[markchang]

One of the reasons I posted the letters was because I'd not seen a big set of rejection letters anywhere before. In fact, I hadn't actually looked at the mass of them together before myself.

You are right. I didn't outline the reasons why I posted this very explicitly. I hoped that people would form their own opinions about these things, honestly. One reason, for myself, was that I found myself reflecting on failure, persistence, bad job application strategies, etc., and just marveling at the mass of it all there in one spot, all looking rather similar.

The feeling of rejection is one that we all share, and I thought I could connect with people by posting these letters.

Anyways, normal rates, yes. Special post? Guess not. I felt it was worth sharing.

[ncarlson]

I don't understand the parent's disdain. Your post definitely was worth sharing. Thank you.

[rizzom5000]

There are surely many reasons it was worth sharing. For me it was educational to contemplate the number of applications submitted.

Also, in this case it was fun to the see the letterheads for a large number of well-respected engineering schools all addressed to the same person. Just to be in the position to be rejected by those departments is a significant accomplishment, after all.

[lliiffee]

In my experience, the number of applications submitted is actually somewhat low compared to most recently graduated PhDs these days.