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Posted
24 minutes ago, ExileFromAFutureTime said:

I think the finality of the decision is what has been giving me trouble; the moment before deciding my life could go in multiple directions. By saying 'no' I'm giving up an alternate academic experience and a hypothetical life elsewhere. 

Your username made this a little...unsettling

Posted
15 hours ago, gloriagilbert said:

I plan to officially turn down Brown's offer and accept Michigan's by the end of the day tomorrow, at the latest. The people at both places were really unequivocally lovely, and I hope this early-ish decision on my part helps encourage some pre-April 15 waitlist movement at the former. 

I remember an earlier post where you were leaning towards Brown over Michigan - how did you come around to Michigan in the end? Glad to hear there's closure on your decision. 

Posted

Just turned down an offer from Florida State’s PhD program and plan on turning down offers later today from UNC-Greensboro and University of Florida that both include fellowships. I hope this helps someone! 

Posted
47 minutes ago, Anonymouse124 said:

Just called my favorite professor at UMD College Park to turn down their fully funded Ph.D. offer. This one hurt but I've got my fingers crossed for any GCers out there on the waitlist!! 

wow you called? you're so brave...

Posted
15 minutes ago, mandelbulb said:

wow you called? you're so brave...

My hands were shaking the whole time, I was so nervous! I even had to rehearse a couple of times with my best friend. I really love the prof and definitely want to work with her in the future so I wanted to make sure my sincerity about staying in contact came through. Time to go take a bath and not think about anything for a week ?

Posted
1 minute ago, Anonymouse124 said:

My hands were shaking the whole time, I was so nervous! I even had to rehearse a couple of times with my best friend. I really love the prof and definitely want to work with her in the future so I wanted to make sure my sincerity about staying in contact came through. Time to go take a bath and not think about anything for a week ?

i bet your sincerity definitely came through! get some bubbles in there and maybe a glass of wine...

Posted
1 hour ago, Anonymouse124 said:

Just called my favorite professor at UMD College Park to turn down their fully funded Ph.D. offer. This one hurt but I've got my fingers crossed for any GCers out there on the waitlist!! 

Good for you and congrats on UPenn! Can I ask your research interests? 

Posted

Will be taking myself off the waitlist at SUNY Binghamton in the next couple of days. Not sure where I was on list, but I hope this helps someone.

Posted
18 hours ago, gloriagilbert said:

Declined Brown and took my name off the waitlists at UVA and Johns Hopkins. Man, not easy.

May I ask what your specialty is?

Posted

Will turn down Michigan by the end of the week--sad to do so because this was my top choice going into the application process. Very attractive offer, but there were hints of institutional racism even in the short visit weekend. 

Posted

Just sent off emails to decline UNC Greensboro and U of Alabama offers and additional fellowships. Best of luck to those interested in these programs!

Posted
3 hours ago, procrastinator1 said:

Very attractive offer, but there were hints of institutional racism even in the short visit weekend. 

Would love to hear more about this if you don't mind elaborating a bit.

Posted
3 hours ago, procrastinator1 said:

Will turn down Michigan by the end of the week--sad to do so because this was my top choice going into the application process. Very attractive offer, but there were hints of institutional racism even in the short visit weekend. 

I second @illcounsel; if you're willing to elaborate, I would like to know more. One of my advisors has said a few things alluding to similar dynamics.

Posted

Sure--It feels like it might be an open secret at this point! I'd been warned of tokenism by one of my POIs at another school (who had actually gone to Michigan), and it was also evident upon meeting the cohort and faculty. The admitted student group was not very diverse and neither were the current students or the faculty; as a POC it felt like I would struggle to find a place in the department, and this was emphasized when they had a separate diversity panel. (I appreciate that they are putting in effort to making sure everyone's voices are heard, but it felt segregationist and forced.) 

In my own personal experience, I had a bad encounter with a POI. I also heard secondhand from another POC admit who experienced something similar. Some of the students talked about having to lodge a formal complaint against a racist professor the previous semester, too. The visit was only two days, so I can hardly imagine spending five or six years there. 

That said, this is really only my own personal experience and I don't want to dissuade anyone from going there or applying in the future. It really is a very strong program, and the current students that I met there were very welcoming and seemed happy (including the ones who needed to lodge a formal complaint!). 

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