0% Confidence of Acceptance

[The Whistler]

I have three implicit rejections as well, and I've lost all hope. I contacted people at UPenn and Minnesota, they still haven't started deciding. Apparently, UPenn got about 600 applications this year. I am not very hopeful.

 

Also, one of my implicit rejections is NYU. Contacted my POI there, he said that the committee is still working. I have no idea whether they're working on a few more acceptances, or on sending out rejections, and I'm too afraid to ask, I don't want it to feel like I'm nagging or pressuring anyone.

Edited February 6, 2013 by The Whistler

[pim]

I have three implicit rejections as well, and I've lost all hope. I contacted people at UPenn and Minnesota, they still haven't started deciding. Apparently, UPenn got about 600 applications this year. I am not very hopeful.

 

Also, one of my implicit rejections is NYU. Contacted my POI there, he said that the committee is still working. I have no idea whether they're working on a few more acceptances, or on sending out rejections, and I'm too afraid to ask, I don't want it to feel like I'm nagging or pressuring anyone.

 

I'm also terrified of UPenn at this point. It's my first choice and, taking a hint from past years...will be the last to notify. You said you contacted a POI from NYU to ask about your status (implicit rejection for me too...), I'm just wondering what you said in the email (or call?) or how you phrased it so that it didn't sound crazy/desperate (which is kind of how I feel I sound to everyone right now anyway). 

 

I have a POI at Penn I was in contact with all through November and January. I was just wondering if it would be totally weird to send him an email asking about my status or chances? 

[Phil Sparrow]

I have a POI at Penn I was in contact with all through November and January. I was just wondering if it would be totally weird to send him an email asking about my status or chances? 

 

No no no no no no no, do not do this. If you are just desperate want to get on the radar screen, drop an email to say hi or to send along something (an article, whatever) s/he might be interested in--IF you developed that kind of relationship during your correspondence. (That is, avoid just "saying hi" out of the blue.) Don't ask about your chances or status. It would be so tacky and would just put the prof in an uncomfortable position. 

[pim]

No no no no no no no, do not do this. If you are just desperate want to get on the radar screen, drop an email to say hi or to send along something (an article, whatever) s/he might be interested in--IF you developed that kind of relationship during your correspondence. (That is, avoid just "saying hi" out of the blue.) Don't ask about your chances or status. It would be so tacky and would just put the prof in an uncomfortable position. 

 

Thanks. Yeah I probably wouldn't have gone through with it. But this purgatorial waiting is so defeating and terrible that I guess the possibility seemed somewhat appealing. I was in contact with this professor recently about a paper I wrote about two of our oddly combined interests, and he was unexpectedly generous about responding and helping me edit it to submit as an article to a major journal. This is the only thing I'm holding on to. I'm just so afraid of being forgotten in a giant pile of 600 applications...or as my untactful advisor recently suggested might happen, of "falling through the cracks." That Jonathan Edwards imagery really freaked me out.

[Phil Sparrow]

Thanks. Yeah I probably wouldn't have gone through with it. But this purgatorial waiting is so defeating and terrible that I guess the possibility seemed somewhat appealing. I was in contact with this professor recently about a paper I wrote about two of our oddly combined interests, and he was unexpectedly generous about responding and helping me edit it to submit as an article to a major journal. This is the only thing I'm holding on to. I'm just so afraid of being forgotten in a giant pile of 600 applications...or as my untactful advisor recently suggested might happen, of "falling through the cracks." That Jonathan Edwards imagery really freaked me out.

 

That's awesome about the article! Maybe get yourself back on the radar by mentioning something about that ("I just found out that So-and-so recently published a piece relating that I thought you might enjoy" or whatever). But honestly, if this prof helped you edit an article for submission, you're probably strongly bleeping on his or her radar screen already.

 

ETA: That's a lot of radar in my last couple of posts.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Phil Sparrow

[The Whistler]

You said you contacted a POI from NYU to ask about your status (implicit rejection for me too...), I'm just wondering what you said in the email (or call?) or how you phrased it so that it didn't sound crazy/desperate (which is kind of how I feel I sound to everyone right now anyway). 

 

Well, the thing is that I'm basically waiting for a rejection from NYU, and I just wanted to know, because, at this point, my nerves are uncontrollable. It's affecting my work speed, and I have deadlines every day, so I can't really afford that.

 

I contacted him just asking whether he can tell me anything, and I probably did sound desperate. Because I am. However, he was super nice.

 

And this is what I did with Northwestern, and I just got an e-mail with a rejection. Crappity crap. I better go post it on the board, then.

[pim]

That's awesome about the article! Maybe get yourself back on the radar by mentioning something about that ("I just found out that So-and-so recently published a piece relating that I thought you might enjoy" or whatever). But honestly, if this prof helped you edit an article for submission, you're probably strongly bleeping on his or her radar screen already.

 

ETA: That's a lot of radar in my last couple of posts.

 

I like the idea of being a beeping green dot on someone's radar. It's more comforting than being reduced to a pile of papers that may 'fall through the cracks' or fall victim to some everyday administrative mishap.

 

Thanks for your words of encouragement! I might leave him alone since I already feel like I took up a lot of his time...but there's another prof I kind of know there that I might try out your suggestion with. If anything it'll help me get through the next three weeks with a little more hope! (by which I mean: without completely losing it)

[t1racyjacks]

ugh. I am sitting here trying to calm down listening to Paranoid Android >_<

[pim]

Well, the thing is that I'm basically waiting for a rejection from NYU, and I just wanted to know, because, at this point, my nerves are uncontrollable. It's affecting my work speed, and I have deadlines every day, so I can't really afford that.

 

 

Yeah I haven't been able to work on my thesis for two weeks. The only work I can manage at this point is reading, passively. It's the start of the semester so it's ok but I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I just want one acceptance, or any sort of news. All I have at the moment are two implicit rejections from NYU and Chicago. Hopefully NYU is still working on acceptances...but it'd be kind of an odd timeline since they notified people last week. But still. I hope we both hear good news soon.

[The Whistler]

Yeah I haven't been able to work on my thesis for two weeks. The only work I can manage at this point is reading, passively. It's the start of the semester so it's ok but I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I just want one acceptance, or any sort of news. All I have at the moment are two implicit rejections from NYU and Chicago. Hopefully NYU is still working on acceptances...but it'd be kind of an odd timeline since they notified people last week. But still. I hope we both hear good news soon.

 

Yeah, I can only imagine how it is when you're writing a thesis, and can't think about it for two seconds straight.

We're in a similar position regarding implicit rejections, then. I'm waiting for rejections from NYU and Chicago too. As for hope, the NW rejection kinda destroyed any hope I might have had.

[JeremiahParadise]

So, waiting for other notifications after receiving a rejection is pretty brutal, huh? Ugh.

[Swagato]

No no no no no no no, do not do this. If you are just desperate want to get on the radar screen, drop an email to say hi or to send along something (an article, whatever) s/he might be interested in--IF you developed that kind of relationship during your correspondence. (That is, avoid just "saying hi" out of the blue.) Don't ask about your chances or status. It would be so tacky and would just put the prof in an uncomfortable position. 

 

I reached out to my MA advisor, who I have remained in fairly close contact with since graduation in 2011. They have consistently been extremely supportive and generous with their time and advice (despite me striking out completely in the previous round of PhD admissions), and I wrote to them recently. It was a very short, very polite note to the effect that, basically, if they are comfortable saying anything about my application, that would be very welcome. I debated over this for quite some time, and honestly, ended up writing simply because my revised application was guided extensively by this person, and I felt our relationship is at least adequate that they would not simply get annoyed at me. What do you think?

[Pranayama]

So if I haven't heard anything from Madison is it safe to say that it's a rejection, or there is still a semblance of hope? I can't tell if you all are pessimistic neurotics like me, or are way more graduate school saavy. Probably a yes to both.

[JeremiahParadise]

So if I haven't heard anything from Madison is it safe to say that it's a rejection, or there is still a semblance of hope? I can't tell if you all are pessimistic neurotics like me, or are way more graduate school saavy. Probably a yes to both.

I hadn't heard anything from them until I checked their website this morning. I know someone on here didn't have her site updated (which could mean waitlist, perhaps?), but most of us found out the bad news that way. Woof. Here's hoping you're in the same boat as her!

[Phil Sparrow]

On 2/6/2013 at 9:24 AM, Swagato said:

I reached out to my MA advisor, who I have remained in fairly close contact with since graduation in 2011. They have consistently been extremely supportive and generous with their time and advice (despite me striking out completely in the previous round of PhD admissions), and I wrote to them recently. It was a very short, very polite note to the effect that, basically, if they are comfortable saying anything about my application, that would be very welcome. I debated over this for quite some time, and honestly, ended up writing simply because my revised application was guided extensively by this person, and I felt our relationship is at least adequate that they would not simply get annoyed at me. What do you think?

 

Personally, I think emailing an advisor this question is probably just fine, especially if you have a good relationship with him or her. Asking for updates from folks you don't know as well or who have invested less energy into your academic development--not a good idea.

[Swagato]

Personally, I think emailing an advisor this question is probably just fine, especially if you have a good relationship with him or her. Asking for updates from folks you don't know as well or who have invested less energy into your academic development--not a good idea. 

Thanks, this is a relief. They are also a younger faculty member, and in general a very approachable person. This is evidently an issue that varies considerably depending on individual circumstances. 

[Pranayama]

I hadn't heard anything from them until I checked their website this morning. I know someone on here didn't have her site updated (which could mean waitlist, perhaps?), but most of us found out the bad news that way. Woof. Here's hoping you're in the same boat as her!

Thanks, JeremiahParadise. It seems my application is still pending, whatever that means.

[practical cat]

Thanks, JeremiahParadise. It seems my application is still pending, whatever that means.

I'm always really glad to know someone else is in the same "neither accepted nor rejected" boat.

At this point I'm at 0% confidence of ever hearing anything back from anyone at all.

[dazedandbemused]

I'm always really glad to know someone else is in the same "neither accepted nor rejected" boat.

At this point I'm at 0% confidence of ever hearing anything back from anyone at all.

 

Ditto. Nothing from Vanderbilt, nothing from Buffalo...just complete and utter radio silence.

[practical cat]

Ditto. Nothing from Vanderbilt, nothing from Buffalo...just complete and utter radio silence.

I'm assuming a rejection from Buffalo. Then again, I was/am also waiting for my rejection from Wisconsin so I don't even know anymore.

[dazedandbemused]

I'm assuming a rejection from Buffalo. Then again, I was/am also waiting for my rejection from Wisconsin so I don't even know anymore.

 

I'm still holding on to a tiny flame of Buffalo waitlist hope, but I'm 99% sure Vanderbilt ain't happening. From last year, it looks like they sent out a crap-ton of rejections, then their acceptances, then a crap-ton more rejections.

[Swagato]

I feel for you two. I've had one official rejection, one implicit (Northwestern does interviews for cinema studies and sends out the invites over a few days--one was posted yesterday and then just dead silence), and...nothing else. It's lovely to see so many people here get accepted, but goodness, I'd like some news, finally. Of the good variety, that is. 

 

Also, it was absolutely painful watching so many departments report for UChicago yesterday, while my department's completely silent. That, or they've notified already and the lucky ones are not on this forum.

[lisajay]

So, waiting for other notifications after receiving a rejection is pretty brutal, huh? Ugh.

 

little bit.

 

Just received an email from UW Madison to confirm what I read on the website this AM.

 

that is so not the business  :-/

[Pranayama]

I'm always really glad to know someone else is in the same "neither accepted nor rejected" boat.

At this point I'm at 0% confidence of ever hearing anything back from anyone at all.

 

Ah, liminality. Okay I think I need to go find a new hobby besides for checking GradCafe 100 times a day....

[t1racyjacks]

WHEE! rejection from alberta! now just waiting for everyone else