Fall 2015 Applicants

[circlewave]

Those of you who haven't heard from Vanderbilt or Pitt yet for the PhD, are you assuming this means rejection? I'm getting quite antsy. 

 

Nope. It ain't over till it's over, as they say. If you weren't under consideration or otherwise in the running, they'd have already rejected you. Fretting over "Implied Rejections" or whatever seems like the best possible way for a person to make themselves miserable, tbh. If I get antsy about things, I try to close the laptop and take a walk.

Edited February 10, 2015 by circlewave

[bgt28]

Feeling dead inside. I just got a rejection from Columbia

[margeryhemp]

Just got my official rejection from Columbia!

 

Also, I got an email from gradadmissions@chicago.edu yesterday and I steeled myself for my official UChicago rejection, only to find that it was a newsletter from their graduate school on "Choosing The Right Graduate Program." Just seems like they're rubbing salt in the wound at this point, haha.

[1Q84]

Pouring one out for my fellow Columbia rejects:

 

 

Edit: Okay... this is my 700th post. Maybe it's time to do some work.

Edited February 10, 2015 by 1Q84

[allplaideverything]

I do wonder, though, about the influence of collective decision making vs. individual decision making (with regards to admission). I've read arguments that prizes and awards, in creative writing, more frequently go to "mainstream" or less polarizing writers, as they're more likely to win consensus in committee-decisions. I wonder if there's a similar function in PhD admissions which are made by committee--if conservative-ish or less risky scholars win out more often in collective decisions, whereas radical or polarizing scholars have a better chance at schools that let individual faculty members choose their own admits.

 

Sorry if that makes anybody more anxious. I just think it's interesting, would love to hear people's thoughts.

[CarolineNC]

Nope. It ain't over till it's over, as they say. If you weren't under consideration or otherwise in the running, they'd have already rejected you. Fretting over "Implied Rejections" or whatever seems like the best possible way for a person to make themselves miserable, tbh. If I get antsy about things, I try to close the laptop and take a walk.

Thank you! I need to get a grip and stop being greedy anyway! 

 

off to take a walk...

[zanmato4794]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the significance of the GRE scores is underrated on GC at times. I know that stats can only tell you so much, but looking through all of the acceptances of the past while shows a pretty clear picture: that verbal scores of 165+ predominate. I wonder if cutoffs are simply higher than they have been in the past? Either way, I know that if I wind up getting shut out this season, that's one thing I'll work on for next year.

 

You seem to know the weak spots in your application, and I have a few ideas about mine. I think if we both do get shut out this year, we should bounce ideas off each other and maybe even start a topic for a kind of a tough love camp for next cycle.

[LCB]

I do wonder, though, about the influence of collective decision making vs. individual decision making (with regards to admission). I've read arguments that prizes and awards, in creative writing, more frequently go to "mainstream" or less polarizing writers, as they're more likely to win consensus in committee-decisions. I wonder if there's a similar function in PhD admissions which are made by committee--if conservative-ish or less risky scholars win out more often in collective decisions, whereas radical or polarizing scholars have a better chance at schools that let individual faculty members choose their own admits.

 

Sorry if that makes anybody more anxious. I just think it's interesting, would love to hear people's thoughts.

I think that's kind of true. I can't say the school (because they haven't sent out waitlist/rejection notices yet), but I know someone at a program I applied to who told me I was waitlisted today. I was really surprised because it was one I expected to get into, but he told me who was on the adcom and there was no one in my area of interest. Then he told me that everyone who got accepted has areas of interest that are really mainstream, and it kind of makes sense with what you're saying. That's not to say they aren't wonderful scholars - I'm sure they are - but it's all really typical for the field, whereas my area is riskier and definitely more polarizing.

 

Anyway, I'd say it has a lot to do with who is on the adcom too. Several of the faculty members here told me that makes a huge difference when I was applying, and so far based on who I know was on the committees at where I've applied, I think it's been pretty true.

[bgt28]

Pouring one out for myfellow Columbia rejects:

 

 

Edit: Okay... this is my 700th post. Maybe it's time to do some work.

You're my hero. 

[InHacSpeVivo]

Those of you who haven't heard from Vanderbilt or Pitt yet for the PhD, are you assuming this means rejection? I'm getting quite antsy.

Congrats on your acceptances thus far! My AmStu MA is from William & Mary. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the department or Wburg over PM.

I do wonder, though, about the influence of collective decision making vs. individual decision making (with regards to admission). I've read arguments that prizes and awards, in creative writing, more frequently go to "mainstream" or less polarizing writers, as they're more likely to win consensus in committee-decisions. I wonder if there's a similar function in PhD admissions which are made by committee--if conservative-ish or less risky scholars win out more often in collective decisions, whereas radical or polarizing scholars have a better chance at schools that let individual faculty members choose their own admits.

 

Sorry if that makes anybody more anxious. I just think it's interesting, would love to hear people's thoughts.

I really wish there were a way to know about this, but the situation you outline (more radical scholars seem to get better results with individual faculty decisions) seems to make sense to me. I guess I'll have a better idea of this when I get some more responses.

This was actually a big problem in selecting a writing sample. My area of focus in research is popular culture, but I was advised against submitting a pop culture writing sample by all the profs who helped me with my app given what they called the more traditional tendencies of adcomms. I ended up using a pop culture writing sample for only three of fifteen apps (one because of length guidelines, one because the school required two samples, and the other being the only non-English program to which I applied) and for the rest I used an analysis of a a canonical work focusing on the same things I study in pop culture. The only acceptance I have so far is one of the programs where I used the pop culture WS, which of course is freaking me out about my other apps.

[bgt28]

Just got my official rejection from Columbia!

 

Also, I got an email from gradadmissions@chicago.edu yesterday and I steeled myself for my official UChicago rejection, only to find that it was a newsletter from their graduate school on "Choosing The Right Graduate Program." Just seems like they're rubbing salt in the wound at this point, haha.

Fist bump. 

[lazaria]

Hello! I'm distracting myself in a number of ways. I'm mostly focusing on my school work by making sure I'm either really on top of or ahead in my readings and by volunteering for presentation dates in my classes that fall during this waiting period. I've also scheduled some decompression time in to each weekend by having a designated "Girls Night" with my best friend every Sunday. I've also found "color therapy" (a fancy shmancy term for coloring in coloring books) to be particularly helpful in keeping my hands occupied with something other than refreshing my email. And there's also beer. Lots of beer. I've only heard back from one school, so I've been trying to do anything other than just checking my email. I've been pretty good about only checking it ~4 times a day. 

 

ETA: I get my comps questions in 11 days, so I expect to do the majority of my research while waiting to hear back. That should be fun.

 

I've also only heard back from one school (UMN. Rejection. I saw it coming after the big batch of acceptances the first week of Feb.) Trying to keep busy with research projects and conferences. I'm with you in solidarity!

 

These made me feel so much better about my own mental state! Hey, at least I'm not alone. ;-) Also, I have officially convinced myself that it is a good thing not to hear from OSU before Feb. 16. I will stand by this until I hear otherwise so as to retain the thread of sanity I have remaining.

 

 

The ONLY news I got today is that I passed my comps exam! Good news, to be sure, but worrying about that was what was keeping my mind off of PhD app results. So, back to distracting myself with schoolwork and lesson planning I suppose...

 

Congrats!

 

The more I think about it, the more I think that the significance of the GRE scores is underrated on GC at times. I know that stats can only tell you so much, but looking through all of the acceptances of the past while shows a pretty clear picture: that verbal scores of 165+ predominate. I wonder if cutoffs are simply higher than they have been in the past? Either way, I know that if I wind up getting shut out this season, that's one thing I'll work on for next year.

 

You seem to know the weak spots in your application, and I have a few ideas about mine. I think if we both do get shut out this year, we should bounce ideas off each other and maybe even start a topic for a kind of a tough love camp for next cycle.

 

^^ Yes this all of this. My GRE scores are one of the weaknesses in my application. 

[bgt28]

The GRE is such a touchy subject for me, but I honestly can't even quell my anxiety with the "tough love camp" because I'm so sad...as well as the fact that I still have 7 schools to go. If I personally tried to look into the future at this very moment (i.e. imagining how I can improve my application for a later cycle), I'd collapse. I'm so exhausted and the only thing I need is to be told I'm worth SOMETHING in academia. Lie to me. 

[lazaria]

The GRE is such a touchy subject for me, but I honestly can't even quell my anxiety with the "tough love camp" because I'm so sad...as well as the fact that I still have 7 schools to go. If I personally tried to look into the future at this very moment (i.e. imagining how I can improve my application for a later cycle), I'd collapse. I'm so exhausted and the only thing I need is to be told I'm worth SOMETHING in academia. Lie to me. 

 

I had a similar response last night when I got my rejection from UMN. I put so much into all of my applications this year that it's exhausting to even try to conceptualize what I could do differently more next year. 

[Childermass]

Really don't know what to say about GRE scores.  My general GREs are quite high, but my lit score is low.  Got into 2 great programs thus far.  I'm thinking writing samples, letters, etc. far outweigh standardized testing.

 

Oh, and add one more Columbia denial to the pile of corpses.  The schools I'm more keen on are still to come though...

[NowMoreSerious]

I don't think GRE scores matter that much to MOST schools.  I think the reason acceptances have high scores might have to do with the fact that people who have the time and energy to study hard for those tests usually also have the time and energy to work meticulously on their other documents.  

 

I have never heard anybody who has ever got accepted get told, "We were really impressed by your GRE scores." In fact they are almost never mentioned as far as I know.  However, many people get told "We were really impressed by your writing sample."  

 

It's possible they are used to "break ties" but even then I have no proof. 

[1Q84]

Gotta say, I'm enjoying the super bitter, name-calling rejection posts on the results board. I'm not enjoying them in a malicious way but it's somehow amusing to me to see how vicious people get when they get rejected. I mean, if you really thought that way about the program, why did you apply in the first place?

[omensetter]

So.. Are those of us who haven't yet heard from Brown assuming rejection? This one is pretty painful, I have to admit. It's not like I was expecting to get in, and of course I understand it's competitive and stuff, but from my perspective the fit was pretty much perfect (used a POI's work extensively in my WS; multiple other POIs with shared interests and whose work I explicitly related to future planned projects). I mean, there must be some major weakness in my application, I just wish I was more able at this point to see what it is! (Since it's being discussed, I also have a 4.0 equivalent, 170v/156q/5.0aw and 700 GRE lit - that stuff guarantees nothing.)

ETA: ugh, I read this back and I sound like an asshole. All I meant to say, in addition to the Brown question, was that it sucks not getting in to your dream school.

Edited February 10, 2015 by omensetter

[allplaideverything]

Gotta say, I'm enjoying the super bitter, name-calling rejection posts on the results board. I'm not enjoying them in a malicious way but it's somehow amusing to me to see how vicious people get when they get rejected. I mean, if you really thought that way about the program, why did you apply in the first place?

 

Like dudes on OKCupid, lol.

[InHacSpeVivo]

I don't think GRE scores matter that much to MOST schools.  I think the reason acceptances have high scores might have to do with the fact that people who have the time and energy to study hard for those tests usually also have the time and energy to work meticulously on their other documents.  

 

I have never heard anybody who has ever got accepted get told, "We were really impressed by your GRE scores." In fact they are almost never mentioned as far as I know.  However, many people get told "We were really impressed by your writing sample."  

 

It's possible they are used to "break ties" but even then I have no proof.

I've heard variably that 160 and 163 (90th percentile) are the "magic" numbers for verbal scores, and as long as you hit that you're fine. The only time anyone has ever told me that GRE scires are really useful is when you're under consideration for university-wide fellowships. Otherwise, I agree with what NowMoreSerious posted.

[margeryhemp]

So.. Are those of us who haven't yet heard from Brown assuming rejection? This one is pretty painful, I have to admit. It's not like I was expecting to get in, and of course I understand it's competitive and stuff, but from my perspective the fit was pretty much perfect (used a POI's work extensively in my WS; multiple other POIs with shared interests and whose work I explicitly related to future planned projects). I mean, there must be some major weakness in my application, I just wish I was more able at this point to see what it is! (Since it's being discussed, I also have a 4.0 equivalent, 170v/156q/5.0aw and 700 GRE lit - that stuff guarantees nothing.)

ETA: ugh, I read this back and I sound like an asshole. All I meant to say, in addition to the Brown question, was that it sucks not getting in to your dream school.

 

You don't sound like an asshole at all! I think that's what's so difficult about this process-- because there are so many applicants and so few spots, it seems to come down a bit to the luck of the draw. Not that we haven't all worked hard (and accepted students should be proud!), but the nature of the way adcoms, etc, work means that a rejection can be a little arbitrary-- maybe they accepted too many Americanists (or whatever) last year, maybe a POI you'd love to work with had no contact with the committee, maybe they figured you'd get a better offer elsewhere. It sounds like you're an awesome candidate, and I'm sure you'll get some great offers this year; if this is, indeed, an implied rejection, it's Brown's loss!

[kurayamino]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the significance of the GRE scores is underrated on GC at times. I know that stats can only tell you so much, but looking through all of the acceptances of the past while shows a pretty clear picture: that verbal scores of 165+ predominate. I wonder if cutoffs are simply higher than they have been in the past? Either way, I know that if I wind up getting shut out this season, that's one thing I'll work on for next year.

I'm not really sure personally. My gre scores are horrible. I don't mind sharing, because I think it's important to remember that these numbers do not reflect us, our drive, or our ability to do academic research. 163/143/4.0 and a pitiful 500 something in the subject. I do think that there's a correlation between high gre scores and acceptances, but it may just be resources/time/prep instead of numbers. It's potential they look for and you can't quantify potential.

Also, throwing my hat in for a Columbia rejection. Seems as though there's quite a few of us. *hugs*

[__________________________]

WHAM.  Rejected from Yale (Medieval Studies program, not English).  Got an automatically generated email to check my status in the middle of a difficult day of teaching.

 

Can't say I'm super bothered or surprised though.  

[omensetter]

You don't sound like an asshole at all! I think that's what's so difficult about this process-- because there are so many applicants and so few spots, it seems to come down a bit to the luck of the draw. Not that we haven't all worked hard (and accepted students should be proud!), but the nature of the way adcoms, etc, work means that a rejection can be a little arbitrary-- maybe they accepted too many Americanists (or whatever) last year, maybe a POI you'd love to work with had no contact with the committee, maybe they figured you'd get a better offer elsewhere. It sounds like you're an awesome candidate, and I'm sure you'll get some great offers this year; if this is, indeed, an implied rejection, it's Brown's loss!

 

Thanks for these kind words, margeryhemp! You're right about the impossibility of knowing the intricate workings of the adcomm. If only there were some way the process could be made more transparent! I suppose the number of applicants makes that impossible, though

 

WHAM.  Rejected from Yale (Medieval Studies program, not English).  Got an automatically generated email to check my status in the middle of a difficult day of teaching.

 

Can't say I'm super bothered or surprised though.  

 

Sorry to hear that! Rejections suck.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Sorry for my uncharacteristically emo-esque posts earlier, folks. It seems that implied rejections for me a.) come in bunches, and b.) send me into an acute spiral of despair for a few hours. It's like drunk posting, but without the whimsy!

 

Anyhow, after a long chat with my advisor earlier, I'm feeling more upbeat. Still a little glum, but I'm trying to mentally adjust to the possibility of resorting to a plan B. I've never been much of a plan B kinda guy, and in my heart of hearts I never thought I would have to give serious thought to a plan B for this either...but so long as I can overcome the emotional toll of a complete shutout this year (and I have to remember that I still have eleven cords holding me above the snake pit...), I think I can rationally prepare for alternate options.

 

Part of me is tempted to take a GC hiatus, but more of me wants to fully go through the experience...which includes the joy of seeing some people I now consider friends get accepted to great places. I'll try to avoid posting in my more downtrodden moments, however.

 

P.S.: Zanmato--it's a deal!

 

P.P.S.: For what it's worth, I'm treating any mass acceptance wave that doesn't include me in its ranks as an "implied rejection." It may be an erroneous assumption, but it's an erroneous assumption I'll be more than happy to have corrected!

Edited February 11, 2015 by Wyatt's Torch