Anthropology Results 2014

[danaofdoom]

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.  

I know what you should do with yourself: Go out and celebrate! You've earned it!!! Congratulations!

[ENMC]

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.  

WOAH... that’s beautiful! CONGRATS!! 

[strudelle]

Thank you so much for the support, everyone!  I can't go out and celebrate because I have too much school work to do, but I did just dance around my apartment for half an hour to happy music.  I'm all sweaty.  Time to get back to writing this paper.

 

I hope everyone else hears great news soon!

[johnreggae]

Congrats!

[danaofdoom]

Hnnnngggggg!!!! I really want them to call meeee! The other UCSD applicants on here have gotten their answers. I interviewed on Monday, and now I'm starting to be worried that I won't be accepted, since the other UCSD interviewees on here have already heard back.

[gradcat]

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.  

 I saw this on the results board and was hoping it was you ... congratulations!!! 

[HrdyWordy]

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.

Huge congrats!! So exciting!!

[eriatarka]

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.

I'll join in the chorus Congrats, I'm so happy it worked out for you!

[Don't Panic]

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.

Ok now I'm officially sad. :-(

[Don't Panic]

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.

So sweet of you, sarab! :-)

[ecologaia]

Sarab, I have to say you are the most thoughtful of posters... Some fellow applicants and I have been rooting for you for months! Congratulations! You deserve so much happiness in grad school~!

[ecologaia]

Only fair to share this.. so Vand. has started to contact cultural applicants of interest on their short list, though decisions have not been made. Nothing formal, just inquiries about research ideas from a few profs. I am so excited, just to have heard from them! 

[daykid]

Sarab, I have to say you are the most thoughtful of posters... Some fellow applicants and I have been rooting for you for months! Congratulations! You deserve so much happiness in grad school~!

Seconded!

[sarab]

Sarab, I have to say you are the most thoughtful of posters... Some fellow applicants and I have been rooting for you for months! Congratulations! You deserve so much happiness in grad school~!

 

Seconded!

 

Thank you! You're so sweet. An congratulations to you too!

[danaofdoom]

Sarab, I have to say you are the most thoughtful of posters... Some fellow applicants and I have been rooting for you for months! Congratulations! You deserve so much happiness in grad school~!

She really is though! I don't think I could get through this without her helpful advice.

[strudelle]

Sarab is the best

[colorless]

i think i got my fourth rejection as well (not anthro), they notified others and nothing for me. i should jump from the window.

[colorless]

Btw how do you ask the department or POIs about the decision about rejection. Such as what was the problem, what do I need to improve... etc.

[sarab]

i think i got my fourth rejection as well (not anthro), they notified others and nothing for me. i should jump from the window.

 

Silence doesn't mean rejection! I know it's hard to wait, but don't jump unless it's from happiness when you get some good news which I hope you get soon

[lackingpatience]

My Cambridge page has just been updated to "Awaiting decision by the board of graduate studies" and "The degree committee is satisfied with your application. However, your offer has not yet been approved". 

 

I'm not sure what this means, but I REALLY hope it's a good sign...

[daykid]

My Cambridge page has just been updated to "Awaiting decision by the board of graduate studies" and "The degree committee is satisfied with your application. However, your offer has not yet been approved". 

 

I'm not sure what this means, but I REALLY hope it's a good sign...

That sounds like the department approved you and it just has to go through channels. Very good sign!

[Forsaken in LA]

i think i got my fourth rejection as well (not anthro), they notified others and nothing for me. i should jump from the window.

 

Colorless, 

 

I agree with what everyone is telling you, and that is to calm down and don't let the rejection reflect negatively on you as a person in anyway,  We have seen how the process goes now, and from this we can tell that acceptance is dependent on a great variety of factors, many of which you can't control.  I don't know what your current situation is, but this is not the end of the world. There are also plenty of MA programs still taking applications. Theses programs may not be funded, but they could allow you to gain valuable experience and increase your network. 

 

The last thing you should do is jump from a window, though I'm sure, it's hyperbole (I hope). 

 

Just don't give up hope yet! If you do get swept this season, stay in contact with any POI that has been helpful and showed interest. Develop your relationship with them if possible.  Not getting in can be turned positive allowing it be used as an extra year of preparation, a chance to get better funding next year, and possibly some work related experience. 

[ENMC]

Rejected from CUNY, via email. Cultural Anthro. Keeping my head up but realizing that this dream might not happen for me.   

 

Best of luck to everyone!  

[colorless]

i love you guys. you are really so helpful and kind. it's just that my life conditions are not really stable and actually very frustrating. my country is killing me and i want to get out of here. and besides being a wonderful (or so i thought) student i don't really have any skills or anything that can let me out of here (hence the joys of being an engineer and findings jobs almost everywhere). i am not dying about this process, this is my third time really but i just want to come up with a solution. of course this is not the end of the world but i feel like i am unable to move forward.

thanks everyone for support.

[danaofdoom]

Btw how do you ask the department or POIs about the decision about rejection. Such as what was the problem, what do I need to improve... etc.

I decided that if I get rejected from UCSD, I'm going to send my POI a polite email saying "If it's alright to ask, why was I rejected? Would it be worth it for me to apply again next year? This program was my top choice, and I am willing to do whatever is needed to get in."

I definitely know what you mean about feeling like you are stuck and can't move forward. My fiance has his BS in mechanical engineering, but the job market has been so stagnant that he hasn't found anything and instead is working in food service. 

I wish I knew more about the process of settling in a new country. I am assuming that you are not living in the US, since you mentioned applying to US schools. I do know a guy who came to the US from France. He got a job here and was granted a work visa. You might also have success applying to an undergraduate program in the US, I know that a lot of the undergrad programs here give special considerations to international students. Of course this would be a huge pain since it would be back tracking, but it might be worth it in the long run.

 

Other than that I can't think of anything. I wish I could help you more!