Acceptance Freakout Thread

[lisajay]

i'm surrounded by swatchdogs & diet cokeheads...

[bluecheese]

Another Iowa acceptance is up on the board. Congrats to the iowa admits!

[jrockford27]

So it's way after hours and I still haven't gotten anything from Vandy yet.  I even checked my spam, my trash, and logged into my application to make sure I have my email address right.  Have any of you other folks that didn't hear initially hear yet?  I keep thinking, "there must be some kind of mistake."

[dazedandbemused]

So it's way after hours and I still haven't gotten anything from Vandy yet.  I even checked my spam, my trash, and logged into my application to make sure I have my email address right.  Have any of you other folks that didn't hear initially hear yet?  I keep thinking, "there must be some kind of mistake."

 

I still don't have anything either, and I also feel like there must be some kind of mistake, as all of the rejected people on the results board have much better numbers than me.

[practical cat]

Still no Vanderbilt, no.

It kind of feels like a zombie apocalypse where I am watching everyone around me succumb and it's not a matter of if I will but when.

Hour seven: trying to keep hope alive. Nearly consumed by doubt.

[FlamingoLingo]

hah, y'all sum up my feelings exactly.  I haven't heard anything yet, either. Sometimes I think that it's a good sign, and then other times I convince myself that I'm going to get a rejection tomorrow 

[asleepawake]

I still don't have anything either, and I also feel like there must be some kind of mistake, as all of the rejected people on the results board have much better numbers than me.

 

It's not all about numbers!!

 

I bet they cut at least 80%-90%of applicants because we were the "HELL NO"s and they are going to sort out the gentle "no"s and acceptances over the next million months.... 

[dazedandbemused]

I guess I just figured an obvious "hell no" cutoff would be GPA and GRE scores. The only reason I can think of that they might still be considering me is that someone from my program went there last year; survival by association?

 

ETA: New theory. It's cuz I'm black.

Edited February 2, 2013 by dazedandbemused

[Mercyhurst2010]

I was part of the Vandy bloodbath today, and it sucks because it was my first notification and my top choice. Now I'm really kicking myself about the weakest link in my application: GRE scores. I came back early from teaching abroad (in October) when I had planned to be gone for a year. Decided "what the hell, I'll do my applications this season" but it was too late to retake the GRE general or take the Subject for the first time. So I used my old scores from 2009, which I used to apply to MA programs. But I'm pretty sure my GRE verbal would be MUCH higher after two years of MA study. Anyway, the rest of my application was much stronger than the GRE scores reflected (verbal in the low 600s with the old scoring), with a 4.0 undergrad and grad GPA along with conferences, a minor publication, a writing sample that I'm working into a publication, and, to top it off, the fact that one of my recommenders (the DGS at my former institution) is a Vandy alum. Very painful. I definitely feel like I sabotaged myself a bit by not retaking the GREs while I was finishing up my MA last year.

 

Oh well. Here's hoping for better results elsewhere--still 12 more to go, and a wide range of programs. And a HUGE congrats to those of you who are still in the running for this one. Enjoy the filthy lucre of Vandy's tremendously generous funding if you get in!

Edited February 2, 2013 by Mercyhurst2010

[bluecheese]

I wouldn't worry that much about test scores. They're far from everything. Writing sample, rec letters, CV, and your SOP are far more important.

 

If you're in doubt, check this out: http://gradschool.duke.edu/about/statistics/admiteng.htm

[Mercyhurst2010]

Yeah, that's one of the main reasons I felt ok using the old GRE scores. I heard that all the time during my MA applications. I do worry, though, that with some of the larger and more selective programs, a 610 Verbal score might be just below the threshold to get weeded out before they had a chance to look carefully at the rest of my materials. My writing and my recs are (as they were with MA applications going into '10) by far my strong suit. Never been much of a standardized test guru.

[asleepawake]

You can't kick yourself for not getting into Vanderbilt (or any of the most selective schools). You can't. It is too far out of your control, no matter how strong your application is--and yours certainly sounds strong.

 

The average GRE scores for Duke are my exact scores. That actually makes me feel a litter better... When I get rejected, I'll know they at least red my application (unless my undergrad GPA gets me cut, which it might)! It's really sad to see the number of admits cut in half over the last decade, though. Come on Duke, take 29 this year!

[Mercyhurst2010]

Regarding the decline in admits, as the Duke stats indicate, I will say that I'd rather have it be this hard NOW than in five + years. In other words, with the current crunch in the English job market, I would rather get rejected by more PhD applications than have it be twice as brutal than it already will be when I'm on the job market.

 

I guess that's one way we can all console ourselves. If we think we're stressed now, at least we aren't currently on the job market! I watched a couple good friends go through that while doing my MA. They were successful, but man, it's harrowing.

[Deadinthewater]

Okay who got into penn state?

[The Whistler]

So, I guess I should abandon all hope for Northwestern. I didn't get any news, but I guess they would have called me already if they wanted me, right?

 

I see on the results page that they notify about rejections the day after they phone about acceptances, so I should get my rejection letter today. Or maybe monday, since it's the weekend.

 

This sucks. Two awesome POI-s concentrated on Victorian literature, and one awesome POI that deals specifically with Victorian Gothic, all now out of reach for me. I'll reapply next year, after I get rejected from everywhere in the world.

Edited February 2, 2013 by The Whistler

[waparys]

So, I guess I should abandon all hopes for Northwestern. I didn't get any news, but I guess they would have called me already if they wanted me, right?   I see on the results page that they notify about rejections the day after they phone about acceptances, so I should get my rejection letter today. Or maybe monday, since it's the weekend.   This sucks. Two awesome POI-s concentrated on Victorian literature, and one awesome POI that deals specifically with Victorian Gothic, all now out of reach for me. I'll reapply next year, after I get rejected from everywhere in the world.

Northwestern was my dream. I really love their clusters program.

[The Whistler]

Northwestern was my dream. I really love their clusters program.

 

No news for you either?

I mean, according to their web-page, they admit about 22 students every year, and there are only four acceptances on the results page, but I feel like I just shouldn't get my hopes up. I mean, what are the odds that all admitted people read the boards?

 

I feel so crappy now. Such an amazing university. My only hope is the waitlist now, but I doubt it.

[waparys]

No news for you either? I mean, according to their web-page, they admit about 22 students every year, and there are only four acceptances on the results page, but I feel like I just shouldn't get my hopes up. I mean, what are the odds that all admitted people read the boards?   I feel so crappy now. Such an amazing university. My only hope is the waitlist now, but I doubt it.

I'm right there with you. Have they wait listed in the past?

[The Whistler]

I'm right there with you. Have they wait listed in the past?

 

I think they did last year, according to the boards.

But doesn't everyone wait list? I mean, they'd have to admit someone if everyone they admitted in the first batch declined the offer (highly unlikely for NW, but let's say it could happen).

[slvitale]

On 2/1/2013 at 11:26 PM, asleepawake said:

You can't kick yourself for not getting into Vanderbilt (or any of the most selective schools). You can't. It is too far out of your control, no matter how strong your application is--and yours certainly sounds strong.

 

The average GRE scores for Duke are my exact scores. That actually makes me feel a litter better... When I get rejected, I'll know they at least red my application (unless my undergrad GPA gets me cut, which it might)! It's really sad to see the number of admits cut in half over the last decade, though. Come on Duke, take 29 this year!

 

I was also a member of the Vandy "bloodbath" yesterday and while your first comment is meant to be encouraging, I still worry; I applied to Vandy, Duke, UNC, Columbia, WUSTL, Penn, and Brown! I really wish I diversified my portfolio a bit. 

[gradschoolwannabe]

Indiana is sending out responses?

[squire_western]

Does anyone have any solid information on Iowa? Their application deadline was less than a month ago and there are already acceptances on the results page. They usually don't notify until March, so I'm curious as to why there are already a couple of admits. 

[patientagony]

Indiana is sending out responses?

Hi, I'm the Indiana admit from the results board, so yes, I can confirm they've started sending out acceptances. I missed their phone call, and I didn't get very many details from the voicemail, but I'll update the thread as soon as I speak with them. 

 

Good luck!

[bluecheese]

Yay! Congrats!

[patientagony]

Thanks bluecheese!

 

I've been reading this thread for the last week, but until now I haven't had anything to say that wasn't related to my anxiety. Reading about everyone else's is strangely comforting.