Good Sign, Omen or Hallucination - All Are Welcome!

[ShortLong]

Sent a thank you card out to POI at top choice after campus visit. His response: "Thank you for the lovely card!  That was very considerate of you!  We certainly enjoyed your visit also and hope that it results in even better things to come.  I'll keep you posted as the admissions process runs its course."

 

I kind of wish "hope" could have been "know" or "guarantee", but alas. I think it's a good sign.

 

You know the acceptance process goes both ways, even if he accepts you, you still have to choose to go there so he can't be definite about things to come. I agree with everyone else that this is a great sign!

[mimi03]

What kind of weight does the Recruitment Director have in the admissions process/review? I've had some great exchanges with him and I don't know if I'm just reading too much into what he's said or if it really is a good sign or bad sign. One of my professor's had a difficult time uploading a recommendation electronically to the website so the Recruitment Director not only responded to me but sent my professor a personal email and said it could be sent straight to him.

 

In my last email exchange with him a week ago, he ended with: "Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns, and I very much hope to welcome you to IWP as a new student in the very near future. All the best."

 

There are two "very"s in there! Is it just courtesy? I don't know what to think! Or if to think much of it at all... 

Anyone have ideas about this? Good/bad?

[InHacSpeVivo]

Definitely sounds like a good sign to me!

[mimi03]

That's a relief. I feel like I'm going crazy waiting for a decision... manically checking my already submitted materials (and happening to find two minor typos - or hallucinations due to adrenaline?).

 

Good luck to everyone here, too!

[Eager]

What kind of weight does the Recruitment Director have in the admissions process/review? I've had some great exchanges with him and I don't know if I'm just reading too much into what he's said or if it really is a good sign or bad sign. One of my professor's had a difficult time uploading a recommendation electronically to the website so the Recruitment Director not only responded to me but sent my professor a personal email and said it could be sent straight to him.

 

In my last email exchange with him a week ago, he ended with: "Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns, and I very much hope to welcome you to IWP as a new student in the very near future. All the best."

 

There are two "very"s in there! Is it just courtesy? I don't know what to think! Or if to think much of it at all... 

Anyone have ideas about this? Good/bad?

I like the two verys as well.  It goes beyond good, I think this is great sign.  Please let us know when you get your acceptance so we can celebrate with you!

[mimi03]

Oh, I hope I get the acceptance as well. Thanks- a celebration would surely be in order!

[Eager]

Okay, so I spoke to the assistant to the Admin Committee and she told me when she received her acceptance it was in February.  Also, no one is reporting from my program on the Results page, so I take all that as a good sign and that I have a good chance of getting in.  That said, I think we all need a good, healthy shot of encouragement.  We are all ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE.  We have one or more of the following: publications, high GPA's, research experience, the list goes on.  I don't want us to feel like our self worth is tied up in these decisions that are on the way.  Let's all think of one thing that we can share that we have accomplished that makes us competitive for our programs and, more to the point, highlights something awesome we have already accomplished.  Feel free to relate more than one thing if you'd like.  I'll go first, isn't this cool, I'm thinking what to pick from the list, this is working already.  I'll share one and if anyone else shares more than one then I will to.  I feel better already!  Here goes:

 

M.F.A. Creative Writing (Graduated 2003) 4.0 GPA  

 

Your turn...lay it on us ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE!

[callista]

Let's all think of one thing that we can share that we have accomplished that makes us competitive for our programs and, more to the point, highlights something awesome we have already accomplished.  Feel free to relate more than one thing if you'd like.  I'll go first, isn't this cool, I'm thinking what to pick from the list, this is working already.  I'll share one and if anyone else shares more than one then I will to.  I feel better already!  Here goes:

 

I supervise 2 PhDs! 

[t1racyjacks]

Okay, so I spoke to the assistant to the Admin Committee and she told me when she received her acceptance it was in February.  Also, no one is reporting from my program on the Results page, so I take all that as a good sign and that I have a good chance of getting in.  That said, I think we all need a good, healthy shot of encouragement.  We are all ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE.  We have one or more of the following: publications, high GPA's, research experience, the list goes on.  I don't want us to feel like our self worth is tied up in these decisions that are on the way.  Let's all think of one thing that we can share that we have accomplished that makes us competitive for our programs and, more to the point, highlights something awesome we have already accomplished.  Feel free to relate more than one thing if you'd like.  I'll go first, isn't this cool, I'm thinking what to pick from the list, this is working already.  I'll share one and if anyone else shares more than one then I will to.  I feel better already!  Here goes:

 

M.F.A. Creative Writing (Graduated 2003) 4.0 GPA  

 

Your turn...lay it on us ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE!

I am. a really good cook

[Purplepolarbear]

2 papers that I am in the process of revising for submission to a journal...while finishing up my master's degree.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Toward the end of the business day today my application status changed from "Awaiting Program Decision" to "Final Review." The grad school notes on its website that this status means, "your program has made its admission decision and University officials are doing a very quick (usually within two business days) final review of your materials before sending out the decision notification."

 

Sorry to bring down the room, but it turns out this was actually a bad omen, not a good one. Rejection offiicially came through.

[AnthroPerson]

Sorry to bring down the room, but it turns out this was actually a bad omen, not a good one. Rejection offiicially came through.

Sorry to hear that! Looks like you still have a lot you're waiting on tho so hopefull some good news will come soon and wipe out the negative.

[InHacSpeVivo]

Thanks, mochicologa; here's hoping!

[Purplepolarbear]

Hi everyone!!!

 

So I have been invited to do a campus visitation program, two days, paid for. I am hoping that this is the beginning of a wonderful sign. Wish me luck!!

[CP3]

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?

Yeah, I received the same type of letter and email from a school a few weeks ago, then I was rejected a week later, not to be a debbie-downer, but it doesn't really say anything about your chances or progress, it just seems generic considering I got the same type of notification. Hopefully it works out better for you than it did for me! Good Luck!

[mimi03]

Arhodg - Hopefully that means you'll soon receive some good news to balance out the bad (ying/yang?).

 

Purplepolarbear - That is a really great sign!! They wouldn't pay for it if they weren't seriously considering your application. Just remember to breathe when you visit and you should be fine!

[Haroun]

I have an interview tomorrow, and last night in my dream, a professor from that school paid a visit to my apartment to help me prepare for the interview. LOL

 

Good luck to those who have interview(s)!

[Seatbelt Blue]

Boston College just informed me I'm going to need to do a Skype interview. As their website says an interview isn't always required, I've been told to read this as me doing very well. Any thoughts?

[InHacSpeVivo]

You've definitely got their attention! I'm sure a great interview will only seal the deal. Good luck!

[Seatbelt Blue]

Probably my GREs. Unfortunately, they have yet to see my undergrad transcripts beyond a single semester of seminary after I graduated....

 

I was an *awful* student in undergrad. Obviously it's not impossible for BC to accept me -- Seton Hall already has -- but I just reviewed my undergrad transcripts and it was a.....sobering experience, to say the least. I pulled myself up from my bootstraps, pulled mostly B's for my last three or four semesters, and got a 4.0 in seminary, and my GREs are spectacular -- 170/170 on verbal, 5.5 analytic writing. But I am profoundly worried about how negatively they'll look on my stupid 20-year-old self.

Edited January 29, 2013 by seatbeltblue

[InHacSpeVivo]

I'm no expert, but I wouldn't think your GPA would hold you back if a good amount of time has passed since you graduated, especially considering you have a 4.0 in your more recent degree and am AMAZING GRE score!

[cjack87]

Hi everyone,

 

I love reading all of your positive posts! I applied to six programs, and have heard from two.  One was a mass email rejection letter and the other included an email/phone call from a grad student at one of my top schools to discuss the application process and if I had any questions (thought it was an omen). Unfortunately, that was about 3 weeks ago and she told me they were sending invites by the beginning of the week after we spoke . This whole process is so tough and stressful! I wish they could just tell us already! Anyway, good luck to everyone and I hope everyone gets good news very soon!

[Eager]

I supervise 2 PhDs! 

Wow!  That is awesome.  You must be very accomplished to be in that position!

[Eager]

Sorry to bring down the room, but it turns out this was actually a bad omen, not a good one. Rejection offiicially came through.

You are not bringing down the room.  We are here for you - and you do have a lot you are waiting on.  I know you will have some good news to share soon.  Believe and don't doubt!

[Eager]

Hi everyone!!!

 

So I have been invited to do a campus visitation program, two days, paid for. I am hoping that this is the beginning of a wonderful sign. Wish me luck!!

Go Purple! Go Purple!  Wonderful sign indeed...and they are paying for it!  What I wouldn't do for....Sorry, concentrating on you.  Yeah!  I am excited!