Haven't heard from... well, lots of places

[egwynn]

Is anyone else in this position?  I've applied for English Literature and keep reading that people have heard from a bunch of the places I've applied to (UT Austin, Berkeley, NYU, Penn, Columbia, Brown). I haven't heard from any of these places.  Obviously no one on here can change that for me, but am I the only one?

[Vavasor]

Is anyone else in this position?  I've applied for English Literature and keep reading that people have heard from a bunch of the places I've applied to (UT Austin, Berkeley, NYU, Penn, Columbia, Brown). I haven't heard from any of these places.  Obviously no one on here can change that for me, but am I the only one?

I'm having something like that with one of the schools I applied to (though not one of the ones on your list). The impression that I get is that some schools are just lazy about informing rejectees while others rather than (or before) doing an actual waitlist will call accepted applicants and if anyone declines call the next person down on the list.

[egwynn]

That makes sense.  It is frustrating (as I am at least keeping those possibilities in the back of my mind while I try to make decisions), but I guess there's nothing I can do about lazy rejections but wait for them, whiskey in hand.

[bfat]

That makes sense.  It is frustrating (as I am at least keeping those possibilities in the back of my mind while I try to make decisions), but I guess there's nothing I can do about lazy rejections but wait for them, whiskey in hand.

 

Yup. Pretty much. I'm waiting on 5 essentially definite rejections. It sucks.

[chaucerettescs]

Haven't heard from anyone but Duke (rejected), even though I know acceptances have gone out for most of my schools. Looking pretty hopeless for me this cycle.

[egwynn]

Sorry to hear, Chaucerette.  After my disheartening application experience 2 years ago, I cast a really broad net this time.  It seems to have been effective: I have not heard from a very large number of schools, but I already have two very good options.  Maybe this isn't helpful or encouraging, but I would recommend that, if you do this again, you apply to as many schools as you have the money/time for and would even consider.

Edited February 19, 2013 by lons

[chaucerettescs]

Sorry to hear, Chaucerette.  After my disheartening application experience 2 years ago, I cast a really broad net this time.  It seems to have been effective: I have not heard from a very large number of schools, but I already have two very good options.  Maybe this isn't helpful or encouraging, but I would recommend that, if you do this again, you apply to as many schools as you have the money/time for and would even consider.

 

Oh, yeah, if I do this again this Winter, I am casting a massive net. A net the likes of which even Finnick Odair has never seen!

[The Whistler]

I'm with you guys. One rejection, expecting 5 more. My problem is that I was really naive and dumb this year. I didn't understand exactly how competitive this was, therefore, this cycle has a large FAIL written all over it.

 

But next cycle... Oooh, boy. I'm already saving money. I'm going to reapply to three programs, and apply to at least six more.

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

I'm with you guys. One rejection, expecting 5 more. My problem is that I was really naive and dumb this year. I didn't understand exactly how competitive this was, therefore, this cycle has a large FAIL written all over it.

 

But next cycle... Oooh, boy. I'm already saving money. I'm going to reapply to three programs, and apply to at least six more.

You can say that again. I haven't heard from any schools and it doesn't seem good.   

[cbttcher]

Yep. I haven't heard anything yet either. And I don't hold out hope for BU because I'll have 2 MA degrees and apparently they don't like people who have an MA from somewhere else.

[ErnestPWorrell]

Is anyone else in this position?  I've applied for English Literature and keep reading that people have heard from a bunch of the places I've applied to (UT Austin, Berkeley, NYU, Penn, Columbia, Brown). I haven't heard from any of these places.  Obviously no one on here can change that for me, but am I the only one?

 

Have you contacted any of these places? You might be waitlisted. 

[egwynn]

I haven't.  Partly because I'm not dying to make all those international phone calls, but more because I don't want to nag.  Is it better to call or to just wait another week or so before taking action?

[ErnestPWorrell]

I haven't.  Partly because I'm not dying to make all those international phone calls, but more because I don't want to nag.  Is it better to call or to just wait another week or so before taking action?

I don't see what you have to lose. I think that, as long as you're very polite, it's perfectly reasonable to call or email to check in just once.

[It's (Not) About Me]

Of the schools on my list that have already made some decisions, I'm still waiting to hear from UW-Madison, Brown, Cornell, and Penn. UNC-Chapel Hill was on that list until last night, but I just got word that I'm on the waitlist. I wrote to UW-Madison last Friday (2/15) but haven't gotten a reply yet--perhaps they were closed on President's Day? It would be nice to get a reply from them. As for the other three, lolz, I think I'm just waiting for an eventual rejection.

 

And of course Michigan, Rutgers-New Brunswick, IU-Bloomington, and Stanford are all still up in the air. Who knows when they'll start notifying? 

[blueberryscone]

Ditto. I didn't expect to hear back until the end of the month, but after getting a waitlist email from Princeton over the week I started obsessively checking email and GC. I turned from a normal, productive member of society into Gollum in about 30 seconds.

 

Looks like Penn and Brown have sent out their acceptances, Penn its waitlist, too, so I assume those are out. I can't tell whether it's easier to get the bad news incrementally, like a warning that's then confirmed, or have it all in one go... At any rate, assuming those are gone, I'm only really waiting on two schools now.

[Datatape]

Last year, I had to email the DGS at Alabama in order to find out I was on the waitlist.  I never received a general email or snail-mail letter from them stating I was on the waitlist, and only got a snail-mail "regrets, but we won't be able to accept you" letter in the last week before the April 15 deadline.  Some of these schools don't automatically send out waitlist reminders, so yes, it's totally reasonable to send a polite email to the DGS or graduate secretary asking if they could update you as to your status.  At least that way you'll know one way or the other.

[thatjewishgirl]

Anyone know anything new about Minnesota? My application still says "Awaiting Program Decision" or whatever, but my husband's switched to "Decision Made" today.  We both assume we're getting rejected since it looks like they've already notified acceptances and waitlists, but it would be nice if we got rejected at the same time!!

[yellow.wallpaper]

It angers me how schools don't even bother to reject you. I mean, most of us paid a rather large fee to apply, why can't they even have the courtesy to contact you?

 

Of course, I understand the waiting has barely begun, so I am [im] patiently waiting.

 

I've only heard back from UMass (still under revision), UW-Madison (nominated for a fellowship) and CUNY (interview).

 

I really dislike this waiting process.

[The Whistler]

Anyone know anything new about Minnesota? My application still says "Awaiting Program Decision" or whatever, but my husband's switched to "Decision Made" today.  We both assume we're getting rejected since it looks like they've already notified acceptances and waitlists, but it would be nice if we got rejected at the same time!!

 

Mine says "Awaiting Decision" too. I've actually e-mailed them on Saturday. No answer. I presume it's a rejection.

[CodeBlue]

Emailed three programs today. This process is boring me to the point of madness and if I'm going to be rejected, then I'd prefer to get it over and done with. 

Heard back from two that have already sent out acceptances: the wording of the replies fell along the lines of "your application is under review and a decision is forthcoming in late February or early March"and, in the case of Brown,  "Your application is complete and a decision will be forthcoming." 

 

I'm going to dispense with a close reading of these.

[skybythelight]

Mine says "Awaiting Decision" too. I've actually e-mailed them on Saturday. No answer. I presume it's a rejection.

Mine switched over to "Decision Made" today as well. I've been (and still am) assuming rejection.

[The Whistler]

Who knows what's the way they decide. I doubt it's alphabetical, they'd probably reject me already if it was.

 

This is all incredibly random.

[skybythelight]

So weird. Am I wrong, or is there no way to actually view this decision that's supposedly been made?

[The Whistler]

Hmm, I think you have to wait a bit. It says:
"Please allow one business day to view your decision once your status below has been updated to Decision Made."

[blueberryscone]

I don't think any of my schools let you check the status of your application once it's in. How would I know if they did?