TakeMyCoffeeBlack

Umm....

Breathe, brotha! (or sista?)

Which, surprisingly, I got to demonstrate today when our discussions headed into US/EU relations and China/EU relations (and normative power, economic partnership, etc.). It felt good to be able to contribute substantive information to the debate. Well folks, I submitted application #9. Now I can't even distract myself from waiting by still having more work to do...

I'm not exactly representative because I'm stuck across the ocean through visitation season, but... I would say A>C>B. Although, if it's really a dream school, I'm going to do what I can to get there regardless. However, if I were still in undergrad, missing half of the week's classes could create some headaches - not including work issues. Actually, I might put A and C together, even. I'd imagine if I went to a visit weekend in February, you'd get a chance to win me over and build up a sense of allegiance to the school before I've wandered over to the others. But that's just me.

I'm anticipating this haha. But even right now, I'm taking master's seminars at a top German Uni, and I fluctuate between two thoughts: 1.) Holy crap, these people really know what they're talking about, I feel so inferior and 2.) Well... maybe they know this particular content better than I do, but I'm able to synthesize the information just as well (if not better) than they are. And I guess that's one of the purposes of grad school, no? I mean, you would be able to offer insight into that. Ideally, the new grad students will have considerable knowledge and past experience, but what's more important (I think?) is that they have what it takes to handle the work and learn everything necessary to become the best researchers they can. At least that's what I'm hoping. I'm sure I'll go through periods where I'll feel completely incapable (should I be lucky enough to begin a program next year).

Something like that is really minor. Even my best published (now emeritus) professor has frequent typos. Yet, he's published several times with Oxford, gets flown down to the state capital every time there's a constitutional crisis, etc. The point is that it's obvious he knows where the apostrophe should be, and if it's missing every now and then, oh well. His work is still superior to a lot of others. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if UCLA decides that you're a good fit for them and match their ideal candidate profile, they're not going to knock you off the list because of typos. But that's just my two cents.

I hear this. I've actually been wondering whether, if something doesn't come through for next year, I should consider doing a Masters in Econ. That's definitely the great dark spot in my app (both in the form of my Q score and past training). But I did alright last year (one acceptance no funding, one wait list, both top forty), and I've come a long way since then (the only thing that isn't changing at least a little is my GRE score)...so hopefully something? And some of the applicants here (you included!) are just really outstanding. I did some SOP exchanges, and it makes me feel...incompetent at times. I have to keep reminding myself that where I *might* stand out in such a great crowd are my somewhat different, off the beaten path interests (well, more like parallel to the beaten path). I wish I could just not think about any of this until the end of January. It's just not realistic. Especially with my gf bugging me about figuring out where we're going to live next year (she'll be done with her master's and I'll be back in the States).

Why do you think if you didn't put yourself out there and meet someone in undergrad, that you would do it as a graduate student? What has changed about you that will facilitate that?

Become a waitress somewhere that a lot of single guys hang out?

I mean, you're turning 23, not 53... And even then you could fall in love and have a long, happy relationship. Just an honest two cents (meant well, I promise!): if this is the kind of vibe you give off when flirting or dating (i.e. obsessive), then it probably won't work, unless you end up in an emotionally abusive relationship (e.g. a dominating partner). On the other hand, you'll be 25 with a master's degree if you get into a program this year. An independent woman with the foundations for a solid career? Well, now we're getting somewhere. You just became like 100% more attractive to this guy. And really just to emphasize: the idea that at 23 the dating pool "isn't getting bigger" is such bologna. The people who are getting married now at 23 have likely been dating their partner for a while - so that pool hasn't shrunk from that - or some reason popped its bald little head into their lives and forced their hands. I mean, your last sentence about the holidays sounds like something my 14 year old sister would say. Let's be real here - you're still very young.

So for the last 5 hours I've had 8 applications submitted (a few for over a week). Why haven't I been accepted anywhere yet? Oh...I have to wait til February/March/April?

Unless I block gradcafe on my browser, probably not gonna happen..

Hey, you beat me in both V and Q (by a long shot on Q)! I think your scores will only help you.

I lucked out with some fee waivers because of my government fellowship - but last year I took on some $600+ in credit card debt to pay for apps... Fortunately it's a bit less than that this year. Congrats on the 5.0 - I hope your other scores are just as good! Yup, I ditto the wish for good luck to all!

I have officially applied to 8/9 schools. Waiting to get a response on an inquiry to graduate admissions at the last before I submit.

I'm fairly confident that I'm finished with my SOPs now. I may submit them all today and let the terrible, awful waiting game begin. Your approach to fit sounds great. Sometimes the fit paragraph can seem a bit disconnected from the rest.

Why not talk about being from India and how that's a unique experience (in comparison to many others entering grad schools - unless you're applying in India?) that will contribute to the department as a whole, and also to your insights and capabilities as a student/researcher/professor?

While I agree, Fiz, that it's a rather pedantic response to the topic, as a former English major you should be especially interested in presenting yourself as an educated participant in the forum. All the information we have about you is what you've posted here, and we are going to infer from that how intelligent you are and how serious we should take your thoughts and advice. Of course, I'm not all that bothered by you messing up a commonly misused idiom, and so this response is more general (and not necessarily to you - because I don't get the idea that you're not intelligent). Just a point worth sharing

How's everyone feeling about their applications in general? I don't feel defeated yet, but every application I submit is a letter to the grad school gods to grant me mercy.

That's more or less what I was hoping. I'm of course applying only to programs with professors actually doing the kind of work I'm interested in, and I can only hope that my research interests/questions indicate that better than any explicit list I provide (although I still do that, to demonstrate that I'm serious about each specific university). I think that's why I struggle with the fit paragraph so much, anyway. Sometimes it can seem repetitive to say, "Dr. Awesomesauce just so happens to be working in the same general area that I'm strongly interested in." I mean, it's no coincidence I'm applying to Dr. Awesomesauce's university.

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This is a terribly difficult question. There are some schools, for example, that have faculty members working in the various subjects I'm interested in (and I feel silly listing them all), and others - like you say here - where only one really fits the bill. In that case, you might consider identifying the really good match professor and talk about their research, but provide the names of other professors from whom you could really learn/benefit?

This is true, but if you're the best candidate with the best fit but applying to schools 20 ranks ahead, that doesn't mean they won't admit you. After all, not even they know whether you'll be admitted to Ivy University X. The two most obvious reasons (which you can find on graduate school websites are): 1.) For the graduate school to determine with whom they cluster 2.) So that they can gather statistical evidence determining how many "also applying to Ivy U XYZ" applicants they need to admit in order to get their target class (this second one is Notre Dame's justification)

And I'm sure he would, were I not an ocean away! He's now retired from the university, but just published with Oxford (twice!) - an old-school academic, for sure. And he makes more than a great point about the added value a program must bring, he also makes a great point about the value of wine. Which is why I ran out to the store before it closed tonight to grab a bottle (an Austrian Blauer Zweigelt).

My prof provided a bit of feedback, all suggesting theoretical approaches to the question, "When have I applied to too many?" Namely, could I imagine going there, and is there any combination of the schools I'm already applying to that, if I were accepted into - say - 4, the new one could be a first choice? Reasonable enough! Oh, and he said this. "Hope that helps. I will lift a glass of wine and toast your endeavors at the Christmas party to which [other adviser] has graciously invited me."