Good Sign, Omen or Hallucination - All Are Welcome!

[Eager]

So, I wanted us to talk about what has happened to us recently and figure out if is a good sign, an Omen, or just a hullicination  .  I'll go first:

 

I received an email last week saying:

 

Dear XXXXXX,

 

I am the Admissions Committee assistant for the Ph.D. Program in
English.  The Admissions Committee is now in the process of reading
your application.  I am writing
to let you know that the following elements are currently missing from
your application:

Transcripts from XXXXXXXX and  XXXXXXX,

At your earliest convenience, could you email them or have them
emailed to the Admissions Office at: XXXXXXXXXXXXX?  Please
do not send your materials to this address or to the English program
directly or they will not be uploaded into your file.

At this time, I would like to assure you that it is not too late to
send these materials.   Your application will be read and considered
in its entirety.  However, we appreciate a quick response to our
request to make the process easier for us.

 

I took it as a good sign.  Not strong enough to be an omen.  It wasn't an hallucination, because it did happen.  However, what if it is just a SOP (standard operating procedure)?   What do my fellow hopefuls think?

[Snowqueen]

Since they could of looked at your application and rejected you based on standardized test scores and so forth, so take this as a good sign that you have made it over one hurdle. Good luck.

 

[Purplepolarbear]

I've got two good signs/omens so far:

 

(1) an e-mail from the graduate director telling me to apply to a fellowship she thought I was extremely competitive for, that she would write references/statements for me, and that the department would supplement the fellowship if awarded.

 

(2) an e-mail from the graduate director letting me know she submitted my name and contact information for a campus visitation program in February.

 

 

This is my top school and my interests match up with their primary specializations so I am hoping these are leaning more on the good omen scale.

[misskira]

My locs finally show as received plus additional info processed (test scores?) so at least an acceptance could even be possible now. That's a good sign. Before I still had an incomplete application.

[Eager]

Since they could of looked at your application and rejected you based on standardized test scores and so forth, so take this as a good sign that you have made it over one hurdle. Good luck.

 

Thanks SnowQueen!  That's exactly what I was thinking.  If they were going to reject me right off, they probably wouldn't have bothered.  Okay, Whew!  An official good sign!

[Eager]

I've got two good signs/omens so far:

 

(1) an e-mail from the graduate director telling me to apply to a fellowship she thought I was extremely competitive for, that she would write references/statements for me, and that the department would supplement the fellowship if awarded.

 

(2) an e-mail from the graduate director letting me know she submitted my name and contact information for a campus visitation program in February.

 

 

This is my top school and my interests match up with their primary specializations so I am hoping these are leaning more on the good omen scale.

Wow!  Yours is beyond a good sign!  It sounds like they are really interested in you!  I have a feeling you are going to have good news real soon.  Make sure you let us know as soon as it happens!

[Eager]

My locs finally show as received plus additional info processed (test scores?) so at least an acceptance could even be possible now. That's a good sign. Before I still had an incomplete application.

Now that is good.  I hear people's frustration all over this forum about missing documents.  After the email I received, I sent in my unofficial right away and the Admissions secretary thanked me for answering so quickly.  But my officials arrived today, so that is another good sign!  Okay people, we're doing okay.  No hallucinations yet!  Sounds like real progress.  Not as good as actual acceptances mind you.  But we'll take it!

[Purplepolarbear]

Wow!  Yours is beyond a good sign!  It sounds like they are really interested in you!  I have a feeling you are going to have good news real soon.  Make sure you let us know as soon as it happens!

 

Lol. Dear god I hope so. If they go through all this effort and then are like "nope--not good enough" I think I would flip a table XD

[HigherEd2013]

I was playing mini-golf and said to myself, "If I can get a hole-in-one, I will be accepted to graduate school." I got it! Then I started doing that with school names for the rest of the course... I'm so glad I found this site. Anyone in "real life" would think I'm super insane.

[Eager]

Pychapplicant, welcome!  Sounds like you had an OMEN!  I have said before that we are all in an insane asylum.  The only question is: are we the keepers or are we the patients? As this process continues, I'm starting to know the answers to that question.  Okay, so tomorrow is the 24th of January.  I really hope that every single one of us will have either news of acceptance or a good sign tomorrow.  Make sure you let us know.  Enough good signs have to lead to acceptances, RIGHT?

[Purplepolarbear]

I think we are the patients.

 

So talking about omens, I got a call from a graduate student at N.C. State. Good news?

[Eager]

What did they say?  Don't leave us hanging like that!

[Purplepolarbear]

What did they say?  Don't leave us hanging like that!

 

LOL. I suppose that would have helped, sorry I just got out of a three hour class. They had to leave a message, that basically went along the lines of "do you have questions about the department or the application process". I think I am going to e-mail him back for a convenient time to contact him, but I have to come up with questions first.

[Eager]

Oh, do email him.  I think that is a MAJOR GOOD SIGN.  I don't know if that is standard, but I wouldn't think they would do that for every single applicant.

[Purplepolarbear]

Oh, do email him.  I think that is a MAJOR GOOD SIGN.  I don't know if that is standard, but I wouldn't think they would do that for every single applicant.

 

LOL could you imagine having to call 200 applicants and ask if they all have questions?

[Eager]

So...why don't you sound more excited about this?  Lord have mercy what I wouldn't do for a phone call asking me anything...what's your favorite color would be fine with me about now!

[soñando]

Did any of you receive letters from the the Department Chair after you application was submitted that described what their program offers in terms of funding, etc.?  I'm wondering if this is a good omen or if it just standard....I only received it from one school, University of Kansas.

[Purplepolarbear]

So...why don't you sound more excited about this?  Lord have mercy what I wouldn't do for a phone call asking me anything...what's your favorite color would be fine with me about now!

 

LOL. I am, just don't want to get my hopes up only to be rejected. Trying to save myself some heartbreak

[Purplepolarbear]

Did any of you receive letters from the the Department Chair after you application was submitted that described what their program offers in terms of funding, etc.?  I'm wondering if this is a good omen or if it just standard....I only received it from one school, University of Kansas.

 

I would say that is a good omen. People usually don't talk money if they are going to reject you.

[Eager]

I can't believe that that is SOP (Standard Operating Procedure - I made this up by the way) for every program.  A letter from the chair is pretty cool!  I don't know if it qualifies as an Omen, as Omen's are often mystical.  I do know that is is a very good sign.  Whew, what I wouldn't do for a letter from my program's chair!

[Eager]

LOL. I am, just don't want to get my hopes up only to be rejected. Trying to save myself some heartbreak

I do understand!  But if we are to make it through this process with our mental health intact (is that even possible?)  We have to get our hopes up...Way up!  What else do we have at this point?

[soñando]

yay!!!  thanks guys!  it wasn't from him directly, but forwarded from his secretary...still, fingers crossed!  i'm the most impatient person in the world, this is killing me!  thanks for the good vibes

[Eager]

Oh, this topic is all about good vibes. Alright, I mean it guys.  We all need to report good signs tomorrow.  I feel it!  Something good is about to happen....

[t1racyjacks]

Alberta asked me for a rec that got lost in the snail mail (from an LOR writer).... no word from other unis

[Eager]

Alberta asked me for a rec that got lost in the snail mail (from an LOR writer).... no word from other unis

You see, this is what we have been talking about.  Our line of reasoning is that programs wouldn't ask students for materials if they didn't have interest.  Follow-up calls, letters, emails, all spell one thing: INTEREST!  So...this is a good sign.  Here's to more good signs for all of us!