Ohio State - Columbus

[cicada123]

Ah, I didn't see you were already accepted.  Congrats!  It's a great program. 

I am not understanding why I still don't have a decision from them. Why is my application still pending?? Tomorrow is FRIDAY. Do you have this same situation?

[ProfLorax]

I am not understanding why I still don't have a decision from them. Why is my application still pending?? Tomorrow is FRIDAY. Do you have this same situation?

 

Didn't the office tell you that decisions would be made by the end of this week? I haven't been expecting a notification until tomorrow at the earliest. 

[88literatureguy88]

Didn't the office tell you that decisions would be made by the end of this week? I haven't been expecting a notification until tomorrow at the earliest. 

 

Yes, I'm sure we're going to hear tomorrow.  Still is a painful wait.  BTW, did you see that someone got rejected from OSU through the postal service?  Very odd.  I'm not sure if that posting was legit.  Anywho, fingers crossed etc etc..

[cicada123]

Didn't the office tell you that decisions would be made by the end of this week? I haven't been expecting a notification until tomorrow at the earliest. 

Yes, they did tell me that. I think I was just expecting that "by the end of this week" would probably mean "at some point this week," and I was hoping that meant "early this week." So, I'm just being impatient. 

[cicada123]

Yes, I'm sure we're going to hear tomorrow.  Still is a painful wait.  BTW, did you see that someone got rejected from OSU through the postal service?  Very odd.  I'm not sure if that posting was legit.  Anywho, fingers crossed etc etc..

Yeah, I saw that. Maybe, they just accidentally selected "postal service" when they entered their results?

[Silas]

Hi guys, I'm currently a grad student in the OSU English department (MFA, not MA/PhD) and might be able to shed a little light.  The MFA program is accepting fellowship nominees first this year, and I am 99% sure the PhD program is doing the same thing, with the hopes of accepting more people once they know how many first years will be funded through university fellowships (therefore freeing up more money at the department level).  

 

If you haven't heard anything, you're probably somewhere in the murky middle of things where it might turn into a outright acceptance, you might end up on the wait list, or it might turn into an outright rejection, depending on how many fellowship nominees ultimately get them.  The folks who have already been accepted were nominated for university fellowships based on undergrad/prior grad GPAs, GRE scores, and other experience (i.e., previous awards and honors, etc).

 

They will probably continue sending out rejections throughout the next few weeks--I just got mine (for the rhet/comp program) on Wednesday night.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Silas

[cicada123]

Hi guys, I'm currently a grad student in the OSU English department (MFA, not MA/PhD) and might be able to shed a little light.  OSU is accepting fellowship nominees first this year, and will hopefully be making more offers once fellowship decisions are made.  If you haven't heard anything, you're probably somewhere in the murky middle of things where it might turn into a outright acceptance, you might end up on the wait list, or it might turn into an outright rejection.

 

That's why a few people have already been accepted--they needed to make those decisions in order to forward materials to the graduate school by late January, but they won't be able to make any more offers until they know how many of those nominees have received first year fellowships and/or until accepted folks start deciding where they're going to go and they can move onto a wait list.

You are amazing, Silas. Thank you so much for letting us know this.

[sebastiansteddy]

Hi guys, I'm currently a grad student in the OSU English department (MFA, not MA/PhD) and might be able to shed a little light.  The MFA program is accepting fellowship nominees first this year, and I am 99% sure the PhD program is doing the same thing, with the hopes of accepting more people once they know how many first years will be funded through university fellowships (therefore freeing up more money at the department level).  

 

If you haven't heard anything, you're probably somewhere in the murky middle of things where it might turn into a outright acceptance, you might end up on the wait list, or it might turn into an outright rejection, depending on how many fellowship nominees ultimately get them.  The folks who have already been accepted were nominated for university fellowships based on undergrad/prior grad GPAs, GRE scores, and other experience (i.e., previous awards and honors, etc).

 

They will probably continue sending out rejections throughout the next few weeks--I just got mine (for the rhet/comp program) on Wednesday night.

 

Thanks for that information. My original plan was to call today if I haven't heard anything. Do you think I should still go ahead and call, or hold off on that?

[HHEoS]

Thanks for that information. My original plan was to call today if I haven't heard anything. Do you think I should still go ahead and call, or hold off on that?

 

I'd say call. It couldn't hurt. They told more than one of us that decisions would be made by the end of this week. That has to mean by today. Does anyone know if Columbus is being affected/will be affected by the blizzard, though? That might screw some plans up. 

[sebastiansteddy]

According to Siri, it's just raining there.

[HHEoS]

Well, rain is certainly no excuse. I want this decision today. I'm tired of the waiting. It's been two weeks. Make up your minds and reject me already. 

[sebastiansteddy]

Well, rain is certainly no excuse. I want this decision today. I'm tired of the waiting. It's been two weeks. Make up your minds and reject me already. 

Are you gonna call them?

[HHEoS]

I'm gonna wait until 4pm EST and then figure out if I'm calm enough to. I don't want my frustration and impatience to be too explicit. 

 

ETA: I might send an email? I'm better at those.

Edited February 8, 2013 by HHEoS

[sebastiansteddy]

ETA: I might send an email? I'm better at those.

 

Who would you e-mail? The Program Coordinator, Kathleen Griffin?

[HHEoS]

Probably both Kathleen Griffin (at the general grad english address) and Chadwick Allen, the DGS (at his personal address). 

[Silas]

We haven't been affected by the blizzard.  It's a good ~8-10 hours to the coast, so there was barely even any rain here today.  The office should be open Monday, barring any extreme changes in the forecast (it's supposed to be 50 and sunny on Sunday) or some other drastic circumstance.

 

But honestly, if they haven't contacted you yet, it's probably because they just don't know.  They are really good about letting people know as soon as they can--they're usually one of the first places to notify.  IF the PhD program is waiting to hear back on fellowship offers like the MFA program is, they will probably know something by late February/early March--but don't quote me on that, as it may be different.  (I'm just basing these assumptions off of what I know about the MFA admission process, and the fact that the funding comes from the same places.)

Edited February 9, 2013 by Silas

[sebastiansteddy]

I e-mailed to ask today, and I was told we should know in about 10 days.

[ProfLorax]

I e-mailed to ask today, and I was told we should know in about 10 days.

First of all, thanks for the update! I was really eager to hear today (I even had about five different dreams last night about checking my application status. Pathetic). But if they are taking their time because they are trying to secure more funding, like Silas suggests, they can take all the time they need! 

[cicada123]

I e-mailed to ask today, and I was told we should know in about 10 days.

Thank you for asking. I still didn't hear back today. 

[cicada123]

First of all, thanks for the update! I was really eager to hear today (I even had about five different dreams last night about checking my application status. Pathetic). But if they are taking their time because they are trying to secure more funding, like Silas suggests, they can take all the time they need! 

Agreed, I'm going to try to adopt this more optimistic perspective.

[Gwendolyn]

Fellowship notifications come out on February 18th by 4pm EST which is (as previously suggested) most likely when they'll know if they can accept/decline others. It also accounts for the 10 day notification time frame from the 8th that sebastiansteddy mentioned. 

[cicada123]

Thank you, Gwendolyn. That helps to know.

[sebastiansteddy]

Fellowship notifications come out on February 18th by 4pm EST which is (as previously suggested) most likely when they'll know if they can accept/decline others. It also accounts for the 10 day notification time frame from the 8th that sebastiansteddy mentioned. 

 

Thanks - that makes perfect sense. I am REALLY REALLY hoping for Ohio. I will be tied to my phone/e-mail on the 18th...

[Laokoon]

As one of the fellowship nominees, I'll make sure to post what I hear from the department on the 18th. (I'm sure Gwendolyn will do the same, which should lead to a clearer picture of funds, etc.)

[sebastiansteddy]

As one of the fellowship nominees, I'll make sure to post what I hear from the department on the 18th. (I'm sure Gwendolyn will do the same, which should lead to a clearer picture of funds, etc.)

 

Please do! And good luck!!!