Overanalyzing emails..... and other interactions

[lab ratta-tat-tat]

During the application and waiting process, many of us are guilty of overanalyzing emails, linked in requests from professors of the schools we've applied to, and or positive interactions with persons/faculty of interest.

 

How many of you over analyzed sentences within emails to person of interest, or when inquiring if all your application materials were received?

Like this little gem-

"We'll be in touch again soon"

 

Fire away tell us what you've overanalyzed this application season!

Edited December 17, 2014 by lab ratta-tat-tat

[grad_wannabe]

Oh gees, I wish I could put Overanalyzing Emails as a hobby on my OKCupid profile. I spend SO MUCH TIME on it. 

 

I emailed one POI (with whom I spent an entire day doing a campus visit) to let her know I'd submitted my app. She replied, "best of luck!" 

 

Wait, what? "best of luck"?! I thought we were a team! I thought you were going to advocate for me in the admissions meetings! BEST OF LUCK?!

[lab ratta-tat-tat]

I could spend hours analyzing that and come up with several different outcomes each time. The waiting makes us all crazy!

[Grad888]

I got an email explaining that they had changed my last name from A to B (I had gotten married but not changed my documents yet). So I thought 'Oh, that must be a good sign, if they're going to reject me, surely they wouldn't care about my name'. But then I heard on Wednesday that results will be out by Friday and thought that they have probably already contacted all the successful people and will just sent a bulk email to the ones who didn't get in.. Aarrghh!!

[Chiqui74]

This made me laugh.  I had someone who showed quite a bit of interest in my proposed research topic say "I wish you the best of luck, but of course, it is an extremely competitive process."  My reaction was the same as yours

Oh gees, I wish I could put Overanalyzing Emails as a hobby on my OKCupid profile. I spend SO MUCH TIME on it. 

 

I emailed one POI (with whom I spent an entire day doing a campus visit) to let her know I'd submitted my app. She replied, "best of luck!" 

 

Wait, what? "best of luck"?! I thought we were a team! I thought you were going to advocate for me in the admissions meetings! BEST OF LUCK?!

[Tolman's Rat]

"I need to be careful about what I say, but I am optimistic about your chances."

- from POI at tied-for-top-choice program

 

"In trying to woo you here, I'd like to remind you that you would also be very competitive for the [insert Fellowship Name] Fellowship (stipend is $25k I believe)"

- from POI at mid-level program but great fit

 

When I first got these emails I thought... AH! I'm in!!! but no...that is just not the way grad admissions work. Too many factors. Though I don't think my overanalysis as bad as some of the others here

[grad_wannabe]

"I need to be careful about what I say, but I am optimistic about your chances."

- from POI at tied-for-top-choice program

 

"In trying to woo you here, I'd like to remind you that you would also be very competitive for the [insert Fellowship Name] Fellowship (stipend is $25k I believe)"

- from POI at mid-level program but great fit

 

When I first got these emails I thought... AH! I'm in!!! but no...that is just not the way grad admissions work. Too many factors. Though I don't think my overanalysis as bad as some of the others here

 

 

Haha I've had such similar experiences!

 

My top-pick school, top-pick POI:

 

"You need to know that this is an extremely competitive process. We'll get 150 applications, 100 of those will be stellar students. 50 of those will be stellar students AND a great match for the program. When the admit committee meets we have to fight, blood on the floor, for each and every admit."

 

My last-ranked school, so-so POI:

 

"You're perfect for this program! We're going to have to court you pretty hard I imagine, with all your options." 

[justabluedevil15]

I got an e-mail from a POI that said "Welcome to the UNCG and SPAHE family!" Not an acceptance, apparently just a really warm and friendly person. I overanalyzed the shit out of that line until she clarified that I won't hear any decision until mid-January. 

[HistoryMystery]

Basically from what I've heard on GradCafe and from my undergrad advisors is that contacting your POIs is a crapshoot. Sure, it can't hurt, but judging anything from your interactions with them is pretty much impossible.

[future.grad.student]

Oh gees, I wish I could put Overanalyzing Emails as a hobby on my OKCupid profile. I spend SO MUCH TIME on it. 

 

I emailed one POI (with whom I spent an entire day doing a campus visit) to let her know I'd submitted my app. She replied, "best of luck!" 

 

Wait, what? "best of luck"?! I thought we were a team! I thought you were going to advocate for me in the admissions meetings! BEST OF LUCK?!

Lmao!! This is perfect!!!

 

I definitely over analyze everything. Including how I should respond. Should I end with "Thanks", "Thanks again", "Happy Holidays" ? It's just so weird sometimes sending emails back and forth. I'm already weird enough.

Edited December 25, 2014 by future.grad.student

[berba9]

At the end of a Skype interview:

"We're really  happy with your research profile and hope that you will join us. We'll let you know of the final decision very shortly"

(at this point I'm on cloud 9 and grinning stupidly at the screen)

"As you know, the process is very competitive for international students. So, we'll let you know very very soon."

 

I could go mad replaying those 2 lines in my head forever.

[Applemiu]

Cautionary tale: at the end of a Skype interview with a top-tier program, a friend of mine was told: "We are looking forward to working with you". Not much interpretation needed, right? Soon thereafter he was rejected. 

Edited December 26, 2014 by Applemiu

[shadowclaw]

I had a Skype interview (before applying) with a POI. At the end of the interview, he told me to apply, and then went through a whole timeline of the application process... "the committee meets around mid-January, so you can expect to hear about the interview weekend later in the month. The weekend is in mid-February, so make sure you keep your schedule clear." Does that mean I'm his top candidate for his lab?

[ToomuchLes]

Oh god... those Skype interviews. I had one POI, relatively close by to my present location, that asked if I was available to meet in person. I had several other interviews via phone that went so well - we laughed, joked, POIs gave me some "private" info about the politics in the department, resulting in more than an hr long conversation >.< Im still analyzing what they said back in Nov. Likewise, I probably read some email conversations that I had with POIs like fifty million times. 

 

I would like to say ... that these over-analytically skills will come in handy once ALL of us are in grad school this upcoming fall =D.... even though, Ive seen a good dozen ppl applying to IU-Bloomington on these forums lol 

 

Oh gees, I wish I could put Overanalyzing Emails as a hobby on my OKCupid profile. I spend SO MUCH TIME on it. 

 

 

 Very funny, but I also agree!

Edited January 9, 2015 by LeventeL

[ribonucleic]

Oh jeez I've definitely been guilty of overanalyzing e-mails from my POIs. The last time I corresponded with one of my POIs (a month before submitting my application) she ended her e-mail with "Thanks for applying, and I'll be looking forward to meeting you next spring during your visit." I've tried to not think much about it but ahh it's so hard not to! 

 

Although I actually got an e-mail from Iowa the morning after I submitted my application, in which they told me that they were interested in my credentials and urged me to send the required documents by the deadline. I ended up receiving an interview invite a week later. So with that experience it's become increasingly harder for me to not read too much into the wording of e-mails.

[gliaful]

I got a non-automated birthday email from one of my programs (????)...my birthday is in late November, and this particular program had a deadline of December 1st, so I spent a lot of time wondering if they had already reviewed my app. I did eventually get an interview, over the phone, but I think my over-excitement startled the prof who called me.

[Shep2789]

I've been told that I've over-analyzed a couple emails, but I'm still not convinced that they didn't really just mean what they said at face value.

 

My vindication: With a deadline of Dec 1, I got an email from the Graduate Recruitment Coordinator on Nov 20 checking in on my application. "I noticed it was not completed yet, and we were really interested in hearing more about your scientific background." That sounded generic, though 'really interested' made me think twice. Then I got around to actually submitting and ended up submitting 3 CVs and emailed him about it and his response included the line "Don't worry about the extra resumes, I think you'll be fine." That line made me think it was a sure bet, which was great 'cause this was the one of my top choices where I had zero network connections. I told some friends and they thought I was reading too much into it. Lo-and-behold they were the first response I got back and "the Admissions Committee was very excited in regards to [my] application" and I've got the interview in 2 weeks.

 

Cautionary tale: at the end of a Skype interview with a top-tier program, a friend of mine was told: "We are looking forward to working with you". Not much interpretation needed, right? Soon thereafter he was rejected. 

Also, look through the forums for all of the false-alarm acceptances where people were sent the wrong email or something similar only to have the real decision, a rejection, come some time later. I'm not going to be convinced that I'm attending graduate school until I at least get my dissertation proposal approved.

[isilya]

Ooh, I'm currently dealing with some overanalysis

 

My friend spoke to a program I've gotten an interview at, and he said that they are only interviewing 3 people in my subarea. So I'm wondering if that means I'm basically accepted because they can't expect all 3 of us to enroll right?? They're also hiring a new TT assistant professor in my subarea so maybe they're looking to expand that section of the department?? ahh!!

[jujubea]

I have to just shut my brain out of analyzing the interactions I've had, because I don't want to get my hopes up, or the opposite, don't want to start being so pessimistic.. like, "Wait, what did they mean by that?" 

 

When I have gotten very positive e-mails or in-person tidbits from these people I really respect, I have chopped it up to them being nice, courteous, enthusiastic, and maybe optimistic people. I also rationalize it by saying to myself, "If they said something that positive to me, at the very least what it means is that they see potential in me and like me - even if the overall adcomm does not." And that helps me sleep better at night

[angel_kaye13]

I got an e-mail from a POI that said "Welcome to the UNCG and SPAHE family!" Not an acceptance, apparently just a really warm and friendly person. I overanalyzed the shit out of that line until she clarified that I won't hear any decision until mid-January. 

Haha! I think I'd be really mad at this university if I didn't make it, after a comment like this! :-D Not really mad. But I'm sure I'd make mock-rants on it for years to come. ;-)

[mb712]

After a promising email exchange and Skype conversation, my POI said "I'm not sure you will even need to do a formal interview."

There are SO many things that could mean and I've spent a month thinking about that line. Shoot me now. Ha.

[HistoryMystery]

I have to just shut my brain out of analyzing the interactions I've had, because I don't want to get my hopes up, or the opposite, don't want to start being so pessimistic.. like, "Wait, what did they mean by that?" 

 

When I have gotten very positive e-mails or in-person tidbits from these people I really respect, I have chopped it up to them being nice, courteous, enthusiastic, and maybe optimistic people. I also rationalize it by saying to myself, "If they said something that positive to me, at the very least what it means is that they see potential in me and like me - even if the overall adcomm does not." And that helps me sleep better at night

 

This is a good way of looking at it. All the POIs I've emailed have been SUPER positive and most are interested in me and the work I did as an undergrad. And like I said above, one even told me he's excited to meet with me in the Fall :X. It's really hard to temper expectations now but I guess we all have to so we're not disappointed or anything lol.

 

I've gone from thinking I'll get rejected by everyone to thinking it's a given I get accepted to most places (and back and forth). My God, waiting it out sucks!

 

And now I'm overanalyzing again.

Edited January 9, 2015 by HistoryMystery

[Tez92]

I did a campus visit last fall to one school and had an amazing time. After the visit I emailed the admissions department to say "Thanks for the hospitality" blah blah blah. They thanked me for my visit and said "looked forward to seeing you soon". So I'm like, does seeing me soon imply another campus visit or an invitation for admitted students? Honestly, what does "Seeing you soon" mean?

[montanaquick]

I received an email from one of my top choices earlier this week. It read,

Congratulations! Your admission to the graduate program in X at the University of X has been recommended by our Departmental Admissions Committee for the Fall 2015 semester.

I'm reading this thinking I've been accepted. . . But what exactly do they mean by "recommended"?

Later in the email I was told that formal acceptance letters would be sent after a visitation weekend (which I will attend). So am I in the program or not? I'm over analyzing right?

[isilya]

I received an email from one of my top choices earlier this week. It read,

Congratulations! Your admission to the graduate program in X at the University of X has been recommended by our Departmental Admissions Committee for the Fall 2015 semester.

I'm reading this thinking I've been accepted. . . But what exactly do they mean by "recommended"?

Later in the email I was told that formal acceptance letters would be sent after a visitation weekend (which I will attend). So am I in the program or not? I'm over analyzing right?

Yes you are in!!