Tex

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just kidding

Thank you, everyone, for the advice. I sent a nice, convincing email to my recommender last night. I haven't heard anything back from him yet. I'm not too surprised given the time of year. I hope he checks his email soon!

Great Scott!

paradise regained

Wow! This thread was created in mid-November! I only started my first application around that time. But I'm finally finished. At least with submitting stuff. I trying to tie loose ends and make sure that all schools have everything. It's more of a hassle than I thought it would be. Just have to keeping chipping away. But it feels like the waiting game has already begun. It really doesn't make me feel any better when people I know have heard something. Another student in my department has heard back from two schools to set up interviews! I tell myself that he's applying to totally different schools and in a different field. Someone else I know (same field) got invited for an interview. But I didn't apply there. Almost did though. I'm starting to think what ifs? but I had my reasons not applying there. I have to keep telling myself not to worry for at least a month. Best of luck to everybody else!

My mom was asking if I heard anything as early as September! I hadn't even started the applications yet. I'm a big procrastinator, so every time she asked how my apps were going it would drive me up the wall. Some people here said they're pretty secretive and keep things close to the vest. I wish I did that. My mom loves the idea of me going to Harvard. I do too, but I'm keeping my expectations really low (I don't think I have any, honestly). Yet every now and then she'll say something like "It would be so nice if you got into Harvard." Understatement of the year My dad hasn't really asked anything about my applications. I don't think he even knows the schools I'm applying to. Maybe I should keep it that way.

So here's the problem: One of my LoR is still not in for a December 15th deadline. On the deadline, one of my recommenders encountered a problem when uploading his letter to the online system. He tried calling the phone number listed for technical support, but no answer. So he sent it by snail mail. He let me know about this, and I sent an email about it to both the department contact and the grad admissions office. I didn't receive a reply from the grad admissions office (surprise!), but the department contact informed me that anything sent to the admissions office would be copied and forwarded. Two weeks later, the status check still says that the LoR isn't received. And last night I just received an email from the department contact. She was wondering where the third LoR is. I quickly replied, reminding of the situation and even pasting those past emails. I tried to write it in a nice way, because the department contact is a faculty member--and I'm assuming part of the adcom. I'm freaking out. If she's looking to see if applicants' materials are all in, does this mean the adcom is meeting--or going to soon? It's way too early right? That's what I thought, anyway. So what do I do? I've called the admissions office today to see if the letter is in. I was told that it could take weeks for that letter to be attached to my application. I think I might email the recommender. I really don't want to bother him about it, especially this time of year. But I probably should, right? Do you think it's too much to ask him to try submitting it online again? I don't want to botch this because this school is at the top of my list.

Harvard - For reasons listed above. 1) Wanted me to list every course I took directly AND slightly related to my field (including grade and Course number). Also had two separate sections wanting to know each math and foreign language course I took. (The last math course I took was during my first semester of college 7 years ago - ancient history). 2) The hilarious financial application. AND, this one takes the cake 3) No status check - this for a $105 application!

blue steel

I'll be 26. Was 5 years in undergrad (yep, I was a super-senior). Took a gap year. Entered a Master's program at 24 (which I'm finishing up in the spring). Now I'm applying to PhD programs.

Hi all! I'm also applying for next fall - for a PhD program in musicology. Well, I've finally finished my applications. It's a great feeling, right? I'm still basking in it. All I need to do is send off some writing samples to a school tomorrow by mail. After that, I guess the waiting game begins. I'm still checking the status sites to make sure everything is in though. It's got me a little worried when a school with a Dec. 1st deadline says that they don't have one of my transcripts. I've been trying to contact schools with "missing" stuff but it seems like everything is shut down this time of year. This thread looks like it has been dead for a while. But this is a cool little site. I'm glad I found it. Has anybody heard yet? Any invitations to interviews?