Rejected from alma mater?

[BostonGrrl]

Anyone else apply to their alma mater and not get accepted? I know it probably is not helpful to speculate, but I just wasn't really expecting the rejection. I graduated in the top 5% of my class, have high GRE scores, awards, publications, strong relationships with faculty at the school, etc. Is it possible that Universities are less likely to accept students who got their undergraduate degree there? I really wish I could ask why but I know that is not a good idea... I don't want to burn any bridges. I'm just really disappointed because I wanted to go back to my alma mater and live in that particular city. Anyone else have a similar experience or any useful advice?

[psycholinguist]

Ouch!

I know that in my undergraduate department (or maybe in linguistics in general), staying on for a Ph.D. is discouraged; faculty want you to get acquainted with different people, different places, different viewpoints, etc. Not sure whether it applies to other fields, though, or whether it at all accounts for your case. Regardless, I'm really sorry to hear about it!

[socialpsych]

Don't take it too hard. Many departments at my alma mater have strong policies against taking their own undergrads--some enough so that they would never take their own.

[expatbayern]

I was pretty unceremoniously rejected by the school I have my MA from, despite getting admits and wait lists from equal or better schools. Not too broken up about it--I probably wouldn't have gone back anyway, given the other places I'm in at.

[BostonGrrl]

I was pretty unceremoniously rejected by the school I have my MA from, despite getting admits and wait lists from equal or better schools. Not too broken up about it--I probably wouldn't have gone back anyway, given the other places I'm in at.

I hear you. I was also accepted to schools that are ranked equally with my alma mater. I'll be fine next year, but I'd rather be at my alma mater because it has an expert in my field (who wrote my rec letters and expressed a desire to work with me) and because it means separation from my significant other, family, friends and warm weather.

[WindWhisked]

I'm waiting for notification from my alma mater. I am an undergraduate hoping to get a master's, and I am taking several classes with people in my major. I learned that one person had been accepted in that class about a week ago and no one else had heard yet. I also want to work with a faculty member on campus and know practically everyone in the department. I'm sorry you were rejected; I can imagine what a blow it was because I feel almost paralyzed every time I check the mail.