javagdss

I pictured this as I was filling out the one paper app I had to submit:

*Looks at first page
"GRE is solid, but the GPA is way too low, and the transcript has too many W's. No way."

*Flips to second page on auto-pilot from mind-numbing and redundant work
"Wait a sec. Statistical programmer? Survey design? Stata and SPSS? Wants a graduate research assistantship? We NEED her! Full ride!! Get her here NOW!"

I can dream, right?

I pictured this as I was filling out the one paper app I had to submit:

*Looks at first page
"GRE is solid, but the GPA is way too low, and the transcript has too many W's. No way."

*Flips to second page on auto-pilot from mind-numbing and redundant work
"Wait a sec. Statistical programmer? Survey design? Stata and SPSS? Wants a graduate research assistantship? We NEED her! Full ride!! Get her here NOW!"

I can dream, right?

If your friend opens one copy of each letter, they will be short 1 copy of the better one and will have to send the weaker one to at least one school (assuming one letter is weaker than the other).

Logistics aside, opening them seems to cross the line. True, many references show you the letter, and many more will do so if asked. But your friend didn't ask.

Now how does this situation compare to holding the sealed envelopes up to the light? (Just curious...)

What would be even better is an iPhone application that would gather this information for all your applications so you could check with one glance where you are everywhere in real time

Really? I mean, really? I'll cry if I want to. And watch out, RyanF, your privilege is showing. We are all buying into the elitist package of academics, and I wasn't annoyed until this post. I think OP provoked a reaction on the results page, or there is a rash of inappropriate "tantrums" that coincided with the start of the thread. Tsk, tsk. I imagine the shuddering disapproval during teatime. The results page has angry comments! Like crumbs on the linen!


I like getting hit in the face with the reality stick just as much as the next qualified applicant. It is great to be prepared, experienced and everything else that goes into the package for applying (most of these forums discuss those topics in detail) - but then to have a smarmy poster profess a "best manners" is just great propaganda for academia. Glad to see that you read the first article that I linked. You are assuming that the majority of applicants are overreaching in their ambition and underwhelming in their accomplishments, and do not deserve the coveted spot to which you will be (have been?) selected. If surprise, anger, dialogue and venting isn't allowed - on an online forum! - then I pray that you do not revel in or celebrate your inevitable multiple fellowships and acceptances. Because that would be too gauche. And immodest. Rendering the results page useless, if no one can say yea or nay with any enthusiasm. Again, go to research to find data. Here is entertainment.

I hope that you do go to Y or B, and do well in your studies. I hope that when prospective applicants come visit your department, you counsel them in a similar fashion - 'If you find out you've been rejected from Yale or Berkeley, you shouldn't be surprised, and you definitely shouldn't throw a tantrum.' Pearls! Pearls I say!



East Coast represent! My team is Entitlement U. I think you are in my league. It really is ridiculous to imagine the coach, for whom we have spent hours in practice, might not choose our special talents to start on varsity. And by 'our', I really mean 'my' talents. The coach is just waiting to call my name. I know it. Don't be angry at all the money and sacrifices, it wasn't going to happen for YOU. Of course not. But it will happen for me. Please be quiet, I want to hear my name called. Shh. Shh. The pillow just stops you from screaming.



Of course, it could just be that posting online is notorious difficult to gauge tone or sarcasm. Perhaps those notes were not intended the way OP read them, just as hypocrisy was not intended in the OP? Who knows?

Getting transcripts from my old community college, where I took a whopping 3 summer classes. The fastest they can mail them is with 7-10 business day processing time and normal snail mail. If you want rush processing, it's still 3 days, and you have to pick them up physically, and I live 500 miles away. Also, you have to mail or fax them a paper signed document authorizing the release of your transcript after you request and pay for it online, for Every. Single. One. Seriously? Get your act together and offer rush service! And stop making me print and fax things!

Previously I thought any application that had paper components (my Oregon schools) were annoying, but now that I'm in the waiting stage, I think these are my favorite. Once I put the application in the mail, I stopped thinking about it. There's nothing more I can do. They sent me an e-mail saying the app was complete, but there's no online site to check compulsively for months. Those other applications with beautiful, seamless online forms and uploads and status pages are incredible teases now. They haunt me in my dreams, and during the day it takes all my willpower not to check them 100 times per day. If they look at the number of times each applicant logs into the system, they'll probably think I'm insane.

...please, please know that it is not the end of the world even if that does happen.

I am the who everyone thought would get in the first time and didn't after being wait listed at two programs. I got a job in my field and reapplied 2 years later, and same deal - wait list but no acceptance. It was crushing. I was mortified that I'd had to ask my mentors for letters twice and still hadn't gotten in. My family was supportive but obviously shared my disappointment. It sucked, I wanted to crawl in a hole and die for a few weeks after, but I picked myself up eventually and moved on.

I worked on publishing data. I was able to expand my skill set at my job, and pick up another mentor in the process. I applied again, this time to three times as many programs, of course spending three times as much money. I had to get special permission from one program to apply for a third time which made me feel like a big loser. I braced myself for not getting in anywhere and possibly changing careers.

Yesterday one of my programs emailed me. As I read the subject line my stomach dropped: my first rejection, here we go again.

And I was wrong. It was an acceptance with full funding from a school I'd visited and loved.

I got to do the jumping around screaming happy dance and got to hear how excited my parents were when I called to let them know. And I've gotten to re live the excitement every time I tell another co worker, friend, or family member *especially* the ones who know my history and how hard I've worked.

And the amount of satisfaction and relief I've felt in the past 36 hours outweighs the three YEARS where I was either applying or in between application periods, wondering if I was ever going to make it in my field. Wondering why I had such crap luck, applying last year as the economy fell apart, constantly wait listed but never chosen.

So whatever happens for you this year...if it's your first, second, third, fourth round or greater, just remember that it does not make you a loser, it is not a reason to give up, and if you keep at it it WILL happen for you.

Now I have the song "Bye bye love" in my head. Only the "bye bye happiness" part is replaced with PhD.

Getting transcripts from my old community college, where I took a whopping 3 summer classes. The fastest they can mail them is with 7-10 business day processing time and normal snail mail. If you want rush processing, it's still 3 days, and you have to pick them up physically, and I live 500 miles away. Also, you have to mail or fax them a paper signed document authorizing the release of your transcript after you request and pay for it online, for Every. Single. One. Seriously? Get your act together and offer rush service! And stop making me print and fax things!

Previously I thought any application that had paper components (my Oregon schools) were annoying, but now that I'm in the waiting stage, I think these are my favorite. Once I put the application in the mail, I stopped thinking about it. There's nothing more I can do. They sent me an e-mail saying the app was complete, but there's no online site to check compulsively for months. Those other applications with beautiful, seamless online forms and uploads and status pages are incredible teases now. They haunt me in my dreams, and during the day it takes all my willpower not to check them 100 times per day. If they look at the number of times each applicant logs into the system, they'll probably think I'm insane.