Rejection woes.....

[clairenicole]

I got rejected from my first choice school but I've gotten into a couple other programs that I like almost as much. I emailed the grad director to ask what I can do to strengthen my application for next year and he offered to set up a time we can talk about it on the phone. If I end up not being able to see myself in any other program but the one I like the best I'm going to take the information he gives me and make sure my application for next year is stellar!

[elisewin]

I only got into my safety school, chose by someone else for me. Only one decision left, but at this point I can be sure nothing I've done over the past decade would get me in the programmes I actually dreamt of. I feel so frustrated about where I'm from and all I've had to do to have a chance... But it feels like I was wrong. I know, at least I got in somewhere, but I'm so worried about not finding a job afterwards because of its lack of prestige. Why did I even get the Fulbright, I wonder...? (I was rejected by everyone last year. Now I have an MA and still...)

[Sumrin]

Ok I am down to 5 rejections out of 7 schools I applied to. One even after an interview. Not hopeful about the other two either. So may be next year ! *SIGH*

[Nautiloid]

I only got into my safety school, chose by someone else for me. Only one decision left, but at this point I can be sure nothing I've done over the past decade would get me in the programmes I actually dreamt of. I feel so frustrated about where I'm from and all I've had to do to have a chance... But it feels like I was wrong. I know, at least I got in somewhere, but I'm so worried about not finding a job afterwards because of its lack of prestige. Why did I even get the Fulbright, I wonder...? (I was rejected by everyone last year. Now I have an MA and still...)

 

If it's any help, I have a friend who goes to Ohio State for a PhD in English (Focusing on poetry I think?). He really loves it there and it was his first choice of schools. Rejection sucks, but to be accepted anywhere at all shows that there are people out there that think you're ready for the rigors of their program. The way I see it, a PhD is a PhD. I'm while I'm not too familiar with Art History programs, I know in my field at least, graduate school is not your last chance to go to a prestigious school. One of my interviewers said it best I think: "It sucks being a graduate student at Harvard anyway, but if you want the name on your resume, there's always a postdoc." If you do good work, I don't think it matters so much where you go. You'll be recognized more for what you did while you were there. 

 

But then again, if the shoe doesn't fit, it's probably not a great idea to wear it for 5+ years. With tough decisions ahead for all of us, I wish you the best in making the one that's right for you. 

[elisewin]

That's a really kind and rational answer, Nautiloid. I really appreciate it--it's the kind of thing I need right now.

I wish you the best of lucks!

[katiegud]

I only got into my safety school, chose by someone else for me. Only one decision left, but at this point I can be sure nothing I've done over the past decade would get me in the programmes I actually dreamt of. I feel so frustrated about where I'm from and all I've had to do to have a chance... But it feels like I was wrong. I know, at least I got in somewhere, but I'm so worried about not finding a job afterwards because of its lack of prestige. Why did I even get the Fulbright, I wonder...? (I was rejected by everyone last year. Now I have an MA and still...)

 

I have a friend that will be heading to Ohio State next year, too, and she is really excited about it! Apparently Columbus is a great place to live and the university has a good atmosphere. Have you been able to visit it? I also don't think the prestige of the school will matter that much if you can get some work published while you're there. OSU is a well-known university, so if you are productive there I wouldn't see it as being strikingly negative. Obviously it's not Harvard, but it's not a small school that no one has heard of either. 

[literaryhopeful]

Well, so far I have been rejected from six of the 12 schools to which I applied. I have been waitlisted at one school and accepted at one without funding--which is basically like saying rejected because I cannot go without funding...sigh...I wonder what awaits for me today....

[elisewin]

I have a friend that will be heading to Ohio State next year, too, and she is really excited about it! Apparently Columbus is a great place to live and the university has a good atmosphere. Have you been able to visit it? I also don't think the prestige of the school will matter that much if you can get some work published while you're there. OSU is a well-known university, so if you are productive there I wouldn't see it as being strikingly negative. Obviously it's not Harvard, but it's not a small school that no one has heard of either. 

 

After sleeping it off and waking to a nice sunshine in London this morning (oh yeah), everything feels better. I really want to thank you and the previous poster for your kind comments and encouragement. I definitely feel better and I'm starting to feel very excited about OSU, too! (although the weather there scares the hell out of me, I'm from the south of Spain, after all!).

 

I'm really glad I decided to participate in this forum, it has made the wait much better, and it ended up being an incredible support when dealing with rejections. And everything because you guys are awesome!

[MoJuiced]

Well, so far I have been rejected from six of the 12 schools to which I applied. I have been waitlisted at one school and accepted at one without funding--which is basically like saying rejected because I cannot go without funding...sigh...I wonder what awaits for me today....

 

Hang in there! I've been rejected by 10/11.

 

I might just be taking the position as writer-in-residence at my apartment for another year. Wah wahhhhh.

[Terra]

Oof. I could handle getting rejected by Caltech - that was expected - but WUSTL really hurt. They were my first choice, the department was really exciting, and I really thought I had a good chance of getting in. So much for that. Now I'm looking at getting rejected everywhere, since both Rice and A&M have been slow getting back to me.

Ah well. I'll just go cry into my ice cream and start work on my applications for next year.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Terra

[doingthings]

Rejected from the schools I applied to. Can't say it wasn't out of my expected range of possibilities. 

 

The main causative factor was my poor first couple years of undergrad, so I'm trying to decide how I should move forward. Do I just retake those courses? Pursue a second baccalaureate? ETC ETC. Lots of options!

[aphdapplicant]

I applied to 18 programs (14 clinical psychology; 4 developmental psychology):

Clinical: 8 official + 6 anticipated rejections

developmental: 1 official + 1 anticipated rejection; 1 anticipated post-interview rejection; I rejected 1 offer

Note to self: never, under any circumstance, apply to clinical psychology programs again - they want everything, plus a kitchen sink!

Edited March 19, 2014 by aphdapplicant

[Don't Panic]

Oof. I could handle getting rejected by Caltech - that was expected - but WUSTL really hurt. They were my first choice, the department was really exciting, and I really thought I had a good chance of getting in. So much for that. Now I'm looking at getting rejected everywhere, since both Rice and A&M have been slow getting back to me.

Ah well. I'll just go cry into my ice cream and start work on my applications for next year.

 

WUSTL also rejected me, even though we're not from the same program.

[Don't Panic]

Contacted Washington University in St. Louis and received an email of rejection. Nearly 120 applicants to the Department of Anthropology, all extremely promising candidates cannot be admitted; etc, etc. 

 

Ah well! For a newbie, who before June 2013 didn't even think of applying, getting two acceptances is pretty good, if I do say so myself.

[Terra]

 

Contacted Washington University in St. Louis and received an email of rejection. Nearly 120 applicants to the Department of Anthropology, all extremely promising candidates cannot be admitted; etc, etc. 

Same thing here: they didn't tell me until I contacted them, and evidently had made their decision several weeks earlier. It left me wondering when they were planning on telling me.

[laocoön]

It's coming to the end of this application cycle, and it looks like I will not be getting into any of the 4 grad schools I applied to this time around. 

 

I would like to send an email to my top choice school to ask how I might make my application more competitive for the next application cycle, but I'm trying to decide if I should send it to the graduate coordinator for the department or to my POIs within the department. 

 

I figure that the POIs would have relevant things to say regarding what they're looking for in a student that I am currently lacking (and I've met them personally/had a conversation with them), though the graduate coordinators are probably the people with the greatest familiarity with my application. 

 

What would be proper etiquette in this situation?

[Tin Sn]

I think that I have an unofficial rejection. They send email stating that the universities will not send the rejection letter until mid April, and there is a little room for the left applicants. It would be better if I consider other choices.

 
Well, it hurts me ..... 

-------------------------------------------------

Unofficial reject: 2/7

Edited March 19, 2014 by Gap Sntin

[omegamarkxii]

I just got 1 more rejection from Gatech Human centered computing this morning, totally sad. I feel so hopeless... T___T

[Don't Panic]

Same thing here: they didn't tell me until I contacted them, and evidently had made their decision several weeks earlier. It left me wondering when they were planning on telling me.

 

 

When I contacted them they told me there may be some delay with out of country mail. That's why I didn't get mine.

 

If I hadn't contacted them I would've been hanging on for weeks to come. I'm glad that's over with!

[Canadianna]

Ugh, so I've officially been rejected from every school I was even somewhat excited abut. The other two (one of which I've been waitlisted at, the other hasn't released decisions yet) are ones I added to the list at the last minute as "just in case, but hopefully not" options.

 

This is really disappointing. It's been a rough year overall in terms of things not working out, and I was thinking this admissions cycle would be a big, lifechanging thing, and now it doesn't appear as though that will be the case whatsoever. Blah.

[meowth]

I applied to 18 programs (14 clinical psychology; 4 developmental psychology):

Clinical: 8 official + 6 anticipated rejections

developmental: 1 official + 1 anticipated rejection; 1 anticipated post-interview rejection; I rejected 1 offer

Note to self: never, under any circumstance, apply to clinical psychology programs again - they want everything, plus a kitchen sink!

Honestly, the abismally low acceptance rate of psychology programs is one reason I decided to apply to sociology programs instead.

[lrbrade]

Yet another rejection. This one is from Georgetown. So so far many rejections. One MA acceptance and One wait list :S Did anyone apply to University of Miami's Community Well-Being Program?

[literaryhopeful]

Hang in there! I've been rejected by 10/11.

 

I might just be taking the position as writer-in-residence at my apartment for another year. Wah wahhhhh.

 

Thank you! I cannot believe we all are still waiting to hear from some programs! It is 3/22!!! I basically stopped checking my email completely....well...almost....

[aridsoul1]

2 rejections and still waiting on another school . It's fun to commiserate though.

[Tin Sn]

2 rejections at the same time 
and probably another three.

two are unknown ......TT