Ameonna

28.6% acceptance rate, with 2 acceptances and 5 rejections. All that matters to me, though, is the 99% chance that I will be starting classes for my doctoral degree this coming Fall, which is really exciting! As long as you get in where you'll be happy, it doesn't matter how big your rejection pile was... at least, that's my opinion on the subject.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that you are being compared to your peers, and essentially being judged on your abilities. As much as the schools try to reassure you in rejection letters that there were "lots of well-qualified applicants" and they had to "turn away many qualified people due to the number of limited spots," it still FEELS like there's an implication that as well-qualified as you might have been, you weren't qualified ENOUGH, and these feelings can haunt you. It's tough being compared with your peers. As subjective as these decisions often become, it hurts, because this is your life, and YOU believe that you are qualified, and you only wish that schools would see it the same way. Also, I think there is a trend where people who apply to graduate school are used to being the smartest in their class, to doing well, and to having their motivation and hard work pay off. The problem is that when you apply to graduate programs, you're applying against all the other people who were the smartest in THEIR classes, who had THEIR hard work and determination pay off, and then you get confused people asking you, "How could you possibly not get in? You were so smart! You were the best in your class!" Yeah... So was everyone else that applied. I can bet you money that nearly every student that applied to my desired programs wanted to get in as much as I did, and cried as much as I did when they got their rejections, and celebrated as much as I did when their acceptances came. As much as I consider them to be rivals, they are just like me in that regard, and it's probably very difficult for adcoms to choose between so many candidates who want to be at their school so very, very badly. I think those aspects of the process make it maddening, even to those who originally had the attitude of che sarà, sarà. Even so, I'm a firm believer in persistence, and I think if you can get through the process (which may take more than once, even for candidates who would be WONDERFUL in graduate school), there will be an amazing payoff once you finally get in.

I got that e-mail, too. Unfortunately, I already know that I was rejected weeks ago after correspondence with one of the professors there (no interview = no admittance). I'm hoping you receive better news, though!

I know it's tough to look on the positive side, but if you look at this as a skill-building exercise in perseverance, you'll most certainly have the strength and the experience to deal with setbacks in whatever program/job you enter with grace and with maturity, and that will be crucial to your experience as a student and/or employee. I mean, people sometimes think that once you get into grad school, it's a cakewalk from there, but there will be tons of difficult obstacles that you will have to face and overcome once you're in, and you will most certainly be qualified to tackle any difficulty you may face! Also, next year will be different from any other year. Your cohort will be different, you will have more experience, and you never know what funding opportunities, professors deciding to accept new students or job openings may be out there that simply weren't before. That's the maddening, yet comforting thing about grad school admissions; success will vary widely from year to year, even if you gave the same exact application to the same exact school for the same exact research focus. Never give up hope!

You might want to politely ask for an extension until the funding decision is out. I don't think it would hurt to let them know that funding is a big part of your consideration to attend, and if you cannot afford your graduate education otherwise, I would let them know that, as well. It would not be fair to you to be forced into a decision where you do not know whether or not you will be able to fund your education. Also, if you have not e-mailed these other programs you are waiting on and have not received any definite answer as to when you're hearing back, I would send a polite e-mail to them inquiring about your application status. It can't hurt, as long as you aren't blatantly rude or e-mailing them once every six minutes. Best of luck!

Speaking from my experience with fixed-deadline programs, as long as your application is submitted by the deadline, I don't think when you submit will necessarily affect your chances of admission in a big way. Early submissions do show advanced planning and timeliness, and obviously, the earlier you submit, the better off you are in the event that the department somehow does not receive certain materials (GRE scores and transcripts have a funny way of going missing.) Other than that, though, I would worry more about making sure your application represents you in the best way possible than about trying to submit early.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES. Life is good.

I'd like to know the same thing, personally... Especially since I'll be moving to Columbia in late July/early August. Not exactly a cool time of the year, haha!

For me, it was for closure. I knew interview invites had gone out for this particular school (from a reliable source,) and I just wanted to rule out the possibility that I had been waitlisted before I made any final choices, as this was the only school that hadn't given me a decision. Fortunately, the person I e-mailed was prompt to tell me that I had indeed been rejected. Can't win 'em all!

I think it's also worth mentioning that "fit" doesn't just mean in terms of research interests; it also means in terms of career goals. Many SOP prompts specifically ask for this, but even if they don't, the ability to clearly state why you are obtaining this degree and what you hope to accomplish with it is definitely important. It will allow the professors at that school to consider whether or not they can help you achieve the goals you've set out for yourself, and if they can, that definitely goes in your favor. Granted, your career goals may change over time, and that is expected, but the fact that you are thinking forward in terms of your degree demonstrates maturity and long-term planning. Also, the more arguments you can make for fit in terms of the particular school to which you're applying, the better!! Mention labs, facilities and resources that you think will help you in terms of your research. That will take research and time, but it'll be worth it. Having said that, perseverance is key. Even if you do everything right and have a lot of talent and potential, you may still get rejected simply because so many others out there have done everything right and have talent and potential. Keep trying, keep editing/reworking your application, and keep hope alive! If this is the life you really want, it may take a few rounds, but it will happen.

February 29th is only a few hours away (in my time zone, at any rate,) and I figured now would be the perfect time to remind everyone that the shortest, yet seemingly longest month of the year for grad school applicants is nearing its end. Looking back, it's been a crazy month for me, filled with mixed emotions and lots of craziness, but it was worth every second. How about you guys? Looking back, on the last day of February, how do you feel about the process up until now? Was this a month to remember, or a month to forget?

hay fever

Brush up on my Calculus, learn more about programming in R, determine which of my worldly positions are worth traveling long-distance with, and find an apartment for the Fall. Hopefully, there will be a lot of unplanned fun, as well!