Rejection in an annoying way!!!

[Rizu]

A month ago, I sent my CV and Transcripts to a Professor in EPFL for the consideration of an PhD opening. Today I got the following reply:

"Dear Y,

We went through your application and your technical profile would be highly suitable for the project. However, in discussing your profile with our Indian partners, we anticipate potential logistic difficulties related to the 'special' relationship between India and your country. We sincerely regret that these troubles still exist, but we depend on flexible travel arrangements in India for the candidate and therefore decided not to go forward with your application.

We sincerely hope you do not take this personal and thank you for sending us your application,

All the best in your future career."

 

How ridiculous? I never heard about such 'special' relationship between India and Bangladesh!!! Rejection is not a big deal, even I wasn't that much interested on that PhD project; but the reason they showed sounds really irritating.

 

I just replied: 

 

"Hello Dr. X,

 

I don't mind to get a rejection; I understand it is quite normal in any kind of application process. But the cause you mentioned is quite ridiculous. I never heard any problem between Bangladesh and India. There are lots of student from Bangladesh goes to India and also some student from India goes to Bangladesh to study every year. Even I visited almost half of the India during my Bachelor level, I didn't face any tiny bit of problem.

 

This email is just for the clarification of your misinformation (Some people might have some ego issue); not for the reconsideration of my application.

 

Thank you very much."

 

 

[Tuck]

Okay, that's a ridiculous rejection, but I fear you may regret that snarky reply.

[Rizu]

I don't know, what to regret here? I don't want to be in contact in any way with that kind of shitty people!!

[spacezeppelin]

There reason does sound really unfair, but I think there must be a reason for it. Universities generally don't just make stuff like that up. They would just reject you if they were trying to dodge an acceptance. If I were you I would do some research into the issue and perhaps try to understand where it came from.

 

That is something you could have asked the university. Your response seems a bit hasty, in my opinion. The academic world is a small one, and nothing good can come from burning bridges. Your response isnt going to make the university regret its decision (in fact, it will probably make them relieved that they made it. Sorry, I dont mean to be unkind, but its probably true). If it made you feel better thats what really matters here, but still.

[ridofme]

I agree that this rejection seems bizarre (though I can't claim to know much about Indian-Bangladeshi relations), but I also agree with the other posters that you might regret your response. Regardless of how absurd their rejection may seem to you (or may, in fact, be), if there's a chance that this same issue could affect other applications, it would behoove you to figure out exactly why they think you wouldn't be able to travel freely through India (visa procurement issues? cultural tension? religious differences?) so that you can address these concerns in future applications. It might be too late, but do you think there's any chance you could try to salvage the relationship with the prof, maybe admit that you responded while upset, and get more details on the nature of their concerns? It could be worth it for you. At this point you have nothing to lose.

 

Please forgive me for being patronizing, but for better or worse, this grad school game (like the rest of life) involves a certain amount of eating shit from people who are in positions of power over you. If you want to win, you cannot react so emotionally to everything that is done and said to you. You have to be willing to sacrifice your pride on occassion, while being mindful not to sacrifice your integrity.

[pete-mc]

I agree that this rejection seems bizarre (though I can't claim to know much about Indian-Bangladeshi relations), but I also agree with the other posters that you might regret your response. Regardless of how absurd their rejection may seem to you (or may, in fact, be), if there's a chance that this same issue could affect other applications, it would behoove you to figure out exactly why they think you wouldn't be able to travel freely through India (visa procurement issues? cultural tension? religious differences?) so that you can address these concerns in future applications. It might be too late, but do you think there's any chance you could try to salvage the relationship with the prof, maybe admit that you responded while upset, and get more details on the nature of their concerns? It could be worth it for you. At this point you have nothing to lose.

 

Please forgive me for being patronizing, but for better or worse, this grad school game (like the rest of life) involves a certain amount of eating shit from people who are in positions of power over you. If you want to win, you cannot react so emotionally to everything that is done and said to you. You have to be willing to sacrifice your pride on occassion, while being mindful not to sacrifice your integrity.

 

Very reasonable peace of advice, this is life experience.

[lewin]

I agree completely with everything that everybody said above about likely repercussions.

 

 

....but still, it was viscerally satisfying to read that reply. It's the type of thing I would compose and delete.

[ANDS!]

I don't know, what to regret here? I don't want to be in contact in any way with that kind of shitty people!!

 

If this program ONLY ever interacted with members of their own program. . .you might have a point.  It's ironic that you mention "ego. . ." in your follow-up letter; sometimes it is best to accept rejection and move on, then potentially sour a future relationship because of a moment of hurt feelings.

[Rizu]

Thank you guys for your nice suggestions. I know, it wasn't a very thoughtfull move. But still, the way he mentioned some phrases like " 'special' relationship" or "these troubles still exist" wasn't very pleasant for me. I wanted to clear him up about his misinformation, and the facts I mentioned are absolutely true. But now I feel, the way I responded was kinda arrogant.

 

Actually my main interest is "Mineral Physics", that PhD project was something different. I just applied there because it was quite easy, one just has to send their documents by email and no application fee.

[sugarmilk]

First of all, I love the honesty and down-to-earthness of your reply! I too get upset when people think they can get away with something that is absurd and unfair. I probably would have worded my reply as a question, seeking explanation of the relationship, before telling them they were misinformed. That way, you would have some meat to work with in either explaining why it is not true, or for digesting the reason for rejection yourself. But since it wasn't a program you cared about.. whatever. lol

[Ezzy]

Personally, I didn't think there was anything wrong with your reply. It had just the perfect amount of (completely justified) indignation. I'm not too familiar with the situation between the two countries, but I'm less willing than other people to give this professor the benefit of the doubt about whether this is the actual reason for your rejection.

[ANDS!]

So instead of just saying "I don't think you'd be a great fit for our department. . ." the more likely scenario is that they went out of their way to craft a phoney baloney story about international relations?  

[Ezzy]

So instead of just saying "I don't think you'd be a great fit for our department. . ." the more likely scenario is that they went out of their way to craft a phoney baloney story about international relations?  

 

No, I meant more that there might be some nationalist/ethnic/whatever animus at play here.