Rejected from 9 accepted to 1: Am I a Fraud?

[anon2001]

So, I feel like a tool for even posting this so go easy on me! Are multiple acceptances a good gauge of how prepared/ well off a person is to go into their PhD. I have gotten 1 acceptance at a big state U, but that is it. I'm grateful and excited but now I'm REALLY nervous!

Maybe the other schools are on to something?!

I know there are lots of reasons for rejections (no funding, fit, faculty, test scores, who you know) but I can't help but think I'm going to fail.

Are other people feeling this way too? Or, am I some kind of mutant perfectionist?

[TripWillis]

Look at it this way: if you were accepted at one, I'm willing to bet you were in the running at the other 9. You probably would've gotten a bunch of bronze medals and fourth place ribbons if they gave 'em out. Does that help?

[psychgurl]

I only got accepted to one...maybe I'm naive, but I think everyone gets nervous before starting any new school. I'm sure you're fine...you're there to learn what you need to know. If you already knew everything you wouldn't need to go!

[TripWillis]

Also, my current grad deputy went 1-9 and... well, he's the grad deputy and is publishing his second book through Columbia UP this year.

[cinemaniac7147]

I feel the same way! I applied to 7, and only got into 1 and am waitlisted for funding at the 1! A part of me is thinking I should just work for a year or two, work on beefing up my CV and raising my test scores, and try applying again. It is just so expensive to apply!

I do consider myself a perfectionist. I got 5 rejections in a row before I got my 1 acceptance, so I felt pretty terrible. Just know you aren't alone in thinking like that!

Now I am determined to get a perfect GRE score to be sure I get accepted where I want and get the funding I need!

[aberrant]

I got 1 out of 20 so far.

Don't trip.

ps. I'm a science major for science program tho. So I may not feel the same way for I don't know how competitive your interested program is.

Edited March 14, 2012 by aberrant

[Rupert Pupkin]

I'm in a similar position. I was rejected from 10 phd programs prior to receiving my first phd acceptance. I also received a couple MA acceptances. My transcript was so poor that I don't particularly feel dejected by my rejections; I had no business getting into any of the PhD programs I applied to (all in the top 30). I definitely feel like I barely snuck in, but I don't feel like a fraud. My flaws were apparent on my apps, but one school decided to overlook them. I feel lucky more than anything.

As long as you didn't grossly misrepresent yourself in your app, I wouldn't feel like a fraud. There's a reason you were accepted.

[lyonessrampant]

Absolutely don't feel bad. I think by reading the forums you can tell how arbitrary much of this process is, particularly given how many people are applying and how few spots there are. So many factors that are entirely out of your control affect whether you get admitted or not. Programs don't mess up. If they've admitted you, they want you, and they see a place for you in their department. Maybe your interests didn't coincide as well as you thought with the other programs you applied to. Maybe the profs you thought you wanted to work with are leaving or doing totally different new research now. You can't know these things. Maybe you were edged out by someone who seemed 100% perfect for a given prof's interests whereas you were 95%. Focusing on the negative is normal, but try to focus on the positive. An acceptance means you will be at grad school. It is impossible, I think, not to read every acceptance as a validation of yourself, your intelligence, and every rejection as a negation affecting your sense of self-worth. However, that's not true. All applicants internalize this process, but decisions ultimately do not judge you or your intelligence or potential or any of that. No program can really tell that about you. You can tell that about you and take what you know about yourself, talents, and skills into the program that has accepted you and shine. Believe in yourself. . it's a self-fulfilling prophecy

[jywayne]

I'm not excited about how it's turned out for me either. Just accepted to WVU, my safety school, with UVA, Purdue, and Ole Miss still in the running but unlikely. But, at least we got in somewhere and are not shut out; I'm glad for at least that. We don't have anything to complain about when our other capable colleagues might not be getting in anywhere.

[effess]

I was also flat-out rejected from the majority of the schools I applied to (6/8), but the one that I did get into (besides my current MA school) was my absolute reach, wasn't-even-going-to-apply-there school. Thank god there was an interview, or I'd be feeling like a complete fraud. I think we just have to accept that this whole process has been at least 75% nonsensical.

[emmm]

Another here who just got into one and loving it. I was prepared for no acceptances -- it's just that competitive and if you're not perfect . . . . So, NO, you are NOT a fraud. Go and learn and make the most of this opportunity! You EARNED it!

[Stately Plump]

Some people, who I'm sure are overly qualified, didn't get in anywhere. When your odds are 12-16/300, it is basically luck. Not to take away from what some of us have accomplished getting in, but in reality, it's more luck than anything else.

Now I am determined to get a perfect GRE score to be sure I get accepted where I want and get the funding I need!

I hope this doesn't hurt your feelings, but I wouldn't count on perfect GRE scores to get in and get funded. Schools glance at GRE scores, and after that, basically never pay attention to them again. I would focus on other things--writing sample, statement of purpose, CV, etc.--before I worried about GRE scores. I know several people who have gotten in at top programs without having top GREs. Most school realize that, in the final analysis, GREs are just about the worst predictors of the ability to do graduate level work of all the aspects of the application.

Still, better to have 'em high than low

[Imogene]

I don't want to repeat what the consensus is here about this, but I did want to add another perspective (that I've been repeating to myself a lot so that I don't get too depressed about *only* getting two waitlists, no accepts):

There are people (on this very forum, even!) who were accepted to, like, Harvard, and then rejected by multiple other schools.

This just goes to show that a rejection doesn't mean you're "not good enough." ESPECIALLY if you *were* accepted somewhere, it should be reassurance that not only do your transcript and scores meet minimum requirements (because this is all they're for), but that your research proposal and writing sample indicate interests and approach that the faculty can support and, here's the kicker: that there's something there that stood out from the other 300+ applications as an idea and style the faculty really wanted to work with.

[lolopixie]

All you need is one. You're good enough.

[crystalleem]

I've been rejected to 9, accepted to 1 (with a wait list for funding), and waitlisted at another all together. At this point, I'm going nowhere in the Fall (due to lack of funding), so be happy with your acceptance! I'm mentally preparing for Round 2.

[Venti White Choc. Mocha]

If you include this year and last year, I've been rejected by 14 schools, accepted to one, and wait-listed to another. You are spectacular anon. You've beat hundreds of dedicated people out for your slot, don't forget that.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

Or, am I some kind of mutant perfectionist?

I think we're all mutant perfectionists here--goes with the territory.

[anon2001]

Thanks for all the kind words! I have been seeing multiple acceptances on the boards (and in my current MA department) and was begining to get nervous! I know that many apply and I AM so grateful but I can help but questions myself. This might be because I applied to 10 2 years ago and was rejected from all--yikes!

I know it's not the end but it's helpful to know there are others like me.

[rmgerdes]

I like this thread just because I'm seeing other people who have only (ha!) one acceptance. I thought I was the only one!

I applied last year and didn't get in at all, but I know that I'm qualified and that I'll do well once in a program. This year I applied to 10 schools and got five rejections in a row before my one, beautiful, acceptance. I'm still waiting on four more--but one is all it takes!

Also, I heard from admissions guru-type person that I really trust that History and English PhDs are some of the hardest programs to get into, just because there are so many applicants.

[wintergirl]

I've also been having serious doubt/self-worth issues after 10 (11 implied! \O/) rejections and one lonely admit. Then today one of those rejections turned into an admit.

Which leads me to conclude that it's just weird, that "fit" thing: both programs that accepted me were ones I crossed off my list as soon as I submitted because I didn't get the right "vibe" about it. Of course, all the schools I did have the right "vibe" with rejected me flat out, so...

[ahembree]

I've also been having serious doubt/self-worth issues after 10 (11 implied! \O/) rejections and one lonely admit. Then today one of those rejections turned into an admit.

Am I reading this correctly? Were you outright rejected and then they changed their minds? Or was this the implicit rejection that turned out to be an acceptance? Either way, that's awesome.

[TripWillis]

Am I reading this correctly? Were you outright rejected and then they changed their minds? Or was this the implicit rejection that turned out to be an acceptance? Either way, that's awesome.

I think bespeckled got an acceptance call from Oregon after the website listed him as "rejected." Pretty hilarious.

I'm also assuming that this is probably what's going to happen with Davis, Tufts, BU, Maryland, Yale, and Harvard for me. Right?

Edited March 16, 2012 by TripWillis

[ahembree]

Obviously. That just became my plan of action as well. Working on my gracious email responses now.

[jma310]

I have a professor who went to Duke after she was originally outright rejected and they then changed their mind when their original acceptee for her field declined.