Disappointing/Surprising First Results

[NCHistory]

I applied to 7 History PhD programs (all top 15 programs) and today received my first 2 letters- both rejections. Of course I was hurt, and also a bit surprised, as I had a 170 verbal GRE, 153 quantitative, 5.5 writing, a 3.94 undergrad GPA in my major, a senior honors thesis as my writing sample, and [what I assume] are good LORs and a SOP where I mention specific professors and compatibility.

Does anybody have any advice? Reassuring comments? Or perhaps a healthy dose of realism? It's quite a hit on the chin, to get 2 rejections within a few hours of each other. 

[Neist]

I wouldn't worry too much. There's a lot of reasons why you wouldn't be selected, and a lot of reasons have nothing to do with you. Maybe the applicant pool was three times its normal size. Maybe they had 2-3 genuinely brilliant people who applied. Maybe they're not accepting any students in the area you work in. Maybe the POI you wanted to work with already has too many students and cannot dedicate the time to another.

It's hard to say for sure, but it's not necessarily because of you.

[gingin6789]

Starting off on a rejection SUCKS, badly. My first notification was a rejection, and I received it the day I had to go back to my university, where I live alone. So, having to process that rejection alone that evening really sucked.

However, a few days later, I got two acceptances and an interview notice within 20 minutes of each other. 

As someone told me here, it's good that I was rejected from Emory, because you don't want to end up at a program where they don't really want you, you know? 

[Vulpix]

2 hours ago, NCHistory said:

I applied to 7 History PhD programs (all top 15 programs) and today received my first 2 letters- both rejections. Of course I was hurt, and also a bit surprised, as I had a 170 verbal GRE, 153 quantitative, 5.5 writing, a 3.94 undergrad GPA in my major, a senior honors thesis as my writing sample, and [what I assume] are good LORs and a SOP where I mention specific professors and compatibility.

Does anybody have any advice? Reassuring comments? Or perhaps a healthy dose of realism? It's quite a hit on the chin, to get 2 rejections within a few hours of each other. 

Healthy Dose of Realism:  I was told by Columbia University that for PhDs, it doesn't even matter if you're their dream candidate with perfect scores and ideal experience, some years they simply CANNOT accept you for a variety of reasons, usually related to which professors are eligible and willing to take on doctoral students that year, funding, or similar research interests.  Unlike undergrad/masters where there is a "class" to fill, it's much more like you are applying to a job, but the job listing is nebulous, might already have been filled (even if a better candidate comes along), or the job listing may not even be available despite what the website says.  These factors, like someone else said, have virtually nothing to do with YOU.

Reassuring Comment:  It's normal to get rejected from 2, you still have 5 more to go.  You were really smart to apply to many programs... it breaks my heart to read about people here who applied to 1 or 2 dream schools and now it's like, now what?  You will find an opportunity somewhere  and you can never predict.  My friend applied to 10 schools and got into Stanford and Yale, but was rejected by Ohio State and Rutgers.  It's just a totally different, much more unpredictable world than all previous higher education applications experiences.

(Says the girl applying to a second masters and not a PhD.  But I almost did the PhD application, which is why I met with professors about my interest in it)

Edited February 11, 2016 by Heather1011

[amayadoli]

I was denied by the department at the school I already go to and currently take classes in. Kiiiiiiinda awkward. 

(For context: I'm currently in a language department in an MA program looking to get a PhD in a linguistics program)

All the advice I have is just try to wait it out by trying to take your mind off it. :/

[CornUltimatum]

It's extremely rare, even with an amazing application, to get accepted into all top programs you apply for (all top 15!). I've done a lot of creeping around on this site to get a handle on how acceptances can be dished out. I've even seen people get rejected at lower ranking schools, but then get accepted for higher ranked schools. As far as your basic qualifications go, they're perfectly fine. Concerning the research experience, or your SOP, you may not of aligned as well as some others did at that particular program... That's not to say they were bad. 

These programs have massive applicant pools in most cases, and you surely were seriously considered, but there was probably one applicant who studied in some ruins or something, which were more relevant to the research at that one program. It's splitting hairs at this point. (Also my only specific knowledge on graduate studies for history come from attending this reception and talked to this History professor on his work in some South American Ruins... I don't know how typical that is). 

So, how you've faired so far is not necessarily an indicator of what is to come. Other people have mentioned a lot of other reasons why you may not of been accepted, it likely has little to do with how good your application is.

[NCHistory]

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I think a major factor in my disappointment was that one of the schools that rejected me was my #2 choice and one in which I felt quite confident- my SOP named several POIs, and I even listed various factors about the university itself, such as particular library archives, that would be beneficial to my research.