Fall 2014 applicants??

[Kamisha]

A few pages back, some wise poster cautioned against re-reading your SOP. I (stupidly) took the challenge, and re-read the statement I submitted to one of my top-choice programs.

 

At first, I was totally reassured. I had said what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it. Then catastrophe: I realized that I used the wrong name for one of my POIs. The name I used IS someone whose work I'm tangentially interested in, and I was looking through some of his recent projects while I was writing my SOP; but he's in a different area than the one I described being interested in, and not someone I would expect to work closely with at the program. I certainly did not intend to mention him in my SOP.

 

So I'm taking the time between panic attacks to solicit the advice of the forum: is there anything to be done? I'm currently on the waitlist at this school, and I'm attending the open house. Should I try to find a way to talk to the professor I intended to name in my SOP, mention the mistake, and express my interest in his work? Or is any kind of corrective just going to draw more attention to the error? The agony of being on the waitlist has now rocketed into the stratosphere.

I'm definitely unqualified to comment on this, but I probably wouldn't bring it up. If they wait listed you, they like you. We all made silly mistakes. I would just go, knock their socks off with how impressive you are, and have confidence in yourself.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

All these rejections on the board...

I just want to say - "His name is Robert Paulson" 

[littlebijou]

So those who are still waiting on a word from Boston College: I emailed the DGS and was told that I haven't heard back because I was rejected from the PhD program but being considered for the MA.  I will not be taking the MA offer as I've already received a couple of acceptances/waitlist offers at programs higher on my list, but I thought I should post this just in case others are sitting on their hands waiting to here from BC. 

[honeychurch]

BowTieAreCool--there certainly is a lot of blood on the floor and I sense that some of us may turn to soapmaking as an alternate career path/unfunded funding source.

[igetstuffdunn]

So those who are still waiting on a word from Boston College: I emailed the DGS and was told that I haven't heard back because I was rejected from the PhD program but being considered for the MA.  I will not be taking the MA offer as I've already received a couple of acceptances/waitlist offers at programs higher on my list, but I thought I should post this just in case others are sitting on their hands waiting to here from BC. 

 

Thanks for the news! Definitely waiting on pins and needles to hear about their MA program... in the meantime I leave it to House of Cards to distract me from all the emails, calls and letters that I'm not getting.

[despejado]

Thanks for the news! Definitely waiting on pins and needles to hear about their MA program... in the meantime I leave it to House of Cards to distract me from all the emails, calls and letters that I'm not getting.

This is exactly what I've been doing.

[Academicat]

Here's my favorite distraction from today:

I fail at embedding. I promise it's full of rainbows and magic and cats.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Academicat

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Here's my favorite distraction from today:

 

<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4NMoJcFd4?hl=en_US&amp;version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP4NMoJcFd4?hl=en_US&amp;version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

random code? 

[Academicat]

random code? 

 

But it's CATcode.

[Nyctophile]

A few pages back, some wise poster cautioned against re-reading your SOP. I (stupidly) took the challenge, and re-read the statement I submitted to one of my top-choice programs.

 

At first, I was totally reassured. I had said what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it. Then catastrophe: I realized that I used the wrong name for one of my POIs. The name I used IS someone whose work I'm tangentially interested in, and I was looking through some of his recent projects while I was writing my SOP; but he's in a different area than the one I described being interested in, and not someone I would expect to work closely with at the program. I certainly did not intend to mention him in my SOP.

 

So I'm taking the time between panic attacks to solicit the advice of the forum: is there anything to be done? I'm currently on the waitlist at this school, and I'm attending the open house. Should I try to find a way to talk to the professor I intended to name in my SOP, mention the mistake, and express my interest in his work? Or is any kind of corrective just going to draw more attention to the error? The agony of being on the waitlist has now rocketed into the stratosphere.

That was me...it's like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, you're not supposed to look at it!!

 

Since you're waitlisted it seems like it was a no harm, no foul mistake...who knows, maybe it even worked in your favor if your intended POI is stacked with students. That said, if I were you I would definitely take the opportunity at the open house to introduce myself to the intended POI and express interest but I would not mention the "mistake". I would also make sure to talk to the professor you actually mentioned. You don't want to snub someone who may have been the reason you were waitlisted instead of outrightly rejected. 

[Between Fields]

Has anyone on the waitlist at Illinois State received an email or a letter? Other parts of that application process came in paper, so I've been checking the mailbox every day for a week, but all the application page says is that I'm now on the waitlist... no indication of the time/length involved or whether funding is also involved.

[Eternal Optimist]

Hey Everyone,

I was accepted to University of Vermont's M.A. program this morning. But no funding as of now. Have a Skype interview with the University of Maine on 5th March. And was rejected by University of Montana. Exciting day, overall. Just wanted to share the news with everyone. 9 more schools to go. Hopefully I get funded somewhere.

Thank you for all the wonderful conversations you guys have here. It's a great support in these tough times.

[Tybalt]

Hi all,

 

I'm a current Rochester student, and while we don't really have any inside info on how things work, my sense is that they offer the MA option to people who made the "final pile" but weren't offered PhD admission.  We seem to have about 12-15 MA students each year, and I know for a fact that they don't offer that to all the applicants (I know people who have been straight rejected).  Let me know if you have any questions about the program! 

 

 

I got the same exact email about five minutes ago & I also wasn't sure how to interpret it . . . that "authorize" makes me feel special, but then the fact that it is a form email asking me to apply makes me think that it probably gets sent to all candidates rejected from the PhD program. Very conflicted & confused about what it means.

[WendyWonderland]

Just got the email from UCSB, finally the rejections are out!

Yeah, got mine too. I still have 5 other rejections to come.

[despejado]

Hi all,

I'm a current Rochester student, and while we don't really have any inside info on how things work, my sense is that they offer the MA option to people who made the "final pile" but weren't offered PhD admission. We seem to have about 12-15 MA students each year, and I know for a fact that they don't offer that to all the applicants (I know people who have been straight rejected). Let me know if you have any questions about the program!

Fingers crossed this is the case for Syracuse as well. Also, this bodes well for Andrewcycs!!! How exciting

[Horb]

I just received an email from Rutgers about the decision they made. I also keep getting emails from NYU despite them having rejected me twice now. I don't want your unfunded MA and I've told you this! Stop the madness!!!!

 

I'm happy this is basically over with

[despejado]

I just received an email from Rutgers about the decision they made. I also keep getting emails from NYU despite them having rejected me twice now. I don't want your unfunded MA and I've told you this! Stop the madness!!!!

I'm happy this is basically over with

Ah at least they didn't just website notify you! So glad you just get to sit back and relax now, you totally deserve it

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

So.

 

When you punch in a query in the result search you get stuff like "Louisville MA admit 3/1"  "Louisville MA reject 3/1" and "Louisville MA admit 3/2".

And you just sort of think - oh that's all there is to it. Boom two. back to back.  That's how I felt as I was prepping my apps. Boom they're all here at the same time - nbd.

but that's not how it works. It's waiting. wait, you heard from them yesterday? why haven't they told me? Y'all been rejected... well I didn't get a reject yet so should I feel good? 

The result board doesn't really capture that there are 13 hours between admits. 13 damn hours. the worst 13 hours out there. The result board doesn't really capture the feeling of "wait why did that person get a phone call? is that why their admit is early? or late? or whats going on there?!?!?"

 

[Horb]

Dude you're so awesome. I'm glad that we pm-ed each other! YEAH GRADCAFE FRIENDSHIPS!

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Dude you're so awesome. I'm glad that we pm-ed each other! YEAH GRADCAFE FRIENDSHIPS!

I know you're not talking to me.

But PMs are awesome - its nice to get a head-start on networking and what not. And perhaps none of it ends up going anywhere. perhaps we never break the veil of anonymity. But I've seen some folks talk about twitters/skype/conference panels. 

So yeah.  Pretty cool. 

[despejado]

I know you're not talking to me.

But PMs are awesome - its nice to get a head-start on networking and what not. And perhaps none of it ends up going anywhere. perhaps we never break the veil of anonymity. But I've seen some folks talk about twitters/skype/conference panels.

So yeah. Pretty cool.

She was talking to me, but I consider both of you friends and am so glad to have made these relationships. Seriously been keeping my head on straight for the last month.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

She was talking to me, but I consider both of you friends and am so glad to have made these relationships. Seriously been keeping my head on straight for the last month.

Insert stevie wonder harmonica - "that's what friends are for!!!!!"

that's all. Back to work.

[WendyWonderland]

I get one rejection per day. Yeah~~~

[WendyWonderland]

Today I emailed CUNY and asked them a lot of question concerning fit, LoR and WS. Grad cafe has made me smart lol

[Kamisha]

Dude you're so awesome. I'm glad that we pm-ed each other! YEAH GRADCAFE FRIENDSHIPS!

  

I know you're not talking to me.

But PMs are awesome - its nice to get a head-start on networking and what not. And perhaps none of it ends up going anywhere. perhaps we never break the veil of anonymity. But I've seen some folks talk about twitters/skype/conference panels. 

So yeah.  Pretty cool.

  

She was talking to me, but I consider both of you friends and am so glad to have made these relationships. Seriously been keeping my head on straight for the last month.

  

Insert stevie wonder harmonica - "that's what friends are for!!!!!"

that's all. Back to work.

I am loving this.