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2015 Rejections


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Edit: Sorry guys, I posted this in response to the MA stuff without seeing all the new posts. 

 

I think I've heard that things balance out in regards to whether or not its better to have an MA. I have heard that places like to have people straight out from undergrad so they can have a greater effect on their growth as a scholar, but I've also heard that they like MAs because of the experience. Not really sure what the truth behind that is, but I've heard both things (sometimes from the same people).

 

I'm interested to see what happens with my next two schools (UGA and Tennessee) now that I am applying with an MA. I applied to both PhD programs right out of undergrad and am now doing it again. I was accepted to Tennessee, but too far down on the funding waitlist and rejected from UGA. Now I have an MA...we'll see if it makes a difference. It will be an interesting experiment, if nothing else.

Edited by Hannalore
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Me too. Think this means a shut out for me this season. Just waiting on my rejection from Tufts. :/

 

I wouldn't give up hope yet. I received my rejection from Tufts about a week ago and I've noticed that acceptances from the program have been posted since then. As others have said, it ain't over till its over!

 

On another note, I was rejected from UMass Amherst yesterday. I'm a little bent up about it because it was a program where I thought I could realistically have a shot at an acceptance. Oh well!

Edited by jhefflol
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Hey Kurayamino, I'm so sorry to hear that NY is out of the picture, but congrats on getting into IUB! I just graduated from their program, and they have a beautiful campus, amazing resources (the Kinsey is freaking fantastic), and really caring, awesome professors. If you ever want to know anything about the school, feel free to message me! I highly recommend it. UCLA is, of course, also fantastic, as well as the other places you applied to.

 

Thanks softcastlemccormick! :)

 

 

Officially rejected from Cornell. Also officially grateful that they sent their rejections at the same time they sent their acceptances!

 

Me too! I was just thinking about how painful it would be to put them on the implied rejection list when the email showed up. I shed a small tear, but mostly out of gratitude for finding out so quickly. Sorry for everyone else who was rejected there too. I'm sure it would be awful in the winter, but oh man, in the summer it is truly glorious up there.

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Who wants to live in Ithaca anyway?! ;)

 

 

I was there in late September, and all I could think about is how treacherous that campus must be during the winter! As hilly as San Francisco, but with 10000% more snow and ice!

Listen, guys, I live in upstate NY, and I will be DELIGHTED to move to warmer climes.  :rolleyes:

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. I'm sure it would be awful in the winter, but oh man, in the summer it is truly glorious up there.

 

Shhhh! We're talking about the downsides here, sheesh! :P

 

 

 

 

(You're right though -- the whole Finger Lakes region is gorgeous in summer / fall!)

Edited by Wyatt's Torch
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Listen, guys, I live in upstate NY, and I will be DELIGHTED to move to warmer climes.  :rolleyes:

Seriously! I wore a tank top to the beach yesterday. In February. Think about how terrible it would be to have to stay inside and wear a parka and three pairs of socks at all times. 

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On another note, I was rejected from UMass Amherst yesterday. I'm a little bent up about it because it was a program where I thought I could realistically have a shot at an acceptance. Oh well!

I'm sorry about your rejection to UMass. <_<  I'm expecting one as well since I wasn't accepted with that first wave. I just checked the site, and it's still says "applied" though. Did you get an email about your rejection or did you check the website? 

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I'm sorry about your rejection to UMass. <_<  I'm expecting one as well since I wasn't accepted with that first wave. I just checked the site, and it's still says "applied" though. Did you get an email about your rejection or did you check the website? 

 

I got an email to check the website. It took me by surprise considering how late in the evening the email came, especially because I was notified on a Sunday. Clearly there isn't any rhyme or reason to their notifications. Good luck though! I hope you get in!

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Welp, first rejection! I'm surprised at how easy it is to be cranky - like a little selfish kid. "I didn't want you ANYWAY," my inner child is sneering at Cornell. But of course that's silly. I'm excited for everyone who got in - and honestly grateful for my own acceptances, as I feel the sting of rejection setting in. To those of you still waiting for good news, you're super tough, and I'm impressed and rooting for you!

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Welp, first rejection! I'm surprised at how easy it is to be cranky - like a little selfish kid. "I didn't want you ANYWAY," my inner child is sneering at Cornell. But of course that's silly. I'm excited for everyone who got in - and honestly grateful for my own acceptances, as I feel the sting of rejection setting in. To those of you still waiting for good news, you're super tough, and I'm impressed and rooting for you!

 

Blah! Sorry little Bat. :( No matter who you are or what you have accomplished, rejection always stings.

 

Borrowing one of Katla's "tight hugs" for you!

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Welp, first rejection! I'm surprised at how easy it is to be cranky - like a little selfish kid. "I didn't want you ANYWAY," my inner child is sneering at Cornell. But of course that's silly. I'm excited for everyone who got in - and honestly grateful for my own acceptances, as I feel the sting of rejection setting in. To those of you still waiting for good news, you're super tough, and I'm impressed and rooting for you!

It's so true! Lol. I'm so glad for everyone else who got in, but I think as WT said, it stings no matter what. At least we have each other for comforting and celebrating in equal measure :)

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Sympathy and empathy to everyone else going through this -- I don't think I realized how hard and fluctuating my emotions were going to be. It has been a rough week. I got rejected from my top choice, another school I felt confident about, and then I got rejected from another program today. That makes three in a row, with many more to go. But I'm feeling pretty down in the dumps, questioning everything about my application and even if I'm right for graduate school. 

 

If you've gone through this while in school/during the semester, how do you keep from obsessing over the results page or waiting for a call -- how do you reset and maintain focus on the term? The last thing I need is to blow my final grades. 

Edited by BLeonard
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It's so true! Lol. I'm so glad for everyone else who got in, but I think as WT said, it stings no matter what. At least we have each other for comforting and celebrating in equal measure :)

 

It's also worth repeating ad nauseum that a rejection is always impersonal. It's going to feel personal, but more often than not your application is quantified -- all the elements either work with what a department is looking for, or they don't. A large number of rejections probably reveals a deeper flaw in your application, but even then that flaw is not about you so much as it is about how you framed your strengths vis-a-vis (again) what adcoms are looking for. Sometimes there are irreparable issues, to be sure, but usually it's a combination of bad luck, bad timing, and a slightly misguided approach to application materials. In other words, nothing innate.

 

I'm trying to treat all of these rejections as expensive lessons.

 

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It has been a rough week. I got rejected from my top choice, another school I felt confident about, and then I got rejected from another program today. That makes three in a row, with many more to go. But I'm feeling pretty down in the dumps, questioning everything about my application and even if I'm right for graduate school. 

 

If you've gone through this while in school/during the semester, how do you keep from obsessing over the results page or waiting for a call -- how do you reset and maintain focus on the term? The last thing I need is to blow my final grades. 

 

This has been really hard for me, even having an acceptance didn't help much. I started using a productivity timer which helps for homework and only allow myself to really check the results page if everything else on my schedule is done. It's still hard though. I still think about it, even when I'm not checking. But as a few days went by it got easier. Hopefully you'll hear some good news soon and it'll take a little of the edge off.

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I remember "coasting" a bit in my last undergrad semester. First it was due to to the stress of rejections and checking the website, then later after I was accepted I had my mind on that more so than the final fine arts elective or random paper I was supposed to be doing. 

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If you've gone through this while in school/during the semester, how do you keep from obsessing over the results page or waiting for a call -- how do you reset and maintain focus on the term? The last thing I need is to blow my final grades. 

 

I'm not in college right now, but I can tell you I'm way behind on grading.  I wish I was in school right now -- having work to focus on and doing research would make me so much less obsessive about this whole process.  It would be nice to at least be expected and required to be working on some of the things I'm trying to go to grad school for rather than just obsessing over grad school itself.

 

I dunno if that's any comfort.  Appreciate being in school as much as you can!  I assume you enjoy the work if you're applying to graduate school.  Not having the required and expected academic attention makes it much harder to focus on academic interests, especially when you have a full time job to tire you out every day and divert your energy elsewhere.

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Thanks; that does help. My issue is that I had some health and personal issues going on last semester and a courseload where I overextended myself, so I didn't do as well as I wanted -- that was my "coasting" semester. I'd really like to end this term on high a note as possible. 

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I'm not in college right now, but I can tell you I'm way behind on grading.  I wish I was in school right now -- having work to focus on and doing research would make me so much less obsessive about this whole process.  It would be nice to at least be expected and required to be working on some of the things I'm trying to go to grad school for rather than just obsessing over grad school itself.

 

 

Same here, mollifiedmolloy! I have essays to grade, and I'm on GC instead.  :ph34r:

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Guess this is an appropriate place to post: I got my first rejection from a journal publication I sent out late last year. I kinda knew it was coming but it came at a bad time I think. I feel completely demotivated for everything and even unsure if I can hack it in a Ph.D. program.

 

On the plus side, it's made me less eager to refresh and check the results board/email :/

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Guess this is an appropriate place to post: I got my first rejection from a journal publication I sent out late last year. I kinda knew it was coming but it came at a bad time I think. I feel completely demotivated for everything and even unsure if I can hack it in a Ph.D. program.

 

On the plus side, it's made me less eager to refresh and check the results board/email :/

 

Ugh, that sucks. This is the Milton one?

 

In re being "unsure if you can hack it in a PhD program": rejections aren't dispositive; people get rejected for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to due with their abilities or whether or not they're suited to graduate studies. Acceptances and wait lists (since you don't wait list someone you don't want to attend), though, are.

 

You may be unsure, and I don't mean to downplay the very real self-doubt that can plague us all, but both UCR and USC not only think you can hack it--they want you to hack it with them.

Edited by unræd
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