blue Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 There is a trend with my applications that I really don't understand. I thought that maybe someone would have suggestions, because this is very, very puzzling to me. Here are the facts: I applied to four programs. I was invited to interviews for all programs. I have two rejections and two programs never contacted me back, I know one of them has admitted students long time ago. Basically I don't see anything about the way I talk, dress, or look that could be bad. I got compliments on my professional clothes and looks. By Fall 2009 I would have more than 2 years research experience, including 1 year full-time. I trust the writers of my LORs, I'm sure they sent me great letters. At all programs there are plenty of professors whose research is a good fit for my interests. My stats are above average for the admitted students of last year for 3 of the programs, about average for 1. I come from a large, public school that doesn't have great rankings... but if that was a problem, why invite me to interviews? I just don't get it, what else could I be missing? I really don't understand why they give me such false hopes and then... nothing!
t_ruth Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 oh man! that sucks. I'm sorry. Maybe there were just people there that got on better with the professors? If it makes you feel any better I worry that after visiting the schools I've been *accepted* to they will decide they really don't want me to come (I have a personality that not everyone loves, lol).
socialpsych Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 The only thing I can think of is maybe you came off as unenthusiastic. Programs like to take people who are signaling strong interest in coming if admitted. This might be a situation where it would be appropriate to ask, especially at the two schools that have contacted you and rejected you. Since they interviewed you, they have invested a lot of time and resources into you already, and they know you a bit better than if you hadn't interviewed, so they may be willing to tell you honestly why they rejected you. There is another thread somewhere about asking schools why you were rejected...
35M40 Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 I'm so sorry! I've been really depressed about interviews too. I had one that went really well and I haven't heard anything since. The interviewer told me to plan for the Visit Day and to email one of his students to ask more questions about the program, so I did and then time passed ... people got admitted ... more time passed ... waitlist got notified .. time passed ... and still I hear nothing. Arghhhh. So I guess it's a rejection. I think that when you get down to a short list of interviewees, it must just be really tough because everyone is so talented and accomplished that maybe the decision comes down to tiny details. Personally, I think they pick names out of a hat at that point. Maybe you're waitlisted at one of the places that hasn't contacted you yet. I'm not sure. I hope something works out!
Dontuse Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 i'm not alone... on my interviews i got intensly wonderful compliments & comments from people [some of which i later found out were adcoms] like 'you have nothing to worry about.' now i feel so cruely duped. 4 u.s. interviews & no word from any of them. nothing. [uk programs? official notice + unofficial notes too] i'd like not to think they [u.s.] were leading me on. i can't think that. however, given the present situation... my only comfort is that i'm not alone. sadly enough i wish this on no one's plate.
Dontuse Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 did you apply to a few or a lot llcooln6? i'm realizing more & more how much of a pitiless numbers game this is.
Emilee Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 OMG! I feel your pain. I have experienced a similiar thing. I got 5 interviews. No acceptances. 1 confirmed rejection and 3 waitlist (which probably mean rejections in this crazy application year). I think other people have been accepted from the one school I am still waiting on. With five interviews, I expected to get a least 1 confirmed acceptance. But no dice. One school doesn't want me and the other schools seem unsure about me. There must be a definite pattern. I thought I did well at my interviews, I already have a M.S., and I will have 2 years of research by FALL 2009 (like you). I've been trying to figure out what went wrong as well. My theory is that my GRE scores are medicro and I did not go above and beyond to contact professors I was interested in working with. I just didn't stand out enough for schools to say "we want to make sure she is in our incoming class." I'm going to regroup, fix my weaknesses, and apply again in a year or two.
Rutabaga Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 I interviewed for a program last time I did this and was waitlisted. I think to some extent it boiled down to not being a good fit, plus me just not being ready. In retrospect the questions I'm asking now are much better than the ones I asked then. I also got rejected from the one school that required an interview this time around too, although I did meet with faculty informally at the other schools I got into. I think I just don't always express myself well under pressure. I do much better in informal situations or in writing. You might want to do some practice interviews if you do this again next year.
Aceflyer Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 i'm not alone... on my interviews i got intensly wonderful compliments & comments from people [some of which i later found out were adcoms] like 'you have nothing to worry about.' Happened to me too at one place I visited. One prof went so far as to say to me something along the lines of "I really hope we will have you." There still hasn't been any word from that program - and it's been almost two months since I visited. I am presuming I was rejected. On the other hand, I did meet with another prof at that place who was pretty hostile and did not seem to like me much. However, all of the other prospectives who met with that prof said that he was quite hostile to them as well, so I dunno - it could be just his personality. Overall in my analysis of that visit, I did see a few places where I could have given better answers, and I was able to use this to better prepare for my later visits. But I think the reason I was rejected at that program was because there just wasn't a 'spark' there between me and the program; the program looked like it'd be a perfect fit for me on paper, but after visiting and meeting with the profs and current students I found that the fit was not nearly as good as I thought it would be. I presume the adcom at the program noticed the same thing. All in all I think these things just shouldn't be overanalyzed. If you think back honestly and are sure that there's nothing you could improve on, then don't sweat it. The grad school application process is an intricate dance between prospective students and grad programs to find the best 'fit' between student and program. If the 'spark' isn't there, there isn't much that can be done by either party. It's a bit like the process of dating and finding that 'special someone' actually.
StudyMom Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 My husband is English and had a similar problem in job hunting. He was super excited about a particular job, jumped through all the hoops, took all the test and did really well and then he did not get the job. In the end they said it was because he did not seem enthusiastic enough ( no kidding, he's English!). Anyway, maybe those of from the international area are not coming across as enthusiastic enough. For myself, I know I got funding for my program last year because I called the Asst. Dean and expressed my enthusiasm for their program (my number one choice) and said I would definitely attend if I received funding. Good luck. We thought last year was bad but this year seems to be much worse for applications. I hope you all get in with funding!
blue Posted March 13, 2009 Author Posted March 13, 2009 my only comfort is that i'm not alone. sadly enough i wish this on no one's plate. I am sorry Dontuse. I also don't wish this on anyone and I feel a little better knowing I'm not alone. I hope it all works out in the end for everyone! This year, next year - it just has to. Unfortunately, for me this is round two. I got rejected everywhere last year without any interviews, I didn't pass the GRE cut-off. Now I have the right GRE scores but they still don't want me. I tried so hard, I waited, I hoped, I planned... they advertised their programs, made it feel so close within my reach, told me my application was impressive... and then...
blue Posted March 13, 2009 Author Posted March 13, 2009 Dontuse [hugs] blue Thanks for the hugs, I needed some. Good luck!
peanutbutter Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 At my interview, they asked: "what can we do to make you come here?" Um, an offer would be helpful. And yet, I was rejected. Hard to make sense of the whole process sometimes :-/
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now