Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Heard from W&M about the wait list. I'm second on their list, and there are two offers that are still undecided. My reaction:

[oseirus]

Thanks all, and yes, it is UMass at Amherst.

Well I know have a reason to hate Beantown less

[oseirus]

Heard from W&M about the wait list. I'm second on their list, and there are two offers that are still undecided. My reaction:

well played Twist

[crazedandinfused]

Congrats Hogs! I declined their offer like a week ago but I decided not to tell you in order to spare you the unnecessary agony.

Addendum: This thread has 250,000+ views. That's greater than the population of the 'metropolis' in which I currently reside.

Edited April 4, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[oseirus]

Addendum: This thread has 250,000+ views. That's greater than the population of the 'metropolis' in which I currently reside.

you should also add that to the trivia thread

[Hogs of War]

Heard from W&M about the wait list. I'm second on their list, and there are two offers that are still undecided. My reaction:

I LOVE that scene in Dumb and Dumber

Last week looking at the MegaMillions. . .that was my same reaction before I paid my $10 in stupid tax. . . .opps. . . I mean bought $10 worth of tickets.

[oseirus]

I LOVE that scene in Dumb and Dumber

Last week looking at the MegaMillions. . .that was my same reaction before I paid my $10 in stupid tax. . . .opps. . . I mean bought $10 worth of tickets.

In all fairness, lottery ticket and cigarettes funded my undergraduate education, so to each and every degenerate gambler/smoker in the state of Florida circa 2001-2005, I salute you!

[Kelkel]

Okay, so here's a question:

The DGS told me I would indeed be working with my POI. I was one of those people who didn't contact them before I applied, so how do I go about introducing myself this time? I mean obviously he would know my research interests at this point (hopefully). I want to just say "hey my name is ______ and I'm very excited to be working with you in the fall. If you have any questions about me, ask!"

But that just seems... meh.

HALP

[crazedandinfused]

I just got offered an unfunded MA at NYU. I immediately declined. I have a funded PhD elsewhere but now the second-guessing begins. Can we start a making-yourself-competitive-for-the-job-market thread?

Edited April 4, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[uhohlemonster]

Crazed, where are you going for the PhD?

[crazedandinfused]

Crazed, where are you going for the PhD?

I'm headed to Stony Brook. I'm quite happy about it - their program is really, really funky in the good sense of the word.

I'm just worried about jobs. But that's not my problem until friggin 6 years from now. I'm going to learn the two languages that I like to pretend I know - French and Portuguese - and write the killer dissertation that has been fermenting in my mind for the last year, and it will have 5, yes 5, funded years to beautifully age. What am I talking about? Agh, whatever. Back to my monstrous reading list.

Edited April 4, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[uhohlemonster]

Great! I'm a Long Islander so yeah, go Stonybrook! (I've only been to that town once, but still. YEAH LONG ISLAND!... I never show my LI pride.)

[TMP]

Congrats, crazed!

[Hogs of War]

I'm headed to Stony Brook. I'm quite happy about it - their program is really, really funky in the good sense of the word.

I'm just worried about jobs. But that's not my problem until friggin 6 years from now. I'm going to learn the two languages that I like to pretend I know - French and Portuguese - and write the killer dissertation that has been fermenting in my mind for the last year, and it will have 5, yes 5, funded years to beautifully age. What am I talking about? Agh, whatever. Back to my monstrous reading list.

congrats!

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Just declined UConn officially. I've been headed in this direction for a few weeks, but I wanted some time to let the decision sit before I made it official. So looks like I'm headed to BU - though W&M and IU could still complicate things in the next 11 days. (only 11 days? eep)

I hope this helps someone off the wait list at UConn.

[crazedandinfused]

Great! I'm a Long Islander so yeah, go Stonybrook! (I've only been to that town once, but still. YEAH LONG ISLAND!... I never show my LI pride.)

It's very quiet and tranquil, just the sort of place where I can get some serious thinking done seeing as how I've lived in a post-industrial cesspit my whole life (ok, that's not entirely fair but whatever). Plus I can get a sailboat!

Thank you to everybody for the tactical advice and the psychologically soothing disbelief of my melodramatic wailing!

@SimpleTwist: I would take it down to zero hour with W&M. They are totally worth the wait for our subfield.

In a related theme: my reading list obviously contained a good deal of works by various POIs but I promised myself that i'd actually read their books no matter the outcome. Now, post decision, those books are slowly drifting off the shelf with my rejection letter tucked into the pages.

Hey, one can't read everything! This kind of makes me wish I was a food historian.......

[oseirus]

It's very quiet and tranquil, just the sort of place where I can get some serious thinking done seeing as how I've lived in a post-industrial cesspit my whole life (ok, that's not entirely fair but whatever). Plus I can get a sailboat!

Thank you to everybody for the tactical advice and the psychologically soothing disbelief of my melodramatic wailing!

Don't let the tales of the Long Island Lolita dissuade you either! Those days are LONG gone and transferred across the Hudson I hear

[CageFree]

I just got an e-mail saying I was awarded a $25K fellowship for my first year (at Davis)! On cloud nine!

[Simple Twist of Fate]

@SimpleTwist: I would take it down to zero hour with W&M. They are totally worth the wait for our subfield.

Definitely planning to, but I hope it doesn't come down to that. I won't let myself be disappointed if (as seems likely) it doesn't work out, because BU is a fantastic option for me and I would be pretty disappointed to not get to live in Boston and work with the wonderful people there.

Congrats teachgrad/Cagefree! They must like you a lot there.

[Nordicllama]

Just declined UConn officially. I've been headed in this direction for a few weeks, but I wanted some time to let the decision sit before I made it official. So looks like I'm headed to BU - though W&M and IU could still complicate things in the next 11 days. (only 11 days? eep)

I hope this helps someone off the wait list at UConn.

One step closer to the end of your journey! But seriously, wait it out on W&M. That would be the be all to end all program and, let's face it, 18k in Williamsburg goes WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY farther than 20k in Boisston (trying to write a heavy NE accent- not exactly working lol).

[TMP]

One step closer to the end of your journey! But seriously, wait it out on W&M. That would be the be all to end all program and, let's face it, 18k in Williamsburg goes WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY farther than 20k in Boisston (trying to write a heavy NE accent- not exactly working lol).

Just declined UConn officially. I've been headed in this direction for a few weeks, but I wanted some time to let the decision sit before I made it official. So looks like I'm headed to BU - though W&M and IU could still complicate things in the next 11 days. (only 11 days? eep)

I hope this helps someone off the wait list at UConn.

SofT, I waited until April 15th for IU for two years in a row! It is agonizing to keep waiting but I agree about W&M, wait. Just wait. If you don't hear from W&M by 4 PM that day, just take BU. Though you might want to double check with BU to make sure that you can notify them ON April 15th, not BEFORE April 15th.

[Simple Twist of Fate]

Don't worry - I'm definitely planning on waiting. I appreciate your concern. Thanks for the advice, tmp, I guess that April 15 falling on a Sunday complicates things.

[oseirus]

Don't worry - I'm definitely planning on waiting. I appreciate your concern. Thanks for the advice, tmp, I guess that April 15 falling on a Sunday complicates things.

If it's not a problem for the Tax Man then I can't imagine academia being too far behind

[Simple Twist of Fate]

True.

Just sent off the final version of my (undergrad) thesis. Feels good to be done with that - and baseball season starts today (Go Reds!). Headed to visit my girlfriend's family for Easter - will hopefully not be checking my email/gradcafe too much. Have a great weekend, everyone.

[HistThrift]

Hogs -- congrats! I'm still waiting on funding from both programs and I really can't make a decision before I know that, unfortunately. Hopefully UMass can fork some cash onto both of proverbial plates to make this easier!

And an extra ethics qustion for everybody outh there, what do you think about rescinding your acceptance after the 15th? Both schools I've been accepted to have either explicitly said or implied that I won't hear about funding until after the deadline, and I can't feasibly afford to attend either school without some help. I'd love to hear some advice...

Edited April 5, 2012 by jorcutt23