What were you doing when you received your acceptance?

[Ahab]

I'm living in Asia, so my acceptances have all come while I've been sleeping. The email alert on my iPhone has become like a second alarm clock...

[katemiddleton]

The moment that I got into Harvard was maybe the least 'real' moment of my life. I was sitting at my internship with my adviser, who is an incredibly nice and funny asian lady, and I had told her all about the fact that decisions would be sent out at 2:00 on Friday. So when the email comes up, I grab her arm so hard she must have though I was going into labor or something! My hands are shaking, my heart is beating so hard that I feel like it will jump out of my chest. I enter in the passwords and login information, and I can't find where on the website the decision is! So finally I find the link to the letter, and I don't even read past the first word-"congratulations!" I scream, she screams, and I call my mom and just glow for a moment. Then a few hours later, after I ended my internship, I go home and I realize that the letter didn't say anything about funding. So I go back on the website and I look for funding information, and I find out that I've been offered a presidential fellowship-full funding, plus a $10,000 stipend. Then the happy, crazy screaming jumping crying ensues.

On the dark side of this whole thing however, I have been unable to sleep and eat for two days, and have been alternately racked by fear and panic. Harvard (!!!!) wants me as a student? Is it a mistake? Do I belong there? Although my wildest dream came true, it is very frightening.

Edited March 14, 2011 by katemiddleton

[LeftField]

Ok, true story. Applied to 7 schools and had 5 rejections at that point. I had totally given up hope and was already making plans to talk to my boss about staying on for another year. On top of all the stress of the rejections, my doctor had decided that a funny looking bump needed to be removed, so after work I went for the procedure and came home with stitches in a place that made it difficult to sit. So I'm freaked out about stitches (I'm a pansy) and worried about the labwork (it was either nothing, or melanoma, fun choices!) and when I walk in the door my husband hands me a skinny envelope from Temple. I was so emotionally exhausted I nearly threw it in the trash unread. Thankfully, I opened it anyways and had to read the first sentence 3 times before it clicked. I laughed for 5 minutes at the irony and then cried for 15 from all the stress lifting. And the bump turned out to be nothing.

[dem]

Ok, true story. Applied to 7 schools and had 5 rejections at that point. I had totally given up hope and was already making plans to talk to my boss about staying on for another year. On top of all the stress of the rejections, my doctor had decided that a funny looking bump needed to be removed, so after work I went for the procedure and came home with stitches in a place that made it difficult to sit. So I'm freaked out about stitches (I'm a pansy) and worried about the labwork (it was either nothing, or melanoma, fun choices!) and when I walk in the door my husband hands me a skinny envelope from Temple. I was so emotionally exhausted I nearly threw it in the trash unread. Thankfully, I opened it anyways and had to read the first sentence 3 times before it clicked. I laughed for 5 minutes at the irony and then cried for 15 from all the stress lifting. And the bump turned out to be nothing.

That story actually brought tears to my eyes, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!!

[SimilarlyDifferent]

Our home was hit by massive flooding, and we had been evacuated since Friday 3/11. Our street was underwater and mail was being forwarded to a secondary post office because ours was closed due to the flood. I visited the forwarding office to pick up my mail Tues 3/15, and there was nothing, the woman was confused and said either it has been picked up or forwarded elsewhere.

Yesterday, Wed 3/16 was the first day our house has been accessible. The flood waters finally receded and I came home to asses the damage. Oh a whim, and expecting nothing, I opened up our mailbox and there was a thick envelope from school #1. I figured that since it was thick it was good news, but since they never contacted me for interview it was bad news. I didn't open it. I went inside and started working on cleaning up the mess left behind by the flood, and after seeing that the damage wasn't so bad I figured I could open the envelope because even if it was a rejection I could still be happy because our house wasn't massively damaged during the flood.

I opened it, and I read it a couple of times. I then called my husband and described the condition of the house to him, and only after that I told him about the acceptance. He was thrilled about both.

Edited March 17, 2011 by SimilarlyDifferent

[truc]

Standing at the mailbox in my apartment building. I started jumping up and down I was so excited...in front of the mailman.

[jsade]

I was sleeping with earplugs in because of my annoying cats and neighbors and woke up to my cell phone vibrating only to later realize I had missed the call on my home phone because of said earplugs...I put on Echoes by The Rapture and danced like Elaine from Seinfeld...the jehovah's witnesses across the street might have seen me....

[Mal83]

I was totally waiting for the first pot of coffee to finish percolating and bracing for a student to return my last email. Ugh. Suffice to say I read that missive several times, acquired coffee, and read it again before its meaning sank in. Much better than the dream I'd just been having in which I'd applied to Syracuse (I didn't) and they'd mailed me a cheap t-shirt and this mysterious set of children's toys which formed a puzzle that I had to successfully complete in order to attend...

HAHAHA! if only it were as easy as completing a child's puzzle. I work at a preschool...kid puzzles are really easy, you would have gotten in....although the other day I couldn't quite figure one out...just kidding.

I was sitting in my classroom at my preschool with another teacher during rest time. I had my ipod touch with me on which I have internet access, I don't have access to the school's internet but every so often it'll pick up some other wireless network in the area and it'll provide me with just enough time to check my email. I was expecting a response from George Mason simply to explain when I would hear from them about a decision. They had processed my application only 2 days before but didn't give me a time frame, I fully expected a good month at least. I emailed the coordinator of my program, she didn't get back to me the next day and was a little discouraged, waiting for the smallest bits of information was really getting to me. However, that day she did. She said, "I hope you are well! We just started making decisions and you should receive a very exciting letter in the mail next week!" "Very exciting" and lots of exclamation points were not what I was expecting. When I saw that and it registered I just blurted out "Oh My God!" The other teacher was like "what?" I proceeded to shakily explain what just happen. We were chatting for a few minutes after that, all the while I was just flabbergasted, which is the word she used to describe how I looked. Weeks prior I had been waitlisted by my dream school and still haven't heard from my second choice. I was depressed, couldn't take the waiting and my job was getting on my nerves. So after she left for the day being that it was still nap time I decided to call my dad because I needed to tell more people and of course my parents deserved to know before anyone else. The kids in my room were still sleeping but when I flipped the lights on I started to happily wake them up, I was so happy I wanted the kids to wake up...that's a new feeling for me. When I emailed her back to thank her for the exciting news she said I'm very welcome and if I have questions in the meantime to not hesitate to ask...the more I reread that email and the more it sinks in that I'm actually going to grad school in the DC area the higher up on that cloud I get. I cannot wait to get that packet in the mail.

[emmm]

I was at my volunteer job -- I was feeling really wiped out, because it's been a rough month. The acceptance is really helping, but when I first read it, I just think I was too drained to really react to the news. Plus, it didn't feel real. I'd already started preparing myself for a rejection.

[brassgod]

I was at work. Checked my mail in between meetings. Got email to check website, and I did. Got accepted to my bottom choice (no funding). Reaction: "Meh." Closed email and went to my next meeting.

[doozer]

Checked the mail and saw an acceptance with full funding....ended up buying a 30 pack of keith stone to celebrate

[psyentist4good]

I was on a trip with my friends in Northern California, and we were all standing in the our friend's kitchen eating homemade raspberry mocha cheesecake and sipping tea. I noticed that I had missed a call and I didn't recognize the number. Something told me that it was important, so I tried to be inconspicuous as I listened to the voicemail while everyone was chatting. I know this was rude, but I just had this feeling...

It was a call from a member of the decision committee; they had just convened the day before to make their decisions. They were really excited to offer me admission, and I was ecstatic to be admitted! When there was a break in the kitchen conversation, I managed to squeak out that I had just gotten accepted to a Ph.D. program! Needless to say, we all went right into celebration mode!

[poliscijunkie]

was at home finishing an essay due in a few hours..... got the email on my phone (didnt have that gut feeling like previously) so did not even hesitate, saw the title... heart started pounding.. instantly focused on finding the world reject/regret or accept/please, saw pleased, started literally squealing and jumping all around my apt and called my mom. my neighbours may have me admitted.

[Shadowfaxw]

Congrats to all accepted this season!

For Bangor, I don't remember where I was but I was happy about the unconditional offer, however, no funding.

For Georgia, I was stoked. The day before I received a rejection letter from our dear friends at Chapel Hill and I was seriously bummed. Then this envelope appears the next day with a red "Official acceptance" stamp and bearing a University of Georgia crest. I'm just thinking "no freaking way." I was shaking and started to hyperventilate on seeing my name, "Ph.D." and "admit" on the same page.

[gradmau5]

i JUST got off the wait list!

when i got the email, which was a personal email from the director, i was about to take a bite of my super chicken burrito, and eat the anxiety away...for a lil while. once i read it, i couldnt speak, and i lost my appetite!

ive been waiting since january, so this moment was just SO wonderful!

[psyentist4good]

i JUST got off the wait list!

when i got the email, which was a personal email from the director, i was about to take a bite of my super chicken burrito, and eat the anxiety away...for a lil while. once i read it, i couldnt speak, and i lost my appetite!

ive been waiting since january, so this moment was just SO wonderful!

Congrats gradmau5! I know that feeling of being so excited that you can't eat! That is a sign that you were authentically immersed in the joy of that moment. Remember that feeling throughout grad school, and let it remind you of how awesome you really are!

[farnsworth]

I was sitting in the living room and just got off the computer. Then my phone buzzed for an incoming email and I saw it there.

[PsyK]

I started a thread in the Social Work forum for UChicago applicants and watched as they posted their acceptances. I lost almost all hope since I wasn't hearing anything, and I was feeling a bit embarrassed to be the one who had excitedly opened the thread.

So, I had received my first acceptance to Loyola last Thursday, which was my second choice. I was very happy about that and pretty certain that I would be going there.

On Friday, I checked my email on my phone (just a nonchalant, habitual check) as I got home from work and saw an application subject heading from Chicago. I was completely surprised because I wasn't expecting to hear from them for another week or two. My eyes skimmed the email frantically. The official letter was attached, but there was a mention of a scholarship embedded in the email somewhere. What! I opened up the letter and saw the most beautiful fifteen-letter word: Congratulations!

My mom was on the phone as I was standing in the kitchen yelling, "OMG, OMG, I GOT IN!" She immediately hung up on the person to hug me. I then began running and jumping around the house for the next 20 minutes. Ok, probably more like 30 minutes.

Over the last few days, I've had several moments of happy tears just thinking about how thankful I am to have this opportunity. The shock is lifting slowly, and it's all beginning to sink in. I'm going to my dream program!

Edited April 6, 2011 by PsyK

[gradmau5]

She immediately hung up on the person to hug me. I then began running and jumping around the house for the next 20 minutes. Ok, probably more like 30 minutes.

haha i LOVE it!

im sure that person on the other end of the line understood. lol. CONGRATULATIONS!

[Sleepy]

I checked the survey section of this site and saw a bunch of acceptances and rejections for my program, so I assumed the letter should come any day in the mail. I waited for about 3 days and when nothing came, I called the department.

I asked to check my status since I hadn't heard anything yet. She checked while I prayed and crossed my fingers. She then informed me that I was on the waitlist for funding which is why I hadn't received a letter yet. So I asked: wait, so I'm in? She told me not to get too excited since the waitlist was apparently rather long.

Nonsense, I eventually got the funding

[veeto]

I was standing around getting ready for work when the phone call came - and it totally took me surprise, as I expected an email from this school....I went into shock basically right away when the Program Director said his name, and I wandered out onto my deck while still on the phone in a daze/crazy rush of joy. A couple minutes later I realized I was standing on my 4th floor balcony at 10:30 in the morning....in my underwear. Minor fail at life, but major win overall!

[christophinoz]

Had just climbed down from an active volcano in eastern DR Congo when a text arrived from the Old Dear. Accepted at No 1 school. GTFI!

Glad I didn't receive it whilst on the craters edge.

[psyentist4good]

I was standing around getting ready for work when the phone call came - and it totally took me surprise, as I expected an email from this school....I went into shock basically right away when the Program Director said his name, and I wandered out onto my deck while still on the phone in a daze/crazy rush of joy. A couple minutes later I realized I was standing on my 4th floor balcony at 10:30 in the morning....in my underwear. Minor fail at life, but major win overall!

LOL yeah a phone call like that will do that to a person. Congratulations on your acceptance! That's how I felt when I was called up by my POI and offered a fellowship! I was dazed and overjoyed, and I forgot where I was (in my car; it's a good thing I wasn't driving!) and when I hung up my 7 daughter cried "yaaaayyyy!!" from the back seat.

[Christina Brown]

These stories are making me all teary-eyed and I have not even decided on the schools that I will apply this fall! I can't wait to share my madness next year! Grats all

[ikatticus]

I had been rejected from all of my universities, so I decided to email my first choice to ask for some feedback in case I wished to apply again. The next morning I had just rolled out of bed, turned my computer on (completely forgot I had emailed them) and then saw they had replied. So I opened the email expecting them to tell me why I had been rejected, instead they said that I had been top of the PhD waiting list but it was never used, and did I want to do the MA instead fully funded as it would put me in a stronger position for my PhD application this time round. Errr YES!!!

Rang my mum's mobile, no answer! Rang my Dad at work and told him, then once I got off the phone I wept for about 5 mins because I was so shocked after all those rejections to get somewhere!