diber

Best case, I get accepted into Local Ivy, don't have to move, get fabulous funding, with enough money to move hubby, my two kids, and I to France for the dissertation I've been dreaming about since 1999. Worst case, can't afford the school I've been accepted to (they don't have money--it's complicated), so can't actually go. Have another baby, a be a soccer mom forever. Sigh (much as I love the kiddos...not so much the SAHM gig)

This came to mind as a possible strategy. I've taken a circuitous route myself. I'm almost 33. I worked for a year between undergrad and grad school. Was accepted to a program, I had applied to master's but they bumped into a PhD track. The last year of coursework, my life fell apart. Like every major life change (except death). So I took a terminal master's. My undergrad grades weren't great bc I tried to do too much. Thankfully that master's gave me contacts for LORs and better grades. Two kids later, I can't shake the need to be a scholar. If it's meant to be, I think you'll find a way, somehow, sometime. Good luck with everything. (hug)

woohoo!!

Ack! How did I miss this folder!? I've been stalking the "waiting it out" folder. I see there are some others applying to Penn. Any news yet!? I'm going nuts. I've only heard back from Boston with an accept, but their coffers are shallow.

<3 aren't grandma's the best?

HOORAY!! Preparing for a complicated IEP meeting for my kid n two weeks...partly complicated bc i don't know where we'll be in the fall.

heehee. I have two kids. Does that count?

for realz!

Keep us posted!

<3 I haven't been on so much. but, over this past weekend...such sweet commiserating solace. BTW, saw that LSU is on yr list. I did my master's there and really loved it. If you have any questions.... Even got to know some of the English profs, even though I was in the music dept

iPhone. email. every 10 mins. or less.

I just had this experience, and it was an Accept. I doubt they would be pursuing you to reject you...I would take it as a good sign. *crossed fingers*

thanks, guys! Feels good to have the first result an enthusiastic accept. Now I can go back to checking my email every 10 mins. lol. And he asked if I had gotten his message, so apparently he had tried to leave one. Guess it didn't go through. *shrug*

Oh my, I so HEART Battlestar!!!! I cried like a baby at the last episode. And I'm not a huge TV person.

If you're into fiber arts at all (knitting or crochet) you can join Ravelry.com--there are some academic groups on there in the forum. Kind of fun to hang with knitterly academics.

Phew!!! He just called back! ACCEPT! YAY! I love this department, but they have poor funding, so I'm not sure how it'll work out.

It's mid-Feb and I'm going insane bc I haven't heard a thing yet!!! And then Friday I was trying to pick up a pizza with screaming kids and ignored a call from a number I didn't recognize--partly bc it didn't occur to me that I'd hear from a school by any other means than email. Last night I went back and checked it and noticed that it was a Boston number! Gah! I googled it and saw that it was the home number of a prof I've been on contact with at one of my schools!!!! I can't believe he didn't leave a message!!!!!!! I'm DYING here!!!!

Yes! knitting!!! lol Since November, I've knit 5 hats, two pairs of mittens, a book mark, and coffee cozies, and dropped way too much money at the yarn store the other day for more projects. Before Nov I had only ever knitted two scarves. That and some candy-cane joe-joe ice cream doesn't hurt.

Yea, I've been waiving. Guess that seems pretty standard.

I asked one of the departments I applying to, and their advice was the comm can always stop reading where there is too much, but they can't make up what there isn't. So his advice was in favor of longer samples. 20+ pages. He wanted to see that applicants can sustain an argument.

I'm wondering what other people are doing about this. Do you waive your write to see the recommendation or not? I have been waiving because 1) I'm confident in my recommenders and 2) I wondered if it helped or not (I seem to remember being counseled to waive when applying for undergrad). But I'm curious. What did they say about me!?

I'm in the humanities. I had a good verbal and good writing scores, but looooousy math. I mean too embarrassing to post. AND i studied math like crazy for 3months. (Granted, it's been 15 years since my last math class). Anyway, I've been in contact with some the top schools of choice. And I've told them point blank where I stood with scores, and if they thought I should retake the GRE. Their opinion was that it didn't matter too much so long as I have strong portfolio in other respects (and I do). Considering that it was the math that was bad and I'm in the humanities made a difference. Looking at your scores, I think they are pretty decent.

So far I'm just opening with point blank: "I am applying to the x program at x in order to pursue a life of academic scholarship and teaching." and continue with background, interests, focus, etc from there. shrug. I doubt it's very grabby, but I don't think I do anecdotal very well. And it kind of gets the job done.