Post here to get your worries off your chest

[aggiezone]

Excitement: I had interviews with my dream program and they went great

Worries: This program is interviewing several people for very few spots (1-2) and I keep feeling like there's no way I made the cut. I've heard about many people who had great interviews but did not make the final selection. I had a stress dream last night that I got an email from them saying I got in and I told everyone, but it turns out that I misread the email and I was actually waitlisted. In real life, I'm traveling to Asia shortly after decisions come out, and I have a job offer that I'll have to negotiate an extension for if I do get waitlisted. The idea of being waitlisted stresses me out so much because I'll have to find a way to manage all of this stuff while backpacking in hostels in a foreign country!!! And I probably still wouldn't even get in. Blehh I just want this so much and it's clouding my brain.

I made a list of all of the stuff I've done applying to this program (interviews, SOP, visits, LORs) and it's an INSANELY long list. The only thing left on the "to do" side of the list is "wait 2 more weeks". I've put everything into this and at this point I've poured my heart out in so many interviews that it's going to feel so personal if I don't get in...

[Ternwild]

3 hours ago, literalturtle said:

THIS. My partner keeps telling me that there aren't people who have worked as hard as I have, and there aren't a lot of people applying for my degree program. It always gives me hope, but it's a total false hope. I'm seeing people with many publications, and all I have is a year and a half of being a research assistant with one poster and supposedly a publication but no update from PI. Not to mention average GRE scores and a slightly above average GPA...

They are so very wrong.  When it comes to any program, there is always someone who has worked harder than you and there is always more people applying to things than you think.

[CanadianHopeful]

16 hours ago, yjkim192 said:

How do you know if your applications are at the faculty level?

I don't know how it is for American universities or anything (I applied to only Canadian ones) but the application sites will tell you what stage of the process your application is in. ie. Under review with graduate admissions, file sent to the faculty for review, and so on. 

 

8 hours ago, Ternwild said:

I know the reason she doesn't want you to leave is because she doesn't think that your relationship can survive a long distance.  Which, for most of them, they don't.  Whether it will or not is hard to tell and largely depends on how long your relationship has gone on for and how strong it is, now.

With all that speculation, aside, the most important thing is this: if you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't want to support their dreams, but expects you to support theirs, you should reconsider your relationship situation. 

That said, I suggest asking people on /r/relationships. 

2

Possibly. ?

[madandmoonly]

Worries: One of the current grad students I've spoken to at the Dream School™ said that the Dream POI™ is "kind of particular to deal with" & I have no idea what that is supposed to mean & it's really freaking me out?? I know that not everyone works well together so it could literally just be this one person's personal opinion but it's like... wow I hope this doesn't turn out horribly. 

Excitement: I really want to work with them still...

[Ternwild]

2 hours ago, madandmoonly said:

One of the current grad students I've spoken to at the Dream School™ said that the Dream POI™ is "kind of particular to deal with" & I have no idea what that is supposed to mean

It means he's kind of a dick and hard to deal with.

[floyder20]

No updates from any University I have applied to ( and I applied to 10). Worried I might have to start looking for a Job now.

[Ternwild]

1 hour ago, floyder20 said:

No updates from any University I have applied to ( and I applied to 10). Worried I might have to start looking for a Job now.

You absolutely should.  The biggest mistake I made in my first application year was thinking that all I had to do is get accepted (which I thought was an obvious thing that would happen).  The thing you don't think about, besides not getting accepted, is what if you do and the school just isn't the right fit for you?  I was unemployed for 6 months after I turned down the universities in my first year.  You should always apply to jobs while applying to grad schools.  That way you have all your options out and ready for you.

[floyder20]

2 hours ago, Ternwild said:

You absolutely should.  The biggest mistake I made in my first application year was thinking that all I had to do is get accepted (which I thought was an obvious thing that would happen).  The thing you don't think about, besides not getting accepted, is what if you do and the school just isn't the right fit for you?  I was unemployed for 6 months after I turned down the universities in my first year.  You should always apply to jobs while applying to grad schools.  That way you have all your options out and ready for you.

Thanks for the response, this is good advice.

[lovekilledinos]

Worries: it's looking like rejections across the board this year. But, I can't be too surprised as I switched from anthropology to media studies. If I decide to apply again next year, I'll include a wider range of programs. 

Excitement: I said this elsewhere, but disappointment walks hand in hand with relief. I can at least move on to the next phase of my life. I've applied to jobs, all you need is one to say yes. 

[gahhhh]

Worries: Dream School's web portal (where apparently *everyone* finds out first) is glitching for me and I can't log in/refresh obsessively

Excitement: ??? The fantasy that only my portal is down because the web devs are personally editing it to reflect my admission ??

 

 

 

[AMUG]

3 minutes ago, gahhhh said:

Worries: Dream School's web portal (where apparently *everyone* finds out first) is glitching for me and I can't log in/refresh obsessively

Excitement: ??? The fantasy that only my portal is down because the web devs are personally editing it to reflect my admission ??

 

LOL! I just had the same experience and dreamed the same thing ? Please tell me your talking about University of Toronto ?

Edited February 19, 2019 by AMUG

[gahhhh]

1 minute ago, AMUG said:

LOL! I just had the same experience and dreamed the same thing ? Please tell me your talking about University of Toronto ?

Lol omg yes. I'm so embarrassed hahaha 

[AMUG]

Just now, gahhhh said:

Lol omg yes. I'm so embarrassed hahaha 

Amazing coincidence ?! Acorn is up and running but no update though lol 

[gahhhh]

1 minute ago, AMUG said:

Amazing coincidence ?! Acorn is up and running but no update though lol 

 Lame!!! I live to panic another day 

[CherryBlossom_]

38 minutes ago, gahhhh said:

Worries: Dream School's web portal (where apparently *everyone* finds out first) is glitching for me and I can't log in/refresh obsessively

Excitement: ??? The fantasy that only my portal is down because the web devs are personally editing it to reflect my admission ??

 

 

 

OMG yes!!!! Loved it! I must confess I’m the same 

[rrobinson]

Concerns: 

I only applied to one school, a SUNY university because financially, I needed a state school, and they had a fabulous internship program for second year specifically focused on my area of study and field. I applied really early for fall 2019 in in October 2018, but I didn’t realize it wasn’t rolling admission until after the deadline date in late January. Had i known it was a full deadline, i would’ve applied to more programs. I want to think i’m a competitive candidate: 3.58 undergrad GPA, positions and work in my field in college and post-grad, a current management position in my field, a personal statement that demonstrates passion and knowledge of my work, and 4 letters of recommendations from supervisors and professors. The program didn’t require GRE scores which is good because while my writing and verbal were fine, my qualitative was low. Just anxious waiting to hear from ONE school and i don’t want to be overconfident. 

Excitement:

Im passionate about my work and field, and it shows both in my personal statement and the work I do in the field. My supervisors/directors know that and have communicated that to me, much less in a letter of reccomendation. I know i’m right for the field. I’m ready to push forward and create a career for myself that I’m going to love!

[Ternwild]

1 hour ago, rrobinson said:

Concerns: 

I only applied to one school, a SUNY university because financially, I needed a state school, and they had a fabulous internship program for second year specifically focused on my area of study and field. I applied really early for fall 2019 in in October 2018, but I didn’t realize it wasn’t rolling admission until after the deadline date in late January. Had i known it was a full deadline, i would’ve applied to more programs. I want to think i’m a competitive candidate: 3.58 undergrad GPA, positions and work in my field in college and post-grad, a current management position in my field, a personal statement that demonstrates passion and knowledge of my work, and 4 letters of recommendations from supervisors and professors. The program didn’t require GRE scores which is good because while my writing and verbal were fine, my qualitative was low. Just anxious waiting to hear from ONE school and i don’t want to be overconfident. 

Excitement:

Im passionate about my work and field, and it shows both in my personal statement and the work I do in the field. My supervisors/directors know that and have communicated that to me, much less in a letter of reccomendation. I know i’m right for the field. I’m ready to push forward and create a career for myself that I’m going to love!

If you don't make it in.  Don't give up.  If this is where you feel you wish to be, then don't let rejections slow you down.

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

Worries: Imposter syndrome over acceptances

Excitement: acceptances!

[historygeek]

Excitement: I got my second acceptance today!  I was accepted to the MA to PhD program at SLU! 

Worries: Now I'll have to choose between two programs, and I'm not sure if I can transfer into early modern history at SLU versus American.

[Ternwild]

Damn.  I guess I"m the only one still has something to be worried about...

[revalith]

Worries:

• I only applied to one school

I like to think I'm realistic. Moving away from this city would be detrimental to my career as I can get employment I'm interested in using my undergrad. So I thought I'd only apply to the one program I'm interested in, and here we are. Objectively, I'm fairly certain I'll be fine: my GPA is around a 3.9, I've got ~3 years of relevant work experience, and my LORs are from profs from the program I applied to since I'd previously taken courses with them. But the farther it creeps on into February, the more I start to worry about it. This program releases acceptances sometime around mid-March most years, which really, really doesn't help! So I have another few weeks of anxiously checking everything over again to worry about.

[Desperate Clinical]

Worries: I've interviewed at my dream program on Thursday and they said we will hear back within 10 days. Historically (gradcafe results) people hear back quickly (within 2-3 days) and it's been 6 and I haven't heard anything. I know I'm being dramatic but I'm so worried and refreshing like mad.

Excitement: I didn't even think I'd get an interview to this very competitive program! And, I feel like the interview went very well.

[fortsibut]

8 hours ago, Ternwild said:

Damn.  I guess I"m the only one still has something to be worried about...

Nope, I'm right there with you!

[elx]

On 2/13/2019 at 4:25 PM, worrypower said:

This morning, upon waking up:

Excitement: AN EMAIL FROM OXFORD!

 Worry: ...to complete a survey about my experience with the application process?

I did the survey, of course. But oh man, did I ever laugh at that. They really zoinked me.

They did that to me too! Took a good while for my heart rate to go back down.

@Ternwild and @fortsibut, right here with you too. I know I've been silently rejected from four, but couldn't they just. . .let me know? I get that they're busy but it still makes me go ?

[spidy]

Worries: I only applied to three programs, and only two that I think I would definitely consider attending at this point. I chose the ones I did partially because all of them give VERY good funding (most admitted students receive scholarships for full tuition plus a stipend). However, now I’m seeing people with very similar profiles to mine receiving those kinds of offers from schools which I was interested in but didn’t apply to for funding reasons! So I’m regretting not applying to those schools and I’m going to feel like a total idiot if I’m not accepted to the ones I did apply to. 

 

Excitement: I applied way back in November for all of my schools and the wait has been agonizing, but I’m almost there! I think I’ll hear back within the next few weeks, and I’m feeling reasonably good about my chances of getting in to at least one of my two main schools.