2018 Acceptances

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

3 minutes ago, bigfluffybearcat said:

I have one question about what happens after an acceptance. So if you receive the good news via phone call, how long does it usually take for the school to send you an official letter of acceptance (they do this, right?) and also further instructions on what to do next? I haven't heard back after that phone call, and now my brain is telling me what if they got it wrong and I wasn't supposed to get accepted after all....... Probably just being paranoid, but I'll breathe a little easier when there's some real official proof to cling to.

I got a call on 1/24 - I received an email two days (1/29) ago saying they're hoping to send the official letter out by the end of this week.

I totally feel you on the WAIT WAS THIS A MISTAKE angst but I think it just takes time (probably more time than we'd assume and definitely time that feels endless)

[bigfluffybearcat]

3 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

I got a call on 1/24 - I received an email two days (1/29) ago saying they're hoping to send the official letter out by the end of this week.

I totally feel you on the WAIT WAS THIS A MISTAKE angst but I think it just takes time (probably more time than we'd assume and definitely time that feels endless)

Aaaah okay. Thanks for the info! That's a relief. 

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

4 minutes ago, bigfluffybearcat said:

Aaaah okay. Thanks for the info! That's a relief. 

You're welcome! I was under the impression that all schools sent funding/visit/official stuff RIGHT AWAY but that's not the case for the ones I've heard from. Which makes a ton of sense but also caused me to fret a good amount until enough peers/friends were like "caaaalm down."

[littlemy]

2 hours ago, jrockford27 said:

Definitely write a thank you e-mail back in the case of an acceptance or a waitlist.  It lets the administration know you've received the decision.  Something as simple as, "That's wonderful news!  Thank you!  Please let me know if you need anything from me."  They know that you're probably waiting for all of your offers to come in and they definitely know that you have until April 15 to make a decision.

Thanks a lot!! Your example was really helpful.  

[bigfluffybearcat]

4 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

You're welcome! I was under the impression that all schools sent funding/visit/official stuff RIGHT AWAY but that's not the case for the ones I've heard from. Which makes a ton of sense but also caused me to fret a good amount until enough peers/friends were like "caaaalm down."

So you didn't hear about funding right when you heard of the acceptance? The person contacting me also didn't mention any funding from the university, but she did mention the external funding that I already had, so I thought they're not giving me anything more because of that (despite claims that they fund everyone).

[JustPoesieAlong]

6 hours ago, littlemy said:

Has anyone already written a reply to the director of graduate studies (not necessarily TAMU but in general) and thanked her/him for the acceptance before deciding whether to attend the school or not? I'm thinking about writing a thank you email, though I'm not sure whether or not it is standard to do so. I think I should anyway since I noticed that they mistakenly thought that a part of my first name to be my middle name (because there's a space between the two parts) and omitted that part. I should probably write and let them know about this problem. Sorry, I'm rambling and almost started talking to myself. I think part of me still can't believe this really happened and has this irrational fear of my acceptance being revoked if I don't immediately accept the offer. I guess I need to calm down first. I'm too happy to do that, though! 

 

Congratulations on the acceptance! I was accepted there as well. Are you planning on attending the recruitment event in March? If you don't mind my asking, what is your area of study? I'm early modern.

I was just contemplating over the email question as well. I think I will go ahead and send a basic thank you and that I look forward to hearing more. I don't know what to say about the recruitment weekend, though. I'd love to go, but I've visited once before (I almost went there for my master's) and am afraid I won't be able to go to visit events at other schools if I were invited. 

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

25 minutes ago, bigfluffybearcat said:

So you didn't hear about funding right when you heard of the acceptance? The person contacting me also didn't mention any funding from the university, but she did mention the external funding that I already had, so I thought they're not giving me anything more because of that (despite claims that they fund everyone).

Nope!

CMU was like "it's in the letter which is forthcoming." Temple's dept has yet to email me directly (I was accepted by the grad school) but a friend who is there now said it took them about a week to email him with funding/other info (and judging by the GC boards that seems par for the course.) Buffalo's grad school emailed me at like 5:00 pm yesterday, so I figure it may be a day or two until I hear from the dept specifically with visiting/funding info. 

I'm fascinated to say the least

 

Edited January 31, 2018 by a_sort_of_fractious_angel

[Mise]

2 hours ago, jrockford27 said:

Definitely write a thank you e-mail back in the case of an acceptance or a waitlist.  It lets the administration know you've received the decision.  Something as simple as, "That's wonderful news!  Thank you!  Please let me know if you need anything from me."  They know that you're probably waiting for all of your offers to come in and they definitely know that you have until April 15 to make a decision.

I was also thinking about this problem, and I just sent my thank you email, too! Thanks for your help

[Warelin]

FWIW: @Silabus chose A&M last application cycle and seemed to be happy about A&M.

[bigfluffybearcat]

7 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

Nope!

CMU was like "it's in the letter - wait for the letter." Temple's dept has yet to email me directly (I was accepted by the grad school) but a friend who is there now said it took them about a week to email him with funding/other info (and judging by the GC boards that seems par for the course.) Buffalo's grad school emailed me at like 5:00 pm yesterday, so I figure it may be a day or two until I hear from the dept specifically with visiting/funding info. 

I'm fascinated to say the least

 

Wow, okay then. So maybe there's hope yet for funding. (Dare I hope? That's probably unwise lol.)

Anyway thanks for the insight! That's super helpful! 

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

3 minutes ago, bigfluffybearcat said:

Wow, okay then. So maybe there's hope yet for funding. (Dare I hope? That's probably unwise lol.)

Anyway thanks for the insight! That's super helpful! 

No problem - hopefully it helps! My $.02 - if the dept says on the website that they fully fund all students and all you have right now is a congratulatory "you're in!," I'd guess that they're going to give you more info soon(ish) - if that next contact doesn't explain things fully, you can definitely ask more Qs.

[littlemy]

54 minutes ago, JustPoesieAlong said:

Congratulations on the acceptance! I was accepted there as well. Are you planning on attending the recruitment event in March? If you don't mind my asking, what is your area of study? I'm early modern.

I was just contemplating over the email question as well. I think I will go ahead and send a basic thank you and that I look forward to hearing more. I don't know what to say about the recruitment weekend, though. I'd love to go, but I've visited once before (I almost went there for my master's) and am afraid I won't be able to go to visit events at other schools if I were invited. 

Congratulations on your acceptance, too! It's great we got accepted into the same school. 

I also haven't made my mind up about attending the recruitment event. I've never visited Texas before and I'd love to go, but it's so far away from where I live. Since it seems like one-day event and it will be 30 + hours of travel total, it's difficult to decide. I share your concern and I'm afraid I won't be able to visit other events if I get invited. Then, it won't really help me make my decision. So I'm still thinking and haven't said anything about the recruitment weekend in my thank you email.

Oh, and I'm interested in 20th and 21st century lit and race and ethnicity. 

By the way, could you share your experience of your visit to TAMU?   

Edited January 31, 2018 by littlemy

[bigfluffybearcat]

24 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

No problem - hopefully it helps! My $.02 - if the dept says on the website that they fully fund all students and all you have right now is a congratulatory "you're in!," I'd guess that they're going to give you more info soon(ish) - if that next contact doesn't explain things fully, you can definitely ask more Qs.

Thank you again for the input! This is really nice to know. You're awesome!

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

2 minutes ago, bigfluffybearcat said:

Thank you again for the input! This is really nice to know. You're awesome!

You're welcome - good luck! And congratS!

[bigfluffybearcat]

4 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

You're welcome - good luck! And congratS!

Thanks and good luck for the rest of your schools! I see you've got some real nice acceptances there 

[CulturalCriminal]

For the TAMU folks, it is a good program that many of my friends are hoping on getting into. Likewise, I’d say placement is good afterwards (quite a few folks working as profs in the Aus/San Antonio and DFW area have phds from there). 

I say it’s odd because of two reasons: location and undergrad population.

It’s at least two hours away from the more forward thinking TX metropolitan areas (DFW, Aus/SA, Houston), which means the immediate area outside of the typical University neighborhoods can be a bit conservative (in the evangelical way). That said the actual campus and sorroundings are safe and mostly hospitable to the kinds of ideas that tend to come with having spent 6+ years in a discipline driven by empathy.

As for the undergrad population (who you’ll be teaching), there are certainly liberal- and moderate-thinking people. That said, the immediate image most Texans conjure of the student body is white, conservative frat boys who come from family’s that are (at least in their area) considered wealthy. Though I think that is a tad unfair, I will note that it is one of the few public universities in this state that isn’t recognized as a Hispanic serving institution. Likewise, while it certainly isn’t as conservative as Baylor of Stephen F Austin, it certainly isn’t as liberal as UT or Texas State.

all of that said, it’s a good program with cool profs and grad students. 

[ashley623]

@CulturalCriminal, I have to laugh at your description of the student body, because it is, well...true. 

I went to a wealthy DFW high school and MANY of our rich white folk went to A&M. However, I don't know a single person who didn't absolutely love their time there, so I'm sure all of you guys will absolutely love it as well! 

[clinamen]

I was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

[FreakyFoucault]

3 minutes ago, clinamen said:

was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

CONGRATS!!!!

[Warelin]

4 minutes ago, clinamen said:

I was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

Congrats!

[M(allthevowels)H]

7 minutes ago, clinamen said:

I was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

Congratulations!!

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

7 minutes ago, clinamen said:

I was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

CONGRATS!!!

[Mellowyellow]

11 minutes ago, clinamen said:

I was accepted to Boston College this morning!! Total shock!! 

A win! Congrats!!

[JustPoesieAlong]

1 hour ago, littlemy said:

By the way, could you share your experience of your visit to TAMU?   

It was several years ago, and a bit of a whirlwind, but I was definitely impressed by the warmth and congeniality of the department. Going into MA programs, I was already specializing in early modern lit, so most of the profs and students I met with were in that area, if I recall correctly. But overall, it was a really good experience. The only reason I didn't end up going there was because I got an offer with higher funding at another school. 

I'm originally from Texas, and will second @CulturalCriminal's assessment of the area. College Station is a very conservative area--much more so than most university towns. Austin and College Station are basically different worlds. That said, I would bet that you would spend most of your time with people in the department/university, other than when teaching, so it wouldn't necessarily be that bad.

[AllThingsWorkTogether]

@Mellowyellow, Congrats! Very exciting news!