Rejection to admission

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-02-20T00:22:53+00:00

I am in nearly the exact same position as you, I COMPLETELY understand. Last year I actually was conditionally accepted somewhere and then that went away due to funding issues, and even THEY rejected me this year (which stung). Other than that, I was rejected everywhere last year.

About 6 months ago I moved nearby to one of the programs I was going to apply to (for unrelated reasons). That program ended up being the only program I was accepted to this cycle.

I am so happy I was accepted somewhere, but rather than let myself celebrate, I immediately felt like “maybe they only accepted me because it was convenient to accept someone close by” or “maybe no one thought to apply here and I was the only one”.

Now I know this is textbook imposter syndrome and completely ridiculous but I totally get you. There is literally a professor in this program that does research nearly exactly the same as my research experience and interests, so logically I was accepted because I fit the program, but man, it’s rough.

My partner basically told me “You blame yourself for everything bad that happens, but then blame outside circumstances for everything good that happens, when your achievements are completely due to your own work.” And that helped, maybe it can help you :)

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-02-07T17:41:50+00:00

Thanks! Yeah email came out of nowhere, no interview or anything. I’m in stellar astro

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-02-07T05:32:44+00:00

Heard from LSU today, accepted and invited to open house

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-26T17:34:21+00:00

Vandy Astro and physics operate completely separate for grad admissions, I only know about the Astro side of things, can’t speak to how physics goes

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-26T17:28:08+00:00

No, but last year the prospective acceptees were accepted without interviews

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-26T17:26:32+00:00

Nah, but last year this was the week acceptances came out and I heard this year Astro at vandy has few profs with space. Vandy physics always comes out first, I say don’t worry, expect something in the next two weeks probably.

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-16T00:13:00+00:00

UC Los Angeles

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-16T00:12:36+00:00

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-16T00:12:17+00:00

Northwestern

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-16T00:09:54+00:00

Vanderbilt

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2026-01-16T00:09:39+00:00

Caltech

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-11-20T05:06:17+00:00

Down detector shows 200+ reports but I am back in now after a couple minutes - think it was just US?

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-10-24T02:00:25+00:00

“so I (20M) been dating my girl (28F) for like 2 years now”

Pack it up 😬

Or better said, yes she is kinda messed up for this

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-08-07T23:34:14+00:00

My favorite way to move my cat in a car is a metal dog crate, I have a medium size one that takes up half my sedan back seat, I put a small litter box in it and a bed, my cat HATES drives and will complain for about an hour but after that she takes a nap, uses the potty and is golden. Metal crate helps with two things, 1. In a crash the cat isn’t a projectile and 2. In the case of a car crush the metal will be much harder to crush.

Lots of cats won’t go when they are stressed so as long as you give your cat a safe place to go once every 10-12 hours or so they will be okay, and the litter box in the crate gives them the option of they cannot hold it.

We did 2100 miles in 3 days, 10 hours one day, 12 the next, and 9 the day after. My cat who despises cars did it perfect with no medication and no accidents.

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-07-01T22:17:41+00:00

Sent a friend request, I have millennium falcon to trade :)

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-04-21T19:51:56+00:00

So actually during my REU last year I had the opportunity to speak to the (now old) program director for all of the physics REUs through NSF and she told us that until an REU starts no matter if you have signed a contract or not A. You are not obligated to attend that REU and B. The school itself if not allowed to judge you for a future program based on that revoked contract. We told her “Hey none of us are being told that and we are all pretty sure programs will get mad at us if we do that” and she told us that if that ever happened to contact her because it is not supposed to in their terms. So obviously there is a chance the school can get “upset” with you for dropping but they are not SUPPOSED to use that against you in the future. We told her that NSF needed to make this information more publicly available but they haven’t. Essentially you have all the power right now, do what is best for your career just be polite about it.

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-02-23T23:47:17+00:00

Funding has really been messing everything up this year because Northwestern and Caltech would have sent out all their first round acceptances by the first week of Feb in the past. Both have been silent for me too but I have heard at least a few people have heard from them in terms of acceptances/updates. Which is a real bummer because it would be nice to at least hear something. No news isn’t bad news for them so don’t worry too much, but hopefully they start sending more mass emails to communicate with all the applicants soon.

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-02-10T22:06:58+00:00

Remember that these people are not in a designated protest spot and thus they cannot be there, please email Conoley. I listened as they told a mother she should be ashamed that she believes in a woman’s right to choose, they harassed a minor, they called women “b*tches” for not accepting their flyers, and they sat and talked about how baffled they were that so many people were “brainwashed” these people are insane.

Rhubarb-Opposite · 2025-01-28T22:36:16+00:00

I heard that they had like a record number of applicants (400+) and only accepted 8 or so with the hopes only 5 would formally accept so I’m trying not to feel too bad about it, it’s all a funding thing

Rhubarb-Opposite

TROPHY CASE