MDLee

Sigh...I've heard this many ways. I've heard that its not really a factor...then I've heard that certain parts are a major factor....then I've heard the whole thing is a factor. I think it just depends on where you apply to and what they're trying to figure out based on what you sent them. My GRE was high in the analytical writing, really good in the verbal, and horrific in the quantitative...no acceptances yet. So...we soldier on.

Forget top choice. If I'm accepted at ALL, I'll do a happy dance. Double.

You better believe it. I am counting down the days...and have pretty much decided that PhD program or no PhD program, I am packing up and leaving ASAP. But that's a totally different board (google I Hate Las Vegas...see what comes up).

So...Ernest Hemingway once wrote a six word novel: "Baby shoes for sale. Never worn." On NPR before Valentine's Day they were doing "Six Word Love Memoirs" with some interesting (sometimes profound) responses. Since you're all probably doing exactly what I am and trying to pass time (or as I am, avoiding thesis writing) on Grad Cafe...maybe we could start a thread of our own six word memoirs. And I'm not talking the generic life sayings like: "Live well, Love much, Laugh Often"...Something more personal--PLEASE! It could be your own memoir or the memoir of your time waiting for grad apps/working through grad school/etc... Sounded fun. Here's Mine: "Another notification email arrived. Computer crashed." ENJOY!

I KNOW, HUH!

That totally counts! I've written at least a thousand words in the past two weeks on here...print it out, I'm sure your super will approve. :wink:

I'm not a cat person. I went cats because I live in a very tiny space. I picked the only two cats I found that weren't aloof little jerks. Ended up with two that have grown up to almost be little dogs (they're hilarious). If you have enough space for a puppy--do it. As long as someone will be home periodically to check on them and play with them you won't need to get two. If not--get two. Its not that much extra time/money/space to have two (depending on your breed) and they keep each other occupied while you're busy.

I adopted two cats last semester because living on my own was ridiculous. I got a brother/sister because during the semester I'm gone about 18 hours a day sometimes and didn't want them to be lonely. They keep each other company and I spend lots of time with them on weekends. It works out. Pets are a huge plus if you can afford them. I got my cats as kittens and everyone said it would be "so hard" to do grad school and baby animals. They fibbed. Its not hard, you just have to be diligent with it. The benefits of pet ownership WAY outweigh the costs.

Isn't that the truth. Two months ago I was like, "I will go with the one that offers the best funding..." Now I'm like, "I'LL TAKE ANYTHING."

So I tried to go to lunch with my mom yesterday. :roll: Tried, of course being the operative word. Everything I did she yelled at me for and then when I got tired of it and finally put my foot down she went off. She said that ever since I hit grad school I've been "Uppity" and that my whole family is sick of it...that she's tired of covering for me. Background info I guess is that the rest of the fam denies such "sick of it" feelings. My older sister is positive that my higher education is making me "liberal" and that she doesn't understand me anymore. Seems that with studying human rights I have a desire to fight for global applications of these rights ("and with this country having as many problems as it has...") she just can't see why I'd want to do that. Sigh. Is this a normal situation? Thought my mom was supposed to be proud of my attempts at higher education.

You're not the only one. :::Raises hand and waves it around:: I've had three rejects and no acceptances so far. Sigh. Stick with it--it'll come eventually.

HA! I'm so glad I'm not the only one with this problem... Chapters due. Chapters due. Chapters due. I have to have the whole thing in by the beginning of March. Here it is, Mid February and I don't look done to me...sigh. As my advisor says, "A completed thesis is a happy thesis. Make your thesis happy and just finish it already!" hehe. I agree with everyone else though--even if I do manage to get accepted, I can't go anywhere until I finish this! :mrgreen:

Ok guys...I'm getting nervous now. 10 apps out. 3 reject letters...NO acceptances yet. This is KILLING ME!

So I've been stressing the last day or two about getting in (or not getting in...as the case seems to overwhelmingly be) to PhD programs. Then it occurred to me that I'm deep into February and I defend my thesis at the beginning of April. Holy Guana Batman! :shock: I'm suddenly scrambling to finish a chapter with the sinking realization that my next one is due in two weeks and is not totally polished yet. Don't have time to worry about grad school anymore. I imagine I'll have a nervous breakdown at the end of semester and just cry about all of the denials all at once. Delayed reaction to rejection.

No stress, BigCheese. I've got ten apps out. 2 rejects so far. I feel you on the 'not a good feeling' part. But...there's hope. Keep your chin up and your breathing regulated. Then fast track it to the nearest corner bar and have yourself a beer. It'll work out. :mrgreen:

Climbing the walls is probably the nice way to put it. :shock: Losing all of my hair, biting off my nails, and hyperventilating is more like it. And as the rejects start to pour in...my heart is sinking deeper to the floor. There's GOTTA be a program somewhere that'll accept me! Deep breath though...Mid March comes fast enough :wink:

I am going out to celebrate. Then I'm going to start collecting boxes and get my stuff packed as fast as is humanly possible! Give me the first plane ride out of here, baby. I'm ready to go!

Teaching experience is a huge plus--especially for job apps. However, there are ways to get that under fellowship. Its also possible at some universities to be there on fellowship but have one year of teaching duties so that you get the experience (my understanding is that this happens during the couple of years you are doing coursework so that you don't have to worry about it when you're researching/writing. Fellowships are God's gift to grad students.

Was so glad to stumble across other people going through the same things I am. I'm 3 months from finishing my Master's in History (emphasis human rights/genocide/comparative world history) and have 10 apps out for PhD programs in everything from European History to Comparative Genocide Studies. Glad to be here--looking forward the distraction from the waiting.

In my MA Grad-Assistant office we have a running gag that all of us have an "academic crush" which may or may not be related to actual attraction to the faculty member in question. None of us ever take it anywhere, but its kind of funny to try to guess who is "acad-crushing" on whom. Its also a good indicator that we need to head out for GA Happy Hour and get out of the department for a bit

So I'm sitting on pins and needles. It feels like I started applications years ago, not months. The thing is, I wasn't expecting to hear from anyone until mid-March. Therefore, when I received an almost immediate rejection email (complete with a PDF uploaded to my app file that stated "LETTER OF DENIAL" in huge letters across the top...when did rejection get so impersonal?) and another only days later, I began to suffer silently. I've heard that rejections come first. Then, as schools narrow down their choices the acceptances will start to filter in. Is it possible that I could apply to 10 programs with a relatively good record/decent test scores/publishing experience/strong writing sample and rec letters/etc and be DENIED by all 10? What a pain.