Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[xuejia]

It is. Over the course of the day, I've repeatedly looked at my inbox in disbelief... no new messages from gradcafe. For some reason I'm having a much harder time not freaking out over applications this year. Last year was comparatively very easy. Hope you're all managing to stay sane!

I feel the same way... Speaking for myself, I think it's because last year I was chock full of naivete and unfounded confidence. This year, however, it's more like humility and fear bordering on paranoia. I know that silence early in the cycle translates to depressing notifications later on.

 

That said, it's still too early for any of us to be worried (about most schools, anyway). One or two more weeks, and the silence will start to take on more significance. Because I have wayyyyy too much time on my hands right now, I looked at the notifications over the last two cycles and made a weekly coding system (intentionally skewed to better reflect the schools to which I applied). Anxious anal-retention follows:

 

1/16 - 1/22: roaring success

1/23 - 1/29: fairly early

1/30 - 2/5: ramping up

2/6 - 2/12: critical mass

2/13 - 2/19: nearing danger

2/20 - 2/26: likely failure

2/27 - 3/5: epic failure

 

So, basically, I'm wigging out this year, and it helps tremendously to talk to other folks in similar straits.

[Nords]

I feel the same way... Speaking for myself, I think it's because last year I was chock full of naivete and unfounded confidence. This year, however, it's more like humility and fear bordering on paranoia. I know that silence early in the cycle translates to depressing notifications later on.

 

That said, it's still too early for any of us to be worried (about most schools, anyway). One or two more weeks, and the silence will start to take on more significance. Because I have wayyyyy too much time on my hands right now, I looked at the notifications over the last two cycles and made a weekly coding system (intentionally skewed to better reflect the schools to which I applied). Anxious anal-retention follows:

 

1/16 - 1/22: roaring success

1/23 - 1/29: fairly early

1/30 - 2/5: ramping up

2/6 - 2/12: critical mass

2/13 - 2/19: nearing danger

2/20 - 2/26: likely failure

2/27 - 3/5: epic failure

 

So, basically, I'm wigging out this year, and it helps tremendously to talk to other folks in similar straits.

This borders on genius. You should have included it as an appendix in your cover letter

Traditionally, none of the schools I applied to send out letters this early, so I don't really feel all too worried. The majority of them are typically right in the middle of February, with a couple of them coming at the end of January/early February. It's just made worse by this being my second cycle. Last year ended badly, so at this point I'm desperate to just get into a school quickly, so I don't have to worry about the rest of the responses, cause I'll know I already have somewhere to go in August. Then I could enjoy the rest of the admissions cycle, no matter what the result. 

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

This borders on genius. You should have included it as an appendix in your cover letter

Traditionally, none of the schools I applied to send out letters this early, so I don't really feel all too worried. The majority of them are typically right in the middle of February, with a couple of them coming at the end of January/early February. It's just made worse by this being my second cycle. Last year ended badly, so at this point I'm desperate to just get into a school quickly, so I don't have to worry about the rest of the responses, cause I'll know I already have somewhere to go in August. Then I could enjoy the rest of the admissions cycle, no matter what the result. 

 

I'm right with you. And then there's the whole catch with my one acceptance, that I don't get information on funding until March. So... even that semblance of security is a facade.

[TheGnome]

For all second (3rd/4th/5th..) timers:

 

[xuejia]

Last year ended badly, so at this point I'm desperate to just get into a school quickly, so I don't have to worry about the rest of the responses, cause I'll know I already have somewhere to go in August. Then I could enjoy the rest of the admissions cycle, no matter what the result. 

 

Exactly. One piece of good news (cum funding!) would alleviate most of the anxiety and make the rest of the cycle more bearable (not sure I'd go as far as enjoyable).

[smallworld]

A question to those who are applying for a second (or third) cycle, just out of curiosity:  Why is this your second cycle?  Did you not get into a school you were happy with?  Did you not receive funding?  Was there another factor that kept you from going last year?

[xuejia]

A question to those who are applying for a second (or third) cycle, just out of curiosity:  Why is this your second cycle?  Did you not get into a school you were happy with?  Did you not receive funding?  Was there another factor that kept you from going last year?

Uhhhh...ten applications, ten rejections?

[TheGnome]

A question to those who are applying for a second (or third) cycle, just out of curiosity:  Why is this your second cycle?  Did you not get into a school you were happy with?  Did you not receive funding?  Was there another factor that kept you from going last year?

 

Reasons may include:

 

- not getting in anywhere

- getting in somewhere but not getting funding

- getting in somewhere but in the meanwhile learning that you can improve your file significantly next year - so instead of enrolling you go for another round

- getting in somewhere but life happens in the meanwhile, so you try again after life gets out of the way

- getting in somewhere, but then transferring

 

I can't think of anything else off the top of my head. You are welcome to add to the list

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

A question to those who are applying for a second (or third) cycle, just out of curiosity:  Why is this your second cycle?  Did you not get into a school you were happy with?  Did you not receive funding?  Was there another factor that kept you from going last year?

 

One unfunded offer. I got a great fellowship to go abroad, though, so I took it and entered round two.

[xuejia]

Anybody watch the UM-MSU game? UM has everything you want: strong polisci, good basketball.

[Dark-Helmed]

 UM has everything you want: strong polisci, good basketball.

 

pst xuejia, your North Carolina is showing...

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Scrolled through last year's equivalent of this week. Looks like there may be some official heartbreaking too.

[xuejia]

pst xuejia, your North Carolina is showing...

Sometimes I forget to tuck it in... No worries though, the real travesty would begin only if I were to reveal my alma mater!

 

Scrolled through last year's equivalent of this week. Looks like there may be some official heartbreaking too.

Who, pray tell, is scheduled to crush souls?

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Who, pray tell, is scheduled to crush souls?

 

Pittsburgh, OSU, UC San Diego, Iowa, LSE and Emory, from my count. The week after this will see a lot of good and bad news all around.

[Zahar Berkut]

Pittsburgh, OSU, UC San Diego, Iowa, LSE and Emory, from my count. The week after this will see a lot of good and bad news all around.

 

It's possible, though perhaps unlikely, that UCLA could notify at the end of this week as well.

[xuejia]

Pittsburgh, OSU, UC San Diego, Iowa, LSE and Emory, from my count. The week after this will see a lot of good and bad news all around.

Ok, because I'm not expecting any negatives until February on my personal list, but I didn't apply to any of those schools.

[kainourgios]

How about Duke or NYU?

[xuejia]

I see Duke rejections spanning the month of February, peaking around Valentines. Didn't dig into NYU's past though.

 

Here are 2012 and 2013 results in csv, culled from the board with R and cleaned by hand. I omitted any school with less than a half dozen observations.

Edited January 26, 2014 by xuejia

[Dark-Helmed]

I see Duke rejections spanning the month of February, peaking around Valentines. Didn't dig into NYU's past though.

 

Charming timing, that.

[xuejia]

I see Duke rejections spanning the month of February, peaking around Valentines. Didn't dig into NYU's past though.

 

Here are 2012 and 2013 results in csv, culled from the board with R and cleaned by hand. I omitted any school with less than a half dozen observations.

And I should point out that the column labeled 'Semester' indicates the first day of winter/spring classes for a given cycle+school. I used semester start dates to try to standardize across years, and make projections for this year.

[Zahar Berkut]

I see Duke rejections spanning the month of February, peaking around Valentines. Didn't dig into NYU's past though.

 

Here are 2012 and 2013 results in csv, culled from the board with R and cleaned by hand. I omitted any school with less than a half dozen observations.

 

Very useful! Did you run numbers on average time between semester start date and notification dates?

[xuejia]

Very useful! Did you run numbers on average time between semester start date and notification dates?

Sort of...I only ran numbers for the schools to which I applied; I don't care to advertise that list on the board, but I would share any potential overlap via PM.

[xuejia]

So...here's the deal: I already feel the impostor syndrome, and suspect that I would feel it even more acutely were I to reveal my list of schools. (That statement in and of itself already provides a great deal of information regarding my list.) Does anyone else feel like s/he shot for the moon, yet will only wind up shooting hirself in the foot?

 

This is my second cycle, and I spent last year's in a remote village with patchy and tortuously slow internet connectivity; thus I had no real sounding board or informed support. I know others have discussed the impostor syndrome somewhat, but I still feel as if I'm an impossible longshot in the eyes of adcom members, and would be in your eyes as well were I to drop the Big Names to Which I Applied.

 

Is there any solace to be found outside of an admissions notice?

[Zahar Berkut]

So...here's the deal: I already feel the impostor syndrome, and suspect that I would feel it even more acutely were I to reveal my list of schools. (That statement in and of itself already provides a great deal of information regarding my list.) Does anyone else feel like s/he shot for the moon, yet will only wind up shooting hirself in the foot?

 

This is my second cycle, and I spent last year's in a remote village with patchy and tortuously slow internet connectivity; thus I had no real sounding board or informed support. I know others have discussed the impostor syndrome somewhat, but I still feel as if I'm an impossible longshot in the eyes of adcom members, and would be in your eyes as well were I to drop the Big Names to Which I Applied.

 

Is there any solace to be found outside of an admissions notice?

 

Honestly, I'd be surprised if anyone didn't have these kinds of doubts. The admissions process itself complicates things further. On the one hand, it's extremely competitive, and it's always possible to find a past acceptance with better qualifications in some way. On the other hand, there's such a large element to randomness, with some years shutting people out simply because of department dynamics and greater need for some specialization. So without further information from programs, it's hard to say why exactly someone might be accepted or not in any given year, and that leads to hyper-focusing on perceived weaknesses or inadequacies. And quite a few of those who are accepted deal with the impostor syndrome after beginning their program for similar reasons.

 

I also haven't shared my final list of schools, despite the anonymity of the internet, but I still think that most people here understand this about the process, and the rare few who might still act judgmentally despite knowing how admissions work don't really deserve to be listened to.

 

And yes, life always goes on even when it doesn't fit the initial plan!

Edited January 26, 2014 by Zahar Berkut

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

So without further information from programs, it's hard to say why exactly someone might be accepted or not in any given year, and that leads to hyper-focusing on perceived weaknesses or inadequacies. And quite a few of those who are accepted deal with the impostor syndrome after beginning their program for similar reasons.

 

 

This. An acceptance may confirm your quality as a student or academic, but it does not define it. There are simply too many variables. I imagine most of us will be facing the same anxiety in 5-6 years on the job market, which is even more competitive and even less indicative of your quality.