keep posting promptly! I neeeed my hope!

Edited February 14, 2011 by meforarth

[philosophy chic]

I personally appreciate having the results section available. Knowing when other students have heard back won't in any way affect whether i get in or not, but I just like having the information available. (I'm one of those people who love having schedules and knowing specific dates/times before hand even if it has no effect whatsoever on the actual events or results.) I also am rather chill about rejections - feeling heartbroken about them won't change anything, so why get up all upset and waste one's time and energy when only bad things will come of it?

However, I do realize that others don't share my approach; some do take the news harder than other. I found it nice to hear about your concern for others and agree with YA_RLY on the following: "No, you are not being a wuss. You have to decide what feels right to you. You are being a considerate fellow Gradcafe member." Not posting your results will not any way hurt other members but will make you feel more at ease with your conscious and does reflect a certain kindness of spirit. On the other hand, posting your results does not mean that you are not a considerate fellow gradcafe member (so long as what you post is true to the best of your knowledge). Everyone on here is an autonomous agent - no one forces another to look at the results page, and everyone should be smart enough to realize that bad news may await them. You should not feel guilty about the results of another's actions.

I would now like to ask a slightly different question but on the same topic. I am considered not so much about the students but about the violation trust with the schools. I have received a few unofficial acceptances. Most I am ok with posting because they are of the "technically the graduate school has to admit you; the department can only recommend students for admittance...but you're in once the paperwork goes through" kind. However, what about more unofficial acceptances? like ones where the person from the admission board says that most decisions won't be made for another week or so but I just wanted to let you know that the deadline for certain university fellowships is now and we nominated you? or ones from a professor on the admission council that you know and may just be giving you an early heads up?

[kateow]

I posted an early acceptance of the last kind. If I remember correctly, I posted it as an "Other," to reflect the strangeness of the situation. I did wonder about the ethical considerations of posting it... Not sure if my POI would have appreciated it. But I felt like it was giving others looking for info from that school a heads-up that decisions were in the works...

Right choice? Wrong choice?