gomezdm Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Heh. I'm sorry everyone is so miserable, but it is so nice that other people feel the same way! I love that we all get to wallow in our misery together. Here, I'll add my misery: I almost had a panic attack on the subway yesterday. Fun!
lhistoire Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 not on this end. ugh. I feel sick and I've had a headache now for four weeks. right there with you...though i've had a constant headache for only about a week. I wish I could fall asleep and wake up only at the precise moment when there was news in my inbox...because seriously, still not hearing from UPenn is driving me up a wall. I'm fighting the urge to annoy an unsuspecting graduate secretary there with my queries...
fortiesgirl Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 I suffer from awful migraines and the stress from this whole process is not helping. I know what you mean when you say you're going crazy because you haven't heard from Penn because I still haven't heard from Hopkins. It's probably a rejection on my end, but I'd still like to know.
Louiselab Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Does anyone else get that feeling like they're going to vomit when they do the results search and find that a school has notified through email or something and yet you are distinctly email-less? I know I wanted news, but this was not what I had in mind...
lhistoire Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 yup...and not only do you want to vomit, but you then compulsively check your email every 2.4 seconds, as though, by checking it, you will magically make an email appear.
synthla Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Might be time for a trip to the bar, if that's your thing, or some other location away from email, computer, etc. It's not easy to force yourself to go to that place, but if you can get somewhere where it's just not physically possible for you to check your email or this site, even for a few hours, it might be good. An entire weekend would be even better. I visited friends in another city a couple weekends ago, had a great time, and it did wonders. I still thought about admissions, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't do anything about it, so my mind relaxed.
Sgt. Pepper Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 yup...and not only do you want to vomit, but you then compulsively check your email every 2.4 seconds, as though, by checking it, you will magically make an email appear. You mean that doesn't work?
riss287 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 riss, I met with a professor in November who told me that they don't start reviewing apps until mid-February. He said that applicants are notified in mid-March, which is much later than other programs. I would venture to say that they have definately not made decisions yet. There was a mishap with my online app a few weeks ago and I had to call the dept to straighten it out. I was in contact with the graduate studies director who reassured me that they would straighten it out and if the document was missing, there was still ample time to secure a copy because they don't review apps until mid-Feb. Did you meet with anyone there or visit? They are the kindest, most humane group of faculty I think I've ever met. My impressions were backed up by what the grad students had to say (I gathered emails en route). Thanks for the info! Yes, everyone I've been in contact with over there has been really nice and helpful. I know a grad student and a former employee and resident of Newark, and they both think the world of the place. I'm excited to hear back from them, but I suppose I'll have to wait a few more weeks!
fortiesgirl Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Might be time for a trip to the bar, if that's your thing, or some other location away from email, computer, etc. It's not easy to force yourself to go to that place, but if you can get somewhere where it's just not physically possible for you to check your email or this site, even for a few hours, it might be good. An entire weekend would be even better. I visited friends in another city a couple weekends ago, had a great time, and it did wonders. I still thought about admissions, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't do anything about it, so my mind relaxed. Unfortunately I don't get time off during the semester, but going away does sound great. I do okay from Saturday until Wednesday because I need to prep for class, write lectures, go to meetings, grade papers, etc. That helps me go into my own little world. Once Wed. afternoon hits, I might as well be an chronic email checker zombie. Sounds like a nickname from Seinfeld. lol Anyone else know what I'm talking about? Oh yeah, and I totally get the overwhelming anxiety that overcomes you.
RF237 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 I'm also waiting on Rutgers, which people were discussing in posts a few pages back. And Toronto, which according to the grad school website, might start notifying in January/February but often won't until mid-March. Seriously? Does anyone know when the Toronto history department generally makes its decisions? Or Cornell? Someone posted earlier that Cornell was done deciding, but I haven't heard anything. I did, however, receive my rejection from Harvard in the mail today, so it looks like they're sending out round 2 of rejections. I haven't seen any other rejections from them posted today, but I live near there, so I imagine I'd receive mine first. I'm beginning to think that, from a lot of these schools, if the first contact you receive is a postal letter, then it's not good news. Which is sad, really, because I so used to look forward to the mail.
StrangeLight Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 re: princeton being unfriendly in the application process, i found it to be the opposite. i contacted a prospective adviser for every school i applied to (9), and jeremy adelman from princeton was the first to reply. he and i wrote back and forth, and great length, over the course of about a month. he was very nice, challenged me to broaden my ideas, and even gave me tips on what to focus on when i wrote my personal statement. definitely seemed like the kind of prof i'd want as an adviser. tough but engaged. that said, i got rejected. but princeton's process was probably one of the most positive for me. i study latin american history, and the caribbean in particular, and adelman's the only prof there that really does latin america. judging by their list of current students, they take anywhere from 0-1 latin americanists a year, so the rejection wasn't surprising. i also got rejected from upenn a few days ago. also not surprising, considering they don't really "do" latin american history, despite having ann farnsworth-alvear there. not heartbreaking. i got accepted to the university of miami, probably the "worst" school i applied to, with full funding ($20,000/yr for 5 years), reduced TA requirements, and they're considering my application for a university-wide fellowship that, if i won, would give me another $10,000/yr for 5 years. they've emailed and called a few times, offered to defray the costs of visiting the school. all in all, a really positive acceptance, but it still makes me worry... they're courting me pretty heavily, but no one else is. but at least i'm going somewhere. the school has some solid faculty members and great resources for the sort of history i plan to do. still waiting on decisions from nyu, pittsburgh, cornell, michigan, and texas. i wasn't invited to nyu's prospective students weekend, but i applied and was accepted (with partial fellowship) to nyu's joint journalism/latin american studies dual masters program last year. i decided not to go because i've bailed on the journalism route, but if i can get into the latin american studies program with partial fellowship, surely i'm going to be seriously considered for a history phd? maybe? i met one potential adviser at a cocktail party at one of my professor's houses (he was drunk off his ass, which only makes me like him more), and another potential adviser is a "really good friend" of my current adviser, who seems to like me a lot, and yet i received nothing more than "apply and see what happens" when i tried to contact either of these people through email. pittsburgh, texas, and cornell were all really receptive to speaking with me, but in light of the princeton rejection after what i thought was a lot of engagement with my adviser, i don't feel good about any of those schools. michigan gave me the one liner of "i'd be happy to work with you should you be accepted," so i don't hold out much hope there.
kahlan_amnell Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 I'm beginning to think that, from a lot of these schools, if the first contact you receive is a postal letter, then it's not good news. Which is sad, really, because I so used to look forward to the mail. That's not necessarily the case. When I was applying to MA programs one of my acceptances arrived via post with no other notification. Perhaps this is less likely for Ph.D. programs, but it is possible.
sra08 Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Congratulations to all those with good news, and condolences to those with bad. Since I was the one who brought up Rutgers, I found out through contact with the department that they've been meeting in sub-committees this week and will meet as a full committee next week. So it might be some time before we hear anything. Is it confirmed that Harvard already sent out a "first round" of rejections? With 3 rejections and no acceptances, knowing that I at least made it past round one at Harvard would be a confidence boost.
Louiselab Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Congratulations to all those with good news, and condolences to those with bad. Since I was the one who brought up Rutgers, I found out through contact with the department that they've been meeting in sub-committees this week and will meet as a full committee next week. So it might be some time before we hear anything. Is it confirmed that Harvard already sent out a "first round" of rejections? With 3 rejections and no acceptances, knowing that I at least made it past round one at Harvard would be a confidence boost. Can I ask who it is? not a name, but just grad/admin/faculty? what are we talking about here?
fortiesgirl Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 misterpat-- Are you out there? Did you hear from Temple today? Someone got accepted. I haven't received any news on my online account. Here's hoping I hear something on Monday. Wish the best for you....
misterpat Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 misterpat-- Are you out there? Did you hear from Temple today? Someone got accepted. I haven't received any news on my online account. Here's hoping I hear something on Monday. Wish the best for you.... Likewise, best of luck. I received no contact from Temple today, and my owlnet has no admission decision listed. Something did change the other day, though. I didn't have a "Date Received" listed for my Writing Sample, but now they made the D.R. 2/17/09. Maybe that means they reviewed my app that day... I'm 0/2 so far, if I get rejected from Temple it's going to be difficult to remain positive. I'm hoping that person admitted was contacted by their future advisor and that official admits haven't gone out.
rustonite Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 That's not necessarily the case. When I was applying to MA programs one of my acceptances arrived via post with no other notification. Perhaps this is less likely for Ph.D. programs, but it is possible. I got accepted to Catholic's PhD program through the post, no other contact.
canadiana Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Michigan seems to have notified successful applicants earlier this week as someone posted an acceptance on 17 February...which saddens me as I had high hopes.
fortiesgirl Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Likewise, best of luck. I received no contact from Temple today, and my owlnet has no admission decision listed. Something did change the other day, though. I didn't have a "Date Received" listed for my Writing Sample, but now they made the D.R. 2/17/09. Maybe that means they reviewed my app that day... I'm 0/2 so far, if I get rejected from Temple it's going to be difficult to remain positive. I'm hoping that person admitted was contacted by their future advisor and that official admits haven't gone out. I know from experience that they do have a habit of entering the dates on you and this made me freak out before because I had two applications in their system and I wanted to make sure they had received the correct documents and used my updated LORs and GREs for evaluation. I had to call the departmental secretary (who is as nice as can be) and she cleared it up for me and calmed my anxiety. So yeah, they probably updated your status and you'll hear on Monday. btw, when I was accepted in 2006, I heard from them the week of Feb 20(this year it happened to fall on a Friday so don't freak out). When I was rejected last year(before I retook the GRE), it took them until the week of the 28th to let me know. You seem to have an excellent record--I don't see why you'd be rejected.
histdee Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Harvard reject letter in the mail today. I live in Cambridge, so I'm guessing they might be on their way this week for others who haven't heard anything positive from Harvard.
Sonic Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Is the person who received the admit letter from Brown around? I have so much fear that my ridiculously unreliable postal worker is going to mess up my mail, any info would be great. Looks like I'm going to have to pull out my lawn chair and camp out at the mailbox...
kahlan_amnell Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Michigan seems to have notified successful applicants earlier this week as someone posted an acceptance on 17 February...which saddens me as I had high hopes. Only one notification has been posted, and it was from a faculty member. I'd say they probably haven't finished sending out acceptances yet.
Auzzfest Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 Question for everyone.... I have to head back to the states for an emergency the beginning of next week, and the trip will certainly be my only one before eventually moving back for grad school. I figure if I am going to be flying 10 hours back home, I should visit schools while I'm there. Unfortunately I haven't heard news from over half of the schools I have applied to, so I have no idea if I should plan to make visits. Do you guys think it is really unprofessional for me to email the professors I was in contact with during the application process to ask them what the status of my app is and whether I might want to make a visit. Normally I would never even think of contacting the schools but its going to be very frustrating if I get back to Colombia only to find out that I have been accepted somewhere else. I guess this is all a bit optimistic, because its perfectly possible that I don't get accepted anywhere else, but I just figure I should take advantage of the trip if I can. Congrats to all who have recieved good news, and I appreciate any insights you might have.
petpolitics Posted February 22, 2009 Posted February 22, 2009 to current and past applicants - - i'm not sure if anyone has experience with this, but i figured it was worth a shot. i was notified (today while on vacation) that i am on the waitlist for a top school that i would like to attend this fall. the language in the email says that i'm on a "short wait list of strong applicants." i was accepted to one other program so far but i would prefer this waitlisted program - it's really a great fit, great location, etc. should i immediately respond to their email? what's the proper procedure/etiquette in this situation? i'd appreciate any feedback - thanks!
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now