Did I just totally mess this up?

[Roccoriel]

This year is pretty much my last chance to do a PhD before I decide that I just really need to get a job with the Master's I'll be receiving this spring...so I'm in total freak-out mode like 99.9% of the time.

When I applied the first time, I was told to contact any researching faculty members that I have common interests with to discuss their programs before I apply. In fact, I've been told by people that I've contacted about doing research that you should contact as many as you are interested in, even within the same department. I did that, unfortunately, at one of the schools I applied to, one of athe faculty I sent it to thought it would help me out to send it to everyone there in case they are interested in me. It probably would have been great, except upon sending a follow-up letter, I got a reply (from the only other faculty member I contacted) that in essence said "We're confused about your interests because we all received the same letter/you emailed multiple people." Now I'm all panic stricken because I am sure that "emailing everyone" which I didn't actually do is going to reflect very, very poorly on my application and I'm not going to be even considered because of it. *headdeskheaddeskheaddesk*

Any ideas as to how bad this is actually going to hurt me?

Edited October 7, 2010 by Roccoriel

[Strangefox]

I did that, unfortunately, at one of the schools I applied to, one of athe faculty I sent it to thought it would help me out to send it to everyone there in case they are interested in me. It probably would have been great, except upon sending a follow-up letter, I got a reply (from the only other faculty member I contacted) that in essence said "We're confused about your interests because we all received the same letter/you emailed multiple people."

Why did not you explain that other professor that it was a mistake, that you had sent letters only to him, professor X and professor Y and that the latter had decided to forward your letter to all other members of the department. I think, the situation is clear and you did nothing wrong. It is fine to contact several people from the same department. No all of them, of course

Edited October 7, 2010 by Strangefox

[Phenomenologist]

This sounds a little embarrassing, but it doesn't sound terribly killer toward your chances of acceptance. In your response email, just make sure and smooth-talk your way out of it.

[newms]

Am I understanding this correctly, that you contacted only 2 profs you were interested in, and one of them forwarded the email to everyone in the department? If that's the case then it shouldn't reflect badly on you, just send a follow up to the person that replied explaining that the other prof thought it would be a good idea to forward the email to others in the department. Also make your interests clear, since the prof that replied doesn't seem to be clear about your interests.

[Roccoriel]

Thank you all for the advice and for helping me chill out! It's bad enough that I feel like I'm "cheating on" professors I talk to because I'm talking with outher professors (I do the same thing with job applications...I know it's crazy, but I do it anyway). But add in all that confusion, and I was about to crawl in a hole and never emerge. I managed to email him a huge apology for the confusion and to clear up my interests. It seems better now, and I'm sorry for exposing you all to my freakout...

Thanks again!

Edited October 11, 2010 by Roccoriel