Attitude towards adcoms/schools

[ridgey]

Just wondering whether I'm the only one who flinches when reading comments about how useless adcoms must be for taking so long to notify, or schools are for their bureacracy, or whatever?

Yes, I understand the frustration, having heard back from only half the programmes I applied to.

Yes, I too paid the outrageous application fees (outrageous because application to PhD programmes is free in most of the world). Sure, there is probably room for more efficiency and transparency in the process.

But, seriously, life lesson: the world does NOT revolve around you. Shockingly, university departments have other things going on than just doing grad apps.

[illinoisellie]

Some ad committees are very good at informing students when they are rejected. Some are not.

I really don't mind.

I also understand if schools don't email the individuals who are on waitlists. There is some unsurety there.

But - I do mind when the ad coms have already admitted all the students they want to admit and two weeks later still have not emailed to tell that you have been rejected.

Just a mass email would be really nice.

[Dinali]

Why flinch? This is a frustrating, stressful process, and people have to vent somewhere. Railing harmlessly on an anonymous bulletin board is as good a way to do that as any. I've complained plenty about people that I hold no actual enmity towards, even against people that I thoroughly respect. It's just blowing off steam.

[Dontuse]

whoa. Very good point there dinali.

[GirlattheHelm]

This is just a high stress time and someone will get the scapegoat position no matter what. That's pretty much the deal - if we were to over analyze the high stress of these people we'd all turn on each other. Best to lelt the adcoms and schools be adequate targets - albeit vapid meaning ones.

[jasper.milvain]

I totally agree with the OP. I adore the grad secretary in my department and have been watching her struggle through the admissions process while scheduling defenses, doing course pre-registration, sorting out TAships and fellowships, and gathering everyone's evaluations and contracts. To think of some impatient idiot calling her lazy and thoughtless on the boards is infuriating.