What were you doing when you received your acceptance?

[MadameNon]

I was watching an episode of MTV's Teen Mom 2. One of the girls was fretting about not finishing high school and trying to sign up for beauty school. I was thinking "I may be feeling worthless about not getting any acceptances, but at least I am not a teen mom with no education." And right then, I got some good news!

[HatedByTheRegulars]

I CAN COMPLETELY RELATE TO THIS POST....When you look at where you are and think about where your are getting ready to go, you understand the sheer awesomeness of the opportunity....

I was working at the @pple store, where I've been a "personal trainer" for three years. When found out I was accepted to one of my top-choice PhD programs, I took a long look around the sales floor and breathed a deep sigh of relief, as I will never have to sell iPods on Christmas Eve again. This memory I will certainly carry with me in my studies of a reminder of what this opportunity means.

[adelashk]

Classic!!!! Congratulations!

Much obliged, kind sir.

[kajan457]

I was checking to see if there were any e-mails in my spam folder that shouldn't be when I found my acceptance e-mail from UCLA. I should say that's not spam!!!

Of course a happy dance, squealing, and the calling of the parents came soon after!

Edited February 27, 2011 by kajan457

[dmf]

Finally got my first acceptance today! Knew the adcom was meeting today and POI had said she'd let me know ASAP so I'd been going nuts checking email and phone all day.

Got the call at 6:30 while at the drug store waiting for a prescription to be filled.... Had to be quiet and act like a normal person for a whole 15min before I could get in my car and scream with joy! Then went home and ate a burrito and drank a beer!

What a good feeling!!!!!!!!!!

[Serenity]

I was just sitting at my computer checking my e-mail every 5 seconds, and suddenly I received a message to my junk folder. So naturally I knew it had to be important (not sure why hotmail does this... sends all my important e-mails to the junk folder). I was a bit hesitant to open it of course, but when I seen the result I was quite ecstatic... considering the only schools I heard from I was rejected from .

Edited March 3, 2011 by Serenity

[NUcat72]

I was working when I received my email. Oooh I needed that soooooo bad!!!

[FutureSLP]

I have spent the last 4 days in bed, sick out of my mind. This morning I woke up at 6am feeling remarkably better. My iPhone was buzzing next to the bed that I had new e-mails, so I started deleting all the junk e-mail that usually comes in over night. Delete, delete, delete, del--wait a second. It's a university e-mail! Sure enough, I received a "your application status has changed" e-mail.

No status was mentioned in the e-mail though, so I bolted out of bed to my laptop to frantically check the application status site. My boyfriend thought I was having another sick moment. But I came running back into the bedroom and started jumping up and down on the bed yelling "I'm got in! I got in! I got in!". My boyfriend seriously thought my fever had gotten the best of me!

I don't know if my fever has finally broke or what, but I'm now feeling 100 times better. Drinks out in Harvard Square to celebrate with the girls tonight! Sickness be damned!

[Savvy]

I got my first acceptance this morning, and it was definitely memorable! I went to a Brit Lit 2 midterm this morning, and as I was taking the awful essay test, I heard my phone buzzing in my backpack. I didn't think anything of it, until after class when I saw that I had gotten a text and a phone call from my mom asking when I could get on Facebook (she's pretty tech savvy for a mom haha). I texted her back saying that I was on Facebook, and all she sent back was a smiley face. Then a notification popped up that my mom had posted on my Wall. I went to my profile, and she had scanned in my acceptance letter from University of Nevada-Reno and posted it to my Facebook wall as a photo! They had apparently sent it to my home address instead of my school address, and she wanted to surprise me. It definitely worked! I was in the library at the time, and I got some very weird looks when I squealed and started jumping up and down for about ten seconds. This is such a relief! And I will definitely remember my first acceptance

[messybrownhair]

I got the letter from Emerson today as I was having lunch. My father-in-law casually dropped my mail on the table and I saw the Emerson logo. The envelope was really thin and so I was so disheartened. I had already received my rejection from UMass Amherst the night before. But when I glanced at the envelope again, under my name said CONGRATULATIONS, and I was just like OMG OMG OMG! I quickly ripped it open, read it, and screamed!!!! I called up my husband who's in Army training and just cried

[aucinema]

I got my first acceptance on Friday while I was on my way to New York City for the weekend. That afternoon I had visited my mom at work and she had asked me, "Oh, if you get a letter in the mail from Top Choice University while you're away, should your dad and I open it?" I told her that I really wasn't expecting a letter since my application had just been forwarded to the department the week before and almost everyone there was away at a conference, but I told her that if a letter came in she should open it and call me if it was good news, but to hold off calling if it was bad news so that my weekend wouldn't be ruined.

I completely forgot about the conversation until that evening when my friend and I were on the train to NYC. My dad called me and said, "Oh, about that letter that came in, you were accepted." I said, "What letter?" When I finally realized what he was talking about, I freaked out. I think everyone on the train thought I was off my rocker. I made him read it out loud to me and jumped up and down for a while and then sat down ... and then jumped up and down again before my friend forcibly pulled me back into my seat.

My mom is so clever - she knew how to formulate a plan of action without rising my anxiety level. I love her!

[GI1]

Uh...., let me tell you what just happened, I came back from school, went to my room and checked my email, from my messenger I understood I've got new emails, I checked and the subject was graduate application, when I saw it I really didn't think of being admitted (I really didn't think it is about the results and thought it is probably an update) I opened it and it said: Dear GI1, Congratulations!.....Oh My God!!!! I didn't read the rest and I just screamed (really) and then I started to cry and thanked God, my mom heard my scream and ofcourse my crying and thought I was rejected from a school, so she came to my room and I told her the good news so she was suprised too.....I am really happy, I had one rejection before so I was a bit depressed... I must add that I have not received any funding for it and it is almost as an reject ( I was a little sad about that afterwards, I really like this school) but still it means a lot to me, it encourages me to stay hopeful, and I hope to get some good news and funding from other schools in the future!!

bottom line: stay hopeful guys nd gals!!

Edited March 7, 2011 by GI1

[neuropsych76]

I was checking my email and wondering why school X was taking so long to contact me post-interview. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it was unlikely they would accept me since they were taking so long to get back to me and I was sadly thinking I might not get in anywhere. Then all of a sudden, I get an acceptance email from school Y totally out of the blue with no interview required. It was awesome

[DrPepper-olic]

I was at home for lunch, and my husband brought me my phone before heading out the door. (You know, so I could check for a rejection email before heading back to work. They feel less hurtful when you have to squint to read them.) I saw that one of the 3 new messages in my inbox was from "admissions" and had a file attachment. Honestly, it looked like an ad. I've been receiving a large number of spams since I put my email on the GRE search list when I took the test. I opened the email anyway, and saw it was from Top Ranked U. (This school wasn't even my top choice because I thought I had no chance.)

I was sure it was going to be a rejection so I asked my husband to stay for a minute. Then I started reading. "...I am pleased to offer you admission..." WTF?! I told him I thought it was spam because below it there was information about downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader. A little further down I found a link to a PDF, and, to be sure, it really was an admission letter, with financial aid papers. It took a minute or so for the news to soak in because I've been so melancholy lately. I noticed my husband's eyes watering. I read the letter again. I read the financial offer. I jumped up off the couch and onto my husband. We jumped up and down squealing. I did a happy dance.

Then I called my folks. That conversation was so anticlimactic. At least I'm glad I could express to them how grateful I am that they loaned me cost-of-living money for grad school. (I'm probably to blame because I figured this school was such a reach that I should've worn a harness when I applied. I didn't talk up the school at all because I didn't want to get my hopes up either. They have no idea about the school's reputation or how I could only dream of studying under the same great minds whose theories I've toyed with in my own research.)

I called my friend and called my brother, both of whom know more about my field. That turned out much better. And I could finally offer a sincere, sane apology for being so crazy for the last six months. And now I'm posting the good news here. Yay!

[Amalia222]

walked in garage door after hectic day teaching third graders. Was thinking only of shower/food/check email. "Ding" on ipod, a sound that lets me know it's retrieved my email. I wasn't expecting to hear back from anyone so soon, I hadn't had any responses yet. In the email inbox was the subject line "Welcome to TAMU English" and I almost fainted. Immediately called mom.

[Matilda_Tone]

I was on break at work- as soon as I got off, I checked my email on the computer in the staff room and there was nothing. So I started my lunch and joked with some of my coworkers about how checking my email every ten minutes wasn’t going to make the notifications come any faster. Then, ten minutes later, I went back to the computer to check my email again (joking about how I was developing OCD) and within seconds saw a new email titled “PhD Acceptance.”

Then I screamed, jumped up and down, and started pacing across the room. My coworkers were amused.

I think this goes to show that checking your email every ten minutes CAN make a difference

Edited March 8, 2011 by Matilda_Tone

[katemiddleton]

I had a dream about my top choice school last night-I was writing my first paper for the program, and the professor of the class calls me into his office and says "we need to talk." And I get a C on the paper, which is a failing grade in grad school. So I wake up from this nightmare freaking out, and call my boyfriend *WHO IS A SAINT FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME at 8:40 in the morning to beg him to call this program and find out when admissions offers will come out (because i'm afraid that by now they might recognize my voice). He, of course, refuses this INSANE request, and tells me that I'm obsessed about grad school and need to calm down. I agree with him, but sit on grad cafe and check my emails compulsively for an hour straight anyway. At 9:40 AM I get the email from the graduate assistant at my dream school that I'm in, and that I'm fully funded ($40,000 a year!!!). I scream very loudly, wakeup the whole house, have champagne brunch with my family, update my fb status, and now this weekend I'm throwing an enormous barbecue and pool party for all my friends who put up with my literal insanity during this process. Good luck and good job to us all!

Edited March 8, 2011 by katemiddleton

[Yuri_Gagarin]

It was late and I was at work.

Well, it was really late and I had really a lot of work.

My father called me on the phone: When are you comming? You've got a letter from Stanford.

- WHAT????. OPEN IT!!! WHAT DOES IT SAY????

- I've already opened it, but I can't translate the meaning. I think you've been accepted, but.. I don't know (Yes, I'm international and my father doesn't speak english)

- TAKE THE CAR, COME HERE, RIGHT NOW !!!

The most terrifying 15 minutes in human history elapsed...

My father arrived, it was my first acceptance, we went to have a beer in the cafe by the next corner and then I exhausted the battery of my phone calling, and calling, and calling...

[heelsoverhead]

I was in the TA office, telling my friends how much I sucked at life since I had received two rejections that morning. I was telling them there was just no hope for me, when all of the sudden my phone beeps and a message pops up saying "Good News!" I couldn't believe it, one of my top choices! I checked the email and couldn't read past the first sentence. I started crying and laughing in front of my fellow TAs. The next few minutes were spent calling pretty much everyone. I was speechless for the rest of the day pretty much.

[xyz123abcefg]

I was sitting around a conference table with about 6 other people in a lab meeting (a very BORING lab meeting, you know, the kind where you talk about finances and administrative crap?) , so there was no where to hide. I checked my BB after I heard an email notification and sure enough, it was from the coordinator of my top choice program where I had interviewed the week prior. My heart started racing, my palms got sweaty...but I kept my cool. I figured if I read the email quickly and get it over with, no matter the outcome, I can relax and continue with my boring meeting. Of course, the email was not that straight forward, but after about 10 seconds of suspense I read the words "congratulations". I almost fell out of my seat! I had to put on my best poker face to keep from smiling for the next 20 minutes of blabbing...you know, because the meeting was THAT boring and I didn't want to give myself away. Once we finished I call my mom and told her the good news.

[elunia]

My first acceptance (for one of my top schools) came quite early, I guess because I'd visited the school before apps were due and therefore didn't have to be interviewed. I had an email from my POI asking for a phone conversation, which I agreed to, thinking it would be an interview, or that he had some questions for me. Later I was meeting with someone at work and had to excuse myself to take the call, and he told me I had gotten in!! I was so surprised I thought I'd misheard him at first. After hanging up, I did a happy dance alone in my office, called my parents, sister, and boyfriend, and then went back to my meeting. I didn't run around telling everyone because I kind of just wanted to keep it to myself and quietly enjoy it, but later I started telling people and I was so flattered at how happy they were for me. I was on a cloud for a few days!

[leopolds]

When I got my acceptance, I was literally in the middle of writing an article and then just nonchalantly checked my e-mail. I saw an email with the header 'CONGRATULATIONS' with one of my top choice school's listed next to it. I opened the e-mail and flipped out with excitement! Then I threw my hands in the air and did one of those 'YESSSSS!' fist pumps (not Jersey Shore style, though).

Then I went to see my girlfriend at work and we celebrated with a delicious lunch! So thrilled!

[curiouslyidling]

I just got my first acceptance, and I was so excited to finally be able to post in this thread!

I'm at work.. oops.. but I was really in the zone and doing everything I'm supposed to be doing when I decided to just check if I had any new emails. Sure enough, the little (1) was there in my gmail tab, and when I opened it up, it said "GSPIA Admissions Decision Available".. my admissions decision was available on the website! My heart started pounding out of my chest and I somehow accidently closed every single browser I had open, so I had to reopen them all, which was annoying. Managed to find my log-in and everything, and read my admissions decision! I read the first three lines probably 6 times, then I calmly got up, found my key card, and went down two floors to tell my husband (we work for the same company). Went out to the corner store to get some celebratory chocolate, and then I went and called my mom. Now I'm supposed to be working again.. but instead I've just been sending out text messages to my friends letting them know, and they're all super-excited too! Yay!!

Edited March 8, 2011 by curiouslyidling

[FionatheFeminist]

I like this thread! It's nice to hear everyone's stories..

But I'm going to tell the story of when I was notified that I had landed an interview with one of my top 3 schools. It had been over 2 months since my first applications were due and I was so sick of waiting to hear back. Honestly, I was at the point that I didn't even care if it was a rejection, I just wanted to hear something, anything!

Anyway, it was Valentine's Day and I was on campus waiting around after work until my afternoon class. But I had decided to skip class because I wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to be on campus (3 years ago, there was a shooting at my school on Valentine's day and it was just a strange and sad day) so I headed home. When I got home, I laid down on the couch hoping some 30 Rock would take my mind off things. After a few episodes of 30 Rock, I randomly checked my email and there is was.. an email with something in the subject line about "Women's and Gender Studies"... I didn't even read the whole subject line because I was so impatient to read the email.. I read the first two sentences and discovered that I had been invited to an on-site interview!! I was in awe, I almost didn't even apply to this program because I was sure that I wouldn't get in. I jumped up and down, screamed a whole bunch and did a little happy dance with my dog (she was not amused that I had woken her up from her nap). I then yelled "ME!" and "they want ME!." Then I immediately called my sister and left her a (I'm sure, an insane) message. I then called my other sister who happened to be pulling up to my house. When she got to my house we did another little happy dance together and celebrated with Jimmy Johns.. hahaha. So I interviewed the next week and got an email two days later telling me that I was accepted! I was ecstatic!

A few days later, I ran into my neighbor who lives above me.. When he saw me he congratulated me on getting an interview at Austin. Hahahah, he said that he was worried that something terrible was happening to me but in between my celebratory "oh my gods" and jumps he was able to make out "interview" and "Texas" and knew it was good news. Hahahaha.

Edited March 13, 2011 by FionatheFeminist

[GoCanada]

I was writing a midterm when my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I figured it was just one of my friends calling, wondering where I was on a Friday.

I finished the exam and the number was from Quebec. I figure it's probably a telemarketer, since there's no voicemail, but I call it anyway. Turns out it's a professor from my dream school.

Now, I'd had the worst week before because my dream school had lost my transcripts and my letters of reference. The application was due in January but they emailed me Wednesday to tell me the adcomm meets on Monday and they had never received them, even though I had included everything in my original package. So what followed was a mad scramble with my Registrar's Office and my profs to get everything sent off again. Luckily my university is small and everything got sent away.

This is the top school in the country. I applied to it on a whim. No way I get in now.

But the prof is just saying they'd like for me to come down and visit so I think, "That's nice, they probably just want to meet me." But then he says they were really excited about my app and I was a first round selection and they had an acceptance package in the mail with a funding offer.

I've been over the moon ever since.