albowlly

I can relate. I'm trying to prevent myself from inflicting this torture on myself, as well. Not as trying as your situation, admittedly, but my app deadlines fell in the middle of 6 exams (worth 30 credits - the system is different here in Ireland: much more concentrated and focused on final exams, as opposed to continuous assessment). Even though I was working on the applications since September, I only got them finished just in time for December 15th. I wrote a 25 page essay for the specific purpose of showing them a writing sample, as per their requirements (all my prior work was only 10-12 pages). I'm a neurotic perfectionist (unhappily, and trying to overcome it) - yesterday I emailed my professor asking her if three tiny mistakes in 25 pages will ruin my application (e.g. forgetting to close scare quotes). She told me not to worry at all, and that it is human. She herself proofread it for me and did not notice them. I am trying to remind myself that life is too short to go insane over a forgotten scarequote, though it is easier said than done, at times. Best of luck with your application! I've been offered a PhD here, but I do not wish to rot in the west of Ireland for the rest of my days: in the land where Cromwell drove the natives with his motto 'to hell or to Connaught' (it's desolate around here).

Hello everyone. I'm writing from the west of Ireland. Had I known about these boards before the deadlines, I might have found some solace when I too was dealing with late letters of recommendation and the like. Now playing the waiting game: I would dearly love to come to the States in a few months. I could only afford to apply to four schools in total (lot of money involved, eh? education is free, for the most part, in Ireland, so I'm just growing accustomed all these fees. Although the catch is having to live in Ireland, where nothing is going on except rain....). The app deadlines fell right in the middle of exam season: I sat 6 exams in the week of Dec 15th, and almost lost my mind. Together with this, I conjoined previous essays to produce a 25-page super-essay for the purpose of the applications. Being a notorious perfectionist, I always leave enough time to incessantly proofread; however, this time I was very tight for time. So, most embarrassingly, in the 7000 words there are a couple of tiny little errors (just misplaced commas, word repetitions). I was tempted to contact the schools and ask them if I could re-upload the writing sample, but decided against it. Perhaps only I notice them.... Or so I hope. Perfectionism is crippling. Odd feeling, this. Wondering where the hell I am going to be in a few months. If this doesnt work out, I am just going to wander around Europe with a knapsack and several notebooks, and then disappear into the hills of the west of Ireland for the rest of my days. I have applied to Columbia, Chicago, U of M at Ann Arbor, and Cambridge. My GRE scores were pretty mediocre, 72nd percentile (bleh). I really did not enjoy sitting that thing, and being searched by a grim-faced officer in Dublin, as though I were going through CBP. *holding my breath*