jellyfish1

Hey All! This is my first time applying. I've applied to 4/5 schools so far (for a PhD in Anthro, Archaeology track)- Chicago, Northwestern, Berkeley, and Stanford. I still have Boston University to go, although that is an Archaeology PhD, technically. It is due January 1. I have a solid archaeology job right now, so I decided to just apply to top choices, being prepared to get rejected everywhere and have to reapply to more schools next year. I'd rather spend another year improving my resume and application and try again than go to a second choice school this time around. Does anyone know when anthro programs usually make their decisions? Also, I couldn't afford to visit any of the schools, though I've had really productive emails with professors. Will not visiting severely hurt my chances? Thanks!

I would suggest you calm down with the whole "my friends are doing it and so I must have this too" thing. I suspect the way you know this is via facebook. We all see it happening. Just keep in mind that the pictures may not present the real story and your friends may not be as happy as they seem. The first round of marriages leads to the first round of divorces- I'm only 25 and I'm already starting to see the friends who got married in their early 20s hitting relationship snags and talking seperation. Right now we are all still figuring ourselves out. If a grad degree is really what you want, go for it! Get it, girl! But this time in your life should be about you doing you. Maybe you'll meet someone in grad school, maybe you won't. But you are SUPER young right now and there is no rush. And there are PLENTY of ways to meet people outside of school. Work, friends' weddings, meetup groups, friends of friends, online dating, etc. Calm yourself and focus on what's most important- building yourself the life you want.

I'm an archaeologist, and I referred to the research site of the professor I want to work with slightly incorrectly. Every time I think about it, I cringe. It wasn't a big difference just the site name was mispelled. I seriously can't believe I did that, especially since I'd reread an article about it the DAY before... But I think it was clear that I had read her work and just made an error? Ugh, I hope that doesn't bar me from admission!! So yeah, I'm sure your mistakes were less embarrassing than that.