Jump to content

no acceptances for me ... yet ... still waiting


portugabel

Recommended Posts

Just Wanted to share with you !

I have applied to some business schools for a PhD in OB/HR.

Until now, I have been rejected at Vanderbilt, UNC and Washington University in St. Louis... hope to get at least admitted in one... still a few decisions to come: Texas, TAMU, Florida, Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin,...

Just to give my impression(s) on a few comments I have seen:

- yes the waiting (and getting denied) is killing me !

- yes the crisis is hitting the business schools (have been told by most universities I applied to)

- yes I am looking forward to being accepted in at least one

- no I do not have a back-up plan

- last but not least... I am crossing my fingers so hard that I believe they will be broken in the end

- HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SITTING ON MULTIPLE ACCEPTANCES AND TAKING ONE OF MY POSSIBLE SPOTS ??

Good luck to everyone in this very difficult moment... the WAITING part !

Portugabel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't heard more than a peep so I understand the pain you're going through. But my departments aren't hit as badly with people trying to "weather through the recession" and we historically didn't have as much cash to play with so it's marginally worse at this point (for Anthro and Historic Preservation folk).

However, with lots of pessimism, I'm in the same boat. Hoping and praying... Just take deep breaths, drink, and avoid researching graduate acceptance results.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

- HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SITTING ON MULTIPLE ACCEPTANCES AND TAKING ONE OF MY POSSIBLE SPOTS ??

Can we really stop this? This just isn't how it works at most schools. The people with multiple accepts should feel free to take the time they need to make a good decision. (I don't by the way. I'm waiting on schools where some people have been accepted too, just calm down and if there's a spot for you they'll let you know.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The people with multiple accepts should feel free to take the time they need to make a good decision.

Thats true to an extent, on another site I frequent theres a post put up by an admissions prof making a plea for people who've been accepted to somewhere or wheres they know they want to go to withdraw or turn down other apps/offers. I mean obviously they shouldn't rush a decision, they should weigh their pros/cons etc. But if someones accepted to 7 places and they know for sure they're not going to 4 of them then they should let the departments know right away so as to free up a spot for someone else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No acceptances here either, and I'm really starting to flip a lid. The two I've heard from were the programs I actually thought I'd get into, so a rejection from one and a waitlist in the other--I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty bleak about my chances now. Of the remaining three, two were my "reach" schools, and the other was somewhere in the middle. Only time will tell, but I'm hoping I'll at least make it through the one waitlist into actual acceptance. I feel your anxiety, OP.

Of course, as people have said, it's also not fair to expect someone to make a rash decision simply because they've actually been accepted. If I were in that position, I'd want to make sure I was dotting my i's before I jumped into a 5 year program--though I would certainly try to do so early enough to notify the programs I wouldn't be attending. Competition is red hot, and I'm starting to feel scorched.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The people with multiple accepts should feel free to take the time they need to make a good decision.

Amen! If profs or admissions committees don't like accepted students taking their time until their April 15 deadline, maybe ad coms should get it together and add some structure to the process; make an honest to goodness wave one and wave two so that EVERYONE doesn't have to wait around indefinitely.

I too haven't heard anything definite from 7 schools. Many rejections have gone out from these schools and I haven't got one. I don't have an acceptance either. (I sort of fear I'll get offered alot of unfunded MAs around April 15).

on another site I frequent theres a post put up by an admissions prof making a plea for people who've been accepted to somewhere or wheres they know they want to go to withdraw or turn down other apps/offers
.

But even in my condition of total limbo and my desire to hear some news, I can't put any blame on students who have turned in strong applications and are trying to figure out the mess of different offers, different faculties, personal concerns, etc. or feel sorry for ad coms that perpetuate this chaotic system. They are the ones who post no information on the positions they want to fill, make everyone take a very costly shot in the dark on 10 or more programs and finally, have extended offers to candidates on some supposedly unique criteria which they claim can't really be defined (though it somehow causes 10 independant committees to pick the exact same person) and now, because they've all chosen the same traditionally strong candidate who they claim doesn't really exist, 9 of them will have to wait around for a month to be turned down. Sucks to be you ad com professor...but not as much as it sucks to be us :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I'm pretty fed up too. Maybe it's because I am fortunate enough to already be established in my plan B/C career, but this whole experience is starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth and part of me wonders if it is just a glimpse of the silliness and uncertainty to come should I embark on an academic career. Maybe those of us left in the dark should start getting over the disappointment, dust ourselves off and just get on with life. We are all intelligent and hard working people....we are going to do just fine one way or another. That said, good luck and maybe we'll each get some nice surprise admits soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I'm pretty fed up too. Maybe it's because I am fortunate enough to already be established in my plan B/C career, but this whole experience is starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth and part of me wonders if it is just a glimpse of the silliness and uncertainty to come should I embark on an academic career.

I hear you. What really raises these same doubts in me is how anonymous the process is. Sure, some people may be lucky enough to have some contact with one or two of their schools, and of course we can read faculty profiles on the web sites or faculty works, but why not have some kind of pre-application open house, that's what I don't get. It takes ad coms so long to make decisions, then it takes applicants so long to accept, because no one has anything to go on except a vague notion of what kind of work they'll be encouraged/allowed to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

but why not have some kind of pre-application open house, that's what I don't get.

Just go ahead and show up and visit.

I went and visited several of the schools I was thinking about over winter break. Wanted to see the campuses and departments. It's surprising how much you can judge even when almost everyone is out for break. If you want to actually meet with profs, send them an e-mail beforehand and set up a time before you just show up. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Three,

I hear ya, and I did go out to seattle and visit UW, a very nice campus. Professors were very open and friendly.

Many of the programs I'm interested in specifically say on their web site that they do not meet with potential grad students until they are accepted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

YES ! I have been accepted to my 2nd choice !! I am going for a PhD in Management as from next August and I am so happy ! btw I will not sit on other offers if I get one... I will politely turn them down !

Congrats, but I wouldn't respond to an offer and immediately turn it down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hardest part of this process for me is how many people keep telling me "Don't worry, you'll get in everywhere you want to." Four rejections later, people are saying "Don't worry, you'll get in to the rest of your schools", and it's all I can do to scream "NICE TRY!!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hardest part of this process for me is how many people keep telling me "Don't worry, you'll get in everywhere you want to." Four rejections later, people are saying "Don't worry, you'll get in to the rest of your schools", and it's all I can do to scream "NICE TRY!!"

yeah thats what my grandma says.

I'm all like, yeh nana, I'm sure oxford will be beating my door down after being rejected from way shittier schools.'

theres always hogwarts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like I'm in middle school waiting in the middle of the cafeteria and I haven't gotten an invitation to sit at the "popular" table.

2 Rejections...2 Waitlisted....the rest of the schools I am waiting on are either more competitive than the schools I have already heard from or schools I did not receive an interview for. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hardest part of this process for me is how many people keep telling me "Don't worry, you'll get in everywhere you want to." Four rejections later, people are saying "Don't worry, you'll get in to the rest of your schools", and it's all I can do to scream "NICE TRY!!"

Yeah it really annoys me when people do this. Especially if they happen to be people who secured a place in their top choice months ago. I'd rather they just said "I have no idea what you are going through" and bought me a drink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd rather they just said "I have no idea what you are going through" and bought me a drink.
Yes, there needs to be a considerable amount of drink-buying going on, whether or not an acceptance accompanies it. Someone wrote in another post that they'd prefer a bottle of bourbon shipped out with every rejection letter and I second that motion! Last summer I bought a bottle of "Kvasir's Blood" mead to sit in my closet and await my grad school results: shared if accepted somewhere and drunk alone if not. By all rights it should be half-drunk at the moment but I'm trying reeeally hard to stay positive until the end!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd rather they just said "I have no idea what you are going through" and bought me a drink.

Exactly! I guess they mean well by telling me that I'm going to get in, but it's just annoying to hear it constantly. Especially since it hasn't happened yet. I'd rather hear a simple, "good luck" instead...and of course buy me a drink ;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same boat here. I've got Spring Break next week, and was anticipating knowing *something* good by then. But I'll be bringing some cheap booze with me to grad school purgatory for those 9 days. And yes, I completely agree with the "Please stop telling me I'll get my dream" people--I'm tired of having either empty faith placed in me, or the vaguely condescending refrain of "everything will eventually work out."

I think what's frustrating right now is knowing I'm most likely rejected from my remaining programs...but I've still received NO notification. I'm aware the schools have made their decisions, good and bad--now shoot me down, so I can have it done with!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think what's frustrating right now is knowing I'm most likely rejected from my remaining programs...but I've still received NO notification. I'm aware the schools have made their decisions, good and bad--now shoot me down, so I can have it done with!

Exactly, just end this horrible process now.

I'm actually kinda upset that I'm waitlisted at one school because 1. I'm pretty sure they will end up rejecting me and 2. they are making the wait even LONGER! I just want to stop waiting...tell me I'm rejected so I can move on and figure out what to do for the next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, there needs to be a considerable amount of drink-buying going on, whether or not an acceptance accompanies it. Someone wrote in another post that they'd prefer a bottle of bourbon shipped out with every rejection letter and I second that motion! Last summer I bought a bottle of "Kvasir's Blood" mead to sit in my closet and await my grad school results: shared if accepted somewhere and drunk alone if not. By all rights it should be half-drunk at the moment but I'm trying reeeally hard to stay positive until the end!

Bahaha. I've got a bottle of wine in my cupboards I've been holding on to for weeks for these very same reasons/intentions...have also managed not to break into it yet...

also, regarding what Astaroth said: Word.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use