anaZep

First time I notice this thread, but I, too, will be at Cal in the fall, also at the College of Environmental Design (MCP). I'm SO excited!!! Moving from Boston to Berkeley and counting down the days!! Platysaurus: I definitely experiences issues after I signed up for Berkeley email. I had to contact the webmaster and reset my password (that process itself took several days. Supposedly the main IT guy was on vacation ), but I haven't experienced any problems since. Good luck!

I would definitely contact someone in admissions, and/or the director of the program to inform them and discuss your situation. Especially if you might reapply for the next cycle, you want to maintain good ties with the school as well as your recommenders who put themselves on the line to write letters in your favor. And don't be so hard on yourself about your GPA. I think your work history and experience is strong enough to overshadow your GPA, and strengthening your GRE might be enough to completely overcome it. Don't sell yourself short and include a couple of "reach/dream schools" on your list. You'll never know if you don't try, and you might be pleasantly surprised with the results! (I also had a low undergrad GPA, and was VERY surprised by the results [i'm pursuing a MCP not MPP].) Good luck!

black hole

organ failure

In retrospect, it's easy to say that I should have been more confident going into the application cycle. I applied only to top 10 schools in my field, but throughout the process I was insecure and pessimistic about my chances of admission anywhere, because of my low UGPA (sub-3.0). I researched all the grad planning programs and only applied to those that have concentrations in my field of interest (among other determining factors, including location, alumni network, etc.). With solid recommendation letters, tailored SOP's, good GRE scores, and several years of work experience, I'm happy to say that I've been able to overcome a low UGPA and so far have been admitted to all the schools where I applied. It turns out that admissions committees do value passion and motivation more than just numbers. I'm glad I didn't let one poor factor in my application dictate where I applied, but this process has been humbling and simultaneously eye-opening. It's time I stop expecting the worst, and start smelling the roses! I read this quote recently and feel it's very relevant to my life and grad school application process: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." --Winston Churchill.

blue steel

Two hours after my post yesterday, I got an unexpected email that I was admitted to one of my top choice (and top-ranked!!) programs!! I had completely discounted my chances and fully expected to be rejected outright. Don't stop believin'!!

At this time last year, several of the schools I applied to this cycle had already started notifying students. This year, only one of the schools I applied to has started notifying candidates. I haven't heard anything and i've quickly descended from a semi-detached, normally functioning person to a nervous, glass-is-empty-and-has-a-hole-at-the-bottom mental case. Watching the attached video made me (temporarily) lighten up and actually laugh out loud, so I'll share it with you. Good luck and best wishes to everyone still waiting!! http://www.happyplace.com/21676/flailing-man-protects-car-from-hail-storm

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QNbRMG-4wAI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Special dedication to the admissions committees at the schools I'm still waiting to hear back from (which is ALL of them!). :sigh:

sailor moon

baby bird

pooper scooper

transit authority

coffee bean

real estate

common factor

killer instinct

queen bee

chow down

rusty pipe

car insurance

i've had several funky dreams lately, including one in which I had scales and was picking them off anxiously while conversing with my ex-boyfriend's mother... but last night i had the first one that I can directly associate with 'losing my damn mind' stressing over grad school admissions. Last night I dreamed that one of my professors who has submitted LOR's, mistakenly checked off the "bottom 50%" rather than the "Top 5 (or 10?)%" in his assessment of my academic ability in comparison with other previous students. I remember sobbing despondently and lamenting my doomed future. And I'm really wishing I could take a peek at my recommendation letters. Damn you, waiver!!

I was enrolled in a masters program 2011-2012 in a different state, but after deciding it wasn't quite what I wanted after all, I moved across the country to live with my parents while I apply for new programs. I needed a job, so I'm working in a related field in a low-paying salaried position that I wouldn't have accepted were it not for the grad school plans. Now I'm caught between a rock and a hard place because I'm not happy at my job, but unsure whether or not I'll get into grad school. I've interviewed for different (much more exciting) positions, but I'm uncertain about proceeding with the interviews (second round coming up!) because, well, what if I get into grad school and have to leave within 6 months!? But on the flip side, what if I don't get in anywhere, and then I'm stuck at this low-paying low-prestige job indefinitely!? :sigh: woe is me.

haha! i've been thinking of doing this myself. Anyone else? Is it worth the cost? And, how elaborate are your LinkedIn profiles? I have only listed my professional titles & schools attended, but I see some people include courses taken, etc. Re: academia.edu -- does this mean people (that I've dated or have considered dating) could potentially see when I've [hypothetically] google-stalked them??

knight errant