0% Confidence of Acceptance

[ekant]

I'm part of the 0-fer class. I'll take one acceptance. Just one. Any one. 0/6 is really putting a dampener on my already shaky confidence. I'm at the halfway mark... maybe the latter half will be some type of non-rejection?

[Ategenos]

I'm part of the 0-fer class. I'll take one acceptance. Just one. Any one. 0/6 is really putting a dampener on my already shaky confidence. I'm at the halfway mark... maybe the latter half will be some type of non-rejection?

I'm with you... just reached the half way point, all rejections so far, and (of course) very little feedback to let you know where you went wrong. I think I've kind of guessed, though... I didn't do enough work on my SOPs in terms of nailing home fit. I mean, I thought I did, and so did my professor over here in the UK, but from what I hear on these forums... well, they just fall way short... didn't do enough research, didn't drive home exactly why I was suited to this or that particular program.

This realisation sucks, because it means the other half of my applications will be just as lacklustre - and just as likely to fail. I guess the one ray of hope is that my remaining schools are (for the most part) not as highly ranked as the ones that have already rejected me, and I'm (almost - Tufts feedback not included) certain that the rest of my application is pretty damned good. So here's hoping for all of us 0-fors - sickly sweet Disney endings do sometimes happen in this vile process. :>

[Katy85]

I'm with you... just reached the half way point, all rejections so far, and (of course) very little feedback to let you know where you went wrong. I think I've kind of guessed, though... I didn't do enough work on my SOPs in terms of nailing home fit. I mean, I thought I did, and so did my professor over here in the UK, but from what I hear on these forums... well, they just fall way short... didn't do enough research, didn't drive home exactly why I was suited to this or that particular program.

This realisation sucks, because it means the other half of my applications will be just as lacklustre - and just as likely to fail. I guess the one ray of hope is that my remaining schools are (for the most part) not as highly ranked as the ones that have already rejected me, and I'm (almost - Tufts feedback not included) certain that the rest of my application is pretty damned good. So here's hoping for all of us 0-fors - sickly sweet Disney endings do sometimes happen in this vile process. :>

I'm with both of you, exactly at that halfway mark and feeling like giving up altogether. (Thankfully I can't give up since the applications are already nebulously out there.) I'm pulling for all of us 0-fers, I think we deserve something positive.

[Ategenos]

I am starting to think that I may have set my sights a little high. If the last half suck as much as the first (aka big fat impersonal rejections), then the next time I apply I think there will be a few more mid-ranked schools, and a lot more focus on the professors... ... not to mention bribes. Lots of bribes. ;P

[ekant]

I'm with you... just reached the half way point, all rejections so far, and (of course) very little feedback to let you know where you went wrong. I think I've kind of guessed, though... I didn't do enough work on my SOPs in terms of nailing home fit. I mean, I thought I did, and so did my professor over here in the UK, but from what I hear on these forums... well, they just fall way short... didn't do enough research, didn't drive home exactly why I was suited to this or that particular program.

This realisation sucks, because it means the other half of my applications will be just as lacklustre - and just as likely to fail. I guess the one ray of hope is that my remaining schools are (for the most part) not as highly ranked as the ones that have already rejected me, and I'm (almost - Tufts feedback not included) certain that the rest of my application is pretty damned good. So here's hoping for all of us 0-fors - sickly sweet Disney endings do sometimes happen in this vile process. :>

I'm with both of you, exactly at that halfway mark and feeling like giving up altogether. (Thankfully I can't give up since the applications are already nebulously out there.) I'm pulling for all of us 0-fers, I think we deserve something positive.

I feel both of you completely. I didn't do as well as other did on the GRE's (I'm a bad standardized test taker), but I worked very very very hard on my SOP, writing sample, CV and the rest of the application. And I think my rec letters were good too. I'm hoping I didn't get canned for GRE scores. I thought Graduate Schools, especially in English, would be able to overlook such a silly exam. If I go 0/12, rejections across the board, then I don't know what I'll do.

I'm pulling for all of us. We definitely deserve something positive.

[Ategenos]

_{Hopefully we'll be at Rochester together, Ekant! Then we can laugh at these merry (in hindsight... ah, wonderful hindsight...) times. :>}

[ekant]

_{Hopefully we'll be at Rochester together, Ekant! Then we can laugh at these merry (in hindsight... ah, wonderful hindsight...) times. :>}

Agreed! That'd be wonderful.

[Rupert Pupkin]

I am starting to think that I may have set my sights a little high. If the last half suck as much as the first (aka big fat impersonal rejections), then the next time I apply I think there will be a few more mid-ranked schools, and a lot more focus on the professors... ... not to mention bribes. Lots of bribes. ;P

I feel the same way about setting your sights too high.

Like I said in the Michigan thread, I'm just starting to feel embarrassed about this whole process. Little old me earnestly applying to these top notch schools (Michigan, NYU, Texas, UNC) and telling people that I did. I feel ashamed for even having my recommenders send their letters to some of these schools.

I used a close reading as my writing sample. I didn't articulate some trendy theory in my SOP. I couldn't, as a newly minted B.A. who had never actually done any real research during undergrad, neatly describe how professor x's work aligned with my own. What did I expect?

Edited February 21, 2012 by Rupert Pupkin

[Jbarks]

I'm part of the 0-fer class. I'll take one acceptance. Just one. Any one. 0/6 is really putting a dampener on my already shaky confidence. I'm at the halfway mark... maybe the latter half will be some type of non-rejection?

I've still heard nothing. NOTHING! Not a rejection, not an acceptance, not a wait list, not a "Hey! How ya doin'?" Nothing. Blah.

[lolopixie]

I've still heard nothing. NOTHING! Not a rejection, not an acceptance, not a wait list, not a "Hey! How ya doin'?" Nothing. Blah.

Hey, how ya doin hahahahahaha. I hear ya. Other than KU, I'm in the radio silence area as well. I have resigned to the fact that I am not going to hear another peep until March.

[ekant]

I feel the same way about setting your sights too high.

Like I said in the Michigan thread, I'm just starting to feel embarrassed about this whole process. Little old me earnestly applying to these top notch schools (Michigan, NYU, Texas, UNC) and telling people that I did. I feel ashamed for even having my recommenders send their letters to some of these schools.

I used a close reading as my writing sample. I didn't articulate some trendy theory in my SOP. I couldn't, as a newly minted B.A. who had never actually done any real research during undergrad, neatly describe how professor x's work aligned with my own. What did I expect?

This. I completely feel the same way. I applied to not enough safety schools (obviously) and set my goals too high. I'm embarrassed because, for the past four years of school, I've prided myself on getting near perfect grades, working very hard, and being intelligent. I feel silly that I even thought this way (and that I could even get in to any of these schools). Fuck.

[cquin]

I feel the same way about setting your sights too high.

Like I said in the Michigan thread, I'm just starting to feel embarrassed about this whole process. Little old me earnestly applying to these top notch schools (Michigan, NYU, Texas, UNC) and telling people that I did. I feel ashamed for even having my recommenders send their letters to some of these schools.

I used a close reading as my writing sample. I didn't articulate some trendy theory in my SOP. I couldn't, as a newly minted B.A. who had never actually done any real research during undergrad, neatly describe how professor x's work aligned with my own. What did I expect?

This was me last year. I graduated with a 4.0 and with the warm blessings of my professors, so I think I got a little too cocky. I really did not understand at all how competitive this process is. All of the schools I applied to were either Ivies or in the top 15, and I was roundly rejected from all of them. It sucked. A lot. This time around, I spent a shit ton of time looking at schools that were actually good for me, and not just high up on US News and World Report's list. So far, I've had much better results.

The point of this story is: if at first you don't succeed, fucking try again! You can do it.

[Jbarks]

This was me last year. I graduated with a 4.0 and with the warm blessings of my professors, so I think I got a little too cocky. I really did not understand at all how competitive this process is. All of the schools I applied to were either Ivies or in the top 15, and I was roundly rejected from all of them. It sucked. A lot. This time around, I spent a shit ton of time looking at schools that were actually good for me, and not just high up on US News and World Report's list. So far, I've had much better results.

The point of this story is: if at first you don't succeed, fucking try again! You can do it.

The first time I applied straight out of undergrad I did the same thing. I was also completely naive about this whole process. I thought that because I had a 4.0, and my professors loved me I would get accepted to say... Cornell. Wrong. I received a few MA offers, chose a pretty good program, and now three years later I applied to schools that I thought would be a great fit. Alas, I'm still waiting to see if it paid off.

[Tinoply]

The first time I applied straight out of undergrad I did the same thing. I was also completely naive about this whole process. I thought that because I had a 4.0, and my professors loved me I would get accepted to say... Cornell. Wrong. I received a few MA offers, chose a pretty good program, and now three years later I applied to schools that I thought would be a great fit. Alas, I'm still waiting to see if it paid off.

That's pretty much exactly how my first go-around was. I applied to MFA programs, thinking I was going to be some in-demand writer, and I wound up with an MA offer at what was my safety school. Thankfully, though, I didn't go the MFA route -- I found literary study much more fulfilling than I ever imagined. Good things can come out of what initially appear to be crappy situations.

[lolopixie]

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I graduated out of my MA with a 3.9, a fantastic thesis, pass with distinction for my comps, 2 national conferences, 1 regional conference that I chaired my panel, recipient of travel grants, scholarships, a freaking publication, annnnnnnnd of course (as we all are) I was the "darling" of the department. My professors pumped me up and knew I would get in somewhere. They encouraged me to apply to a variety of schools, but gave me blessings (you know, the whole you gotta be in it to win it) towards applying to Ivies. I just knew last year that I would have a choice of which program I would go to because I just knew that I would get into more than one program. I would be able to choose which program gave me the best offer!!!! I was rejected from 10 programs flat out. BOOM! Ego check.

I laugh at myself now. So naive. I had no idea how competitive it really is, and this year I also spent a lot more time digging into programs and finding ones that I really thought I would fit in. Still TBD if I get in somewhere. I seriously narrowed down my list and only applied to programs that I thought I stood a chance in hell of getting into, and that I would be a good fit in. Here's hoping.

Edited February 21, 2012 by lolopixie

[seafoam]

0/3 (about to be 0/4...) and collectively mourning with ya'll. Your own undergraduate school not wanting you is a pretty big blow...

Just keep trying to tell myself that a year off won't be the worst thing in the entire world.

PMA, guys!

[Stately Plump]

That's pretty much exactly how my first go-around was. I applied to MFA programs, thinking I was going to be some in-demand writer, and I wound up with an MA offer at what was my safety school. Thankfully, though, I didn't go the MFA route -- I found literary study much more fulfilling than I ever imagined. Good things can come out of what initially appear to be crappy situations.

This is a cool story, and it's the kind of thing that can help you keep your head up. Don't get too discouraged, everyone! Hang in there! I'm pulling for all of you!

I feel guilty posting in here, since I have an acceptance, but I can definitely relate with the hopelessness and the fear of not getting in anywhere. I really, really hope we all get in somewhere, but even if we don't, there's always next year! And as Tinoply points out, sometimes that's the best thing that can happen

<3 <3 <3 and + + + energy to all still waiting.

[Heather Hoffman]

I'm in that mode now, where, every 5 minutes (since 5am) I check my email, and every 5 minutes I jump out of my skin. I haven't heard anything yet, but like many of you, my SoP sucked - didn't mention the specific school stuff at all. So I spent this morning working on my plan B some more.. that always helps.

Here's hoping we get some good news this week.. and for me, I think at this point good news would be a wait list...

[marlowe]

In all seriousness, at the great majority of schools, fit is going to trump almost everything else.

I have very mediocre grades and very mediocre test scores; i submitted top notch recommendations, strong SOP (much stronger than my first go round), and a short, strong writing sample with NO trendy theory whatsoever - just a strong engagement with possibly the most over-analyzed text of all-time that demonstrates my unique approach to literature (and corresponds with the 'themes' of my CV and SOP).

Fit is so important. Seriously. I still have a lower GPA and than anyone else I've seen even attempt the process in Lit on here (Though I have a pretty valid reason, to be fair).

[marlowe]

Thus, YOU CAN ALL DO THIS. Re-Group next year (like so many of us have done), and come back stronger.

[Silent_G]

As much as I don't want to have to go through this again next year, that's not my real worry. I'm getting married in August, and I'm supposed to move to Boston after the wedding. The plan was to start school soon after the move, but as it's looking more and more like I won't get in anywhere, I will be quitting my job here with absolutely no prospects waiting for me on the other side of the country. In this economy, I expect to use all my time and effort--which I should focus towards my next round of applications--on finding a job that I plan to quit as soon as I get accepted somewhere next year. If I get accepted somewhere next year. My confidence is pretty shot these days.

[Heather Hoffman]

Thus, YOU CAN ALL DO THIS. Re-Group next year (like so many of us have done), and come back stronger.

Thanks for your wonderful wisdom and encouragement. I am feeling more pumped than before about fall 2013

[Jbarks]

Thanks for your wonderful wisdom and encouragement. I am feeling more pumped than before about fall 2013

I wouldn't give up hope yet. Have all of your schools started to notify? I didn't apply to any USC schools, so I'm unsure.

[Heather Hoffman]

Most of my schools have sent out a lot of acceptances, so I think I'm gonna see a bunch of rejections soon.

[ComeBackZinc]

Harvard Sociology is to today as Brown English was to yesterday.