Letters # 3 and 4

M_____________,

I know you have been waiting a long time to have some definitive word from us about acceptance to the doctoral program beginning in the Fall 2006 semester. I appreciate your patience. Unfortunately, I must inform you that we will not be able to offer you admission.

This was a very difficult decision for us. This year we had an unusually well-qualified group of applicants, numbering more that 220. Our total number of applicants was up by more than twenty percent from last year. You can imagine that the competition has been severe because we are able to admit fewer than five percent of those who applied. WE had enough qualified applicants to fill an entering class five times the size of the class we are in the position to admit. In most cases, and possibly yours, the decision we made had less to do with whether a candidate was qualified for graduate study than it did with hoe well a candidate would work with our existing faculty. Again, let me repeat that this was a difficult process for us.

My colleagues join me in expressing appreciation for your interest in our program. We know how much time and effort you put into preparing your application. This makes us especially sorry that we cannot invite you to join us in the fall semester. We hope, though, that you will be able to realize your plans for graduate work at another institution.

Please be assured of my best wishes for the continuation of your studies.

R. W. McC.
Associate Director for Graduate Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Dear M_____,

I am sorry to inform you that we are unable to admit you to the doctoral program in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. Our admissions committee has reviewed your file carefully and has decided not to recommend admission.

Each year we receive many more applications for admission than we can accommodate and, as a result, we must turn away many fine, well-qualified students. We hope that you will be able to find another graduate program that suits your needs and interests.

Thank you for considering the Annenberg School at USC. We wish you every success in your future studies.

Cordially,
G. T. G.
Director of Doctoral Studies

In some ways, it is cathartic to retype the letters I have received. It helps me examine the language and really read what they sent me rather than seeing the big red REJECTION that flashed in front of my eyes when I opened these letters. I received both letters in the mail on Saturday. Two in one day, how did I get so lucky?

The next step is applying to the local university masters program and pray that I get accepted there. I did get a rejection letter from another masters program at the same university before. My dad is already looking for other PhD programs for me to apply to for the fall, anything that still has open registration dates. So far, UC Riverside and University of Minnesota have been brought up. His alma mater and a brand new program that a colleague of his is chairing, respectively. I just don’t know if I have the energy for more applications. Since I have already filled out so many applications, and kept copies of all my materials, the actual applications would not be a problem. And I could get started on ordering another round of GRE scores and transcripts but it’s the letters of recommendation that I just don’t have the energy for.

Oh, one of my letters would be no problem. She actually sent me three copies in case I needed them for anything else and I know as long as I email her and let her know if the other schools I sent her letter to, she would be okay with it. It’s the other two. One would probably not be a problem, I would just need to send her the info and the envelopes preaddressed and stamped. It’s just a little embarrassing to say, “oh hey, I need a couple other letters because I didn’t get into any of the first round schools”. I could get over it though. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and do what you gotta do. It’s the third recommender I am having problems with. I recently contacted her for the last letter I need for the local University and she said that has mailed it but lo and behold, I have not received anything. I have asked her to re-mail it and I am praying it arrives in time for me to have everything in this Friday. I think I am going to email her again and ask her to send it directly to the program. That way I can get everything else done tonight and send it off tomorrow so I know that it will get there on time.

I don’t know, I need to get through this week and then reconsider applying to other universities. I need to see what would be involved. Well, now I know what my part of my tax refund is going towards.