colalalala Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 At this moment I want to go somewhere! Me too...I've heard NOTHING since my first rejection, getting really cranky and unstable these days and so desperate...
eriatarka Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Me too...I've heard NOTHING since my first rejection, getting really cranky and unstable these days and so desperate... Same here. I finished all my apps at the end of Oct, then strangely I got a super early acceptance (back in Dec). Not one peep since then. Done waiting at this point! It's affecting my school work. I think I'm doing half my assigned reading right now. Just can't focus. Edited February 13, 2014 by eriatarka
skylarking Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Same here. I finished all my apps at the end of Oct, then strangely I got a super early acceptance (back in Dec). Not one peep since then. Done waiting at this point! It's affecting my school work. I think I'm doing half my assigned reading right now. Just can't focus. Dude, me neither. We've got a mega book in seminar this week (which, admittedly, I've already read, but it's still a pretty gnarly book) that I've barely opened. Assuming I can even get on my flight tomorrow, I'm planning to use that time to try to read it and write up some kind of coherent response paper.
colorless Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Aren't these people tired of saying things like "competition was high this year", "we had to decline many good students this year." bla bla. Yeah everyone is great. Canis 1
Canis Posted February 13, 2014 Author Posted February 13, 2014 Aren't these people tired of saying things like "competition was high this year", "we had to decline many good students this year." bla bla. Yeah everyone is great. It's hard to accept, and disspointing. But, we all just have to remember the simple facts of PhD applications: 1. There are more fully qualified applicants than there are positions 2. There are more PhDs than jobs. So actually, yes - everyone is great (mostly). When you aren't admitted, it's not because your application wasn't good enough, it's not a reflection of you or your skills, your CV, your SOP, etc. For most of us, it's more than likely a very arbitrary set of factors that you have no control over: personal preferences of the admissions comitttee, which professors already have students and which don't, who has recently gotten new students, who they're recently hired, what the current cohort looks like and what they're studying, how the adcom can create a diverse incoming cohort, etc. This is why you must apply again in the future, assuming that when you reached out to your POIs they were excited about working with you - apply again, apply 3 times. That gives you several chances for all the factors to add up at once and for the aspect of this which is about chance (which is high) to line up in your favor. I know this is horrible to hear as an international applicant - but as international applicants we have it even harder because we are competing for even fewer spots than everyone else, so it's even harder to get all those factors to line up. bellabean, daykid, sarab and 1 other 4
strudelle Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I am right there with everyone who is currently struggling with school work. Literally all I can think about is grad admissions. It's frustrating to say the least. I have to finish a paper that I have written less than half of that's due tomorrow. I never procrastinate this much, it is just taking me so much longer to do everything right now :/
skylarking Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Adding to what Canis said, it really is true that they're getting more and more talented applicants. A friend and I applied last year in our last year of MA and struck out across the board; it was a bloodbath for pretty much everyone. But we talked with our advisor who said that, with our qualifications (fluent in two languages, intermediate/advanced in a third, a myriad of research papers, multiple conference presentations, really great letters of rec) we would have had no problems getting in 10 years ago. Now, pretty much everyone has those same qualifications and it makes it even more difficult. You have to be extra extraordinary. It really blows, but that's how it is. And I know how shitty it all is. I realized this is actually my fourth time applying, and each time I've gotten rejected, it's been a chance to do more work on myself and my project. If there's nothing more you really can do, then if you're up to it, all that's left to do is apply next year. Sometimes it's just not your year. Canis 1
laurissimo Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I am right there with everyone who is currently struggling with school work. Literally all I can think about is grad admissions. It's frustrating to say the least. I have to finish a paper that I have written less than half of that's due tomorrow. I never procrastinate this much, it is just taking me so much longer to do everything right now :/ Amen! Thesis is due tomorrow, still have half of a lit review left to write....but what am I doing? Obsessively checking my apps and GradCafe.
NoSleepTilBreuckelen Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) I am right there with everyone who is currently struggling with school work. Literally all I can think about is grad admissions. It's frustrating to say the least. I have to finish a paper that I have written less than half of that's due tomorrow. I never procrastinate this much, it is just taking me so much longer to do everything right now :/ So true! And all my readings this term of online/dropbox, so it's so hard for me not to come check grad cafe every couple pages, since I'm already on my computer anyways... Edited February 13, 2014 by NoSleepTilBreuckelen
sarab Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Amen! Thesis is due tomorrow, still have half of a lit review left to write....but what am I doing? Obsessively checking my apps and GradCafe. laurissimo! Good luck with your thesis. GC will be here tomorrow (I know it's hard to not obsess though)
strudelle Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I'm wondering who got the rejection from UCSD? If you don't want to claim it here would you be willing to message me so I could ask you some stuff?
sarab Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 This morning I prayed, so that everyone can hear some good news soon! If you're not religious then just consider me sending everyone good vibes. You're all such a rgeat group of people, hopefully colleagues in the near future. screencheck and 1leafy 2
Khannnn Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Rejected from BU (archaeo phd). It was my first choice. I'm super bummed but I need to remind myself I got two great acceptances. Being turned down from your top choice really really sucks though. Good luck to everyone else, I hope you hear better news than I did!
ecologaia Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Who/How do you know about Cornell? Also for Emory? Anyone want to give feedback?
sarab Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Who/How do you know about Cornell? Also for Emory? Anyone want to give feedback? Well, Atlanta has been in shut-down mode since Tuesday, so probably nothing new will happen at Emory at least since next week.
colorless Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Cornell was me guys, you can follow the whole conversation on it from today's entries.
sarab Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Hey, those who got CUNY interviews, do you live in the area or did the department offer you to fly there? PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting.
strudelle Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 You guys. I've been freaking out for days since my call with my POI left things a little ambiguous....but they just called me and I got into UCSD with funding. I literally could not be happier. It's my top choice. I don't know what to do with myself right now. sarab, novacancy, NOWAYNOHOW and 7 others 10
jellyfish1 Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 Congratulations, strudelle!! I'm so glad it worked out for you in the end :-)
daykid Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 You guys. I've been freaking out for days since my call with my POI left things a little ambiguous....but they just called me and I got into UCSD with funding. I literally could not be happier. It's my top choice. I don't know what to do with myself right now. Congratulations Strudelle!!!!
skylarking Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 That's wonderful, congratulations! It's an amazing school
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