gradgirlwannabe Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I am TERRIFIED of getting all-round rejections. I applied to nine schools, and as an English major, I'm afraid my options are limited. I do NOT feel like spending a year working at Starbucks while going through the application process again. I don't have a plan B. I can't imagine doing anything else. Okay, now that I've vented.... Have you gotten all-round rejections in the past? Do you have a plan B in case it happens?
Bonkers Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I am TERRIFIED of getting all-round rejections. I applied to nine schools, and as an English major, I'm afraid my options are limited. I do NOT feel like spending a year working at Starbucks while going through the application process again. I don't have a plan B. I can't imagine doing anything else. Okay, now that I've vented.... Have you gotten all-round rejections in the past? Do you have a plan B in case it happens? MY EXACT FEAR!!! I have been thinking a lot about what I would do if---ugh, if I do not get in anywhere. I only got as far as: cry and scream.
DamianD Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I probably accept the PhD position in my home country which they offered me when I asked for recommendation letters :-) Maybe propose to my girlfriend the year after that instead of breaking up when I would do a PhD here :-D
RDX Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I am TERRIFIED of getting all-round rejections. I applied to nine schools, and as an English major, I'm afraid my options are limited. I do NOT feel like spending a year working at Starbucks while going through the application process again. I don't have a plan B. I can't imagine doing anything else. Okay, now that I've vented.... Have you gotten all-round rejections in the past? Do you have a plan B in case it happens? EXACT FEAR +2
Zouzax Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 (edited) I am TERRIFIED of getting all-round rejections. I applied to nine schools, and as an English major, I'm afraid my options are limited. I do NOT feel like spending a year working at Starbucks while going through the application process again. I don't have a plan B. I can't imagine doing anything else. Okay, now that I've vented.... Have you gotten all-round rejections in the past? Do you have a plan B in case it happens? if you see my other postings, youll know it's my fear as well. It's all I think about, which is probably not good as I read we manifest our own destinies (actually I didn't read that. My mother is an Oprah addict and happened to watch too many episodes featuring the author of 'The Secret' and has unfortunately read the book 'Eat, Pray, Love", thus causing her to remind me at any and all opportunities that we create our own fate). If I dont get in, Im going to move to a different country and teach there, all while perfecting my application for the following year, finishing my thesis, and attending conferences. Thats the plan, at least. Edited February 3, 2011 by Zouzax
Bukharan Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Going travelling for a while, trying to bury my rejection sorrow in wandering in distant lands and taking thousands of artsy pictures; then moving to Belgium or the Netherlands (I am from Europe) and trying not to starve to death. I am actually being totally serious.
Zouzax Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Going travelling for a while, trying to bury my rejection sorrow in wandering in distant lands and taking thousands of artsy pictures; then moving to Belgium or the Netherlands (I am from Europe) and trying not to starve to death. I am actually being totally serious. lol! maybe we'll cross paths as we both try to survive
DamianD Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 lol! maybe we'll cross paths as we both try to survive You won't since he already got accepted at Oxford as you can see :-)
gradgirlwannabe Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 if you see my other postings, youll know it's my fear as well. It's all I think about, which is probably not good as I read we manifest our own destinies (actually I didn't read that. My mother is an Oprah addict and happened to watch too many episodes featuring the author of 'The Secret' and has unfortunately read the book 'Eat, Pray, Love", thus causing her to remind me at any and all opportunities that we create our own fate). That's got to be excruciating. I don't want to hear about fate, self-created or not.
SimilarlyDifferent Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I want to do a history PhD, my plan B is a master of Library and Information Science. I don't know if you have a MA degree yet, but if you don't have one, you might seriously want to consider applying for at least one program for the Fall. You never know what connections you might make or what experiences you may have. One of my LOR writers told me that the competition is really stiff in this economy for PhD slots, and that if I didn't get in straight out of undergrad to apply again after a Masters. She said that often they will take people with the MA over someone without if they have similar stats/LOR/SOI, etc. Another idea would be to find an internship or a temp position in your field and work on building your CV for next application season. Good luck!
darjeelingtea16 Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 (edited) I am TERRIFIED of getting all-round rejections. I applied to nine schools, and as an English major, I'm afraid my options are limited. I do NOT feel like spending a year working at Starbucks while going through the application process again. I don't have a plan B. I can't imagine doing anything else. Okay, now that I've vented.... Have you gotten all-round rejections in the past? Do you have a plan B in case it happens? I'm in a similar boat. I'm an English major also -- just finished my MA at York. I also applied for a PhD in English, to five schools (which I'm now in a panic about because I'm wondering if that's too small a number). My plan B is to do a 1 yr teaching certification program and try for the PhD again next year. By the time I apply again, I'll be certified to teach high school and so if I don't get in again, I could go be a high school English teacher. Though I will say that while I don't have any beef with going through with plan B, I REALLY WANT TO GET INTO A PHD PROGRAM. Edited February 3, 2011 by darjeelingtea16
Golden Monkey Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) My top 2 choices have a ridiculously high rejection rate (almost comical,) and my other 2 choices will probably not be funded if I get in. I'm not going to an unfunded program, so being accepted without funding is pretty much the same thing as being rejected, which is about the same thing as losing the lottery, statistically. At my age (43,) I have decided that this is a one-shot deal, and that if it doesn't happen this time, it's my cue to move on with my life/career, so I won't be reapplying next year. Despite the horrible job market, I'll be more aggressive in my job search and will hopefully move out of my current job. It's a great job, and I'm lucky to have it, but I'm ridiculously overqualified and underpaid for it, especially after completing my long-delayed master's degree. I guess one of the benefits of being older than everyone else applying for PhDs is that I'm quite used to being disappointed and fully expecting Plan Bs, and it's all "old hat, been there, done that." The other positive side is that perhaps my options for Plan B are not really that bad, since I've been working for 20 years and most likely will not end up asking, "would you like fries with that?" at my next job. I've been bookmarking companies/sites/people in preparation for PhD Disappointment 2011, so if and when it happens, I will sulk (and drink) for a while, then just step up the job search. Edited February 4, 2011 by Golden Monkey
gradgirlwannabe Posted February 4, 2011 Author Posted February 4, 2011 Ahhhrrrrg!!!!! Now I'm scouring the web for Masters programs with deadlines late enough for me to still apply! I'm pretty sure this obsession is unhealthy...
bee kel Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 You should prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. If you don't get in, you'll be fine. You'll keep on living and you can easily apply again next year. I would consider that outcome though, and just think a bit about practical things you can do if the worst should happen. I got my undergrad in music education and I'm applying in composition. I don't particularly want to spend too much time teaching primary/secondary school (hindsight is 20/20), but I will do it to pay the bills until I can beef up my CV and reapply if I have to.
KRC Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Been out of UG for almost 5 years, working non-academic jobs since (and through my MA). I have a job that pays me obscenely well for minimal work, but that is the only aspect of it that isn't excruciatingly awful. There is no way that I can stay at this job a day after my last rejection (presuming I get 10/10 rejects), so I've been scouting new jobs in the meantime. I have an ass-load of UG student loans so I have to stay in a certain pay range, but i'll definitely take a pay cut to leave this sh*thole. I know I'm lucky to even have a job at this point, so good luck to all ya'll looking for Plan B's! Be disciplined, apply to at least 10 jobs a week, MINIMUM. If you think you're under qualified or the job isn't a perfect match, don't worry about it. Apply. Private sector hiring boards are NOT like adcomms. Just apply, and keep applying. You will find something.
Zouzax Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 That's got to be excruciating. I don't want to hear about fate, self-created or not. Ha well I'm officially experimenting today ... going to *push* positive energy toward my inbox. I'll report my results later tonight.
aquellita Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Most likely remain in my job, and recharge for applying next year (ie get higher GREs, improve my SoP, perhaps getting involved in a research project at my company) Though I would be devastated, it's not the end of the world and I will apply again i'm not giving up on grad school!
UFGator Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 My plan B WAS to take more math classes and re-apply next year. But I got in SOMEWHERE, so this thankfully does not apply any longer.
Eli- Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 If I don't get in, I'm moving here: http://www.telluridevisitorinformation.com/telluride%20from%20ingram%20falls.jpg If I get to see that every day and play outside on weekends, I really don't give a hoot what job I'm working!
agatheringrose Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 I'm starting to apply for more permanent jobs starting in March. I figure by then I'll know my chances of getting into a PHD program and I might as well. I just finished my MLIS degree and haven't doing any intensive work in a Library so I'll probably just go ahead and check that out before/during the next application season. ...and save up so I can run away to Europe. I haven't been that side of things yet and it sounds exciting.
awvish Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 I'm currently a Peace Corps Volunteer, so if I don't get in, I might try to extend my service. (Peace Corps as an alternative takes a bit of prep time, though, and is a two-year committment, so I don't know how well it'd work for anyone who's not already in it--unless, of course, you don't mind a two-year hiatus.) I also might come back home and find some sort of expense-meeting job somewhere near where any of my past PIs work so I can volunteer in their labs. Or maybe I'll go work on my mom's organic farm. Or maybe I'll go to DC and apply for some sort of development/policy job. None of those are as exciting as starting my Ph.D, though. Best of luck, everyone!
Jason Morrow Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 One of my original undergraduate plans was to do ROTC for the Air Force but this changed when I changed my major. As such I still have an interest in joining the Air Force so if I don't get in grad school that will be my plan b. The beauty is I will be able to accomplish my goals either way so its a win-win for me.
qbtacoma Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 I want to do a history PhD, my plan B is a master of Library and Information Science. I don't know if you have a MA degree yet, but if you don't have one, you might seriously want to consider applying for at least one program for the Fall. You never know what connections you might make or what experiences you may have. One of my LOR writers told me that the competition is really stiff in this economy for PhD slots, and that if I didn't get in straight out of undergrad to apply again after a Masters. She said that often they will take people with the MA over someone without if they have similar stats/LOR/SOI, etc. Another idea would be to find an internship or a temp position in your field and work on building your CV for next application season. Good luck! That's by Plan B too! I was going to apply to MLIS programs this year, then thought I'd apply to some history programs too, then said "fuck it" and went all out for history. However, I don't know if I want to sit around for another year doing what I'm doing now if I don't get in. I am considering going to teach English in Korea at a hagwon (or cram school) - I can make mad cash, if I manage to avoid the highly sketchy hagwon. I happen to know a couple people who got incredibly, massively screwed by their employer. Also I'm keeping an eye on the political tension in the region, but I figure that life can't stop just because Kim Jong Il decides to throw a hissy.
DamianD Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 If I'm not getting admitted anywhere I've move to Nepal or Tibet for 6-8 months and look for a job as a math teacher at a high school :-) and then... I don't know, maybe apply again or .... don't know
Zouzax Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 Ha well I'm officially experimenting today ... going to *push* positive energy toward my inbox. I'll report my results later tonight. yea .... it's bullsh*t
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