Negotiating Awkward Social Situation at Ground Zero

[Leafytea]

Hello, I'm new to the forum. This question may have been addressed somewhere else, but I thought I'd just post a new thread.

I am currently a masters student at a university where I have applied to a related PhD program. I actually see the profs who serve on the adcomm regularly, because they are my professors in my current program, and my adviser now would be my adviser if I end up staying for the PhD. I have a pretty good relationship with at least four profs in the department that I applied to.

BUT. They have not told me anything about admissions yet, and it is killing me. Should I, or should I not ask them point blank?

It seems like some admissions decisions have been handed out from the university, but not in my department. Next week might be it...but this week was increasingly nerve-racking, as the gears in my brain spun furiously whenever I saw one of the profs who *might* tell me the decision.

What do you think? Should I just tear off the band-aid and ask? Or is that a bad idea?

[NEPA]

I know the suspense is awful, but I'd wait. Even though you know the professors, it still risks putting them in an awkward situation. I'm sure they'd understand your curiosity, but still, they might get turned off if you asked.

[siamesecat]

I would just wait I think it looks better to be patient and wait for the formal notification...last year I got too anxious and ended up regretting asking too many questions of my points of contacts that I think I annoyed them. Best to wait it out, even though I know it's painful!

[Leafytea]

Thanks for the advice! I probably knew this in some corner of my mind, but I needed someone to help me extinguish the crazy.

[far_to_go]

Like everyone has said, I think it's best to wait. When you see your profs around the department, just try giving them a confident smile as you keep a respectful distance; that will probably give them the best impression. Best of luck to you!

[LinguistK]

I'm going through a similar situation. I am taking classes at the university to which I'm applying. I'm actually taking a class from the prof who would be my adviser next year. It seems that other departments at the school have begun to send out decisions, but my department hasn't. It's extremely nervewracking to have to sit in class, dying to know if the woman teaching me is going to admit me or not.

I'm doing my best to wait. It's ridiculously hard though.

[TMP]

I am in the exact same situation as well! ARGH!

My current thesis advisor would be my PhD advisor. She's the one who gets to fight for me. Fortunately for both of us, she's on sabbatical (but is still in town for most part...) and I'm working on my MA thesis (in which we send back and forth by e-mail). So we don't see each other at all. Actually, she didn't even want to see me at all unless it was "super" important (and she said this with a roll of eyes as in "give me a break!").

So I'm turning in my thesis draft tomorrow to let her review for the next 2-3 weeks... by the time she should be done, decisions will be out. I'm still e-mailing her occasionally with requests for LORs for Plan B. I'm trying not to read too much into her positive e-mails regarding how I'm doing this semester.

But wait, I'm afraid now that any e-mail that she sends me after February 15th will contain the decision, not thesis feedback! *whimpers* I've done my best to put a smile on my face when I'm around the department and act neutral. (Well, I'm not dying to stay here but would LIKE to have an opportunity to have this for a choice!)

[rising_star]

But wait, I'm afraid now that any e-mail that she sends me after February 15th will contain the decision, not thesis feedback! *whimpers* I've done my best to put a smile on my face when I'm around the department and act neutral. (Well, I'm not dying to stay here but would LIKE to have an opportunity to have this for a choice!)

If your thesis advisor likes/respects you, they will call you with the news. That's how I, and most of my friends, found out when I was a second year MA student.