imisscoffee

Except they called other people but not me... said they'd get back to me at the end of the month. boo.

To roommates: "Hey everyone, want to hear the latest update? I submitted another application. No, I'm not done yet." "Hey everyone, want to hear the latest update? I finally finished submitting applications." "Hey everyone, want to hear the latest update? I haven't heard back from any schools yet!" "Hey everyone, should I call or email Prof. X, Recommender Y, University Q again, or should I just wait?"

YES IT IS I WANT TO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW! Have you seen the new BBC Sherlock series??? Very sexy, a must see, and there are six episodes, so it will keep you busy for a few nights! The trailer does NOT do it justice so I won't even bother posting it.

And then they accepted you??? I was hoping to get a Friday night surprise, but it's too late for that, I guess.

I got this! "We are delighted that you applied to the Department of xxx at the University of yyy and we are considering you for what is called a Multi-Year fellowship. However, at present, we only have two letters in your file, one from Professor zzz and the other from Professor qqq. Could you please instruct your third referee to send us their letter of recommendation as soon as possible!" I think when they ask for your stuff, that means they DON'T want to throw out your application. I am feeling positive right now...

You are all amazing! Hang in there. This is exactly what I was talking about:

Ok. I didn't think waiting would be this hard. IT IS SOOOO HARD! I CAN'T STAND IT ANY MORE, I AM GOING CRAZY! I started taking a class at Berkeley (auditing) but now I'm worried that if I don't get in anywhere I am just going to feel like a dufus for taking a class. I should be doing other productive things and building my resume, but I can't seem to pin down what I should be doing. And if I don't get it, then REALLY what should I be doing? Should I apply again next year, even though the clock - including the biological clock - is ticking? Should I try for a more professional program than I did this time around, one that will make me money? How will I ever get more letters of recommendation if I try for another program? I think I wore my letter-writers out enough this time. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone else?

Rejected: Berkeley, Washington Accepted: Kentucky, UNC ??????: U of A, Syracuse, Clark

Is there some way to follow up with my POIs while I wait for the results to come in? I was thinking I could write: "Dear Prof. X, I just wanted to drop you a note because I mentioned you in particular in my application as someone I'm interested in working with. Thanks again for the great visit back in October. Best, Me"

I will go out with friends and hell of celebrate. Then, I will buy a fatty fiction book and read the shit out of it.

I figured that since I open my browser so often, for now I'd just leave it showing all results. Then, when things heat up, I'll make my search more specific, using the formula they offer: geog* (uni1|uni2|"university3 with multiple words in name"|uni4|uni5) That way I can see all the schools I applied to + my chosen field.

I am hoping to start a thread that gives us a chance to imagine good results coming from the adcoms checking out our applications. I mean, it's cheesy, it's not rationally going to change things, but I think I need to do this after reading all the other threads about people imagining getting horribly rejected. So, for me, I imagine: "It's too personal, but hey, at least it's not boring. She might be a wingnut, but her interests are certainly a fit with the department. Her grades and GREs - nothing special but in the middle of our range. Her CV is a bit fudged, but hey, you've got to learn how to spin things for grant applications anyway. She was nice in her email, if a bit long-winded. We'll put her app on the pile of possible admits." Hey, if I still get rejected, at least I can imagine that I am still an interesting person or whatever.

Are you actually supposed to follow up? Or is that only if you're worried something got lost in the mail?

Actually, I made the results page my home page.

You are right.

Yes! Now I get to join this list!!!!! I'm moving on from SOP-writing and all that **** to waiting.... yaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!! What to do with all the free time? Will I go party? Will I read fiction? Will I make art? Will I start jogging?

Fuzzylogician, you rock.

568 words, not including references!

I'm going to post the finished product. Do you think that I should say WHY I chose the faculty? Or will that be obvious? Any other comments? Thanks! ----------------------- Ok, I chickened out because I know it is maybe sketchy to post your stuff before you are accepted (in case they try to google it? Why? But I got it down. Still wondering about the faculty, and how much I should say about them... I think I'm going to leave it just mentioning them for now. I've sent them all emails connecting their work to mine.

I am applying to 7 schools. None of the others have had word counts for the SOP, and so each time I reworked it for a new school, my SOP got a little longer. Now here comes Syracuse, with a 500-word limit. What am I going to do!? I'm either going to have to be very vague or very specific. I can either go into a personal story or my comments about what professors I want to work with, but how will I fit both? I have to choose between a hook and a more thorough discussion of my topic. Any suggestions? Here is the prompt: This should be approximately 500 words, and describe your general academic plans, including your interests in geography, why you decided to select Syracuse, and what you hope to study here. Specific topics within these areas would be especially helpful. The Ph.D. applicant should identify one or more potential dissertation field areas of interest, and identify certain faculty members with whom you wish to work. Should I follow it to a T, or keep in more personal parts of my working SOP? I'm a master's applicant at Syracuse, though I've been working on PhD ideas for schools that would accept me only as such, so right now I have a lot about a potential dissertation, faculty, etc. Thanks for any advice. -Drinking Tea

recession + no jobs = mad competition. Could be just chance. Plus, English is a really competitive field. You don't see me applying to English departments, for a reason! I don't think I could keep trying. If I don't get in this year or next, I'll move to plan B: learn to read tarot, hang out with artists and open a tea shop.

But I am not a minority student, and since they said "Only student who qualify..." I don't want to impose this extra reading material on them.

The UW Geography Department's page says this: "4. Personal History (optional). (Note: Only US citizens who qualify for diversity fellowships should submit this personal history. This is an optional item. We routinely nominate meritorious applicants for various diversity fellowships and scholarships, but cannot do so unless this statement is submitted online). "We actively seek diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and cultural experiences in our graduate program. To help us achieve this diversity, it would help us if, on this form as well as in your personal history, you could identify any factors in your life which you feel will help broaden our graduate program. These may include: economic and educational disadvantages, cultural awareness, overcoming personal adversity, and leadership awards and potential." So... I shouldn't do it? This is mildly confusing. But probably only because I want to submit one because I worked so hard on my personal history for Berkeley and want to reuse it.

Two of my three profs have not submitted letters yet!!! Oh no! The application is due tonight! Is it ok if they are a day late? Should I send them a personal reminder? I know I have heard back from them recently, and they are definitely on board - but - why are they waiting until the last minute?