How many schools are you applying to?

[kismetcapitan]

Just one - Harvard.

Ain't hubris (I graduated from a Tier One undergrad school...with a GPA so low you'd think it was a typo). Simply put, I work, so it will cost me, on top of tuition, a significant amount of lost wages and time away from my wife and child, so I chose the program that would be the most useful, and there you go. When a masters degree will cost, in tuition, living expenses, plus all lost income from not working, a quarter million dollars, it better be a good program (also note I said "program", not "the school name on the diploma").

Plus, I don't quite get this applying to a million schools thing. I think universities are like marriage - you get something wonderful, but you have to give yourself heart and soul, at least if you want to have a really proper higher education experience. Do people, when they decide it's the year they should get married, go out and propose to 15 women, see who accepts them, and then choose?

I only applied to one undergrad program as well back in the day, early decision. you choose, you commit yourself heart and soul, apply....then hope like hell that they recognize your commitment and that if they accept you, you're a sure thing cause you've applied nowhere else!!!!

[solairne]

That's what happened to me. I applied to 3 schools last year and didn't get in. Fortunately, there's plenty you can do in a year to improve, and the application process makes so much more sense once you've done it once. Though, the across the board rejections didn't do much for my self-esteem, alas. And I was lucky in that my local state university had rolling admissions, and I got in to do an MA there, and could stay for the PhD if I choose. I'm applying to 7 schools this year.

But you seem well-qualified, so you may do well in this round.

Yea, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. In all honestly I think I will get into McGill and that is my number one by far. My research interests line up perfectly there. I don't have much faith in getting into MIT, as it is MIT, and I'd say Amherst is about 50/50. My research interests don't line up all that well with Rice, but it is local for me. Rice also doesn't embrace generative grammar... so that is a BIG BIG (read: earth-shattering) draw back.

If it does happen that I don't get in anywhere, I think I will take the year off since there are no MA Ling programs in Houston and use the time to attend as many conferences as possible. I'll probably sign up for the 2011 summer LSA program and write a few more papers and try to get one published in time for applications. All those happy thoughts aside, I will be pretty devastated if I don't get in this round, though.

Late February/early March can't come fast enough....

[pangur-ban]

Yea, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. In all honestly I think I will get into McGill and that is my number one by far. My research interests line up perfectly there. I don't have much faith in getting into MIT, as it is MIT, and I'd say Amherst is about 50/50. My research interests don't line up all that well with Rice, but it is local for me. Rice also doesn't embrace generative grammar... so that is a BIG BIG (read: earth-shattering) draw back.

If it does happen that I don't get in anywhere, I think I will take the year off since there are no MA Ling programs in Houston and use the time to attend as many conferences as possible. I'll probably sign up for the 2011 summer LSA program and write a few more papers and try to get one published in time for applications. All those happy thoughts aside, I will be pretty devastated if I don't get in this round, though.

I hope you get into McGill then too! From what I know, it's a pretty awesome school. I was at the 2009 LSA summer institute, and the couple of McGill students I met were very impressive. Plus their linguistics department makes lots of clever T-shirts.

And no generative grammar at Rice? What do they... do, then? *runs off to look at website*

[solairne]

I hope you get into McGill then too! From what I know, it's a pretty awesome school. I was at the 2009 LSA summer institute, and the couple of McGill students I met were very impressive. Plus their linguistics department makes lots of clever T-shirts.

And no generative grammar at Rice? What do they... do, then? *runs off to look at website*

According to their site:

cognitive/functional linguistics

typology and language universals

field studies in American Indian, Australian, Austronesian, African, and other languages

sociolinguistics

discourse studies

phonetics and speech processing

laboratory phonology

neurolinguistics

language change and grammaticization

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

Plus, I don't quite get this applying to a million schools thing. I think universities are like marriage - you get something wonderful, but you have to give yourself heart and soul, at least if you want to have a really proper higher education experience. Do people, when they decide it's the year they should get married, go out and propose to 15 women, see who accepts them, and then choose?

I see the application stage as more equivalent to dating. You put yourself out there, some will reject you, others love you...then you get to pick from those who want you also. Then comes the commitment. And I suppose the degree is the baby?

[fancypants09]

Late in joining the bandwagon here, but I'm only applying to 2 schools. I looked at a few other programs but felt that they weren't good fits for me.

[Serric]

Just one - Harvard.

Ain't hubris (I graduated from a Tier One undergrad school...with a GPA so low you'd think it was a typo). Simply put, I work, so it will cost me, on top of tuition, a significant amount of lost wages and time away from my wife and child, so I chose the program that would be the most useful, and there you go. When a masters degree will cost, in tuition, living expenses, plus all lost income from not working, a quarter million dollars, it better be a good program (also note I said "program", not "the school name on the diploma").

Plus, I don't quite get this applying to a million schools thing. I think universities are like marriage - you get something wonderful, but you have to give yourself heart and soul, at least if you want to have a really proper higher education experience. Do people, when they decide it's the year they should get married, go out and propose to 15 women, see who accepts them, and then choose?

I only applied to one undergrad program as well back in the day, early decision. you choose, you commit yourself heart and soul, apply....then hope like hell that they recognize your commitment and that if they accept you, you're a sure thing cause you've applied nowhere else!!!!

I agree with the idea that you devote yourself heart and soul to the program, but I think your marriage analogy is a little bit flawed. Applying to one program, though it may seem like a good fit on paper, may end poorly if you can't find faculty you enjoy working with in the department (in terms of interpersonal interactions, not research interests and such).

Rather, I agree with ScreamingHairyArmadillo in that it's more like casual dating. You apply to several schools; some reject you, some invite you on the first date (i.e. interview). They pay for dinner, you get to stay over at their place for a couple nights, and--if you perform well enough--a few weeks later they pop the question for you.

I'm applying to as many schools as I did both to hedge my bets against rejection, but also to (hopefully) give me leeway in choosing a program that fits my best interests both professionally and personally.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Serric

[LifeIsGood]

Just one - Harvard.

Ain't hubris (I graduated from a Tier One undergrad school...with a GPA so low you'd think it was a typo). Simply put, I work, so it will cost me, on top of tuition, a significant amount of lost wages and time away from my wife and child, so I chose the program that would be the most useful, and there you go. When a masters degree will cost, in tuition, living expenses, plus all lost income from not working, a quarter million dollars, it better be a good program (also note I said "program", not "the school name on the diploma").

This is kind of where I'm coming from. I'm in the humanities and have no delusion that the job market will be a cake walk. I've applied only to schools that:

* Have several well-respected profs in my subfield.

* Would give me a solid shot at a TT job afterward.

* Be easier for my family, logistically, so even if there's no job forthcoming, we've still had some great years.

I applied to two schools, either one of which would be awesome. If I don't get in, I'll find a job in my field that doesn't require a PhD (public history, high school teaching, etc.). I've been accused of arrogance, but on the contrary, I really don't assume I'll get in. I actually assume I probably won't, but going to a less-than-stellar school won't do me or my family any good. It would be a luxury to spend that time without a real shot at a job afterward, and that's not fair to my family.

[APHI224]

but going to a less-than-stellar school won't do me or my family any good. It would be a luxury to spend that time without a real shot at a job afterward, and that's not fair to my family.

Isn't it scary to feel like unless you go to the top school that you won't have a shot at a decent job? It makes me wonder if I should even bother going to a school that isn't top tier... will my education be worth anything? Is there any hope for us at all if we can't get into Harvard? Wow it is a terrifying world out there

Edited January 7, 2010 by APHI224

[tarski]

Isn't it scary to feel like unless you go to the top school that you won't have a shot at a decent job? It makes me wonder if I should even bother going to a school that isn't top tier... will my education be worth anything? Is there any hope for us at all if we can't get into Harvard? Wow it is a terrifying world out there

I've applied to schools throughout the top 50 in my field. In the top 10 or so, placement records make it obvious that everyone gets good jobs. In the 40-50 range, not all the placement records are good, but some of them are. You just have to look a bit harder.

[kismetcapitan]

I see the application stage as more equivalent to dating. You put yourself out there, some will reject you, others love you...then you get to pick from those who want you also. Then comes the commitment. And I suppose the degree is the baby?

that's brilliant. My analogy was indeed extreme and oversimplistic. I love yours better!

hmm. I can still fire off a couple more apps. Maybe I should go hit the local dating scene?

I work in Korea. Koreans (including my parents), think an acceptance letter is like an achievement, getting an award, winning the 1st place trophy. And yes, if we get our first choice school there's lots of screaming, dancing around, and celebration to be sure. But it's really just an invitation, to lots of hard work and deep academic commitment. Feels like marriage So the degree would definitely be like the baby

[iCyborg]

10, submitted 8, 2 to go.

All are in Mech Eng (Robotics). Is anyone in the same boat?

[gazelle]

Started with four schools, cut it down to two. Not feeling too good about it.

[Caohit]

Applied to 10 schools and just finished submitting the last application a few minutes ago. Also, my last letter of recommendation is in as of a few hours ago. It's a great feeling!

Also, love the dating analogy.

[Lauren the Librarian]

I applied to one masters program. It's really competitive so it's very possible I won't get in. If that happens I'll apply again next year. And the next... and the next... until they take me.

[neocortex]

9 in Mech. Engineering/Computer Science (Robotics)

Edited January 8, 2010 by neocortex

[1f3_2kf2]

have a good time teaching philosophy at community college, buddy.

edit: oops, this is @the last poster of page 3

Edited February 8, 2010 by 1f3_2kf2

[punkybugsy]

Applied to 4 .... If it doesn't work out this year I'll pull out the big gun and take local grad classes at Lehigh, prep like a demon for the subject test, and apply to 10+ schools next year.

[VUbrat08]

I'm applying/applied to possibly 5, definitely 4. 3 down, 2 to go.

But I'm really keeping my fingers crossed about my #1 school.....

[microman]

14 schools. Last year I applied to 5, and did not have a clue of what I was doing, and so was rejected across the board (In retrospect, many of them were poor fits). On the advice of a friend, I decided to "shotgun it", picking a large number of schools that catered well to my interests. So far, I'm glad I did, because its now down to 1 acceptance, 3 that I am waiting on, and 1 more interview. The rest of the list dropped off pretty quick.

[tarski]

I decided to "shotgun it", picking a large number of schools that catered well to my interests. So far, I'm glad I did

Heh. I posted here a while ago, but now that results are coming in I'm also glad this approach worked out. I've got lots of rejections (but a few accepts, which is all that matters to me).

[afamgrad2011]

i was planning on applying to two...but might apply to four....