foldingtime Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 the new round of waiting (2007) has begun. i applied to a bunch of english ma/phd programs and im going crazy, especially so as i didnt get into any programs my first time around (though i was applying for creative writing then, medieval now). ill be happy to get into any of the schools i applied to, even my lowest safety school (saint louis university), but hopefully ill get into one of my top choices (cornell, notre dame). anyway, i'm writing all this because im nervous already and i know a bunch of other people are (cf., soyouwantto, whogotin) as well, and i check this and other sites every day and there is never anything new on this site. last time my whole extended family knew i was applying and didnt get in anywhere and i felt like i was fufilling their opinion of me. now im applying again after a year of working a lame job, and they all found out again im applying. i just want to get in somewhere! now my rambling shows how nervous i am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schambers Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Yeah, you're not alone. I've done some homework, and I know that I probably won't hear anything from any of my schools (U.S. History PhD) until Feb or March--but that doesn't stop me from feeling nervous. I have a pretty strong background, but I didn't really apply to any true 'safeties'... I've mostly been over on 'So_You_Want_To'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm dying to hear from my schools!!! I got rejected from one of my top choices, but that's it... what are the other 7 schools doing with my applications that takes so long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennesy Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 still waiting...no word back from any of my schools yet...the waiting is killing me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daseinplushie Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 The waiting is driving me nuts,too. A lot of the programs I applied to have February deadlines, so I probably won't hear anything until mid-March. Making matters worse, my credentials are all over the place. I gave a paper at a conference last summer and have two publications, but my rather abysmal quantitative score made my overall GRE score less than stellar. So, really, anything could happen... On the bright side, I was admitted to an MA program a few weeks ago, so I know I'll be going somewhere. The waiting is making me nuts, though :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockwork Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Waiting is certainly the hardest part. I got into one of my top choices already for phil PhD, but I am still waiting for 7 or so other schools. My Blackberry has been glued to my hand, and I check my mailbox constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I got into one!!!! SUNY-Albany for SOC phd. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of me, it's not my top choice, but at least I have somewhere to go now! :-) Best of luck everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennesy Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 congrats, that's great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 New here- Hi! I'm going totally insane. Anyone know how to check online for Pitt, Upenn, ND, PSU, Temple, Miami U of Ohio, and Udel? I know how to check rutgers and new hampshire but that's it. I think I'll go vomit now. :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 It's going to be okay, take a really deep breath! And maybe crack open a beer. :-) I'm waiting on PSU, UDel, UMass and UNH as well. I know for a fact Udel is going to meet to review apps next week. So you're going to have to sit tight for a while on that one. I think PSU should be coming because my deadline was Jan. 1 for them. I already heard from Rutgers. What program are you in? UMass is really easy to check, but you have to have the code they sent you in the mail... do you have that? Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I'm English. How about you? I'm getting a little paranoid at everyone saying like "I've been in constant contact with..." and "He emails me all the time" and the like. I only got a chance to go to and meet and talk to people from 3 schools I applied to, emails, thank-you's, the like, but nothing like a buddy-buddy exchange. I figured that was excessive brown nosing. I live near Udel, so I was thinking about asking to stop in and chat, like I did with the others I went out to, but I feel like it might be late in the day for that. Someone posted on here that they were already rejected for Rutgers English, but I still have NO DECISION on mine- frankly, it's probably a reach school for me considering their program, but my interests are really in line with their dept. so... maybe it's a good thing... who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I completely agree with you, that is total b.s. when people are bff with all these grad committee members, etc. And how can you have an advisor if you haven't even been accepted? It mystifies me. The only reason I know about Udel is because my advisor is an alum. I'm sociology, so I suppose deadlines are different. It's probably still a good thing that you haven't heard from Rutgers if others have been rejected, that usually means you're in the second round (if someone doesn't accept, they'll offer it to you). But since you're from around Udel, tell me about it! Assuming I get accepted (fingers, toes and legs crossed!), I'm SOC with a criminology focus, and they have an excellent program for it, I am planning to come out and visit. Is there a lot to do? And what is the bigger city named that is by Newark? I really wanted a more urban atmosphere and Newark seems awfully suburban, what are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I actually haven't seen it up close. I live in the suburban Philly area. I know people that have commuted to Udel though from Philly-ish- it's only like 45 minutes from there I think? Delaware the state has never excited me, but Udel is so close to Philly- and there's anything you could want there. I was trying to figure if those Rutgers English people supposedly rejected were for real, to be honest. It seems strange that only two people would have posted about it- but who knows. No one has any reason to lie on these boards, but some people are getting awfully snarky... Where are you from anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I don't see why anyone would lie about being rejected, I think it would be the other way around... Anyways I'm from the Cleveland area but finishing my undergrad at the University of Dayton. It's good to know that Philly is so close, but so much for living in a big city atmosphere.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history? Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Welllll...in defense of those of us who actually did have conversations with faculty at the unis we applied to (although not bff...just a visit before applying in which I hit it off extremely well with a potential advisor), I personally think it is crucial to identify at least one or two faculty in advance who would likely be good matches for advising. An advisor can make or break a grad school career...and, by extension, a career in academia period. Given that, I think it's wise to get at least a little assurance that there's someone there who can be a mentor - both by being a decent human being but also by sharing your own research interests enough to offer guidance. I will agree, though that there's a delicate balance between hitting it off, staying in touch, and playing cards unfairly. Then there's also the danger of becoming a nuisance and/or butt kiss that y'all mentioned. Personally? I haven't followed up much after my initial visit primarily because I wasn't sure if it was ethical to be overly persistent. I mean, I'd love to keep myself in the guy's thoughts, but I wouldn't want to do it by using inappropriate doors. Anyway, looked at the UChi humanities website today, and there's a message from the dean saying that letters get mailed March 1. I hope that's true.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 History? I agree 100%. I went and talked to some potential advisors and/or people I knew from departments where I could. I asked one place, and my email request was bounced back haha, and other schools I knew other people had asked before and got laughed at so I didn't bother. I didn;t keep in touch beyond the intial in person conversation with these people besides to send thank you letters for the same reasons you said. I didn't think it was appropriate, and all. So I guess I'm not criticising the attempts at all, im just wondering if I didnt do enough or what. I didn;t make any new BFF's lol. Though I do see since the last time I obsessively checked that board, that I am unofficially rejected from UPenn Should come as no surprize i guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bri Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I suppose I should clarify my statements a bit about rubbing elbows with schools. I see nothing wrong with an email, phone call, visit etc. Which I must confess I did all of those. It's the people that are in like continual contact and constantly talking about what this person in this program says, etc. that bugs me. As a future professor I think that would annoy the hell out of me... lol. Anyways, I went to a national conference in November and met with several grad schools there. Amazingly I got an email from one of the profs I met there a few days ago saying he just wanted to personally congratulate me for being accepted into his program, etc. So maybe it does make a difference!? I guess we'll never really know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history? Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Oh, well conferences...that's a whole different story. The entire point of conferences is to keep in touch with old cohorts and make new ones. So, yeah - networking? important. Neediness? annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Well, another day and another phone call home from work to see if any mail comes. (I typed "anothing" first, instead of "another" talk about a Fruedian slip...) So far for me with my Dec. 15th apps it's 2 unofficial rejections (offers have been made to others on the forum, but not to me), one Jan. 15 one seems an unofficial rejection as well. I can pray for waitlisting I suppose... that leaves six to wait on. Seems like I'm going to have a long wait... Heh, looks like I might be back to teaching high school next year if I can't get a CC job. I was going to finish my other MA but it looks like they aren't offering some of the classes I need next Fall- which rules out getting it finished in a year. What kind of back up plans does anyone else have? I'm trying to decide what will make me look like a better candidate next year as well as be something I don't totally hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history? Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Backup plan? I haven't really gotten that far...at least not seriously. (I have a job currently, so there isn't the "figure something else out or starve" impetus.) But I guess I've developed a few vague notions towards making myself a better candidate - maybe statistics, computer programming, and French. A job doing something a little meatier, perhaps. The "real" backup plan at this point is that when/if I apply again next year, I will still apply to the dream program, but also apply to a few MS programs in relevant areas - so, if I still don't get in to dreamland, I would instead get an MS and apply AGAIN once I had finished that (third time's the charm, after all...right?). There's a big emphasis in my (future) committee on us being able to do "real science," not merely study it from afar. So, I could do an HCI, CogSci, or even CogPsych Masters before coming in to do history with them. I mean, I did science and history of science as an undergrad, and I've worked in the tech sector for the last 6 years, so I feel that I have the "real science" thing down. But if they want to play hardball, I could do that. Sigh. I'd rather just go straight in and get the CogPsych degree while I'm there, to be honest. I mean, crap, I'm practically 30 - I feel like its time for me to stop beating around the bush and just do it directly for a change. But it's important enough for me that I'd take the backdoor if it's the only option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 That makes sense. I'm finishing my Master's in August so I'm hoping if I can get into CC job or something that could help my application. The only teaching experience I have is Secondary Education. If nothing else, having a MA will let me have a little more choice in where I can get a secondary teaching job. I got my first official rejection today from my favorite program. Go me. Better luck to everyone else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history? Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Ugh. At least you still have several more to hear from. I have a whopping two....total. (I know, I know - everyone I tell this to is like "WTF?!", but all I can say in my own defense is that there is only one place I think I can study what I want. Such is the danger of inventing your own area of study).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Wow- that was weird. I thought I responded to you last night but I guess I didn't. Anyhow, what is your area of study that you invented and where did you apply? Just curious. Does anyone happen to know if some school do international applicants before other applicants- I see one school has rejected several internationals, but I (American) still haven't heard either way. I'm not sure if that's simply because of the International status, or if its good news or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
history? Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 The History of Information. Ultimately, one of the most interesting things to me about information is the battles people wage over it (hackers v. the man, the culture wars in academia and who/what should be taught, conmen, educational reform....etc.etc.). But I feel like in order to look at those in any sort of useful way, I have to understand where people are coming from when they talk about "information" and "knowledge," hence I'm ultimately considering myself an historian and approaching it from that angle. But, since historically the people that have concerned themselves with understanding knowledge and information were philosophers, there's going to be a lot of history of philosophy included. In modern times, though, much of that work has shifted to the sciences and technologies - Cognitive Science & Cognitive Psychology, Information Theory, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet - so I am going to need to be well versed not only in their histories, but also how they work. At any rate...can you see my dilemma? It doesn't fit into education, even though that would be a topic I might study, and it doesn't fit into library science, even though they have the most programs that call themselves "Information Science." It doesn't fit into philosophy or history only. It doesn't fit only into science. It teeters closest to something called intellectual history, I suppose, but this doesn't seem quite broad enough to me, as it usually just concerns itself with actual intellectuals but not the common man, and it usually involves science OR not science but rarely both. What I am looking for really includes all of those things, since "information" is the unifying thread that concerns them all. So, the program I ended up choosing is a program in the history and philosophy of science that requires its students to have a really solid foundation in a science, and then they focus heavily on history or philosophy. It also has a couple of faculty members who are starting to do some research in the general area of information - one of them is an historian and the other is an anthropologist. Anyway, given the persnickety nature of my work, I don't think I could ask for a better (or even another) match, which is why I will really be at a loss if I don't get in (it's U Chicago's Committee on the Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, or CHSS, incidentally). There's a reason that people generally advise not to "create your own field" and I can totally understand why! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwannawaitinvain Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 have you looked into texts and technology? im not real sure but what your interested in could possibly be incorporated under that- it's pretty broad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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