Anyone else dealing with silence

[Caligula]

As I read more and more posts, I have noticed that several people are getting positive responses from potential advisors and professors regarding their applications. I know that how quickly (if at all) professors/advisors respond to you varies by area of study, school, and programs within schools. I applied within the Humanities, and have noticed that several people are getting positive responses within the same field - and sometimes even within the same school and same program.

While I'm genuinely happy and excited for these people, I can't help but think "Gee, I wish I was getting an email or a phone call."

Is anyone else a little discouraged by the silence?

[Mumbet]

Oh yeah. I've applied to 10 schools so far, and have yet to hear anything; it's like they all just vanished into thin air as soon as I hit submit.

Edited January 11, 2010 by Mumbet

[NEPA]

All crickets chirping on my end as well. I dunno, though, I didn't really expect to hear anything yet. I got a positive reception from the grad director/my potential adviser at my top choice program when I went to visit in the fall, so I'm running on that hope alone, I guess. I don't think the silence helps with anyone's stress, though!

[Venetia]

I've heard nothing as well! It's a little disconcerting, but I haven't heard of THAT many people having profs contact them, at least thus far. Applications only went in a week and a bit ago (for most anyway) so I'm hoping that more contact will start as more time elapses...fingers crossed!

[coyabean]

One of the things to remember about these kinds of communities is that they are overwhelmingly populated by super-vigilant, highly qualified seekers. Basically the kinds of people who would get responses from schools. So it can skew your version of reality. If your only exposure to grad school was this board you would think having a 1300 on the GRE and a 3.8 with three conference presentations out of UG is normal yet the statistical averages suggest otherwise.

Most people, I'd wager, have not heard anything from a school and do not expect to. I would venture it is more odd to hear something than not, actually. Think of all the many applicants, particularly this year, and the very few people in a position to communicate with them.

[joro]

Since I don't have all 3 LORs submitted yet, I may only get schools emailing for me the 3rd LOR. Other than that I don't expect any emails till the end of January.

[piccgeek]

When I applied last year (English phd and ma programs) I didn't hear ANYTHING, positive or negative, until March, so I say don't freak out yet. As far as I can tell, the very top picks and the very bottom picks are notified first, so a lot of people chill in the "maybe" pile until it's crunch time. It IS discouraging to see other people hearing back positively so soon, especially people in your programs (in my experience with lots of friends applying to lots of different kinds of programs, the sciences and social sciences people hear back earlier on average, but that is serious overgeneralization), keep in mind that you haven't been rejected yet either, and bad news being dished out already. (of course, like coyabean said, thegradcafe is NOT a balanced sample of grad applicants, so there's more good news than bad around here, thankfully!)

[iCyborg]

Same here!

Nothing, nothing at all.

[UnlikelyGrad]

When I was an applicant (last year), I didn't get my first positive response until 2/1. I think my second acceptance didn't come until the very end of Feb or the beginning of March. Rejections didn't start coming in until mid-March or so.

Now, I did notice during this time that other people were being accepted (same school, same program) a couple of weeks before I got my letter. So clearly they send out acceptances to their superstar applicants first. But you know what? Once I got my own acceptance to that school, I didn't care that they were first--I was IN!!!!

[ristastic]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I'm kind of enjoying not hearing anything. It's sort of nice to have a few months to breathe, enjoy the fact that I've successfully applied to 10 doctoral programs, and live in a bubble that the sting of rejection has yet to pierce. Not that I don't want to know, but at this point I'm still allowed to hope without having the stress of the applications themselves bearing down on me.

That said, I don't think humanities will hear until late Feb. at the very earliest, so don't worry about it!

[JustChill]

It's true that those who are clearly qualified and are the best fits, as well as those who have no chance in hell, get notified first to get things rolling. The reason the best candidates get notified early is so that those schools can snag them before some other school comes along with a better funding offer. You'd be surprised at how many people accept the first offer they get and don't bother waiting for the other decisions to come in.

[lavenes]

I have to admit, I am kind of enjoying not hearing. When I looked at the results page earlier I saw that one person was rejected from one of the programs I applied to and went to look for my own and had nothing. I am taking no news as good news!

[jlee306]

I haven't heard anything yet either! And it's driving me nuts...why can't they at least just post that they had received my stuff?!?!

[coyabean]

It's true that those who are clearly qualified and are the best fits, as well as those who have no chance in hell, get notified first to get things rolling. The reason the best candidates get notified early is so that those schools can snag them before some other school comes along with a better funding offer. You'd be surprised at how many people accept the first offer they get and don't bother waiting for the other decisions to come in.

I've seriously considered doing this. I want to be able to award the first school to welcome me.

I'd do it in my best Oprah voice: "You get a coyabean!"

[Sparky]

I'd do it in my best Oprah voice: "You get a coyabean!"

But then wouldn't everyone get a coyabean?

(Not that that would be bad, of course. )

[jlee306]

But then wouldn't everyone get a coyabean?

(Not that that would be bad, of course. )

I couldn't help but laugh! I love me some Oprah!

[coyabean]

I couldn't help but laugh! I love me some Oprah!

Coyabean for everyone.

[caramel_geek]

Same here.

Haven't heard a thing yet.

[greenpointgrad]

I've gotten a few emails about incomplete materials but that's about it. Even then I've analyzed to death those email and phone conversations. MY GRE score hasn't been received, you say? Wow they must really want me! Ahh, the pleasures of self-delusion.

[RedPotato]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I'm sorry, I just had to scream with people who would commiserate. Thank you for your time.

[tellmealready]

Ive heard back from three school so far (UMichigan, UC Irvine, U of Connecticut) and totally got interviews!

I havent heard back from UC San Diego, Carnegie Mellon, or Northwestern...but that is okay! I wouldnt be butt-hurt if I had rejections from those schools.

I just wish my finger didnt keep pushing the "REFRESH" button on my email client every 5 minutes. Hm..

~ silence ~

[jlee306]

Ive heard back from three school so far (UMichigan, UC Irvine, U of Connecticut) and totally got interviews!

I havent heard back from UC San Diego, Carnegie Mellon, or Northwestern...but that is okay! I wouldnt be butt-hurt if I had rejections from those schools.

I just wish my finger didnt keep pushing the "REFRESH" button on my email client every 5 minutes. Hm..

~ silence ~

Oh Wow! That's great, congrats! I wish you all the luck on your interviews!!

[red_crayons]

For a few days during the silence, I'm working in the building where my application is awaiting its fate for one of the programs I applied to, across the hall from the grad student offices for the department.

[waytooold]

Ive heard back from three school so far (UMichigan, UC Irvine, U of Connecticut) and totally got interviews!

I havent heard back from UC San Diego, Carnegie Mellon, or Northwestern...but that is okay! I wouldnt be butt-hurt if I had rejections from those schools.

I just wish my finger didnt keep pushing the "REFRESH" button on my email client every 5 minutes. Hm..

~ silence ~

What field are you in?

[BlueSwedeShoes]

I have had one professor contact me so far. He was positive and wondered how my application were coming along and said that they hoped to make a decision fairly soon. However, when I replied and, honestly, told him that my transcripts had not been received by the school (but that I was working on it and hoped to have it solved quickly...I only found this out yesterday damnit!) he sent me a second email within 15 minutes saying that I should not worry too much and that they weren't making the decision for two weeks yet.

And now I'm freaking out and fretting about whether this means I will not be accepted or what...