Fall 2012 Applicant Chit Chat

[telemaque]

hey, who saw their chicago status and where? sorry about the rejection i'm looking for mine and can't find anything...

would also like to know...

[Veilside1]

Looks like someone's being a douche... There's a bogus post on the results page for UChicago stating that the website has decisions up... Nope. They never do it that way, it's always via email or postal. Someone correct me of I'm wrong, but it looks like a bitter applicant wants to stir us all up. Ugh. False word is the last thing we all need right now.

[irvinchiva10]

Looks like someone's being a douche... There's a bogus post on the results page for UChicago stating that the website has decisions up... Nope. They never do it that way, it's always via email or postal. Someone correct me of I'm wrong, but it looks like a bitter applicant wants to stir us all up. Ugh. False word is the last thing we all need right now.

Yup. Just checked UChicago and there's nothing there.

[genesisy]

BTW what happens when schools hold pro wkds at the same time? What if you are interested in both programs, can you split time between the two or is that a social faux pas?

Both schools said that if the date doesn't work, I could come another day. I'm in the process of deciding which one to go to on the 1st and then which one to go to on a completely different date. Don't think I could make it to both on the same day considering one's in SoCal and one's in Chicago

Edited February 8, 2012 by genesisy

[pugsley87]

I too checked Chicago and didn't see anything. Booo results person liar. Unless you really did get rejected from Chicago, in which case, sorry.

I think Chicago was supposed to meet yesterday...but I'm guessing we all won't hear back for a while?

[zb642]

Looks like someone's being a douche... There's a bogus post on the results page for UChicago stating that the website has decisions up... Nope. They never do it that way, it's always via email or postal. Someone correct me of I'm wrong, but it looks like a bitter applicant wants to stir us all up. Ugh. False word is the last thing we all need right now.

I think you're spot on. There's not even a section on the UChicago website for admissions decisions.

[Attia]

UChicago will notify the 20 applicants they have accepted in the next few days. They have 20 fellowship spots this year plus a few fellowships (around 5) through another funding source seeking to recruit students who fall under UChicago's diversity criteria. If you are not offered admission to a PhD program, your application is automatically sent to a terminal masters program and the decision about that will not be made for weeks, so the post about a rejection is untrue.

[pugsley87]

UChicago will notify the 20 applicants they have accepted in the next few days. They have 20 fellowship spots this year plus a few fellowships (around 5) through another funding source seeking to recruit students who fall under UChicago's diversity criteria. If you are not offered admission to a PhD program, your application is automatically sent to a terminal masters program and the decision about that will not be made for weeks, so the post about a rejection is untrue.

Thanks for this, Attia. May I ask how you know? Hoping for good news!

[telemaque]

UChicago will notify the 20 applicants they have accepted in the next few days. They have 20 fellowship spots this year plus a few fellowships (around 5) through another funding source seeking to recruit students who fall under UChicago's diversity criteria. If you are not offered admission to a PhD program, your application is automatically sent to a terminal masters program and the decision about that will not be made for weeks, so the post about a rejection is untrue.

Are you currently at Chicago?

[Attia]

I completed UChicago's terminal masters program and am still there while working on language skills. I also work for UChicago. They might still take a few days to notify but I wouldn't be surprised if people heard on Friday (it is a special day at UChicago where the undergrads have off, so maybe the admin/POI will start contacting but it could take until next week for everyone to get their act together). If you are admitted via the fund for diversity it could even take a few days longer since that pool of money is governed by an entity beyond the actual history department.

Good luck you to all!

[sandyvanb]

Congrats on all of the acceptances today!

I have a pit in my stomach, and I am bracing myself just in case I don't get admitted anywhere... I have only heard from one school, but this silence gives me a lot of time to think about the fact that I haven't gotten any contact from the other schools. *sigh* I don't really want to do this again next year (though I will), but this board does give me hope if this year is a bust.

[New England Nat]

I was afraid this would happen this year. Be careful of results on the board that are singular. Hoaxers happened last year too.

[Kai210]

GUYSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

While someone did post an acceptance for OSU on the survey board, I get to call it FIRST ON THIS BOARD!! I saw that when I was leaving work and I was like, oh man, my password for OSU site is so complicated that I need to be on my laptop to see it. So I walked 40 minutes, probably my fastest commute time ever, back home from work... I just had a really good feeling in my tummy and was pleading to my POI to please, please, pleaseeeee accept me.

AND I FREAKING GOT IN!!!! With full-funding!!!! THREE YEARS OF WAITING IS OVER!

Now I know what it's like to cry- of happienss, not sadness.

OH MY GOD! I called up 2 of my LOR writers- one was actually on her way to teach a senior seminar... hahaha.

SO OVER THE MOON! *goes back to more happy dancing*

TMP, I can remember when you first started this journey. Thus, I can truly feel your joy over the success you are having this season. Sometimes, it is about timing. And I think the key for everyone here is to remember that these decisions are not personal. I think a lot of people tend to post stats, and do not really consider that this is not an exact science. I am so thrilled to see that you have received fully-funded offers from The Ohio State University (called this because it is the "official" name) and Wisconsin. As a person attending OSU, I would strongly recommend choosing to join the program. But I know that wherever you choose to go, you will do wonderful research. And I think the time it took for you to get to this point will give you the perspective needed to finish the journey!

Best of luck, my friend!

[lureynol]

TMP, I can remember when you first started this journey. Thus, I can truly feel your joy over the success you are having this season. Sometimes, it is about timing. And I think the key for everyone here is to remember that these decisions are not personal. I think a lot of people tend to post stats, and do not really consider that this is not an exact science. I am so thrilled to see that you have received fully-funded offers from The Ohio State University (called this because it is the "official" name) and Wisconsin. As a person attending OSU, I would strongly recommend choosing to join the program. But I know that wherever you choose to go, you will do wonderful research. And I think the time it took for you to get to this point will give you the perspective needed to finish the journey!

Best of luck, my friend!

This, right here, when it comes down to it, is why we're on this particular thread all day.

[crazedandinfused]

Hang in there Sandy! You've been working really hard on this and it will pay off.

Edited February 8, 2012 by crazedandinfused

[easybreesy9]

so obviously a number of people on this thread have been successful in their second or third attempts, but in general, is that a thing that happens a lot? i have a great gpa and scores from a top school but my statement and writing sample were pretty blah (and my language skills are a work in progress) and i'm pretty certain I'm gonna go 0 for 6. do a lot of people reapply? is this a common thing, and if so, is the previous application considered at all? i just feel like i didn't send out my best possible app.

alright. i'm going to spend the next hour forgetting about grad school and instead hating myself for watching the new girl. zooey deschanel is the worst! but growing on me? discuss.

[Gene Parmesan]

Unless you've heard back from the sixth school, there is no reason to think about a second or third round.

Its only February 7, and these things round up around early April. Keep your head up. My wise MA advisor explained to me that the floodgates will really open after President's Day.

[uhohlemonster]

Zooey Deschanel = irksome. But I'm still watching the show each week. Why?!

Question - did anyone apply to Brandeis? I got an email from them a few days before the app was due that said what is pasted below.. I had started the app in September and then decided it wasn't priority. I thought this email was kind of strange - is this common?

Thank you for starting your application to Brandeis University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Please note that the application deadline for the Ph.D. in History is January 15, 2012. As incentive to complete your application we are offering you an application fee waiver. Please follow the instructions here to receive your fee waiver.

[lureynol]

so obviously a number of people on this thread have been successful in their second or third attempts, but in general, is that a thing that happens a lot? i have a great gpa and scores from a top school but my statement and writing sample were pretty blah (and my language skills are a work in progress) and i'm pretty certain I'm gonna go 0 for 6. do a lot of people reapply? is this a common thing, and if so, is the previous application considered at all? i just feel like i didn't send out my best possible app.

alright. i'm going to spend the next hour forgetting about grad school and instead hating myself for watching the new girl. zooey deschanel is the worst! but growing on me? discuss.

As previously stated, this is my third time at this thing. Most schools keep at least part of your application (I haven't had to resend my undergrad transcripts to some, for example) and the committees know you're reapplying. I know some schools (Columbia and Harvard) put a cap on back-to-back reapplications. I can't really comment on how they're viewed, but it does seem to work out in the end.

Also, unpleasant things often grow on one.

Yes, I went there.

Zooey Deschanel = irksome. B

Question - did anyone apply to Brandeis? I got an email from them a few days before the app was due that said what is pasted below.. I had started the app in September and then decided it wasn't priority. I thought this email was kind of strange - is this common?

Thank you for starting your application to Brandeis University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Please note that the application deadline for the Ph.D. in History is January 15, 2012. As incentive to complete your application we are offering you an application fee waiver. Please follow the instructions here to receive your fee waiver.

I got one of those from HKU - it seems a pretty standard thing.

[TMP]

Thank you, Kai. Check your e-mail!

Well, I've beeon this board since I was a senior undergraduate (found it after I applied) and have waited. This is actually the first year I've seen a lot more people attempting their second and third tries. I think a lot of it has to do with the Great Recession in 2010 and 2011 causing a lot of budget cuts, forcing departments to scale back a lot. Michigan used to make 34-36 offers with a yield of 18-20 students but in 2009, they accepted the first 20 people they wanted and then admitted people off the waitlist after someone in the original 18 turned down the offer. As you can imagine, there's a pool of people like myself and others who have been shut out because of these cuts and our sub-fields not being given a spot for that year (damn you Indiana, how can you go three years without a new student in my subfield?!). Consider this as pre-academic job market where you have an influx of newly-mint PhD holders seeking jobs who didn't get jobs the year before because departments called off searches due to cuts.

Also, I think it depends a lot on the department's priorities and what kind of students it lost to drop-outs and graduation the prior year. I didn't know how to write my Wisconsin SOP until I read its fall department newsletter to see what was going on. As it turned out, it was looking to expand its new transnational history program with 3 searches this year and these new hires would share thematic interests with me. So it was an opportunity for me to sell myself as another "new hire" for the department, coming from my own subfield that was not part of the searches. In their perspective, I was a bonus. Among other factors, I think this is how I really landed in a school that I've never applied to and on the surface looked like a weak match. It may be another reason why I didn't get into Indiana- my SOP was entirely transnational history and Indiana isn't interested in doing that right now (or my POI's most advanced students are refusing to graduate. )

[A Finicky Bean]

Congrats on all of the acceptances today!

I have a pit in my stomach, and I am bracing myself just in case I don't get admitted anywhere... I have only heard from one school, but this silence gives me a lot of time to think about the fact that I haven't gotten any contact from the other schools. *sigh* I don't really want to do this again next year (though I will), but this board does give me hope if this year is a bust.

I feel the *exact same way*. *hugs*

[lureynol]

...and that spammer's back.

[wikichic]

I've never heard of that happening before. That's absolutely awful, I'm so sorry. It's not over yet though. Sending you positive vibes.

[crazedandinfused]

That's so cruel. It's early, early, early in the process........

[qbluecheers]

I want to know where the reset of the Ivy lurkers are. It seems only the Yale & Princeton folks (and today Brown) are coming out of the woodworks. Hey lurkers, how y'all doing? Did anyone out there apply to Cornell or Columbia or Dartmouth? Thanks

PS for Lurkers only or if you haven't stated it somewhere here already

I'm kinda a lurker, and I've applied to Princeton and Columbia. Like everyone else, haven't heard anything from either.