Wait listing is NOT the end!

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Impending--congrats, that's so exciting!!!

Aeplo--I think your question might hing a great deal on your subfield. Which school has a better program for your area? Can you look at where people in your subfield have been placed from each school recently?

[Enzian]

And let him/her know about your MA program deadline! I communicated with my schools about my early deadline for ASU, and I just received an offer from Penn State accommodating that deadline.

Congrats, impending! I will surely do so.

Enzian, congratulations! I mean, that is obviously a problem, but a good problem to have. If you don't mind my asking, which PhD program?

Thanks, pelevinfan! Yeah, I was ready to be done with selection problems but it's still exciting. And I don't mind you asking: Duke Lit.

[pelevinfan]

Congrats, impending! I will surely do so.

Thanks, pelevinfan! Yeah, I was ready to be done with selection problems but it's still exciting. And I don't mind you asking: Duke Lit.

Ooh wow, that is so amazing! Congratulations!! I can see why it would be a definite dilemma to choose between the two - and that isn't even accounting for the whole waitlist/early notification date dilemma. FWIW, I don't know what on earth you're planning to do with your degree, but I've heard a lot more in the field about IU than about Duke. But, I'm only an undergrad, so I don't know all that much.

[Enzian]

Ooh wow, that is so amazing! Congratulations!! I can see why it would be a definite dilemma to choose between the two - and that isn't even accounting for the whole waitlist/early notification date dilemma. FWIW, I don't know what on earth you're planning to do with your degree, but I've heard a lot more in the field about IU than about Duke. But, I'm only an undergrad, so I don't know all that much.

Yeah....короче, it's complicated and too much to get into here. But I haven't been offered funding at IU. The MA program is somewhere else! Mystery! Intrigue! (Okay, it's UNC, which is just too great not to share.)

And thanks!

[takethiswaltz]

Just declined an offer to USC's English Lit. program. Good luck to anyone on anyone on the waitlist (if there's a such thing)!

[wikichic]

And so, my fellow wait listers- we are within one month of knowing our fate. The plot thickens.

Edited March 15, 2012 by wikichic

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

And so, my fellow wait listers- we are within one month of knowing our fate. The plot thickens.

Haha, I'm glad I'm not the only one who got this up this morning and went "It's the 15th..."

I am filled with equal parts dread and relief.

[anxious_aspirant]

"The Ides of April"...?

[wikichic]

I've never looked forward to tax day so much, lol. Come on already, April!

[coffeeplease]

I want to say something about the "cruelest month," but the last few months have been pretty brutal, so I don't want to tempt fate/overuse Eliot.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I have had many shameful moments of despair, frustration, and failure these pasts few months, but I think I'm mostly in the "resigned boredom/anxiety" stage of waitlisting... I just want to know one way or the other at this point so I can move on.

[anxious_aspirant]

I just got an email from Banana Republic with "An appointment you won't want to miss" in the subject line. Warning: don't read the subject lines of your emails first. I saw the word "appointment" and almost died on the spot.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Yep, that's how I've been functioning too. My friend was over the other day, and she started a sentence with "Thunderpaws, I've got some bad news for you..." and seriously, I thought she was rejecting me off the waitlist for a moment!

[GuateAmfeminist]

I know that I am in a weird spot now - I just got accepted to UT-San Antonio's PhD program (which is a great fit but I really haven't heard much about it reputation-wise) and it looks like funding is going to be good. However, I just LOVE the idea of getting off of the waitlist at UT-Austin. Their English department's E3W program is the only major school I've seen with such a program - and of course, the ranking and prestige is higher. Of course, what if they don't tell me until April 15th or later?? Ugh. Too much stress.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I know that I am in a weird spot now - I just got accepted to UT-San Antonio's PhD program (which is a great fit but I really haven't heard much about it reputation-wise) and it looks like funding is going to be good. However, I just LOVE the idea of getting off of the waitlist at UT-Austin. Their English department's E3W program is the only major school I've seen with such a program - and of course, the ranking and prestige is higher. Of course, what if they don't tell me until April 15th or later?? Ugh. Too much stress.

That's amazing news, congratulations! I think if you like UTA more, you might as well bind your time on the waitlist still and see where things go. Unless someone has some sort of exceptional circumstance, I'm sure they except their first round admits to let them know by the 15th, and I imagine April 15th is the deadline at San Antonio as well. Things might be a little crazy and stressful the closer it gets to the 15th, but it sounds like you've got a solid offer even if UTA doesn't work out, so you win either way!

[GuateAmfeminist]

Yeah, I'll definitely wait - I hope at the end of this that you and I get to meet at UTA though!

[takethiswaltz]

Just declined an offer from Davis. This one hurt a lot more than the rest. Good luck to those on the waitlist for this wonderful program...

Edited March 17, 2012 by takethiswaltz

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Yeah, I'll definitely wait - I hope at the end of this that you and I get to meet at UTA though!

I do too

Thanks for letting us know, takethiswaltz!

[lolopixie]

So I am now on the waitlist train, officially. I've been waitlisted at LSU, and I presume I am on some sort of waitlist at Purdue. My anxiety level has now gone into overdrive!

[Timshel]

Coincidental timing. I just contacted the DGS at UCR yesterday about visiting and meeting with some people. Very nice and helpful.

Have you decided on where you're going rubyrunner?

Have you visited UCR yet? I'm not going to be able to make it, as I am on the east coast and the timing and trek are too much. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts...

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

So I am now on the waitlist train, officially. I've been waitlisted at LSU, and I presume I am on some sort of waitlist at Purdue. My anxiety level has now gone into overdrive!

So happy for you Lolo! If you're stressed, this is the place to be... At least we have less than a month now. I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm pretty sure I'll never be the same again after waiting this long, even if it does work out in the end.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Fiona Thunderpaws

[lolopixie]

As everyone knows already, this is my 2nd year applying. Last year I was straight rejected across the board from 10 schools. I feel like I have at least improved my applications from last year because I have made it to the waitlist this year. I just really hope it works. It is kinda sad that the best news I have had in 2 years regarding the application process is a waitlist from LSU. I presume I am on the waitlist at Purdue because I have not heard anything yet and they have sent out several rounds of acceptances and several rounds of rejections. They don't have an official waitlist, so I can just hope they are still considering me and didn't forget about me. I've emailed both schools to see where I am in the consideration/waitlist process, but I have not heard back. It is hard for me to call the schools because I don't have much time at work during the day and my employer has no idea I am applying to programs. I just got a promotion at work, so I don't want to let people know what I am doing. Going to a PhD program is my dream and I have worked really hard for it, but after the rejections last year, I started working really hard at my job so I could have a realistic back-up plan. I don't want my back-up plan to be my life, and I am trying to come to terms with the fact that it might happen. At least I am making a decent salary now. Probably what I would be making as a 1st year professor. It is just really hard sometimes to know that your dreams may not become a reality, no matter how hard you work for them.

The anxiety of waitlisting is worse for me than the rejections. I feel like they are telling me I am good enough, but they like someone else better than me. Which really is what they are saying. All I can do is hope that the "hot girl" turns down the dream boat and I get my shot at showing them that, although I am the 2nd choice, I am the right choice. It is just depressing to know that I may not be able to do what I have spent so much time, money, and tears on. I really don't know if I can put myself through this a third time.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

It is just really hard sometimes to know that your dreams may not become a reality, no matter how hard you work for them.

I'm really starting to see the truth of this after bearing witness to all the other application experiences here. When I decided to apply to programs, I knew it would be competitive, but honestly, I'm beginning to think chance might be the biggest deciding factor in applications. Of course good grades, test scores, LORs, and writing samples matter... But I'm willing to bet there's only a small minority of applications who seriously lack in any of those areas. While I've worked hard for this, and I think I could make it in the field if given the opportunity, I'm considering not applying next year if I'm shut out because I feel like I'm gambling with my future. If I believed working really f***ing hard at this would bring me success eventually, I would keep reapplying. But I'm not entirely certain that's how it works. Couple that with the dubious futures of humanities PhDs in general, and I'm at a loss... I truly admire the abilities of people here who have applied multiple times, I really do, because I just don't know if I can justify it again personally...

[Germaine123]

I applied three times, and received my first real acceptance this year after being shut out in previous years. Obviously it depends on the individual and what other interests and opportunities one may have. I simply couldn't (and can't) envision another career path for myself. I, also, am somewhat of an insane optimist so it was pretty easy to "bounce back" quickly after being rejected across the board twice. If I had been shut out again, I probably would have applied again this year. Meanwhile, I realized this time around that, despite my acceptance (only one, so far – either way, I am grateful), my application could have been clearer, better, more strongly situated in the current realm of academia. I could have contacted professors ahead of time (which I did not do). I could have improved my GRE scores. I could have submitted a better writing sample. So, essentially – I do think this process is a crap shoot. I could have been better. I'm certain that my application kept improving over the years, but, I could have easily been shut out again this year. But, regardless, I kept applying. I can't speak to anyone else's goals or life circumstances or whatever. But for me – it was worth it.

Anyway, I'm rooting for all of you. This is not meant to be "inspiration," per say – it's just my reality.

[anxious_aspirant]

As everyone knows already, this is my 2nd year applying. Last year I was straight rejected across the board from 10 schools. I feel like I have at least improved my applications from last year because I have made it to the waitlist this year. I just really hope it works. It is kinda sad that the best news I have had in 2 years regarding the application process is a waitlist from LSU. I presume I am on the waitlist at Purdue because I have not heard anything yet and they have sent out several rounds of acceptances and several rounds of rejections. They don't have an official waitlist, so I can just hope they are still considering me and didn't forget about me. I've emailed both schools to see where I am in the consideration/waitlist process, but I have not heard back. It is hard for me to call the schools because I don't have much time at work during the day and my employer has no idea I am applying to programs. I just got a promotion at work, so I don't want to let people know what I am doing. Going to a PhD program is my dream and I have worked really hard for it, but after the rejections last year, I started working really hard at my job so I could have a realistic back-up plan. I don't want my back-up plan to be my life, and I am trying to come to terms with the fact that it might happen. At least I am making a decent salary now. Probably what I would be making as a 1st year professor. It is just really hard sometimes to know that your dreams may not become a reality, no matter how hard you work for them.

The anxiety of waitlisting is worse for me than the rejections. I feel like they are telling me I am good enough, but they like someone else better than me. Which really is what they are saying. All I can do is hope that the "hot girl" turns down the dream boat and I get my shot at showing them that, although I am the 2nd choice, I am the right choice. It is just depressing to know that I may not be able to do what I have spent so much time, money, and tears on. I really don't know if I can put myself through this a third time.

I think I'm getting more pessimistic as time wears on. I had a burst of positivity after receiving another very kind response from the DGS at my wait list school, but the waiting is pretty grueling...and I think that knowing I was "so close" this year without making it kind of makes it feel worse. To echo Germaine, I too can't imagine myself in another profession, and both giving up and failing seem like terrible options. Also that I will have to reapply in for fall 2014 rather than 13, because I'll be doing a 1-year MA. That means going back to high school teaching for a year...which is kind of heartbreaking. I love teaching in principle, but the nonstop work, hours of it every night, lack of any other life - it's a lot to do when I'm not advancing myself in any way, have no venue in which to do any writing or research, etc.

I'm preparing for the worst-case scenario. I'm putting in for leave at my job, with my return scheduled for the next year. I'll do the MA, get a nice pay boost on my return (though no time of my own in which to spend the money or go out with friends, of course), reapply, and have something like 10 to 1 odds that I'll be able to start my "real" career (albeit wayyy later in life than I had planned). And, wow, that sounds awful.

Anyone just wish they had some other option? Like you're overeducated in the worst possible way, because being able to thoughtfully analyze text gets you just about zilch in the job market? (I once asked my students what they'd do if they never had to worry about money, and right away, a kid bursts out with "Be a great thinker!" And I was all like, yeah. Join the club, sir.)