Forgot Independent Study topic

[fingerscrossed44]

Hey everyone,

I've finally decided to apply to PhD programs next year but I've got one problem: I forgot what I did for my independent study class in undergrad 12 years ago!  I was actually really surprised to see the class on my transcript the other night because I hated research back then (I've done a complete 180 since then though).  No one at the university has any record of what I did, either. I know that whatever it was, it probably didn't even involve data analysis or anything close to that (I'm thinking it may have just been a basic research paper). Besides being super embarrassing, do you think this could also be a dealbreaker for programs?  Does anyone have any advice of how I could explain this that wouldn't sound terrible?    Thanks!

[VentureIntoNothingness]

I doubt that this would be a dealbreaker unless that is the only research experience that you have. Also if you don't make explicit mentioning of it, I doubt that they would ask too much about it. ?

[fingerscrossed44]

That's a relief!  It's definitely possible I've started overthinking things already ?. 

[T.O.hopeful]

On 11/7/2021 at 2:38 PM, fingerscrossed44 said:

Hey everyone,

I've finally decided to apply to PhD programs next year but I've got one problem: I forgot what I did for my independent study class in undergrad 12 years ago!  I was actually really surprised to see the class on my transcript the other night because I hated research back then (I've done a complete 180 since then though).  No one at the university has any record of what I did, either. I know that whatever it was, it probably didn't even involve data analysis or anything close to that (I'm thinking it may have just been a basic research paper). Besides being super embarrassing, do you think this could also be a dealbreaker for programs?  Does anyone have any advice of how I could explain this that wouldn't sound terrible?    Thanks!

LOL I was literally in the same boat as you as of 3 days ago. I couldn't for the life of me remember what my independent study was on (I completed it in 2011). So, I checked through my old emails and found a cover letter I had sent to a school practicum job posting in 2012 and wouldn't you know, I mentioned the project that I did for my independent study in the cover letter! So, if there's any chance you're like me and keep really old emails, I'd say try and go back far enough to see if you happened to mention it anywhere. I definitely had no recollection of mentioning my independent study to prospective employers, so it's totally possible you also may have mentioned it an email but just forgotten.

That said, if you can't find anything in old emails, I wouldn't worry. I interviewed with one school last year and the independent study was never mentioned.  

[fingerscrossed44]

8 hours ago, T.O.hopeful said:

LOL I was literally in the same boat as you as of 3 days ago. I couldn't for the life of me remember what my independent study was on (I completed it in 2011). So, I checked through my old emails and found a cover letter I had sent to a school practicum job posting in 2012 and wouldn't you know, I mentioned the project that I did for my independent study in the cover letter! So, if there's any chance you're like me and keep really old emails, I'd say try and go back far enough to see if you happened to mention it anywhere. I definitely had no recollection of mentioning my independent study to prospective employers, so it's totally possible you also may have mentioned it an email but just forgotten.

That said, if you can't find anything in old emails, I wouldn't worry. I interviewed with one school last year and the independent study was never mentioned.  

Glad I'm not the only one  I'm sure it was a happy surprise finding that cover letter!  I do keep super old emails, so I'll guess I'll be doing some searching this weekend.