0% Confidence of Acceptance

[Porridge]

You know what you do if you're not accepted?

 

You apply again. You don't give up.

 

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

[Datatape]

[Rick roll]

 

 

[thestage]

in all seriousness, this is it for me.  last year I knew I'd try again if it didn't work out, so maybe things were easier.  don't have that luxury anymore.

[1Q84]

Same here. Make it or break it this year. Ain't gettin any younger....

[t1racyjacks]

I don't know if I have the energy to apply again if rejected. I guess I'll be obliged to, since my Berkeley POI wants me to try again if it doesn't work this time >_< But I am really so low on emotional (and physical) energy...

[rems]

I'm not applying again next year. I've already been in academia for eight years now, and I don't really wanna do for another just waiting to break through. I think I may start looking for, gasp, real jobs or something like that. 

 

After the Ohio rejection, I have almost no confidence for other admits. I can confidently say that I think my application profile is the best it's going to be. I'm not trying to brag, and I don't want tomatoes thrown at me for suggesting that my writing sample is pretty tight, it's in my field of expertise, and it's new scholarship. My SOP's are also pretty tight at this point. Or, I should rather say, they aren't going to get any better at this point. So, where's my downfall? My undergrad GPA is awful and my GRE scores are awful. The thing is, these aren't going to get any better. So if I can't make it past a first round of apps because of my numbers, then it's a waste of money to keep trying. I suppose I could study for the GRE more, but I'm probably not going to get any better at it and there's literally nothing I can do to bring up my undergrad GPA short of doing it again. 

 

Is there anyone else in this situation? Anyone else with a looming, unsavory undergrad GPA that no matter how hard they try just can't overcome those first few years of drunken ignorance? 

[Sio68]

(rems... Although I have no advice, or am I even a Lit/Rhet/Comp student (History!)... I just want to say that I adore your avatar. It makes me smile and know that you are painfully cool! )

 

Ok.. carry on... I'm going to be quiet now.

[ProfLorax]

It's only January! It's definitely not time to throw in the towel. We are just getting started. 

 

Rems, think of your avatar! Think of the obstacles she faced to run for city council: the relationship scandal with Ben, the lack of official party support, the painfully awkward rally on ice, Paul Rudd's boyish charm. Remember those moments? Those moments when even we, the fans of Leslie Knope, started to doubt the campaign?* Okay, remember those campaign travesties, then remember this:

 

**

 

And right after we all wipe away the tears because we are flooded with emotion for THE GREATEST MOMENT IN SITCOM HISTORY, we shall claim Leslie Knope as our spirit animal. She never gave up, never surrendered-- even after Pistol Pete broke his arm after slipping on the ice, she pursued! And we all know what happened. (Spoiler alert?) SHE WON. And so will we. 

 

*Ha. Yeah right. We never doubted Leslie Knope. 

**HEY GUYS. This is my first post with a GIF!

[Sio68]

EPIC!

 

I feel enthused and re-energised! Thank-you!

 

I actually own a Knope 2012 t-shirt... *ahem*.

[rems]

It's only January! It's definitely not time to throw in the towel. We are just getting started. 

 

Rems, think of your avatar! Think of the obstacles she faced to run for city council: the relationship scandal with Ben, the lack of official party support, the painfully awkward rally on ice, Paul Rudd's boyish charm. Remember those moments? Those moments when even we, the fans of Leslie Knope, started to doubt the campaign?* Okay, remember those campaign travesties, then remember this:

 

**

 

And right after we all wipe away the tears because we are flooded with emotion for THE GREATEST MOMENT IN SITCOM HISTORY, we shall claim Leslie Knope as our spirit animal. She never gave up, never surrendered-- even after Pistol Pete broke his arm after slipping on the ice, she pursued! And we all know what happened. (Spoiler alert?) SHE WON. And so will we. 

 

*Ha. Yeah right. We never doubted Leslie Knope. 

**HEY GUYS. This is my first post with a GIF!

 

This is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. sniffsniff, thx guys! 

 

Can we make Leslie Knope the official spirit animal of English Lit/Comp/Compar PhD apps for Fall 2013? I think this is a beautiful moment... So beautiful. 

[t1racyjacks]

so, I can't take any alcohol because I had a panic attack earlier today. then after teaching 4 hours of lessons today (not even my heaviest day; my heaviest day is 6 hrs) I had the mother of all headaches. crashed out, only to be scolded for forgetting to roast a chicken (yes, that is up to me too). Now I'm here. And still there is no news. Monday is over. I have student drafts to read

[sadthatthisdefinesmylife]

I'm not applying again next year. I've already been in academia for eight years now, and I don't really wanna do for another just waiting to break through. I think I may start looking for, gasp, real jobs or something like that. 

 

After the Ohio rejection, I have almost no confidence for other admits. I can confidently say that I think my application profile is the best it's going to be. I'm not trying to brag, and I don't want tomatoes thrown at me for suggesting that my writing sample is pretty tight, it's in my field of expertise, and it's new scholarship. My SOP's are also pretty tight at this point. Or, I should rather say, they aren't going to get any better at this point. So, where's my downfall? My undergrad GPA is awful and my GRE scores are awful. The thing is, these aren't going to get any better. So if I can't make it past a first round of apps because of my numbers, then it's a waste of money to keep trying. I suppose I could study for the GRE more, but I'm probably not going to get any better at it and there's literally nothing I can do to bring up my undergrad GPA short of doing it again. 

 

Is there anyone else in this situation? Anyone else with a looming, unsavory undergrad GPA that no matter how hard they try just can't overcome those first few years of drunken ignorance? 

 

This is the thing that scares me the most. My undergrad GPA was not that great. It was a mixture of a little too much partying, being unfocused, and really not knowing what I wanted to do. My mom passed away when I was getting my UG, which is always how I explain it on applications, but the truth is that I just wasn't working hard enough. I'm in the last semester of an M.A. now and I've got a 4.0 in that. Doing the M.A. has been amazing because it reminded me that I wasn't stupid during my undergrad years, but I was an idiot. Despite that, I'm still scared of how large the undergrad GPA looms. When are we allowed to escape our past? Am I forever damned by the sins of my earlier self? 

 

So, to sum up. I'm there with you. 

[practical cat]

This is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. sniffsniff, thx guys!    Can we make Leslie Knope the official spirit animal of English Lit/Comp/Compar PhD apps for Fall 2013? I think this is a beautiful moment... So beautiful. 

I vote yes. Catch your dream, you guys.

[sebastiansteddy]

I am just as stressed/ anxious/ nervous as anyone - but it is WAY too early to give up hope! We can do this!

[champagne]

Cheers for finding this thread early in the process! What encouragement for moving forward!

 

*Pours tall glass of bourbon early in the morning*

[asleepawake]

Is there anyone else in this situation? Anyone else with a looming, unsavory undergrad GPA that no matter how hard they try just can't overcome those first few years of drunken ignorance? 

 

I am (though my undergrad GPA isn't sub-3.0 or anything, it's pretty low, and from a commuter school), and I have an acceptance with a fellowship nomination! It's possible! I think the MA, which I know you also have, helps immensely if you have done well in your program. It proves you can handle graduate work and helps to overshadow - though not erase - your lackluster undergrad work. My GRE is decent, but nothing to write home about. My Lit GRE is bad, but only 2 schools got the score. For me the solution was applying widely. Of course, I don't know if I will get any more acceptances, and if so how many, but applying widely allowed me to apply to all kinds of schools who place different emphases on numbers. With 6 applications I think you have a very good shot, but IF you don't get in you don't know for sure it is because you could not overcome your numbers. It may be that it wasn't the best fit, or simply that someone else was a better fit. There are people who have a 4.0 who get rejected from 6 schools even with a good writing sample, etc. It's just the game. You still have a very good chance to get in this year, but if you don't I hope you don't give up. I know that you read a draft of my statement of purpose, too: It's not like it was brilliant. You know this! I think it ended up being pretty solid, but then I read yours and it was good, too, so I absolutely will not believe that you secretly just suck because I saw proof to the contrary. I also got rejected from Ohio State. It's just one school, and a LOT of rejections went out from them. They took 10% last year, and probably fewer this time. You're not done!

 

GAME THEORY, you guys. It's coming to a lit department near you ASAP. Applications are pretty much a casino.

Edited January 29, 2013 by asleepawake

[Seatbelt Blue]

I already got into my fallback school -- Seton Hall -- but man, I am so iffy on Fordham, although I'm weirdly optimistic about Boston College

[Two Espressos]

in all seriousness, this is it for me.  last year I knew I'd try again if it didn't work out, so maybe things were easier.  don't have that luxury anymore.

 

If I fail, I might apply to grad schools next season, but it won't be in English: it'll be in philosophy.  And, knowing that philosophy is even more competitive than the former and that I lack the requisite credentials, I'll strictly be applying to M.A. programs in the discipline.

 

Really though, I have a few decent back-up plans for this year if I'm rejected across the board.  I'm especially excited about possibly teaching in France.  That would be cool.

[figsmcfigs]

If I fail, I might apply to grad schools next season, but it won't be in English: it'll be in philosophy.  And, knowing that philosophy is even more competitive than the former and that I lack the requisite credentials, I'll strictly be applying to M.A. programs in the discipline.

 

Really though, I have a few decent back-up plans for this year if I'm rejected across the board.  I'm especially excited about possibly teaching in France.  That would be cool.

 

Are you applying to be an assistant? I did that two years ago! It was great

[Two Espressos]

Are you applying to be an assistant? I did that two years ago! It was great

 

Yep!  I applied earlier this year.  I think my odds are good, especially compared to the dismal odds for Ph.D. admits in English (2-10%).  I think the acceptance rate for French T.A.'s last year was around 47% or so.

[bfat]

I already submitted my teaching request for next fall, because if I didn't, I would surely be rejected all around (that's logic, right?). If I'm not accepted, I'll just be living the life of the lowly adjunct, in all likelihood the same position I'd be in post-PhD, so there's that to keep me bolstered.

[bluecheese]

GAME THEORY, you guys. It's coming to a lit department near you ASAP. Applications are pretty much a casino.

 

Don't say such horrific things.

[Swagato]

I am (though my undergrad GPA isn't sub-3.0 or anything, it's pretty low, and from a commuter school), and I have an acceptance with a fellowship nomination! It's possible! I think the MA, which I know you also have, helps immensely if you have done well in your program. It proves you can handle graduate work and helps to overshadow - though not erase - your lackluster undergrad work. My GRE is decent, but nothing to write home about. My Lit GRE is bad, but only 2 schools got the score. For me the solution was applying widely. Of course, I don't know if I will get any more acceptances, and if so how many, but applying widely allowed me to apply to all kinds of schools who place different emphases on numbers. With 6 applications I think you have a very good shot, but IF you don't get in you don't know for sure it is because you could not overcome your numbers. It may be that it wasn't the best fit, or simply that someone else was a better fit. There are people who have a 4.0 who get rejected from 6 schools even with a good writing sample, etc. It's just the game. You still have a very good chance to get in this year, but if you don't I hope you don't give up. I know that you read a draft of my statement of purpose, too: It's not like it was brilliant. You know this! I think it ended up being pretty solid, but then I read yours and it was good, too, so I absolutely will not believe that you secretly just suck because I saw proof to the contrary. I also got rejected from Ohio State. It's just one school, and a LOT of rejections went out from them. They took 10% last year, and probably fewer this time. You're not done!

 

GAME THEORY, you guys. It's coming to a lit department near you ASAP. Applications are pretty much a casino.

 

To echo this, rems. I have a sub-3.0 GPA from a modest liberal arts college. I was an international student, first-generation, etc. back in 2005. By the time I graduated, thanks to a wonderful advisor who remains a close friend, I managed to get my major (English) GPA above 3.0, with the last two years showing heavy course overloads and significantly improved grades. My hope going into this second round was that everything since 2009 will serve to amply prove that my undergraduate cumulative GPA is no longer representative of me. My MA from Chicago ended quite well for me--not a 4.0, but a GPA that I see regularly from PhD admits to top-level departments. I have a very high GRE score (not that that means a great deal), but most importantly--I completely revised and refocused my PhD interests and writing sample. I benefited hugely from faculty and grad student critiques and commentaries, and I truly hope that both those documents reflect this guidance. By all accounts I've presented a timely and (dare I say) intriguing statement of purpose, and my essay--something that can always be improved--should be good enough for the departments I've applied to (at least some of them, I mean). Most importantly, though, the sustained relationships I've cultivated with my undergrad professors and my Chicago faculty have, hopefully, resulted in rock-solid recommendations. 

 

I'm sure all of this will still not get me through at many of my targets. I cannot do anything about that now. I applied widely, but each of my 13 applications are to highly competitive places, because as I've said before--there is little point in doing a PhD at a department that is not conducive toward pushing me forward in my pursuit of a tenured academic career. 

 

I really have slaved over this the past year--through major moves, a marriage, a new cat (much tougher than the marriage!), and two jobs. None of that is relevant to my admission, of course. Still, I'm already considering how I might reposition myself for another round. I really hope it does not come to that. 

[asleepawake]

Don't say such horrific things.

 

We need some new stuff already!

[practical cat]

We need some new stuff already!

I know Michigan already has at least one person doing game theory. I decided back when I was still just a Political Science major that it wasn't my thing but I like when Literature gets a little math-y.