Ternwild

Thanks for the kind words. Hope this time around goes better for you than mine did. That said, just know you aren't alone if you do have to do a third cycle. ?

Welcome to my boat. =( Not much you can do but hope you get a late cycle acceptance.

Unless you sent them a file saying how much you really hope you don't get into that school, you're fine, kiddo.

Here's a good question: a lot of these applications ask(ed) for a CV. What is a good format? And what are some things you've found work best to be added to your CV? Do you write a generic one or one that matches the field you want to get into? For me, I just copied a CV format for a professor in the field (not idea, I know).

You'll hear something. Don't worry. It may not be what you want to hear, but give it time. You'll hear something.

F17, was talking to friends outside the Chemistry building when I got a buzz on my phone. I checked it while they were in mid conversation. I looked at it and said "Hey! I got accepted to Purdue!" They were like "Oh. Cool." After a minute I replied with "Wait...where's Purdue?"

You most definitely should apply to jobs. Unemployment is real. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, as it were.

Might want to try something along the lines of: "Thank you very much for the acceptance to your program! I am very excited by the idea of attending (insert university) this (insert application term). I will be taking this offer into serious consideration when making my final decision. Thank you again for taking the time and providing me with the opportunity to share my passion in (insert field) with your university." Universities like knowing you have multiple offers. It makes them feel like they made the right decision, in my opinion.

What's worse is not them being behind on acceptance, but acceptances going out and your email inbox being empty. ?

Being that I have experience over the last three cycles with rejection (30+ schools), unless you get a message saying you're waitlisted, after the first round of acceptances for your school/program come out, you can 98% guarantee you're rejected. Time to move on and think of a back up.

When waiting gets tough just remember: the sound of smashing bones on cement will break the wait soon!

This is my Third time applying. My past two backup plans was make money and pay off my debt...whelp, that's done, I guess. For a third year? Give up, probably. I have two degrees and have been working in the degree I'm not applying to grad schools in because it's nearly impossible to find a job in physics with a bachelor's. I may have to consider a full career change and try a new way of approaching science outside the seemingly mandated academic route. Doesn't help that I'm not in my early 20s as some of these other applicants. So, I have to make a solid choice and a good one.

In the 30+ schools I've applied to over the years, I've never been waitlisted once.

This is my 3rd time applying for Grad School in Physics (F17, F18, F19). The first, I spent nearly 3000 in app fees to 28 schools...I got into 2. Great right? Except the schools I got in had literally no research I wanted to do and were in areas I didn't want to live. So, I declined and worked in the field for a year. F18? Applied to 7 programs I knew I liked that weren't high on US News ranking, including one "safe" school. All rejections (some as late as April 6). Another year in the field while I buckled down and worked on my GRE scores. A year of constant studying later, I raise my subject score 110 points. This year? 11 schools. So far, absolute silence. May have to give up the idea of doing a PhD in physics. I even applied to some engineering programs. My GPA? 3.3. I'm stuck between accepting that I'll need to consider a career change due to competition in physics or bite my lip and try for F20.... Worth mentioning I had professor recommendations for one of my F18 schools I got rejected from AND all three years I have a recommendation letter from a Nobel Prize Laureate.

I took the pGRE already once and got a less than idea score. I will be taking it again in another 6 months. What is the best study material, besides the previous exams (I know about those already) that you used to get your pGRE scores up? A book? Study guide? Textbook? Trying to get an 800+. To be clear, I am talking about the physics subject test.