Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[oseirus]

WOW I am shocked that Berkeley is doling out their rejections today, since it is a Friday. I know it sounds childish on my part, but I was thinking that no one has that level of sangfroid to literally poop on a person's weekend. Guess I was wrong. Sorry to hear that folks.

[taybaxter]

for people waiting on Berkeley-- checked their website today, got a rejection. (I think we can mostly assume that if you haven't gotten an acceptance from them, it's an implicit rejection, but check the website!) Kind of a bitter pill to swallow, since it was my undergrad institution...but in MUCH BETTER NEWS: got into Yale!

I know how that feels! But at least we both still have alternatives.

EDIT: On a side note I'll be interviewing undergraduate applicants to my school as an alumn volunteer tomorrow so I'm just going to have to get past any and all bitterness. I really do want to portray my school positively after all.

Edited February 10, 2012 by taybaxter

[Loimographia]

WOW I am shocked that Berkeley is doling out their rejections today, since it is a Friday. I know it sounds childish on my part, but I was thinking that no one has that level of sangfroid to literally poop on a person's weekend. Guess I was wrong.  Sorry to hear that folks.

The image of someone literally pooping on another person's weekend will probably keep me laughing through the weekend, thanks ^-^

[CageFree]

That sucks re: Berkeley.

[oseirus]

I know how that feels! But at least we both still have alternatives.

EDIT: On a side note I'll be interviewing undergraduate applicants to my school as an alumn volunteer tomorrow so I'm just going to have to get past any and all bitterness. I really do want to portray my school positively after all.

Oooo ... man all that power ... how do I get on that gravy train?

[A Finicky Bean]

rejected from berkeley. not surprised. i'll just post my further rejections on the results page rather than coming here and saying that i've gotten rejected, because then i will just have to do that 4 more times.

Congrats to all those getting in, particularly all those with multiple choices. Though...I don't think the sorting through which one to accept will be that difficult...some of us only wish for that situation.

I just wish one school would let me in.

[pugsley87]

Do not give up AFB. Seriously, it ain't over 'till it's over. And if it means reapplying, it's well worth it, as several of us going for our second round can vouch.

Does anyone want to claim the American history UPenn admit? If yes, please PM me with time period/potential advisers

[Ganymede18]

Thought that might be the case, I did some looking at prior years & compared. History seems to go really early. Almost as fast as the sciences can be.

Yes, history generally gets their responses going earlier than religion/theology.

Several of the top religion PhD programs (includes ones with very good HC/HB) have already sent out interview notifications or have even held their interview weekends already, but most of the others haven't sent anything out. Stuff will start happening. My year it was the last two weeks in February into the first week in March, but stuff in history happened later my year, too.

[Safferz]

Also rejected from Berkeley! Great school, but not particularly strong for my research areas and too far from home.

I withdrew my application from my undergraduate institution today, University of Toronto -- learned they were about to give me an offer as early as this afternoon if I changed my mind, but I don't want to take up space when I'm certain I won't be attending. So heads up to any UofT applicants, it looks like they're close to making their first round of offers.

[volta36]

Okay folks, I'm going to go ahead and put Yale into the "rejection" column. Haven't heard anything yet, and I think all admitted people have been notified through DGS.

This one hurts a bit because I actually thought I had a really good interview and a very nice chat with my POI. I almost wish I hadn't been asked to interview because then at least I wouldn't have got my hopes up for no reason.

[CageFree]

rejected from berkeley. not surprised. i'll just post my further rejections on the results page rather than coming here and saying that i've gotten rejected, because then i will just have to do that 4 more times.

Congrats to all those getting in, particularly all those with multiple choices. Though...I don't think the sorting through which one to accept will be that difficult...some of us only wish for that situation.

I just wish one school would let me in.

Don't talk like that. You still have to hear from others. Stay strong.

[bounban]

Rejected from Princeton, as I expected..

[Simple Twist of Fate]

rejected from berkeley. not surprised. i'll just post my further rejections on the results page rather than coming here and saying that i've gotten rejected, because then i will just have to do that 4 more times.

Congrats to all those getting in, particularly all those with multiple choices. Though...I don't think the sorting through which one to accept will be that difficult...some of us only wish for that situation.

I just wish one school would let me in.

I hope your luck turns, AFB. I'm in a similar boat, having only received rejections and implicit rejections. I'm not someone who believes in fate or destiny or that "everything happens for a reason" (as my girlfriend and others keep unhelpfully telling me) but I do think that we can make opportunities out of our misfortune. I expect to return as a stronger, more knowledgeable applicant next year if I don't get in anywhere this year (which is a reality I'm increasingly being forced to confront). I hope you do so as well.

[oswic]

^{I hope your luck turns, AFB. I'm in a similar boat, having only received rejections and implicit rejections. I'm not someone who believes in fate or destiny or that "everything happens for a reason" (as my girlfriend and others keep unhelpfully telling me) but I do think that we can make opportunities out of our misfortune. I expect to return as a stronger, more knowledgeable applicant next year if I don't get in anywhere this year (which is a reality I'm increasingly being forced to confront). I hope you do so as well.}

^{My sentiments exactly, although it's hard to be patient and much easier to succumb to heartache. It's still on the early side for admissions decisions, I suppose.}

^{Thanks for the responses about language training. I decided to apply to Middlebury's 8-week program and look into Pimsleur CDs.}

^{Best of luck to everyone!}

[pugsley87]

I hope your luck turns, AFB. I'm in a similar boat, having only received rejections and implicit rejections. I'm not someone who believes in fate or destiny or that "everything happens for a reason" (as my girlfriend and others keep unhelpfully telling me) but I do think that we can make opportunities out of our misfortune. I expect to return as a stronger, more knowledgeable applicant next year if I don't get in anywhere this year (which is a reality I'm increasingly being forced to confront). I hope you do so as well.

I'm sorry you guys that you've just gotten rejections. I was there last year and it hurt beyond belief. With that said, there's still time this round. If the worst happens, and I hope it doesn't, the year will go faster than expected because you know exactly what you want. Reapplying sucks (the amount of time to call profs, write statements, etc) BUT think of it this way: you have so much ready. I already had a great writing sample, my GRE scores, and my letters of rec all done (my letter writers updated their letters, which was awesome). Yes, a new personal statement needs to be written and new profs/old profs need to be contacted, but it's so much calmer the second time around because you know the game.

For what it's worth, my application credentials barely changed the second year I applied. What changed is that I got a job in the "real world" outside of academia, and had extra time to think about what grad school really means to me and what I really want to study. As a result, my application was more mature this year without having any extra bells and whistles.

Again, this can still all be a very moot point. It only takes one.

[Applicant12]

First time posting here, though I've been reading for a few days. I was also rejected from Berkeley today, though I'm in at USC and visiting there in a few weeks.

Does anyone have any info on NYU decisions? I see on the results page that two people, at least, were invited to the prospective students' weekend a week or two ago, but it looks as if those invites were at least somewhat unofficial. Do we think that anyone not invited thus far is probably out of the running?

[RevolutionBlues]

Rejected from Berkeley. Pretty devastating since my partner is in graduate school there. This weekend is going to suck.

[sandyvanb]

AFB, I am with you... I am expecting rejections from Georgetown, UPenn, NYU, OSU and Harvard. Now I am trying to wrap my head around the depression of not starting in a PhD program next year, talking to the chair about getting my contract renewed next year and what I can do to improve my app. I am going to be beyond blue if I get rejected from ten schools...

[Kelkel]

AFB, I am with you... I am expecting rejections from Georgetown, UPenn, NYU, OSU and Harvard. Now I am trying to wrap my head around the depression of not starting in a PhD program next year, talking to the chair about getting my contract renewed next year and what I can do to improve my app. I am going to be beyond blue if I get rejected from ten schools...

I meant to say this earlier, but sorry you had such a bad day (with the seizure and everything). At least she told you what to do. Also sorry about feeling down, I know the feeling from last year

[sandyvanb]

Thanks Kelkel. I am just so tired and emotionally drained. I am so ready to get back to my studies and I am trying to accept that there is a good chance that it won't be next year. I do have things to work on; a conference paper, revising an article for submission and research for another article. But I am just so ready to be a student again, though I love being in the classroom. I'm going to spend the weekend writing an exam and drinking...

[TMP]

Seriously, hang on and I agree with Pugs. There is something to be said about being out of academia for a bit.

I promise that I'll write a post of my own. I want to reflect for a bit.

And, I agree with someone who said that POIs can get emotionally attached... and it's FUN! I'll explain in my post how to get that done... I promise.

Go easy on yourselves this weekend. It's only just the 2nd weekend of February. Go Valentine's Day shopping or something.

[CageFree]

TMP - that's an awesome quote.

[TMP]

Google for the commencement speech video. I just LOVED it. I listened to it while working on my SOP for this year last spring. At the time, I just had nothing. I had nothing to believe in and was looking for a new voice. When I heard her speak, I thought, well, I'm going to try and do what she says. She's own heck of a woman, I tell you.

[A Finicky Bean]

If I am rejected across the board, I'm going to wait and apply during Fall of 2013 for the Fall of 2014 class. I think this would be good so that I can spend next year learning more languages (I only have 2.5) and trying to get published and also attending more conferences.

It is going to be oh-so fun going to Berkeley this spring to deliver a presentation at a conference I am participating in.

Edited February 11, 2012 by A Finicky Bean

[goldielocks]

Hey everyone. Looks like I missed an eventful day around here. I received my Berkeley rejection today, too. No surprise. Congratulations to all who were accepted!