Just looking for calming words and advice...

[nl03]

I fully realize there is almost nothing I can do but wait, but like many others, I'm just freaking out

I have gotten accepted to three programs total for education related PhD or EdD, rejected by a very prestigious one

the one I really want is pretty prestigious, but they don't seem very good about responding to questions through email

I got an email from the head professor of the program I want to join, and she told me that the faculty made a recommendation for my admission and that one of the professors wants to be my first year advisor, but that the Grad school and School of Education must make the approval. That will take a few weeks. That was a little more than three weeks ago.

I have exchanged several more emails with this professor and talked on the phone with her once as well to talk about funding options, and she repeated that the program really wants me.

The deadline for the application was two weeks ago, and someone in the grad admissions office I called said that it should take 2-3 weeks after the deadline to know the results. When I told her that I had talked to a professor and was accepted by the faculty, she looked up my name but didn't find anything about me

I contacted the professor through email last friday and asked about the admission notification and when it should arrive, she said she would follow up with someone on her end on Monday, but never got back to me

I guess logically I already know that this is not a full acceptance and I can't be certain I am in until I get the notification. And that it is a very good sign and probably rarely ever happens that the program and faculty accept you but then you are vetoed higher than them. Actually, that is what the professor and grad admissions lady told me as well.

But the emotional side of me is still freaking out. I took the GRE twice and the first time three years ago was a bad score, i didn't study at all, but this last time I did phenomenally. I'm just finding all these ways that I could have cost myself admission

Any words of advice or comfort would be nice. thanks

[mirandaw]

It sounds very promising! We all second guess ourselves during the wait. It's very emotionally taxing, especially when we're told a specific timeframe and then that doesn't hold true. It sounds like you have all the support you could possibly ask for from the department. Take a few deep breaths and treat yourself to something indulgent.

[ccarmona]

I agree with mirandaw; its just part of the process. Your verbal acceptance should be enough to calm some nerves. But when you play the communication game with admissions and professors even they themselves are not the best communicators. Given the amount of emails, work, and patience these people have your probably shooting messages that will end up unanswered. Don't wreck your admission by growing frustrated with them; I hope you don't get the urge to give em a piece of your mind out of frustration. Give it time, and good luck!

[nl03]

Thanks for the advice guys! It really helps to communicate with people that know what I'm talking about, i'm the only one of my friends going through this process

I think I won't contact anyone until the time period passes that I should hear from them

I think in my mind i'm just searching for 100% acceptance, which I know will not come until it comes

It would just suck to be let down after coming so close

I definitely won't lose my temper with this. The closest I came to saying something wrong was when I called the grad admissions lady and when she couldn't find my name on anything, I asked, "You can't find MY name or no one's name has been submitted?" She kind of gave a little surprised sound, i guess at the fact I was being so forward, but then said no one's name has been submitted. I think less person to person contact is best right now, because I feel really desperate and nervous about it

Thanks for the advice guys