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Welcome to the 2011-2012 Cycle


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That's sounds unlikely (the increase in numbers). The past couple of years have already seen increased numbers due to weaker economic times. The only school I know precise numbers for (Michigan) had within 10 people of last year's number apply. What schools were you hearing this about?

OK, I just reread the email (rather not announce the school on here without prof's permission, but top 20) and realized I misread the first time. What prof actually said was they had that many times more applicants with REALLY high GRE scores than usual. That's different, although what it means in practice is that it's harder to make the initial cut, so in fact that is even scarier than having more applicants all told. Instead of just more numbers, there is higher quality among the already increased numbers.

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just got an email from harvard that i got in

they may have had one too many cocktails in the adcom the day they read my file

Claiming another Harvard admit. E-mail from Timothy Colton.

Firstly, CONGRATS! Ya'll should celebrate.

Secondly, I am now going to obsessively check my email for the next two days.

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Actually, this dynamic made me think it'd be easier: last year they reportedly didn't accept a single Africanist, so I thought that would be good for me this year. But the point you and RWBG make is still valid, there are lots of changes, especially in the committee makeup. Perhaps some kind soul fought hard for me last year and wasn't on the adcom this year. In any case, I'm not taking it personally.

More generally, academia is about having a thick skin. We're constantly (through our writing) putting ourselves out there for everyone to scrutinize, and it's important to learn how to take rejection in stride.

Still, I have to say that with your stats and just general history with the school, they seem to have lacked a certain human quality in their decision process: in all honesty, if I had seen a qualified applicant try for the second time after being waitlisted the first time (all this information can be gleaned from the file itself, such that I need not have been part of the previous year's adcom to recognize a pattern), and on top of it all said applicant actually has a more tailored and better file, I probably would have said fuck it and sent for an admit.

While I think RWBG and Megan provide both reasonable and correct arguments, I'm still struck by the sheer callousness of the system, its ostensibly non-human quality for members who are only human. I wonder how many professors there would have luck, or what their complaints would be, if our roles were reversed; would they expect some leeway, on reasonable normative grounds, given previous efforts and future expectations? Would they make appeals to last year, suggesting that repeated attempts showcase more practiced desires? I think that they would do all of this, and reasonably so. That your file was neglected strikes me not as the process taking its rightful course, but a prime example of a time when the democratic elements of American academia--primarily the feeling that we are all in this together--are eclipsed by more economic standards of admittance. Certainly, departments are free to develop and follow their own guidelines for admission; I'm simply saying that your rejection stands outside any set of criteria I could personally imagine, or see others settling on freely.

Of course, this is merely my opinion, and I have no knowledge beyond this of your file or the dynamics that went down at p-town's adcom meetings. However, for whatever it's worth, I have to say that your rejection did strike me as odd and unexpected, and I see in it a much greater trend that I find, in its most unchecked valence, downright unhealthy for any academic system.

In any case, I accidentally deleted my post from last night when I went to edit it, but for those on the Princeton waitlist: I will almost certainly be declining my offer there, so there is one more spot available.

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Okay, again begging for news--Northwestern, anyone heard anything more about when the last of the decisions will go out? Also Indiana, any news there?

Regarding Indiana, I certainly wish there was some news from that front. I would volunteer to call, but like with NU, they might have blocked my number. If anyone else decides to call, would you please let us know if you learn anything? Thanks!

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