Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[dukelover50]

So i did contact two pois one at Emory and one at u Arizona....eep! One just said they are still on leave and remembers speaking with a recommend a few books for my thesis (small talk is a good start). The other said that they haven't begun to look at apps and wanted me to send my cv to see my chances and also recommended some books for my thesis (good ice breaker, no?)

I genuinely wanted their advice for my thesis but I didn't hide the fact about the second reason I initiated contact. I wouldn't try it on Harvard or Cornell or u Chicago. But I'm feeling better by their responses!!! I'm just a bold person (or crazy I guess).

[TMP]

Gee, Dukelover, couldn't you have just waited another month to ask about your thesis? I'm pretty sure that they saw right through your e-mail that it was more of "where are you guys in the process" than "I need help with my thesis." When I was applying as an undergrad for the PhD, I really did want to ask my POI to help me a little with my senior thesis but I waited until the school's decisions were out. When I didn't get in, I just e-mailed her with my questions. Guess what? She replied very nicely and said a few things about my application and then proceeded to answering my questions very fully.

Then I discovered that I could be considered for the MA in another department that she was affiliated with and I asked the graduate assistants to move my application over there. Within 2 weeks, I was accepted and my POI/now MA adviser had told my senior honors thesis professor a few weeks later at a conference how excited she was to meet me in the fall. She has said quite a few times since I graduated how glad she was to have fought for my application and supported me from the very beginning.

There's a lesson to be learned here. Your questions can really wait if you really want to get into that school. You will have to revise your thesis down the road anyway and inserting their suggestions would've been fine. Remember, a good senior thesis is a done thesis.

[dukelover50]

Wow okay. My thesis is quite complex so I asked some questions. I was upfront about thanking them, and I'm sure they know why I'm emailing. I never pretended in my emails or on this forum why I emailed them.

This forums all supportive until you step out of the box, huh?

[TMP]

Maybe I just had a lot more patience and didn't want to jinx my chances.

[SapperDaddy]

This forums all supportive until you step out of the box, huh?

Sometimes.

[holdon]

Wow okay. My thesis is quite complex so I asked some questions. I was upfront about thanking them, and I'm sure they know why I'm emailing. I never pretended in my emails or on this forum why I emailed them.

This forums all supportive until you step out of the box, huh?

I think TMP etc. were being supportive. I know I was being supportive when I suggested that you didn't contact POIs in the middle of selections.

There's a difference between being supportive and being sycophantic.

However, I hope it doesn't hurt your chances

[oseirus]

Well what's done is done right? :-)

[holdon]

Well what's done is done right? :-)

Great opening line for a History PhD SOP.

[dukelover50]

Oserius is right. Whats done is done and I don't regret it.

[holdon]

Oserius is right. Whats done is done and I don't regret it.

Great Yale Sample Book Review?

[Loimographia]

Everyone WAS being supportive initially: the advice was "hey, we totally understand how tempting it is to contact profs in the midst of all this, we feel your pain, we really do; BUT IT CAN TOTALLY BACKFIRE, SO DON'T DO IT, DON'T DO IT!" You basically really *really* lucked out that the professors didn't react poorly, because (imo) they would be pretty justified to be annoyed. They know nothing, and e-mailing them during decisions time is *just* short of nagging them, simply because you tacked on the questions about your thesis (good litmus test: would you have contacted them about reading suggestions right now if you didn't want to get an up on the admissions? If not, you're being dishonest to them). And I think a lot of profs *would* react poorly to this. I can think of at least one of my former profs who probably would have been openly irritated with you.

You either lucked out and got in touch with the nicer ones, or it's perfectly possible they were merely being courteous, and now when they're reading your app, instead of thinking "oh he's got some interesting ideas" they're now thinking "oh he's the one who couldn't just leave it alone." Because our entire point in warning you was that nothing good could come of contacting them: they're not going to look at it and say "oh he's the one who was so motivated that he just had to contact me during admissions" and odds are they don't have information on your application, because that's information the main department and the adcomm itself possess, generally (hence why we said, if you have to contact someone, make it the main department secretary, because he/she/it might be annoyed about it, but that won't effect your chances).

Furthermore, if every applicant did the same thing as you, and contacted these profs during decisions, it would suck up their time when they need it most (this is a really busy time of year for many profs). It makes you look, frankly, somewhat entitled, that you feel your application is worth more of a professor's time than anyone else's. I suspect this is what finally broke the straw on TMP's back.

I'm sorry for sounding short with you, but I think to ask us for advice, then when it doesn't suit your purposes, to go against everything we advised, and then the moment no one says "oh that's fantastic!" for ignoring everything we say, to criticize/insult the entire board, is unfair to the rest of us, and I think a little impatience is called for. I hope, however, this post doesn't go overboard, I don't want to insult you, just point out the logic behind the initial posts, and in the reaction. I'm posting in something of rush so if this does come off as mean, I apologize.

[Hopin'-n-Prayin']

Ok my fellow would-be UW Badgers- as of 10:54 am, the My UW portal still shows 'pending' for the apps...

A couple of reasons for optimist for UW results for all of us-

1. No one has gotten the heads up emails, so we are still in the running in equal footing, and

2. They traditionally take a very large cohort- 50 to 60 students accepted per year the last several years...

I am...Hopin'-n-Prayin'...for all us...

[Simple Twist of Fate]

My fish died sometime last night. I'm pretty distraught. Now I have a weirdly strong feeling I'll come back from class/work this evening to a Princeton rejection. Probably just a reflection of my mood - but I think NE Nat did say decisions would be sent before the sixth, which would either be today or Monday.

[CageFree]

Oh no! Poor fishie.

[dukelover50]

I asked if anyone could provide proof that it hurts to contact professors. And no one provided proof so I did it.

I think I recall saying I wouldnt try it with the top schools.

I never felt entitled. I was quite humble in my emails. And might I add, I got responses saying "I hope I see you in the fall".

Maybe I lucked out with nice professors, but oh well.

If everyone is going to get upset about it, then fine. I shared what I did since other people were sharing what they are doing too. My mistake.

[superfluousflo]

My fish died sometime last night. I'm pretty distraught. Now I have a weirdly strong feeling I'll come back from class/work this evening to a Princeton rejection. Probably just a reflection of my mood - but I think NE Nat did say decisions would be sent before the sixth, which would either be today or Monday.

I think that NE Nat said that the decisions would be made prior to the 6th. Last year, I was waitlisted via post around Valentine's Day. Acceptances might be relayed via email, which would have a quicker turn around.

[New England Nat]

I think that NE Nat said that the decisions would be made prior to the 6th.

This is accurate to what I said.

Princeton is still operating on the traditional calender, with the fall semester ending in mid to late January. The Spring semester starts monday (I've been reading for the first day of class all week).

Edited February 3, 2012 by New England Nat

[virmundi]

My fish died sometime last night. I'm pretty distraught. Now I have a weirdly strong feeling I'll come back from class/work this evening to a Princeton rejection. Probably just a reflection of my mood - but I think NE Nat did say decisions would be sent before the sixth, which would either be today or Monday.

I'm sorry about your fish!

[A Finicky Bean]

So, this morning I woke up and picked up the puppy. Was looking her in the eyes when she peed on me.

Morning everyone.

Now, smile. It is a new day and we should all take advantage of it (in whatever we way we think is good, barring hurting ourselves and/or others).

[crater21]

So, this morning I woke up and picked up the puppy. Was looking her in the eyes when she peed on me.

Morning everyone.

Now, smile. It is a new day and we should all take advantage of it (in whatever we way we think is good, barring hurting ourselves and/or others).

lol, awww!

Good morning!

I have the day off work today, which means more time to obsess...

[CageFree]

So, this morning I woke up and picked up the puppy. Was looking her in the eyes when she peed on me.

In Argentina, they say that stepping on dog poo means you'll get money. Maybe she peed good luck!

[TMP]

Smile? Not when you've been told that your fellowship materials are still missing or have yet to transfer to another department at one of your other top 3 choices and the deadline was um... Wednesday. I have a headache already.

[Kelkel]

So, this morning I woke up and picked up the puppy. Was looking her in the eyes when she peed on me.

Morning everyone.

Now, smile. It is a new day and we should all take advantage of it (in whatever we way we think is good, barring hurting ourselves and/or others).

I learned quickly that if you wake up puppy, the first thing you do is take it outside to pee. And that you don't let it stop longer than a second anywhere between kennel and grass. EVER.

[A Finicky Bean]

I learned quickly that if you wake up puppy, the first thing you do is take it outside to pee. And that you don't let it stop longer than a second anywhere between kennel and grass. EVER.

Oh, I know...but she looked so cute!

And, yes, TMP, smile. Worse things could be happening... Not to make what you are going through trivial but let us all keep this in perspective. I mean that in the most loving way possible (and, yes, loving over the internet...call me a hippy).

[schlesinger1]

Any guesses about which schools release decisions next week?