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Posted (edited)

My Berkeley app status has not updated. I'm going to go ahead and consider this one an implied rejection. I don't think my application was competitive in that pool anyway. This was my long shot so I'm not at all sad or surprised.

Has there been any official rejections from their English department yet? If there had It wouldn't give up all hope yet... My aplication for comp lit says rejected already, so provided the departments are somewhat similar all hope may not be lost...

WT sorry about Northwestern! Bear hugs! And positive vibes that you'll get that wonderful email or phone call!!!!

Edited by Katla
Posted

Agonizing is right...but I'm hanging in there! One simple email or phone call and ALL of this agonizing is immediately eradicated.

 

I did not get an official rejection email from U. of Chicago, so it probably shouldn't be crossed off all official-like in my signature...but I think the chances are very remote at this point. If that changes, I will be more than happy to eat crow and change it to an acceptance. ;)

 

The rejections at UChicago take a bit longer to go out because once they've dished out their PhD slots, those who don't make the first cut (and who don't already have an MA) are considered for their MA Humanities degree. Only after they've decided on this second pool will the rejection emails go out. At least that's what I recall from my own experience applying there two years ago.

Posted

I know UC Davis historically notifies over the course of the week, but now that it's begun, I can't do anything other than stare at my phone and refresh all the GradCafe tabs. Eep! :unsure:

Posted

Anyone have any thoughts/info about Notre Dame? If I recall correctly, they interview all finalists, and about 3 interviews have appeared in Results Search. I wonder if they're still contacting interviewees or if they're done with that.

Posted

Yup. Rejection from Northwestern. First one for me. Glad that I have wine waiting for me at home.

Posted

Anyone have any thoughts/info about Notre Dame? If I recall correctly, they interview all finalists, and about 3 interviews have appeared in Results Search. I wonder if they're still contacting interviewees or if they're done with that.

 

Been wondering about this myself. In years past they sent out all the interview emails (15-20 total) at once, but they have a new DGS this year and she may be doing thing's differently. I couldn't imagine that, if the do in fact have people left to contact, they'd wait longer than the end of this week. Interviews usually happen on the penultimate weekend of February. 

Posted

Well... looks like the bulk of UCLA admits are out. Here's hoping for a wait list nod...  :unsure:

Posted

Well... looks like the bulk of UCLA admits are out. Here's hoping for a wait list nod...  :unsure:

 

Fingers crossed for you!

 

For my own part, I've seen little dribs and drabs from UMD and Penn State. Trying not to read into them too much. UMD would be a real coup for me for many reasons, but especially because I already live in the general area, and my wife works relatively close to their campus. Would be the ideal relocation scenario...

Posted

So, I'm finally going to bite the bullet tomorrow and tell my boss I'm leaving at the end of the academic year (I work in higher ed, but on the admin side). I didn't want to reveal that I was applying to school just in case nothing worked out, but I think I need to tell them sooner rather than later. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? Any advice?

Posted

Fingers crossed for you!

 

For my own part, I've seen little dribs and drabs from UMD and Penn State. Trying not to read into them too much. UMD would be a real coup for me for many reasons, but especially because I already live in the general area, and my wife works relatively close to their campus. Would be the ideal relocation scenario...

I feel you on both fronts! I'm honestly not feeling fantastic about either, which is a huge bummer on many fronts... not least of which is that PSU is the only place I applied that offers a dual English/Women's Studies PhD.

 

 

So, I'm finally going to bite the bullet tomorrow and tell my boss I'm leaving at the end of the academic year (I work in higher ed, but on the admin side). I didn't want to reveal that I was applying to school just in case nothing worked out, but I think I need to tell them sooner rather than later. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? Any advice?

Good luck! I left publishing to come back to school. Honestly, it was so much easier than when I left one company for another. Leaving for school, especially working on the admin side of higher ed, your boss/coworkers should know you're looking for something the workforce as it stands can't offer you. Provided you work with understanding people they should be supportive; especially considering where you'll be headed; who wouldn't understand that?!

Posted

Edmund Burke states, "[A]stonishment is that state of the soul in which all its motions are suspended, with some degree of horror. In this case the mind is so entirely filled with its objects, that is cannot entertain any other, nor by consequence reason on that object which employs it." Though this is often referenced to gothic fiction, I'm fairly confident it describes every person waiting to hear positive news from a graduate program.

Posted

 

Good luck! I left publishing to come back to school. Honestly, it was so much easier than when I left one company for another. Leaving for school, especially working on the admin side of higher ed, your boss/coworkers should know you're looking for something the workforce as it stands can't offer you. Provided you work with understanding people they should be supportive; especially considering where you'll be headed; who wouldn't understand that?!

 

Thanks so much! I'm lucky in that my boss is a (former? can you ever really be former?) medievalist, so I hope they'll understand that now's a good time for me to go back. Just nervous to say "oh, yeah, I applied to a lot of grad schools and never told you; also I'm leaving in a few months, sorry!" But it'll all be worth it in the end!

Posted

Edmund Burke states, "[A]stonishment is that state of the soul in which all its motions are suspended, with some degree of horror. In this case the mind is so entirely filled with its objects, that is cannot entertain any other, nor by consequence reason on that object which employs it." Though this is often referenced to gothic fiction, I'm fairly confident it describes every person waiting to hear positive news from a graduate program.

brilliant. from which text? I am supposed to be reading the text on the sublime soon, but I haven't got down to it. instead I'm reading other things ('fiction-fiction' mainly) because of the anxiety :ph34r:

Posted

Anyone have any thoughts/info about Notre Dame? If I recall correctly, they interview all finalists, and about 3 interviews have appeared in Results Search. I wonder if they're still contacting interviewees or if they're done with that.

 

 

Been wondering about this myself. In years past they sent out all the interview emails (15-20 total) at once, but they have a new DGS this year and she may be doing thing's differently. I couldn't imagine that, if the do in fact have people left to contact, they'd wait longer than the end of this week. Interviews usually happen on the penultimate weekend of February. 

 

According to the Medieval Institute (I didn't apply for English) there are also new rules put out by the graduate school this year that give departments more autonomy in setting up their admissions procedures. The Medieval Institute did an initial Skype interview round (which they haven't done before) followed up by a finalist weekend--but the invitations for that only went out yesterday, two weeks to the day before it begins. The impression I got from them is the new grad school rules mean that departments are trying out some new things, but that because of that some of the kinks aren't fully out of this year's app processes.

Posted

Thanks so much! I'm lucky in that my boss is a (former? can you ever really be former?) medievalist, so I hope they'll understand that now's a good time for me to go back. Just nervous to say "oh, yeah, I applied to a lot of grad schools and never told you; also I'm leaving in a few months, sorry!" But it'll all be worth it in the end!

One of my recommenders left academia for publishing (CompLit PhD from Harvard that resulted in an awesome job, so something much have really turned her off). She thought I was a little crazy given the politics, but was incredibly supportive. FWIW, my boss, who was completely in the dark about my apps, greatly appreciated the few months notice. Much better than two weeks!

Posted

One of my recommenders left academia for publishing (CompLit PhD from Harvard that resulted in an awesome job, so something much have really turned her off). She thought I was a little crazy given the politics, but was incredibly supportive. FWIW, my boss, who was completely in the dark about my apps, greatly appreciated the few months notice. Much better than two weeks!

 

Thanks so much! She actually took it really well and is very excited for me, whew. Plus, as you said, this gives them months of notice! Glad I can finally be open about my plans, haha.

Posted

So I got a SECOND email from Northwestern this morning, telling me that my status has been updated on their website. Fortunately I was fully expecting the status to be exactly what it was -- confirmation of a rejection -- but it still had an air of an ex-girlfriend calling you after a break-up, just to remind you that you're still broken up... :wacko:

Posted

So I got a SECOND email from Northwestern this morning, telling me that my status has been updated on their website. Fortunately I was fully expecting the status to be exactly what it was -- confirmation of a rejection -- but it still had an air of an ex-girlfriend calling you after a break-up, just to remind you that you're still broken up... :wacko:

 

That's the worst! So sorry!

Posted

So I got a SECOND email from Northwestern this morning, telling me that my status has been updated on their website. Fortunately I was fully expecting the status to be exactly what it was -- confirmation of a rejection -- but it still had an air of an ex-girlfriend calling you after a break-up, just to remind you that you're still broken up.

Ugh, that's awful. :(

Posted (edited)

What do you all think about emailing departments to find out results if they traditionally notify early but you have not heard anything either way (and no results board stuff have been posted). To email or not to email?????

Edited by Appppplication
Posted (edited)

What do you all think about emailing departments to find out results if they traditionally notify early but you have not heard anything either way (and no results board stuff have been posted). To email or not to email?????

 

I wouldn't, personally.

 

As frustrating as it is for us as applicants to have to wait...and wait...and wait some more, I think we have to respect the process. You also want to avoid the possibility of becoming "that annoying person who emailed us..." in the eyes of the adcomm. I doubt that would happen. I really do. But by that same token, it's just not worth taking the chance. The wait seems inexorable, but when you talk to graduate hopefuls who aren't on GC, they have very little conception of when they'll be contacted, indicating that GC probably compounds the issue just as it makes it more tolerable.

 

It's almost like GC is the Tree of Knowledge and all of us are cotton-headed Adams and Eves. :P

Edited by Wyatt's Torch
Posted

I wouldn't, personally.

 

As frustrating as it is for us as applicants to have to wait...and wait...and wait some more, I think we have to respect the process. You also want to avoid the possibility of becoming "that annoying person who emailed us..." in the eyes of the adcomm. I doubt that would happen. I really do. But by that same token, it's just not worth taking the chance. The wait seems inexorable, but when you talk to graduate hopefuls who aren't on GC, they have very little conception of when they'll be contacted, indicating that GC probably compounds the issue just as it makes it more tolerable.

 

It's almost like GC is the Tree of Knowledge and all of us are cotton-headed Adams and Eves. :P

I agree. As much as it's getting to the point where everyone is itching to know news and information because other people are hearing back, also remember that it's still early in the season. Emailing at this point is a little too soon.

 

I think there is a point where it's totally acceptable to email. For my MA applications, I emailed a program at the end of March when they still hadn't notified me of anything (even waitlist status) and I was trying to figure out whether or not to accept another offer. At that point, it's more acceptable because the deadline is only a few weeks away. But it's still early February, so I'd at least wait until March to start sending out those emails.

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