Cotsen Institute of Archaeology- UCLA applicants

[screencheck]

I have sent an e-mail to UCLA. I'm hoping they get back to me soon.

[Daisy123]

Daisy, I DID get the internship at LACMA that I mentioned, so I will be there starting in May. I will be working with their permanent collection, which does include some cool stuff, doing registration. It should be a good experience and will add to my museum experience should I find an open position somewhere. LACMA has a great reputation and I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to learn a lot about their collection, and how to care for it, while also networking (the key to life, as I have discovered).

 

If I am not offered a position at UCLA this year then I will probably pursue a teaching credential for special ed. I know, that seems random, but the reality is this: I am not getting any younger, the job market for folks with PhDs isn't getting much better (from what I can tell), and I really wouldn't mind having summers off to spend doing archaeological digs or traveling. I'm holding out some hope that my dream will manifest itself and I will be able to submerged myself in studying the people and histories that I love. I have done the work, submitted the application, and I'm on that wait list, but I've def come to terms with the fact that just because I might not end up in a PhD program doesn't mean I have to stop being involved in the subjects and things that I love! I think I would do well at UCLA and I hope that I am accepted, but as the time ticks by and April approaches I grow less confident (not that I was ever confident to begin with....). I also grow a little more fond of the options I have that don't require a PhD. My life will be full no matter what.

 

If I am not accepted to UCLA I will also be able to travel this Fall and I am currently fixated on planning this adventure. Silver linings, people, silver fucking linings. 

Congratulations! I hope this will give you everything you want! If you peruse special ed and this makes you feel fulfilled then you have to go for it! I wish i can find my path like you and be happy with something other than archaeology. 

 

I have sent an e-mail to UCLA. I'm hoping they get back to me soon

I am sure you will hear back, the director of the program is really good about answering emails

[catsrgods]

Daisy, I am confident that there are multiple paths in life that could have or would make me happy. I often think I missed my calling to be a homicide detective and I'd have made a really great vet!

 

I think I am just trying to be realistic and flexible, you know? We can't ALL be prima ballerinas, some of us need to take up occupations that serve important supporting roles in life and there is no shame in that whatsoever. It took me awhile to realize that and accept that happiness can come even if I am doing something else. I've tried my hand at a few different things and I'm pretty capable of doing well in various arenas. My fingers are STILL crossed that I become a prima ballerina, of course, but I won't shed a single solitary tear if I am rejected. I see the pros and cons to all the path options that I have so no matter what it's all gonna be ok! 

 

In other news, I am tempted to email UCLA myself. I understand that they have to wait for people to decline/accept and all that but I feel like we should have some sort of update at this point. It's March 26th and our email said that if they were UNABLE to make an offer of admission they'd let us know in March. Surely there has to be some space for wait listed folks at this point, especially since we know at least one person from Grad Cafe removed themselves from the wait list. I want to know if the list is in the process of getting shorter or if it's just sitting off to the side and hasn't even been looked at. So many questions that none of you can answer, I know, but I had to vent!

[Daisy123]

You make alot of great points- i do know you are right, its just that i currently know i will feel empty inside (i know how dramatic this sounds, but trust me, i have ALOT more where that came from ) if i was to end up doing something else. I am sure that over the years, after i disconnected from archaeology, i will get over it...but thats how i feel right now. 

Did you guys end up receiving an answer? I was thinking about this the other day too- by now, if everyone who was going to accept has accpted, then they should know and tell us that there are no spaces. Should i be hopeful and take this as a sign that maybe spaces will open up? I had a dream the other day that everyone from this waitlist and this forum got in, and we all met each other the first day of class....and instead of faces, you all had your user ID as a head. And the school was like first grade, we had assigned seating and they gave us crayons ( i am pretty sure that that last part came because my 3 year old just started preschool ) 

[catsrgods]

If anyone gets in off the waitlist, I hope it's you, Daisy =) Though I really hope they don't give you crayons on the first day of class. Ha!

[Daisy123]

thank you ,but i genuinely wish/hope we ALLLLLLL get off the waitlist, because i think that each and everyone here deeply desires to be in this field 

[Daisy123]

did anyone who wrote to the department hear back at all? 

[catsrgods]

I haven't written them because I am not entirely sure what to say! Screencheck sent an email the other day so I am kinda waiting to see what happens so I can go from there =)

[Daisy123]

hahah you can be like ..." so................what's up with that wait-list."

But you guys that are contacting, dont worry, i think that you have NOT been contacted could only mean that you have not been taken off at this point.

[catsrgods]

I think I am going to break down and email the lady in the office and see what's up. I don't want to pester the director or individual professors. I will let you know what she says. 

[Daisy123]

dont email a lady, email the director. 

[catsrgods]

No way, I emailed the lady I emailed her because the director is most likely inundated with emails all day long and the last thing I want to do is irritate him. The lady is actually someone I have spoken with in the past via email and the phone and she was super helpful. She knows the timelines for these things and I am hoping she can just shoot me back a response to let me know an approx. timeline and when I can expect to hear something. If she suggests I email the director then I will for sure, but for a quick inquiry on the process and timeline I think she will be helpful. I will let you know what she says!

[Daisy123]

ohhh i thought you were just like "hey am i on the waitlist still"

[catsrgods]

Kinda, but I was like "Hey nice lady, I am on the wait list and I am wondering what the timeline is like and maybe when I can have my life back so I can plan my Fall 2014 out and shit because I kinda want to go on a trip and I can't if I am enrolled at your super awesome school but if you reject me I can go on a trip and soothe my wounded ego with coffee and European men. So, lady, what say you?"  

 

Expect I didn't say it like that at all. Let's hope she writes back!

[Daisy123]

your way works too i guess ahaha. funny. I just hope all this anxiety ends on a positive note

[Daisy123]

Hope every one had a good and relaxed weekend  DId anyone from the program contact any of you since you wrote to them?

[catsrgods]

I didn't hear a peep...

[Daisy123]

ohh goddddddd

they forgot us didnt they.............

[catsrgods]

Yeah it seems a little strange that not one person on the wait list on grad cafe has heard anything. You'd think one of us would have been released from the list or accepted by now.

[Daisy123]

i cant believe they are not answering your emails! i also emailed my POI and i told her again that i am still interested, thank you, and just like you all, NO ANsWER!!! WHAT THE HELL!!! i cant buy tickets to BG this summer because of this, and every day i wait the price goes up and up and up cuz these things fill up months in advance

[catsrgods]

Perhaps you could get a ticket that would still allow you to attend if admitted? I have no plans for summer anyhow since I'm working. But I'd like to consider my Fall travel options! I bet we won't hear till closer around April 15 since that's when most of the grad deadlines are for acceptance. Guess they have to wait for their first choices to at yes or no!! I get it, really, but considering that the alternates applied and paid the same fees you'd think someone would throw is a bone, if only as a common courtesy.

[Daisy123]

But, how is it possible that no one has even CONFIRMED an acceptance. I mean, if the school is a 1st choice for those admited, they would have surely said YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS a 10000 times by now??/

[catsrgods]

I'm thinking that we won't hear anything until it's closer to April 15th. It seems like since we haven't heard anything, we won't hear until we near the deadlines for most of these other places. It seems like April 15th is a big deadline for all these other schools. Maybe once that deadline passes and all these folks have decided where they are going some decisions will be made about us. It's def frustrating to not have a way to make any decisions at all...everything is waiting on OTHER people to make decisions for you. Such is life.

[aarch]

But, how is it possible that no one has even CONFIRMED an acceptance. I mean, if the school is a 1st choice for those admited, they would have surely said YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS a 10000 times by now??/

Where'd you get that info? The first to commit did so over three weeks ago. Be patient, you should hear back soon. 

[Daisy123]

Where'd you get that info? The first to commit did so over three weeks ago. Be patient, you should hear back soon. 

no no , this is not information. I just meant that at least for those whose 1st choice is this program, they will probably not wait until the deadline to confirm, correct? So, let us say that everyone DID already confirm weeks ago, should they not know by now if they have ANY openings?