Final Decision Thread 2013

[jazzyd]

Haven't given the official word yet, but I am almost certain I will be accepting an offer from the University of Chicago

 

Now to finish my thesis and survive the rest of senior year (!)

[cicada123]

I am immensely excited for all of you, but please don't do this in a few years:

 

http://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/streleski-theodore.htm

Just, well, wow. That's insane.

[CastineGrrl]

It's official: I'm going to Temple! So excited!

[Two Espressos]

Accepted Yale's offer.

 

Badass.    So excited for you!

 

Haven't given the official word yet, but I am almost certain I will be accepting an offer from the University of Chicago

 

Now to finish my thesis and survive the rest of senior year (!)

 

A good choice.  UChicago is one of the best!

[dmmar]

I will be attending University of Michigan in the fall! Woo!

[Gauche]

I updated the document already, but it's official now that I'm attending the University of Kansas.

[thatjewishgirl]

I updated the document already, but it's official now that I'm attending the University of Kansas.

 

Congrats! Do you currently live in Kansas?

[Gauche]

Thank you thatjewishgirl! I'm actually from the West Coast, but I visited a few weeks ago, and it was a nice change of pace. I look forward to living there.

[thatjewishgirl]

Thank you thatjewishgirl! I'm actually from the West Coast, but I visited a few weeks ago, and it was a nice change of pace. I look forward to living there.

 

That's great! I'm glad to hear you like it. I'm originally from Kansas - I love Lawrence. Actually I love the entire midwest - I'm sure you'll love it there.

[ComeBackZinc]

So strange to see people who constantly say it's all about fit abandon that commitment when given a binary choice between programs by other posters.

[Swagato]

So strange to see people who constantly say it's all about fit abandon that commitment when given a binary choice between programs by other posters.

Huh, intriguing. Any examples?

[ComeBackZinc]

Sorry, was just going through the archive here-- there was someone asking about UMass vs. Madison, or someone else asking about Maryland against another school. Just thought it was funny that, in a forum where we always say that it's about fit, people had very strong and quick opinions about one department over the other without really knowing someone else's particular interests. I'm not trying to stir up trouble or accuse anybody of anything, just thought it was interesting.

[intextrovert]

I think fit is most important in figuring out where to apply and also from their end, in who accepts you. But once you're past that point, things like placement (and with that, reputation) and funding should definitely take the place of fit in importance. Unless it's a really bad fit - but presumably you wouldn't have applied or gotten accepted if that were the case.

[dazedandbemused]

I don't know about you, but I always find those questions a bit ridiculous anyway. I would never have asked people on this forum to help me choose between my schools because as nice as y'all are, we don't actually know anything about each other. If you're talking about the instance I think you are, I said I would choose Madison if it were me-- Lord knows I have no idea what they actually study and it's really not my responsibility to determine their fit before giving my opinion. I know you're not trying to "stir up trouble" but I just wanted to put it out there that at the end of the day, our opinions should not really have much to do with other people's decision making process.

[ComeBackZinc]

I agree with all of what you guys are saying. I should say: I'm someone who is frequently incapable of taking his own advice.

[dazedandbemused]

Well, after giving myself a couple of days to come down off of cloud nine, I have officially accepted my offer from UT Austin. Hook 'em horns, y'all!

[thestage]

please don't say hook 'em horns. sloganeering is like the worst thing

[ComeBackZinc]

please don't say hook 'em horns. sloganeering is like the worst thing

 

[JeremiahParadise]

So, uhhh -- hey, everyone. I just found out today that I was wait-listed at Brandeis. If some one of you is planning to turn them down, please do so as soon as possible... please

Congrats, all, on your wonderful acceptances/decisions!

[practical cat]

So, uhhh -- hey, everyone. I just found out today that I was wait-listed at Brandeis. If some one of you is planning to turn them down, please do so as soon as possible... please

Congrats, all, on your wonderful acceptances/decisions!

Congrats! Also, since I'm assuming you're the recent post on the board, I want to thank you for the recent information. I hope that you make it!

[JeremiahParadise]

Congrats! Also, since I'm assuming you're the recent post on the board, I want to thank you for the recent information. I hope that you make it!

 

Hey, thanks! It's SO late in the game that I really don't have much hope, but I would be THRILLED if things panned out. Here's hoping it at least does for one of us! Good luck!

[asleepawake]

I've turned down two offers (Wayne State and Lehigh), but I'm now really, really struggling to decide between WVU and Buffalo. I've visited both, and both were wonderful. Everything that is great about one program is countered by something that is great about the other. Allow me to demonstrate just how much everything is evening out by one anecdote: both Morgantown and Buffalo are equidistant (to the mile) to my hometown.

 

On my visit to Buffalo, I didn't get as much of a chance to talk individually to professors as I did at WVU (and this partially my fault), so I also feel like I'm comparing with incomplete information. Likewise, I visited WVU alone, so I didn't get to talk to anyone else from the potential incoming cohort. I know that some people might think I'm crazy for being so torn between programs of such different rankings, but I'm not, I swear, and somebody needs to adjust those rankings STAT because WVU is wonderful.

[ProfLorax]

I know that some people might think I'm crazy for being so torn between programs of such different rankings, but I'm not, I swear, and somebody needs to adjust those rankings STAT because WVU is wonderful.

I do not think you're crazy! In my world, the most important number associated with a humanities PhD program is not ranking; rather, the number I care most about is TT job placement percentages. I remember you posted a while ago about WVU's impressive placement stats, so its reputation is obviously well-regarded enough for WVU's graduates to find jobs. Good luck with your decision making! When choosing between two programs that both offer great placement, funding, atmosphere and fit, you cannot make a wrong choice. 

[Cactus Ed]

I do not think you're crazy! In my world, the most important number associated with a humanities PhD program is not ranking; rather, the number I care most about is TT job placement percentages. I remember you posted a while ago about WVU's impressive placement stats, so its reputation is obviously well-regarded enough for WVU's graduates to find jobs. Good luck with your decision making! When choosing between two programs that both offer great placement, funding, atmosphere and fit, you cannot make a wrong choice. 

 

Well said! Placement is HUGE, and so is fit. If you can see yourself going there and feel deeply that it is somewhere that you can succeed and maximize your potential as a scholar, it is in no way crazy to consider the school strongly against a school with a higher ranking. 

 

If I were you, asleepawake, I'd take a day or two off from GC, take a couple of long walks, have a couple of drinks in solitude, and let the answer come to you

Edited April 3, 2013 by Cactus Ed

[Two Espressos]

I've turned down two offers (Wayne State and Lehigh), but I'm now really, really struggling to decide between WVU and Buffalo. I've visited both, and both were wonderful. Everything that is great about one program is countered by something that is great about the other. Allow me to demonstrate just how much everything is evening out by one anecdote: both Morgantown and Buffalo are equidistant (to the mile) to my hometown.

 

On my visit to Buffalo, I didn't get as much of a chance to talk individually to professors as I did at WVU (and this partially my fault), so I also feel like I'm comparing with incomplete information. Likewise, I visited WVU alone, so I didn't get to talk to anyone else from the potential incoming cohort. I know that some people might think I'm crazy for being so torn between programs of such different rankings, but I'm not, I swear, and somebody needs to adjust those rankings STAT because WVU is wonderful.

 

I don't think you're crazy for considering WVU over Buffalo (maybe if it were WVU over Berkeley or something...   ).  I do think that rankings matter, but WVU v. Buffalo is a special case: the former has a strong placement rate, whereas the latter has a kinda shitty placement rate (I remember feeling "meh" about UB's placement stats when I was scouting out programs).

 

Basically, I'm in accord with other posters about this: I don't think you can go wrong, really.  Either program would be a good choice.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Two Espressos