What to do in worst case scenario

[nootnoot1]

I spent a long time on my application: had pretty good GRE scores, a couple of decent publications, reliable recommendations, painfully crafted statement......

However, I learnt from programs data that the acceptance rate was usually around 10 percent in the past, and this time it can only get even lower.

I cannot help fretting. I am an older applicant, almost 30 years old now. It is almost impossible for me to apply once again.

Any thought?

Edited January 30, 2011 by nootnoot1

[newms]

Firstly, as someone who is almost 30 as well and who got rejected at all the places I applied to last year, I can tell you that it is possible to apply again after getting all rejections. You need to have good support - as the application process takes a toll not only on us, but on our families as well. You also need to have recommenders that believe in you and will be willing to support you again.

Secondly, calm down. You sound like you put together a really good application and I think you should have a decent chance, even at schools that take only 10% of applicants. You have publications - the majority of applicants don't have that, so that alone will make you stand apart from most applicants. And if your publications are good, you probably would stand an excellent chance at getting an admission at most places.

That said, it is possible for even an exceptional applicant not to be admitted. There are a host of reasons that could cause this such as, your interests might not fit well with the department's, the POI you would work with might not have funds for a new student or the school might think you're such a good applicant that you wouldn't go there so they don't even bother with an admit. If this does happen, and it's still early in the application process, you could strengthen your application and reapply to a broader range of schools to give yourself more chances. Some schools have Spring/Winter admission, so if you did have to re-apply, the extra wait might not be long.

So my advice to you would be,

i) don't worry about that now - it seems you have a strong application and it's still early in the season - unless your schools have all finished making decisions?

ii) if you don't get admitted, don't take it personally since many strong applicants don't get admitted on their first try. You can reapply and use the extra time to strengthen your application and increase your odds of getting admitted.

Best of luck!

[jynx]

Don't lose hope! Especially so early on! The programs I'm applying to only accept 3-5% of applicants, and somehow I remain hopeful despite having no publications under my belt. It's not over til it's over, and thinking about worst case scenarios is only going to make the whole process a lot more anxiety-provoking for you. If you are rejected from all the programs you applied to (which seems highly unlikely given your credentials), THEN you can think about what to do. But for now, it sounds to me like you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

[Vacuum]

I don't think anyone should give up. And since when is 30 old!?!? People are admitted for various reasons and attempting to predict your chances will always be a losing battle I think. You just have to wait it out! If you don't get in, you'll have a chance to regroup and decide if it is something you truly want. If you truly want it, you will go after it no matter what. Good luck!