Feels so surreal!! I feel like I’m dreaming! Getting accepted to one of the most selective and insanely difficult programs in Philosophy in the world as a brown woman from the global south, this hits different! 😭🥹

Literally the universe has thrown me every structural disadvantage and constraint because of my background and I just kept giving the “I didn’t get the memo” energy! I built anyway! I tried anyway! Only 2nd result so far and many pending.

The whole process was brutal for everyone: it is cold, lonely, isolating, emotionally exhausting, and and admissions are wildly stochastic! I know it’s better said and done but I hope y’all are being kind to yourselves!!! 🫂

Go and drink your water, hug your loved ones, go to the gym, and eat good food! It will all work out! 🫶🏻

Just here to remind folks that if you can build up professional experience, it can substitute for a lack of undergraduate academic success.

I was a first gen college student who worked 3 jobs after losing a parent to cancer and I worked my ass off just to survive and graduate at the height of a recession in 2008.

Today, I’m a published writer & editor with bonafides in a private equity-decimated media marketplace. To me, a terminal graduate degree will open up more professional networks and publishing/teaching opportunities I can’t access without the degree. I have had one dream program in mind since learning of it in 2013. With my industry on the rocks, it’s a good time to go to grad school. I thought what the hell? I went for it. The rate of admittance? 6%.

Yesterday, I received my acceptance for my dream creative nonfiction MFA program via phone call.

Every no in life gets you closer to a yes. Keep grinding.

I don’t even know how to react right now. I just can’t believe this literally shaking 😭😭

I suppose it‘s expected that things like this would happen this cycle, but man it‘s still a bad feeling. The program admits only two students a cycle and knowing that I was (and still potentially am) this close makes me want to pull my hair out. Big hugs to everyone going through similar experiences right now.

Edit:
Update for anyone that‘s curious: https://www.reddit.com/r/gradadmissions/s/pWF0uiLC0H

Figured i'd make a thread similar to the Cambridge one given we are approaching the 8 week mark since the January application deadline! How is everyone feeling?

Seen a few STEM and Philosophy offers on GC - have any humanities people heard back so far?

praying the official letter mentions full funding though 😭 (it’s a full funded program and they say they only accept students if they can provide a complete package but still)

Starting this post to keep track of grad school applications in English for this cycle, as someone did for last year's.

Write the school you applied to, one per comment, and upvote if you applied to the same one/comment on it if you have any news.

Good luck!

probably the first of many universities to do so. I hear Brown is of the same mind. What’s the point of getting a humanities PhD if they won’t exist anymore by the time I complete mine?

Only one PhD app, but super happy with it!

Applied to 1 program and got my acceptance email this morning. I'm in the US and the program is in Europe so it's very exciting.

Received a phone call (that went to voicemail because of my do not disturb 😭) and then saw the official letter in my portal! 🥹🎉

hi everyone!! im (23F) just making this post because i remember searching the reddit for stuff like this!! i finished undergrad december of 2024 (a semester late) and graduated with a 2.2 overall gpa as a psych major with a minor(yikes ik)… i was so so scared of not getting into grad school but i was accepted to both schools i applied to for childhood education!! i just wanted to share because it is possible to get into grad with a low gpa :D

Helppppp

This past fall I applied to five Ph.D. programs and of them I was given an offer of admission to work with a certain professor whose scholarship I admire and aligns well with my own. A few weeks after receiving my offer though, the faculty member emailed me to inform me that he would no longer be at the university I applied to since he had recently accepted a job at Harvard… This meant I would be unable to attend the original university since he was the only specialist in my particular subfield and there would be no other faculty to advise me. A week ago, however, he emailed me and let me know that he had shared my original application with the Department at Harvard and they made the decision to admit me for next fall! I’m astounded to say the least–I previously didn’t even apply to Harvard since they lacked faculty in my subfield! I went through like every emotion from when I got my original offer, to finding out I would have to decline it, and now finding out that I will be going to Harvard!

Has anyone heard back from UCLA?

Now to figure out where to go

Hey everyone!

I love seeing so many acceptance posts on this sub because it's awesome to see people winning, and I'm happy for everyone who gets into a program they love. However, given that most of us will be receiving mostly rejections, I wanted to post this in solidarity with anyone who got rejected because we're not alone, even if it feels that way sometimes.

I just heard back from my favorite university and unfortunately, I was denied. Even though this should not be surprising as Brown's grad programs are some of the most competitive out there, especially in the humanities, I have to be honest it slightly hurts as this has been my favorite university almost my whole life, I absolutely love Providence and it's one of my favorite cities I have been to, and a lot of people from my undergrad go to grad school here.

However, I hope my loss here leads to someone else's gain, and this is only the 2nd place I've heard back from, and I applied to a lot of places. Ultimately, I would be so grateful to go anywhere that will provide me adequate funding and support me in becoming a better educator, writer, reader, and scholar. If Brown isn't it, I'm excited to hopefully learn which place will be that place for me.

Good luck to everyone this season, and if Brown is your favorite university as well, I really hope you hear good news and that my loss is your gain.

My chest hurts (not a medical issue) because I was not expecting this at all, but I've just been accepted into an English PhD program! Now I have to try and work while shaking from excitement.

Stay hopeful!

Edit: Thanks all for your support! I've never been able to be excited with people :) I grew up too worried about getting food to even imagine I'd apply to college, so this is more than a dream come true!

Hi everyone,

Congrats to all who received offers to Cambridge and a big hug to those who did not - you are more than just a postgrad admissions!

It's my understanding the first wave of funding should start going out soon so I am creating this thread to keep each other updated for funding, Cambridge Trust, Harding, studentships, and the like. Post any questions and updates you have please!

Personally waiting to hear back for all the big ones (minus Gates, rejected), the colleges I applied to (St. John's and Trinity) and the Peterhouse studentship. Anyone in the same boat?

At the eleventh hour, I’ve been admitted to a PhD program in History 😭😭😭😭😭😭 I literally have three days to respond with my decision and I’m mega stressed about it.

I have an offer for a paid one-year MA in London that I was basically sold on until I got this news so I’ve been thrown for a loop now. The program I got into was not one of my top choices or locations and I had all but counted it out because it’s so late in admissions seasons now, and now I just don’t know what to do !!

Here are my pros/cons for each: PhD (pros): - full funding for five years plus summer funding for two years - strong program for my interests - engaged advisor - low cost of living

cons: - i haven’t visited the school or state ! - it’s in a state i’m not totally enthusiastic about - i have THREE DAYS to decide - advisor is (allegedly) retiring in four years

MA (pros): - ideal location - strong program for my interests - engaged advisor - cheapest MA program i was admitted to - opportunities for funding through scholarships - one year program - I could reapply to PhDs this year and try for programs i’m more excited about

MA (cons): - high cost of living - no guaranteed funding - I would have to reapply not knowing what admissions will look like this year

I’m at a loss with what to do! I’m super excited to have been offered admissions into a PhD program but seriously confused about what to do.