LadyScientist

I got a rejection letter from UW today as well. All I want for Christmas is an interview date I'm really getting worried that I have received 2 rejections and zero interviews.

Yeah, the life sciences do theirs really early. I got a second rejection today... I am just really really hoping I get one offer. That's all I want/need... But damn I am really feeling a lot of pressure. Is it too much to ask to get an interview for Christmas?

Yes, @DBear it is incredibly nerve-wracking. The entire process is. I got my first rejection letter yesterday when I woke up, and I may or may not have spent a number of hours laying in bed walking myself through that 7-stage cycle of grief, haha! But I have not heard anything back from the other schools I applied to, so... I am just trying to hold onto a shred of hope that I have been wait-listed or something. But in the meantime I will be revamping my resume and getting ready to apply for jobs if it comes to that.

@sivis No no don't be sorry! There's nothing we can do at this point. I've just been stressed out over all this stuff for weeks and things are not looking good so I'm panicking and getting a little salty, haha! I think I will start applying for jobs soon

Wow... Really? Yikes The outlook for admission just keeps getting worse and worse for me, it seems. Damn.

I think if you are to decline an interview, you should probably do it as soon as possible. I would either call or respond via email and politely say that you appreciate the program's interest in you, but will not be able to attend the interview, although you thank them for their time and consideration. I am sure these program coordinators understand that students will not be able to attend all interview offers they receive for one reason or another. But as long as you are polite and respectful (as academia really is a small world, you don't want to step on anyone's toes) I don't see anything wrong with declining an offer or two. But, out of respect for the program that was considering you, I think it would be best to let them know as soon as possible if you really don't feel like you would want to attend the program anyways. But congratulations on having so many interviews to choose from!

Congratulations!! I am very jealous! Hopefully they aren't done sending invites...

Right?? If I really don't stand a chance I wish they would just send the rejection letter so I can put a bandaid on my ego and focus on something else... Being in a holding pattern for a decision is driving me crazy!

@Katyya I believe I saw that on the application portal as well... That has to mean that invites will be out soon! ... If they haven't been sent out already @pepmochaa Yeah I think I saw one or two PIBBS invites on here thus far but I find it hard to believe that would be it for invites Or maybe I am just dreaming.

It seems like a lot of the schools that have released the majority of their invites are on the East coast thus far, right? I'm waiting for West coast programs... - USC : PIBBS - USC : NGP - UCSF : BMS - Stanford : BioSciences - UW : MCB I have not heard anything from the programs I have applied to yet and I feel slightly sick to my stomach. And hearing that everyone else has been getting invites from their schools has me really nervous

@k_kismet I am not sure if you have submitted your applications yet, but I had a similar question before I submitted my applications. I got in touch with some program coordinators and the resounding answer was yes! You can submit your application before all your LoR's are in! However, the most important thing to note is that the fees are non-refundable in most if not all cases... So if your LoR drops the ball and doesn't submit in time, you will be out on the money you paid to apply (if the letter you need is required, not just an extra on top of the required number). Also you need to make sure that all other information is correct before you submit, because some parts of your application will lock in and you will have to contact the administrators to change any information in those areas, but usually your letter writer/recommendation area is left unlocked until the application deadline passes! I hope this helps! It might not hurt to contact the administrators for the departments you are applying to if you have more questions! Better to hear it straight from the people responsible for taking application information!

This might be a little more work than you are looking for, but, I use a bullet journal as my planner! Specifically a Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal (I purchased mine from the Goulet Pen Company-- after my package got lost when I tried ordering from Amazon)! The pages come blank-- so it's very much a "DIY" planner. But I LOVE the flexibility it has! Making a bullet journal that works for you can be a trial-and-error process for sure. But once you come up with a format/layout that works for you, you tend to stick with it and it is incredibly helpful because you made it-- with only yourself in mind! Once you get the hang of your format, it doesn't take very long to pen it out, but I see it as a nice way to relax and just get away from my computer/phone for a bit since I spend SO much time on my computer. I also love that it comes with a small pocket for notes you might write on loose paper, and includes stickers to archive your planner so you can reference it later on if you need!

I'm definitely riding the anxiety roller-coaster right now myself. And as much as I love this forum, hearing that everyone else is getting interviews and offers already makes me feel incredibly overwhelmed-- yet I still keep checking the forum to see how everyone else is doing? I'm a mess. I didn't apply to any schools on the East coast (and it seems like they tend to send their letters out earlier), but knowing people are already hearing back about their applications has me second-guessing every application I submitted... Especially since I have not heard anything from any of the schools I applied to yet. It just gives me a sinking feeling. I want to hear back about my applications because I am anxious... But at the same time... Do I really want to know? I am struggling to keep myself occupied-- now that my semester is over, applications are submitted, and my conferences are over, I feel like I am just sitting here in a holding pattern. Here's hoping we all start hearing things soon... The wait has been brutal!