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I would not have been able to get 8 good LORs -- 4-5 maybe, but I would have been getting letters from people in a completely different field than the ine I was trying to enter. As it was, I learned from one program that not having letters from people they knew/recognized was hurting my application (of course, not having the experience that letters from such people would have implied was what was really the issue . . .). What I did have: 3 letters from people who knew me, liked me, and really were rooting for me to get in .

This is not something I ever worried about. I know I had professors who liked me -- I've since become friends with some of them -- but at no time would I have expected that to affect their grading. How are they helping me by giving me inflated grades? In fact, I remember doing particularly badly on one section of a test with one prof. He just handed it back -- with the crappy grade and no comment. Fortunately, I'd done really well on the other section of the test, so the overall grade was not terrible. And I did get a lower than typical score on one final with a prof I liked -- but I was auditing her class, and I was teaching (giving a final of my own and grading projects) and attending a conference/workshop the same week as the final, which meant studying had last priority. So, the only thing that happened as a result of our friendship, in both cases, was that I felt more embarassed than I normally would have at performing so poorly. In both cases, I got the grade I earned. But I tend to like people with strong moral compasses, and I don't think I'd have gotten friendly with a prof who played favorites in the way you describe.

Umm . . . I'm very sorry to have to tell you this, but those feelings might not go away, even when you're on campus sitting in classes. I still can't believe I'm in and doing what I want to do. And I'm sure I'm going to flunk out or somehow someone's going to realize they really meant to take someone else . . . I just try to ignore these feelings as best I can. I guess it's a mild form of imposter syndrome, which is apparently very common. I never had it in college, but I was pretty insecure about my chances of getting in as a non-traditional applicant, so I'm guessing that's where these feelings are coming from.

My guess is that the MCAT is easier. Years ago, at least, it only covered topics in a very superficial manner. So you had to know a lot of topics, but none in depth. Unless the GRE subject test is similar, I would think it might be harder.

When we need to schedule our rotations, we are told to try contacting the PIs directly, but we are also told to contact the departmental administrator if we do not hear back. Apparently, this is very common, and does NOT mean that people don't want to talk with us. Everyone I have had to schedule appts with this way has been very gracious. They realize we won't know the best way to contact them (when it's not their direct email). Also, I had a PI go "missing" when they're working on grants, and had to contact another prof to track him down in person and ask him to contact me (this was an unusual situation and not a method I recommend -- I was lucky in that I was chatting with a personal friend of both profs and she offered to set this up for me). I mean it when I say these are busy people. If he was communicating with you before you were admitted, I have no doubt he'd still be interested in talking with you. Of course, consider how urgently you need to speak to someone before deciding you can't wait any longer. If you do decide it is urgent, there are tactful ways of going about it -- it needn't be like "tattling" on the professor.

Maybe you should contact the DGS and ask if they can help put you in contact with this POI. I have had the experience of not being able to contact PIs and needing to go through administrative assistants. These people CAN be too busy to follow their emails!

I really didn't have to explain why I wanted to return to school at my age. The programs that invited me knew my age, and had decided they were interested anyway. The programs that had an issue with it . . . those were probably the ones that sent me quick rejections. Although there were other issues they could have had with my record. And now that I'm in my program, it's even less of an issue.

You could send an update -- saying that you have been admitted to one school that you're really excited about (not sure you need to mention that you were rejected by the school he wrote for), and that you appreciate his writing a letter for you. You can say that you'll write again after you hear back from all your schools and have decided where you want to go, but that it looks like you'll be going to grad school in the fall.

Congratulations -- that's fantastic news! I have a friend who just got final results of an unsuccessful round this year, but won't be giving up.It's always good to hear about people who made it work.

Some programs are willing to overlook age (I'm guessing I'm about your age). I'm sure other programs couldn't see past it -- in fact one professor basically told me she thought I was insane. However, there were other "issues" with my applications, so it might not have been just due to age. I did my best to show that I could still keep up academically, but I lacked some of the expected credientials. I also have 3 kids, though one's past teen, and needed to stay local, so there weren't many schools I could apply to. I feel very lucky things worked out, and I feel that I got in to the program I was meant to join. Good luck finding the right program!

I am all for going back to school -- I'm just a few years younger than you are, and I took the plunge. However, for me, it was a move that improved my finances. I would not have considered a self-pay program (kids to get through college . . . ). Good luck with whatever you decide. Before starting my current program, I took classes at a local CC. Much more affordable than the university, but perhaps a bit limited for what you want. I enjoyed the quality of the courses at the CC, got a good review of classes I'd had eons ago, and really enjoyed the sense of community (which was stronger in many ways than at my current program, where people are just too busy).

My application process last year started with rejections also -- so stressful. Try not to get too discouraged while waiting for better news. It's nice to be a year past all of that and looking forward to meeting the new people who will be coming to interview for my program soon. It's good that you've started thinking about what to do if things don't work out this round. Having a Plan B helped me cope with the waiting. I was also lucky in that I had people I could talk to about the process -- I hope you have some helpful and supportive friends also. Good luck!

I think most schools recognize that applications and interviews can be almost a fulltime job. They should be willing to accept somewhat lower than typical grades. I think some students design their schedules to make them really light during interview season, but that's not always possible.

It should be possible to succeed in a writing assignment, even if you are a non-native speaker. There are resources available (writing centers and the like). Failing that, find someone to proofread papers. Don't expect lowered standards. Everyone has challenges they face -- they may be different challenges for different people, but we all have them. If we are wise, we are aware of which areas are problematic and we devise strategies to deal with them. This may mean doing more work than others in the class. So what? Who said that anything was supposed to be easy? I am back in school after 13 years. Some of my prereqs are more than 15 years old. In fields that have seen many advances. Does this mean I have a lot of catching up to do that recent graduates don't? Of course! I could be considered "semi-literate" in some of the areas I'm expected to perform in. Should "allowances" be made for me? I'd be insulted if they were. How do you expect to improve if subpar work is accepted? Sorry if people find this view harsh, but come on people . . . if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

Did you apply to UW's online program? I've heard it's good, and I think they accept a large percentage of applicants, so even if your application is reviewed later (due to transcripts), you should be OK. Good luck -- that sounds really frustrating.

You are getting some really bad advice in the last two posts. Dishonesty is not the best route to take. It is entirely reasonable to state that 25 years ago you made a decision that turned out to be wrong for you, and you quickly discovered that your interests did not include law. If you lie on your application, you risk losing your credibility, and I would consider you a risky applicant to accept due your displaying a lack of moral standards.

I doubt it will matter at all and I doubt anyone, other than the person who files the papers and compiles the records, will see it. When I interviewed, I got a glimpse of my info sheet (top sheet of a packet that seemed to contain my LORs, transcripts, & SOP that the interviewers all had), and it just listed my scores and percentages. In other words, there was no slot for "Intended Major as Listed on GRE Registration Form."

I took math classes at the local CC -- most affordable and really excellent instructors. Classes offered included full calc series, linear alg, and diif eq.

Verbal matters A LOT in the sciences -- you really need good reading and writing skills. I didn't think it was humanly possible to read this many journal articles ...

Good Luck -- your perserverence is inspiring. I seriously thought I was going to have to apply multiple times, and was not looking forward to it. I applied knowing their were weak spots in my application, but I was kind of stuck -- I needed to do something to make things happen. Applying did that, and would have even if I hadn't been incredibly lucky. It made me get serious about my plans, let people around me know what my goals were, and got me contacts I would have never made otherwise. So, I think just applying can be beneficial, but you've been through all that -- I really hope you get in this time, you've earned it!

Be patient. Focus on the good news -- you haven't been rejected yet. There's still hope. But DO NOT HARRASS THEM! Do you have a legitimate reason to contact them?

Many (most?) schools have a writing center. These students should already be aware that they are non-fluent, and therefore might resonably be expected to have to work harder to produce satisfactory work. If they cannot handle the classwork, perhps they need to be in easier classes. Different standards are not acceptable in the same class. I went to college with a weak math background, as that was not something students in my small high school were very interested in (most stopped math after algebra 2). I didn't expect or receive easier grading than my better-prepared classmates. Why should it be any different in this case? I have also had the experience of living and going to school in a country where I did not speak the language -- I know it's hard, but there, again, no accomodations were made (and my grades were pretty pathetic -- except for math, where I actually managed to hold my own).

Whether it is a formal interview or not, you should treat it as one. Prepare by knowing your own background - i.e. if you need to review what your past research projects involved, do so. You should also read a bit about the professor's research, so that you have a sense of how you fit in with what he is doing.

It sounds as though your colleagues/fellow grad students have really poor social skills. By behaving in a friendly, professional manner, you are leaving open the possibility for a better relationship in the future. At some point, presumably, they're going to have to learn how to interact with others. Even in the sciences, collaborations are common. Focus on developing good relationships with your professors and your advisor, and, as others said, maybe the next batch of incoming grad students will be more promising.

I shared my SOP with all my letter writers. Only one got the final, just-about-ready-to-be sent version, however. The other two got works in progress, and one writer found the version she got confusing (it was awful - I posted elsewhere about how I bascially listed reasons why I should be rejected). The other recommender was instrumental in getting the final version to where it needed to be. I don't think sending the 2nd recommender the "bad" SOP hurt, but it was a bit awkward.