Posting your acceptance on facebook

[rainy_day]

This thread confuses me because everything about facebook is conceited, by its nature. Posting about my weekend plans or my "likes" etc..all that is telling the world about me, me, me. So why should posting good news be somehow beyond the pale?

That being said, if your employers don't know that you're applying, I would highly recommend keeping it under wraps. I posted my MA admit, and though it was filtered, I missed someone and word still got out. It caused quite a bit of stress in my life.

[stackoverflow]

Personally, I get a happy fuzzy feeling whenever I see that one of my friends (even if it's a distant friend or acquaintance) gets an acceptance on Facebook. I really don't think it's an issue as long as you're not the type of person that people see as a braggart or conceited.

[far_to_go]

I waited til April 15th to post my acceptance/decision for 2 reasons:

1) I didn't hear back from one of my schools until early April; I ended up going with a school that accepted me in January, but didn't want to make a final decision and go public with it until I knew all my options.

2) I had become FB friends with a few other applicants to some of the same schools as me, and I wanted to wait til everyone was likely to be settled somewhere just to avoid hurting any feelings.

But no, I never considered not posting on FB at all. Heck, all my friends post their major life milestones, so why shouldn't I? I got lots of positive feedback, which felt nice.

Good luck to everyone in this app cycle!

[rowlf]

Annoying update: Accepted to Johns Hopkins, Wisconsin, Yale, and Columbia! Now to decide which offer to accept.

Totally normal updates: Going to Johns Hopkins next fall!

or

Got into my top choice: Columbia! But now I have to figure out if I can pay for it.

[Zitro6]

Haters gonna hate.

Congrats, by the way!

Turns out, no one liked it at all. But then i noticed I had the privacy set to "only me" LMFAO

I did not repost, my good friends and family know and thats enough

[Clou12]

I live overseas, so I plan on posting my acceptances on Facebook just to save myself the repetitive conversation with multiple friends and family via Skype or email. I think it would be interesting do a Facebook poll as to where I should go in the fall if I were to get multiple acceptances, just to see what my friends have to say.

[MCS_aspirant]

I live overseas, so I plan on posting my acceptances on Facebook just to save myself the repetitive conversation with multiple friends and family via Skype or email. I think it would be interesting do a Facebook poll as to where I should go in the fall if I were to get multiple acceptances, just to see what my friends have to say.

You sure want to do that?

[Normal]

I feel like this is kind of a silly defense to why parents get to brag, and the rest of us don't. All babies had to come into existence somehow - but not everyone has a baby (it's usually a conscious decision to "apply" to have one, right?). Some of us don't and perhaps won't ever have them, so there are other things in our life that are important, and worthy of announcing. I'm only FB friends with friends and family that I'm close with - it's a great way for me to let people know. As it has been repeated here several times - IF I get in, they're going to know eventually when my city, network, etc. changes. I think you have a strange definition of what constitutes bragging, and what constitutes sharing one's life - which is sort of the purpose of FB. I'm not offended so much as I can't really sympathize with your line of thought.

These are my sentiments exactly.

[appseasonover]

Your real friends will always be happy for you. So, don't expect big kudos on facebook.

Perfectly acceptable to post. Depends on your personality.

But I remember when I applied to a Masters (pre-facebook, can you imagine?) - I told no one except a few close friends. A guy I knew told everyone about his application plans. Which also meant he had to tell them about all of his rejections. I've never been the type, though, to announce this kind of stuff broadly. So I didn't post my phd acceptance on facebook - I told people personally (or via email), and I emailed thank-yous to my references.

If a friend posted such news, I'd be happy for them - but I'd probably respond with a private message. FWIW.

I agree. I have absolutely no problem hearing about other people's application successes via facebook. It's another way to offer them congrats! For me, however, it's way too personal. It may or may not have to do with age, but since facebook wasn't around when I was an undergrad, I don't think I ever got used to sharing my day-to-day quite so much. By the time I applied to my masters program 5 years after finishing my undergrad, I didn't even think of facebook as a sharing option. But hey, that's just me! Now, applying to PhD programs, I don't even want to tell half my family the exact list because it seems too soon to get excited or dejected. Again though, I'm a really private person with regard to this stuff, so maybe I'm overly guarded on facebook.

[Jwnich1]

I'm sort of facebook'd out. As an undergrad, I was an avid facebook user, but now I hardly use it. In the final calculus, I would rather have a hearty congrats from friends (I'm actually friends with) in person. I'd imagine that announcing acceptances in person is also a great way to get a beer bought for you

Good luck everyone!

[LLajax]

A thought (that came shortly after last night's grad school nightmare): this thread covers people's varying thought on posting acceptances, but does anyone plan on posting about rejections? Maybe only me, since I'm convinced at the moment that I'm only going to get those? Maybe I'm weak, but misery loves company. Also, it saves me having to say it out loud and in person, which I imagine is going to be extreely painful, since I told everyone who would listen about applying. So, I figure, just post my sadness, bam get it out of the way, then when something more amusing comes along in several hours, post a new, more cheerful status. Cathartic possibly?

Alternately, my roommate and I (we're both applying to the same schools, but for different programs), made an agreement that we'll just knock on each other's doors when we find out and have a good cry together.

[violet.]

I will definitely post if I am accepted, but most of my friends already know I am applying. I do not know anyone else applying to grad school in sociology, so I don't think it would upset anyone.

[wlkwih2]

I think I'll just write sth like "is moving to Cambridge, MA" (of course, if I get accepted, and it's probably in my wildest dreams) or just add XY to my education info.

[aspiringhistorian]

I probably wouldn't do it personally just because I tend to be private, but I don't necessarily think I would be bothered if someone else did. Of course, there is a respectful way to do it... but this is such a stressful process and it's natural to want to (tastefully) celebrate a good outcome.

[Gvh]

I think I'll just write sth like "is moving to Cambridge, MA" (of course, if I get accepted, and it's probably in my wildest dreams) or just add XY to my education info.

When I got my first acceptance, I just put "Good day!" or something inconspicuous so people could ask if they were interested But I agree, if someone wants to post details I wouldn't have a problem with it, I just tend to be more private.

[Chrysanthemum]

I think genuine enthusiasm fine. I'm always happy for my friends who excitedly post that they got in somewhere. It's only annoying when someone's smug about it, or implies that there was never any question about their acceptance to a particular school.

Generally I don't post much on Facebook, but I'll be so excited if I get in anywhere that I'll probably reference it somehow on fb.

[Grunty DaGnome]

Actually I have considered posting my acceptance (if I am accepted) but then I realized that some of my friends, who are attending other schools I also want to get in could, by some random chance, make the comment I was accepted to a member of the adcom and totally screw me…so, no. Also there is this thing, I haven’t told my boss I’m applying, only if I’m accepted I will tell her (but not just after it, I will wait until my contract ends, so we can negotiate my staying in work just a little more, to make some savings I’ll need)

Don't post any sensitive stuff on FB ever. Besides, if you get in to your first choice the people who are close to you who have suffered all your neurotic anticipation with you deserve the phone call.

[Andsowego]

I didn't post my admits on fb (just told those who are close to me in person). I waited until I had made a firm decision, and then posted about it. Something along the lines of, "It's official, I'm moving to city XYZ this September to tackle a PhD! Let the good times begin!"

Why post about admits when you're ultimately only going to accept one? Posting about admits seems like bragging. Posting about a firm life decision seems more like informing. Just my two cents!

Edited January 15, 2012 by Andsowego

[Triple Tall Cappuccino]

So I guess Google+, with the awesome "choose which circle you want to tell" feature is out of the question?

LOL, I keed. I barely use Google+. And FB, well, it's my guilty escape when I don't want to think about the fact that I have yet to hear from any school ("School Y's deadline was YESTERDAY! What the hell is taking them so long!?"), and I would much rather read about my friend drinking a can of Coke Zero than seeing the Results Survey. *sigh*

In any case, I agree with most posters that you should not post sensitive info on FB, and my family always taught me to never announce things until they are 100% certain. With that said, I think I will probably post MY final decision* when it happens, and do crazy texts/emails/calls to everyone who already knows.

*final decision may also include slashing of wrists if all schools reject me.

[socihealth]

I dont post much on Facebook any more at all but I don't think I would post any info about acceptances or rejections. I feel like its a very personal process. I will be happy to tell my close friends, family, and advisors. But beyond that, I don't think I will let people know unless I see them and they ask.

[Athenrein]

I don't use Facebook much, but I'll be posting about school because it's a pretty big deal. I know a lot of people who are in between "friend" and "acquaintance" and I'd like them to know I'm moving and starting grad school.

If I get into Harvard I'll post about it right away, because at that point there most likely won't be any further decision-making. But if I have a decision to make, I'll probably wait to post until I know which school I'll actually attend.

[the lee]

sounds like the biggest, most common issue basically boils down to:

a) do you have a lot of Facebook friends who are also doing applications?

are you in direct competition (i.e. same schools)?

if you answered YES to both of those, then possibly a tactful comment is preferable to "ZOMG I GOT IN"

[axc]

Even if none of my friends were applying to grad school I'd post my acceptance subtly (ex change my location to the school's and join any of their program X groups).

[Grunty DaGnome]

I dont post much on Facebook any more at all but I don't think I would post any info about acceptances or rejections. I feel like its a very personal process. I will be happy to tell my close friends, family, and advisors. But beyond that, I don't think I will let people know unless I see them and they ask.

Keep in mind that waitlisted people are desperately searching the web trying to figure out who might have a pending acceptance to their waitlisted school and any other school. Unless you want them IMing you to tell you X is their dream school and you should hurry up and make up your mind between X and Y, both of whom, according to your Facebook, have extended you an offer, you should probably keep this information to yourself.

Nothing against hypothetical waitlisted student. I would probably do the same, though I'd feel really bad about pressuring whomever it was that had my golden ticket...as I emailed once an hour.

[oseirus]

Keep in mind that waitlisted people are desperately searching the web trying to figure out who might have a pending acceptance to their waitlisted school and any other school. Unless you want them IMing you to tell you X is their dream school and you should hurry up and make up your mind between X and Y, both of whom, according to your Facebook, have extended you an offer, you should probably keep this information to yourself.

Nothing against hypothetical waitlisted student. I would probably do the same, though I'd feel really bad about pressuring whomever it was that had my golden ticket...as I emailed once an hour.

Isn't that a little much though?