0% Confidence of Acceptance

[lisajay]

 I know why I applied and I know what I really want to work on. Just I won't get to work on it.

 

i know how hard it can be not to get discouraged, particularly after receiving a rejection, but what you've said right there is patently untrue. if your primary goal is to become a university professor, then yes, not getting in to a phd program this application cycle does present you with an obstacle to getting to work on that goal. that being said, there are MA programs with rolling deadlines, and with an MA you can teach at the community college level and even lecture at many universities. if, on the other hand, your primary goal is to engage in rigorous scholarship, you don't actually *need* acceptance into a phd program to do that. yes, it makes it easier in terms of funding/time/external support, that whole room-of-one's-own sort of a thing, but if you're truly passionate about your work, you can certainly make a go of it as an independent scholar. keep working, keep writing, keep (or start) presenting, network at conferences, & kick/scratch/claw your way to where you want to be.

 

anyway, just my $0.02, but i hope it helps boost your mood &/or put things in a different perspective. pep talk // real talk.

[thebeatgoeson]

i know how hard it can be not to get discouraged, particularly after receiving a rejection, but what you've said right there is patently untrue. if your primary goal is to become a university professor, then yes, not getting in to a phd program this application cycle does present you with an obstacle to getting to work on that goal. that being said, there are MA programs with rolling deadlines, and with an MA you can teach at the community college level and even lecture at many universities. if, on the other hand, your primary goal is to engage in rigorous scholarship, you don't actually *need* acceptance into a phd program to do that. yes, it makes it easier in terms of funding/time/external support, that whole room-of-one's-own sort of a thing, but if you're truly passionate about your work, you can certainly make a go of it as an independent scholar. keep working, keep writing, keep (or start) presenting, network at conferences, & kick/scratch/claw your way to where you want to be.

 

anyway, just my $0.02, but i hope it helps boost your mood &/or put things in a different perspective. pep talk // real talk.

 

All of this, a million times.  Last cycle (2 years ago), I got rejected from every PhD program I applied to.  I resolved to go into my current master's program despite knowing the difficulties (financial and emotional) that come with re-applying.  I didn't come in with a lot of confidence in the program, but I have been astounded by my professors' and colleagues' knowledge and generosity again and again.  Two years ago, my work could not have adequately pointed me toward a 6 year comittment at a PhD program.  This time, I have a much better idea of what I'm signing up for, what I want to study, and where I want to study it.  Hang in there and keep an open mind, even if you don't get what you think you need, you may fall victim to a happy accident that sends you to an even better place.  pep talk // real talk, indeed.

[nhswrestle]

i know how hard it can be not to get discouraged, particularly after receiving a rejection, but what you've said right there is patently untrue. if your primary goal is to become a university professor, then yes, not getting in to a phd program this application cycle does present you with an obstacle to getting to work on that goal. that being said, there are MA programs with rolling deadlines, and with an MA you can teach at the community college level and even lecture at many universities. if, on the other hand, your primary goal is to engage in rigorous scholarship, you don't actually *need* acceptance into a phd program to do that. yes, it makes it easier in terms of funding/time/external support, that whole room-of-one's-own sort of a thing, but if you're truly passionate about your work, you can certainly make a go of it as an independent scholar. keep working, keep writing, keep (or start) presenting, network at conferences, & kick/scratch/claw your way to where you want to be.

 

anyway, just my $0.02, but i hope it helps boost your mood &/or put things in a different perspective. pep talk // real talk.

 

x2. I was shut out last year. Regardless, this year I will be presenting at three academic conferences, two on a topic related to my proposed area of graduate research. I've also been reading, writing, brainstorming ideas for conference papers/journal articles, networking, etc. Not only has this allowed me to stay active in academia despite no longer being a student, it has allowed me to revamp my CV and gain a better understanding of my research area. It has also, hopefully, made me a more attractive candidate for graduate study.

[asleepawake]

Yes, everyone: please don't discount the possibility of an MA if you don't already have one and you don't get in this year. Mine has been wonderful and is certainly responsible for my success so far this application season. There are great faculty members everywhere, and a lot of MA programs offer some funding. Your PhD applications will be much stronger after an MA because you will be that much more focused and educated. You'll know your stuff better, even if you know it quite well now. An MA can lead to a teaching job, as others have said, or it can lead you back to another applications. 

 

Independent scholarship for a year or for forever isn't a bad option, either.

Edited February 7, 2013 by asleepawake

[Swagato]

x2. I was shut out last year. Regardless, this year I will be presenting at three academic conferences, two on a topic related to my proposed area of graduate research. I've also been reading, writing, brainstorming ideas for conference papers/journal articles, networking, etc. Not only has this allowed me to stay active in academia despite no longer being a student, it has allowed me to revamp my CV and gain a better understanding of my research area. It has also, hopefully, made me a more attractive candidate for graduate study.

 

This is my #1 goal if I do have to prepare for another round next year. Over the past year--since it was just one year--I didn't get any conference presentations or publications done. Now, however, I actually have two fairly strong articles that can quickly be revised for journals or, at least, conferences. The PCA/ACA canceled a panel I had submitted to due to lack of papers, so that went up in smoke. But yeah, I'll be making publishing or presenting a massive priority if the need arises for another attempt. 

[collikl]

Ditto what everyone is saying right now.

 

I applied straight out of undergrad and got shut out with my PhD apps, but I did get accepted at MA programs. I had an amazing experience during my MA. I learned so much and got so many opportunities to grow as an academic---presenting at a national conference, teaching a college course, helping work on 2 academic books with scholars in my field. My application is 1,000,000 times stronger having gotten that experience. [And I met my partner there! He's presently getting his PhD in English Llt, that bastard. ]

 

While writing my thesis, I wanted to apply but didn't really have the time, so I applied to four schools. I got waitlisted at two, including my dream school. Sadly, I didn't get off those waitlists which is why I am applying this year again.

 

BUT, I keep reminding myself that this process is just hard, and its results are random. If it doesn't work out this year, I have a MA from a well respected school. This year as I applied, I have been working on conference abstracts, doing research for a professor's academic book, and I have an article being considered for  publication (revise and resubmit-- cross your fingers it makes the cut after revision and gets accepted!). 

 

It's good to remember, when wallowing and convinced that I won't get in anywhere, that there are options.

[practical cat]

Man, today has been dead! I was led to believe that the whole eastern seaboard would have reported by now. Someone needs to be held accountable!

Um, yeah. About that...

[BrookeSnow]

Yes, everyone: please don't discount the possibility of an MA if you don't already have one and you don't get in this year. Mine has been wonderful and is certainly responsible for my success so far this application season. There are great faculty members everywhere, and a lot of MA programs offer some funding. Your PhD applications will be much stronger after an MA because you will be that much more focused and educated. You'll know your stuff better, even if you know it quite well now. An MA can lead to a teaching job, as others have said, or it can lead you back to another applications. 

 

Independent scholarship for a year or for forever isn't a bad option, either.

This sums up the half of the reason I'm applying just to M.A. programs at the moment.

[Two Espressos]

I kinda wish I just applied to M.A. programs this season.  That's my plan of action if I'm shut out this time, though I'll probably apply to a mix of English and philosophy programs.  And if that fails, I'll just try the independent scholarship route.  I still want to read, write, present, etc. on the topics that interest me, irrespective of whether or not working in academia becomes my career.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Two Espressos

[slvitale]

On another note: who's gearing up to take the GRE subject exam in April?

[cbttcher]

The PCA/ACA canceled a panel I had submitted to due to lack of papers, so that went up in smoke.

 

The ACLA cancelled my panel... And my paper was too specific for any of the other panels... I was the only one who actually wanted to go to a conference in my MA program and now I'm one of the few who isn't going... :| But it's fine. There are other conferences.

[skybythelight]

There's another Penn State interview up on the board... and silence on my end. I'm definitely somewhere below 0% confidence at this point.

[jazzyd]

Phone has been silent all day. Oh Berkeley how I so wanted you.

[practical cat]

Phone has been silent all day. Oh Berkeley how I so wanted you.

It's only 130 in California. That statement makes me want to weep but there it is.

Also: Wisconsin, where's my rejection?

[Pranayama]

this wait is killing me. i am thoroughly pessimistic, but then occasionally i find myself harboring these overly optimistic delusions of imminent grandeur and success, and then i plummet back down to reality again...

[OctaviaButlerfan]

I just want to hear SOMETHING.. I know my odds aren't good.

[Two Espressos]

Also: Wisconsin, where's my rejection?

 

Yes, this is curious, isn't it?  I'm assuming, as DontHate suggested earlier, that it's a rejection, but a part of me is still holding out for it signifying being possibly waitlisted.

[OctaviaButlerfan]

On another note: who's gearing up to take the GRE subject exam in April?

I am.

[t1racyjacks]

Phone has been silent all day. Oh Berkeley how I so wanted you.

my commiserations. I'm suffering for all of us -- and even worse -- for my POI there -- who actually sounds like he's as nervous and miserable as any of us which kinda makes me feel worse. he shouldn't be feeling bad on my behalf

[practical cat]

Yes, this is curious, isn't it?  I'm assuming, as DontHate suggested earlier, that it's a rejection, but a part of me is still holding out for it signifying being possibly waitlisted.

I honestly think it's the wait list coming but. Eh. I'm not optimistic about funding for those coming off of their wait list.

[dazedandbemused]

It's so strange that Austin is sending out so many rejections first, but it's made me super jumpy. All day, every time my phone sent me an email notification my heart jumped into my chest in fear that it was a rejection. It was, of course nothing of importance.

[InHacSpeVivo]

On another note: who's gearing up to take the GRE subject exam in April?

 

This is probably horrible of me, but I automatically eliminated any program that required the subject test. It's the devil. Fortunately, there were a surprising number of programs that would be a good match, so having this as an auto-eliminator was pretty helpful. Though, yes, I realize it's awful of me.

[thebeatgoeson]

This is probably horrible of me, but I automatically eliminated any program that required the subject test. It's the devil. Fortunately, there were a surprising number of programs that would be a good match, so having this as an auto-eliminator was pretty helpful. Though, yes, I realize it's awful of me.

 

Shame on you! (I did exactly the same thing.)

[KeelyMK]

This is probably horrible of me, but I automatically eliminated any program that required the subject test. It's the devil. Fortunately, there were a surprising number of programs that would be a good match, so having this as an auto-eliminator was pretty helpful. Though, yes, I realize it's awful of me.

I crossed many programs off my list to apply to for the same reason, but now I'm realizing that was a mistake. I did HORRIFICALLY on the subject - something like 37th percentile. I failed it with flying colors. I knew that it was going to be a ridiculously abberant portion of my application so I made sure to strengthen the rest of the profile and take a shot. I'm glad that I did because I'm 2 for 2 so far. Anybody (in the future) who is thinking of ruling out programs because of any single requirement shouldn't do his or herself that disservice. It really is the whole package that counts!

[Imogene]

I kinda wish I just applied to M.A. programs this season.  That's my plan of action if I'm shut out this time, though I'll probably apply to a mix of English and philosophy programs.  And if that fails, I'll just try the independent scholarship route.  I still want to read, write, present, etc. on the topics that interest me, irrespective of whether or not working in academia becomes my career.

 

yes, that is a good plan -- I'd suggest mix of MA and PhD, in addition to the mix of English and philosophy.  I'd love to be able to pursue independent scholarship, but got to pay bills.  I've been out of academia for a few years now and thought that I'd be able to do both, but that bohemian vision is not so easy to achieve. sigh. 

 

but also: don't give up hope yet for this cycle!