Vincenzo

I'd say it's strong all the way around. If you want to knock the ball outta the park try to get a paper published or in review before fall. Otherwise, study up and do good on the GRE, make sure you have at least four references lined up from whom you can expect the highest marks, and spend the entire summer working on your statement(s) of purpose (try to get help revising from your current professors/mentors). (Note: I say at least four references because inevitably people are going to forget and be late or just be too busy and you don't want to end up with an application under water because you're missing a letter of rec. Two of my applications to national fellowships were rejected without review because of this.) It's also a good idea (do this late summer or early fall) to put some feelers out with professors of interest - just quick emails to get on their radar(s) and see if they're planning to accept students for the next year (and to let them know what area of their work you're interested in). And all the other usual points of order... The short: your CV is better than most. Keep it up and you'll be fine. If there's one thing I would absolutely advise, though, it's that you apply to more than just the three programs listed in your signature. Like, at least three times as many. Just in cases. The competition out there is incredibly thick and the available slots for new PhD students are very few. Read some of the madness in the Waiting it Out section for a good picture. You'll probably make a fantastic applicant, but the way things are right now the programs have ten such for every one they can accept. All of them are having to turn away numerous people that they would otherwise really want, if only they had the space/money. Aside from having some grand accomplishment to stand out by, your best best is to apply apply apply apply apply.

Rinse, if it makes you feel any better I applied to five Cognitive Science programs (though they all have various names) and haven't heard a peep from any of them. Online apps are still maintaining status points that don't indicate any decisions having been made. I've been going through all the same worries you have, too. But those things are side effects of the awful waiting. Try not to grant yourself the liberty to play what if right now.

If I get into one of the UC schools (applied to UCSD, UCSB, UCSC), I'll sell my current bike this summer before moving and then pick up one of these sometime in the fall: For getting in anywhere else, I'll go "Yay!" and then have a glass of scotch. Full rejections: just the scotch.

Even with the expense aside, which does suck, the real problem for me was getting my recommenders to keep up. These are very busy people, I get that, and I'm totally grateful, but man it was rough. There was only so much I could do to organize things, only so many gentle reminders I could send. I applied to ten programs and four fellowships and every program got a least one recommendation late. I was rejected without review from 3 of the 4 fellowships because of late (which to them is the same as completely absent) recommendations. I put so much time and effort into those applications; to have them rejected out of hat like that... oooh... rage. So, honestly, I don't get how anybody manages 20-ish applications. Even if you can turn tricks to cover the cost, and you spend the months and months it takes to learn enough to be familiar with all those departments/POIs, and you have the stamina for all the essays... even with all that, how on Earth do you get recommenders that will put up with so many apps?

I doubt the people that play a role in deciding to admit you will ever look at your transcripts again. They better not look at mine.

I basically did this same thing. But, you know, with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue. And no freezer.

I'm just gonna go and be gone. Like this dude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnjO2Z2f2_8

Especially given your program, I'm gonna go with Freudian slip. He probably got a laugh. I know I did.

You are my hero.

^this

Aw, don't fret too much. We all did it and the reviewers are used to it. As long as it wasn't rampant you're ok. In my case I went back and read a few of my SoPs and just put my head down. I told my desk, "I will never admit to writing those. Ever." This is what happens when I read my SoPs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO_zsHa_JT0&feature=youtu.be&t=5s

"Dear Princeton: It's my birthday, sooooo... how 'bout you slip an acceptance into my card this year, k? Thanks. -kyjin"

I expect that this is extremely rare, and probably only happens if a particular professor from the alternative program is already familiar with/interested in the student. There are some applications that have a section like, "If you would like us to share your application with another department please list it here: " but I don't put much stock in it. Given that, for many or most of us, we're looking at about a 5% chance (on average) of getting into the programs that we do apply to, I'd say it's much much less for having one program essentially advocate for us enough to get our applications some consideration with another that we didn't apply to. Believe me, that's not the response I want to give to this inquiry. For all our sakes I wish I could say yeah, they review the applications thoroughly and if it seems like we'd be a good fit with another department they make sure we get seen, but I can't.

I wish I could say this. You know what I do in class? Yeah, that's right, the same thing I do everywhere else! Refresh-Refresh-Refresh I'm all, "Oh, an assignment was due? Well, [shrug] whatever..." I have tried and tried to make myself care, but until I have at least one acceptance or a couple of interviews lined up, I just have no willpower left for class. Thankfully, the doc has me on some new meds:

See, this is a question I would love. And, it's actually quite a good one in this context. Consider, these folks are on the verge of making a significant investment in you. You're someone they might bring into their pack for several years. Sniffing you out is an even more crucial part of the process than any SoP or LoR. As woosah mentioned, the purpose of this question is to see how you handle criticism (especially when you're not expecting it). It's a test of maturity, and it sounds like you passed it. So, cheers! Don't think less of your interviewers. They're just trying to make sure they're investing in forthcoming students that have the thick skin and quick wit necessary to handle a tough program. And as far as hurtful goes, it would help to note that your interviewers are (I'm assuming) career academics. It's clear that the question was asked from the perspective of someone that would think of a pro student as wasting life (hence, shaking you up), but from your interviewers themselves a title of "Professional Student" is probably a departmental accolade that comes with a shiny sash and a certificate and a party with cake. I think you can safely set your worries aside, mate.

Hold up, was I the only one that gave them a stack of cash ahead of time?

If it makes you feel any better, I applied to schools several minutes before the deadlines.

Right there with ya.

Oh... and bring some Alka Seltzer to pop in quick if necessary. The mailman don't ask questions when torch-wielding women are foaming at the mouth. He just hands over the letter from Stanford and backs away slowly.

This girl has the right idea for that sorta thing...

Get hopped up on bunny love?

I threw my Jello cup in the sink and my spoon in the trash.

This is what I keep thinking - especially with more and more comments being added to the results section about how [for given programs] all invites have already gone out. As we get closer to the interview dates it just becomes that much less likely that we'll hear anything good. And what bugs me most is that I don't see any updates to my applications. My status points all indicate that everything is still pending. I mean, if you're gonna reject me just get it over with. Grr.

wefresh rewfresh refresh