UnlikelyGrad

I had two disastrous years, and it didn't seem to stop me from being admitted...

Err...maybe just writing that was enough to nudge my destiny in the opposite direction. I got an acceptance email less than 10 hours after my last post.

I wouldn't. If they truly are impressed with your application, they don't need any more material. The reason you are on a wait list is because there all the slots for this year are currently full, and there isn't one available for you. Therefore, you need to hope and pray that someone who's already been admitted decides to go elsewhere, because there's no other way you're going to get in. Enthusiasm can only take you so far. You've already expressed your interest, and that will probably be enough to help you out if a slot opens up.

I have two visits scheduled so far, but I'm waiting to hear from eight schools, so there may be more in the future.

I really tried that. I thought of the RUPA idea over a month ago (though not the cute acronym--thanks!). I really, really, really tried to believe in the RUPA standard. Alas, my brain refuses to let me. *sigh* I'm not wildly optimistic. My PI told me, after looking at my list--before I added my "reach" schools--that I would get into all six of the places I was applying to. I didn't believe him then, and I still don't believe him. I added reach schools with a huge degree of reluctance. I listened to my family's encouragement with a huge amount of disbelief. Yes, they got into good grad schools, but they were applying under different circumstances! I am a naturally cynical person; for example, I am NOT one to believe that you can be anything you want. (After all, lots of people want to be President of the US, and how many actually make it?). Nonetheless, I just can't accept the RUPA mindset. I just can't believe that I will only get into the one school that's already accepted me. I know I won't get into all 9...but I really honestly think that I will get at least one acceptance in the next 2 weeks. Now watch me get proven wrong.

I would go with the little guy. Admittedly, it is a bit of a risk, as you may end up losing an advisor if he doesn't get tenure. My current PI is a "little guy"--in his very first year as a professor. The nice thing about working for him is that he hasn't established much of a group yet (unlike some tenured professors who have 10 students--at my school--and 20+, as I've seen in big-name schools). So I get most of his attention. Lots of hands-on training, lots of time to chat--he's been very helpful in guiding me through the admissions process, etc. I can't imagine an established professor with lots of students ever knowing me as well as my current PI knows me. I'm afraid that working with my PI has spoiled me. I don't know what I 'd do in a big group.

Find some professors you want to work with. Email them directly and ask if you can visit their lab. That's what I did, and I ended up getting two positive responses out of three. Makes me wish I had business trips booked near other schools I've applied to!

Yes, you can definitely do without a car. My sister-in-law did. As I said in an earlier post, the free Stanford buses take you everywhere, including the grocery store. The 'Shopping Express' bus runs not only to the Stanford Shopping Center but also over to the San Antonio Shopping Center on the Mountain View/Palo Alto border. (Walmart, Target, Sears, Ross, BevMo, more...Whole Foods is just south and Safeway is just north of the center.) I vaguely recall there being a grocery store at the Stanford Shopping Center--Andronico's, maybe?--which is, sadly, not a store of the low-cost variety. It would be closer than San Antonio Shopping Center though. Stanford Shopping Center and downtown Palo Alto are definitely within bike range of Escondido Village if you don't feel like taking the bus.

Yep. Nothing has changed since I first got my password, which was early January. I'm curious, though, as to how the page changes when you're admitted? (Or rejected, for that matter.)

In my email, I said that I would like to meet with them, but if they didn't have time to meet with me, I'd happily meet with some of their grad students instead. Two of the three I contacted were happy to meet with me personally. (The other wasn't taking new students in my field...)

Something I learned this week... If you want to visit a school before you've been admitted, don't contact the department secretary. Contact the profs you would like to work with. I *still* haven't heard back from the department (3 days later). When I emailed the 3 profs I wanted to work with at UIUC, 2 of them got back to me within 15 minutes. One is not taking any new students for next year but the other is glad to talk with me.

Mine's been that way from the beginning. And yes, I am still waiting to hear back from them. When they say 'Admit Term' I think they mean 'If this person is admitted, the term they will start is...'

Pull out my hair? Oh wait...that probably doesn't count as relaxing. I read fluffy novels--mysteries or romances. I can't bear anything serious right now, so even my favorite historical mystery authors are gathering dust right now. I'm going for silly mysteries like Mrs. Pollifax (Dorothy Gilman), Joanne Fluke's bakery series, etc. And historical romances, the more ludicrous the better. Also, I play Scrabble--the "real" game with my family, or the electronic version on Facebook. I have half a dozen games going right now but earlier this week I had ten going at once. Oh, and I fix up my house.

'Excruciating' is the best description of it so far. My grades are definitely suffering this semester.

Thanks! That is definitely helpful.

The program I accept will have to give me some funding, but the amount is immaterial. (It's nice to be relatively financially stable...)

Yes, definitely go back to school and take at least one course! I was out for 15 years, not working in industry. I had one LoR from my undergrad (yes, someone did remember me) and two from people I'd taken classes from the previous semester.

Yep. I know. I've been there before to visit family. I've allowed sufficient time to get down there and back and still have 6+ hours with the department (assuming they let me come)...

That's what I did yesterday. I have a business trip to Chicago coming up in a week or so. When I booked the flight a month or so ago, I made sure there was enough extra time that I could squeeze in a visit to UIUC if they'd accepted me. If not...well, I have a sister in Chicago who has a comfy couch and there are lots of things to do in that city. Of course I still haven't heard from UIUC. I emailed saying that I would like to visit anyway, just in case, and was that okay. Still no reply, but then it usually takes departments 2 days or so to respond to email.

Thanks for the translation. I didn't put one in because I've always thought that everything sounds best in its original language--it's always too awkward otherwise. (I always translate to catch the spirit of the original piece--doing it word for word is just...wrong. If you don't believe me, use a translator service to translate an English song to German, then back to English. It doesn't come out the same. Anyone who speaks more than one language fluently will know exactly what I mean.) I've been thinking about other songs, and there's an old favorite of mine by Bobby McFerrin... Here is a little song I wrote You might want to sing it note for note Don't worry be happy In every life we have some trouble When you worry you make it double Don't worry, be happy...... I have a bunch of other songs that cheer me up, but I think it's more the music than the lyrics that work. It's hard to shuffle your feet when a Sousa march is playing; along the same lines, if you have a happy, peppy song playing, it's hard to be blue.

Mine were in by Dec 15 (for Jan 15 deadlines, mostly). My LoR writers were done by Dec 24--I told them Dec 20 was the deadline. Now transcripts, on the other hand,were a royal PITA. I had most ordered by Dec 8, the rest by Dec 15. But some of them didn't arrive until after the Jan 15 deadline. :x

Freude, sch

I would rank them thus (based on many conversations with my dad, a chem prof): Illinois UCLA Michigan Washington Northwestern USC But, as my dad would no doubt say, it depends which sub-field you want to specialize in. Also, never apply to a school unless there's at least one professor you'd like to work for.

Yes, it was a memoir. If I were writing six words about my current life, I would say: Chewed fingernails. Pulled hair. Anxiety. SCREAM!!!

Haven't been rejected yet, but still haven't heard from one of my "safety" schools--one I thought I'd be a shoo-in for--had already talked to a professor who was interested in working with me. My application was in months ago. Blah...