Assuming rejection...

[tango01]

Hi all, like many people on this site i have been checking the results search an unhealthy amount of times a day. I think it is slowly eating away at my brain so much so that  by the time i get to graduate school i am confident that i  will be a vegetable. I've noticed that only one of my schools seems to have been accepting people, but it seems pretty late in the game to have not heard anything. On the other hand I have heard that comp lit departments take longer than most to look through apps. I also don't live in the us, and the small part of me that is still hoping is convinced that international apps take longer. Bref, if any of you who are more experienced in torture of this kind can shed some light on the prolonged silence of my schools I would be eternally grateful. 

 

[foucaultmania]

Stop checking the application status everyday. The rejection is not the end of the world. I was also rejected last year and this is my second application year.

 

I realized that the thing that kills people is to check the application website everyday. Please stop it, do whatever you want, you will learn the final decision sooner or later. I hope that you be accepted...

[MarkR]

Why assume rejection? I haven't heard anything at all yet from either program I applied to, and I'm doing my best to try to remember that's all it means: I haven't heard anything. I haven't paid any attention to the comparative literature results section, so I've no idea if there are lots of responses yet or not, but hang in there! It's the middle of February - I'm choosing to interpret the lack of response as I'm still in the running, admissions committees are still debating, and who knows - maybe today will be the day I'll get good news. (I'm also willfully disregarding the fact that two people in the results section have had e-mail interviews in one of my programs). Maybe today you'll get good news!

 

Either way, don't give up hope. And good luck!

[OhMySocks]

Yeah, I'm assuming rejection from most of my programs. Frankly, for me, its healthier that way. I have anxiety problems and uncertainty tends to completely shut me down so willing myself to believe I was rejected at least gives me some peace of mind. Then if I get in, it will be a pleasant surprise

[tango01]

I am the same way. I thought the race to get the applications in on time would be the hardest part but i stand corrected. waiting is a far more torturous fate and has only been made slightly more agreeable by the consumption of multiple bottles of wine. 

[SLPjmar]

I am the same way. I thought the race to get the applications in on time would be the hardest part but i stand corrected. waiting is a far more torturous fate and has only been made slightly more agreeable by the consumption of multiple bottles of wine. 

 

This. I thought by having my apps in early, I would be saving myself anxiety and stress. Oops.

[gradschoolmom]

I am the same way. I thought the race to get the applications in on time would be the hardest part but i stand corrected. waiting is a far more torturous fate and has only been made slightly more agreeable by the consumption of multiple bottles of wine. 

OMG this is so me. I also applied to two "reach" schools feeling like since I had some backups (one I'm almost positive about) I wouldn't worry about the reach schools.  And yet I'm obsessing about these schools!  I just want to hear!  Had I known this part would be so hard, I probably wouldn't have bothered to apply.

[pureoneness]

I'm in the same boat. If I do not hear anything by the end of Feb, I'll start looking for jobs. I've got an MA in cmlit, I've presented (or going to present)  @ MLA, ACLA. I've got invited book reviews and one of my article is being reviewed. If these cannot get me into any PhD, nothing will. Going to more conferences or publishing more won't help. And time is not on my side.

So to hell with grad school.

I have tried. and it didn't work out.  and I need to get on wiht my life.

Edited February 17, 2013 by pureoneness