unrest/doom/insanity

[snappysorbet]

Also, right after I posted that I got an email from one of my programs stating, "attached please find important information regarding your application for admission." I almost had a heart attack, but it was just a letter informing me that my application has been forwarded to the department. Seriously, I'm shaking right now! Ugh.

[Medievalmaniac]

I had to google BPAL! This is quite the ostentatious statement on their website: "we have mastered the art of encapsulating allegorical ideas into singular olfactory experiences."

That's awesome!

I dare you to order an Imp of Lyonesse and NOT feel like you have died and gone to Camelot....! They're not kidding. It's freaking amazing. I'm definitely a fan!

[USTgrad]

Also, right after I posted that I got an email from one of my programs stating, "attached please find important information regarding your application for admission." I almost had a heart attack, but it was just a letter informing me that my application has been forwarded to the department. Seriously, I'm shaking right now! Ugh.

That is worded terribly! Those preliminary emails are nice, but they need to choose some more sensitive phrasing.

Think of those minor heart attacks as preparation for the big one when you are accepted!

[Irishlibra]

Waiting is hard! To make it worse I broke my wrist on Saturday so I'm stuck at home with nothing to do but take pain killers, eat, sleep, read, watch TV, and obsess over grad school. To make it worse, I just found out I'm going to need surgery on my wrist next week which will keep me laid up for a while. Oh well, c'est la vie!

Now if i could just figure out how to scratch an itch below my cast then life would be so much brighter...

[lyonessrampant]

wire hangers. Untwist and then you can slide them down the cast. . .not so sanitary but those cast itches can be EXCRUCIATING. . .:0 Feel better!

[augustquail]

snappysorbet, you are completely right when you say the process is soul-crushing! I can't even imagine having to apply again. It's not so much the process of applying itself that fills me with dread (though it wouldn't exactly be fun, either) but having to go through this waiting period again, and having to fuck around for another year doing shit that I don't want to do (i.e. living where I live, and working at my shitty job).

I've only heard from one school so far, and it was my top choice, and it was a rejection. I'm pretty tough, but I locked myself in my room and cried for four hours. And had some kind of existential crisis. Now I'm just expecting all rejections and a life condemned to poverty and failure. This application season is turning me into a dramatic pyscho, but I can't help it!!

I got a gym membership about three weeks ago, so about this time everyday i've been going (the endorphins really help!) but today I didn't get myself together, and now I'm sitting here refreshing my email every five seconds.

I feel like it has been february for an eternity.

[ahlacruz]

I'm definitely beginning to feel like maybe my interests weren't clear enough or my fit paragraph in my SOP was too general. Or perhaps they are just reading my writing sample and thinking "Huh?" Even though there are many stories of people doing multiple rounds of applications and feel like if I end up getting all rejections that I would rather take it as a sign to pursue a different field.

[sareene]

A ruler also does the trick. Just don't scratch too hard!

Waiting is hard! To make it worse I broke my wrist on Saturday so I'm stuck at home with nothing to do but take pain killers, eat, sleep, read, watch TV, and obsess over grad school. To make it worse, I just found out I'm going to need surgery on my wrist next week which will keep me laid up for a while. Oh well, c'est la vie!

Now if i could just figure out how to scratch an itch below my cast then life would be so much brighter...

[cquin]

snappysorbet, you are completely right when you say the process is soul-crushing! I can't even imagine having to apply again. It's not so much the process of applying itself that fills me with dread (though it wouldn't exactly be fun, either) but having to go through this waiting period again, and having to fuck around for another year doing shit that I don't want to do (i.e. living where I live, and working at my shitty job).

I've only heard from one school so far, and it was my top choice, and it was a rejection. I'm pretty tough, but I locked myself in my room and cried for four hours. And had some kind of existential crisis. Now I'm just expecting all rejections and a life condemned to poverty and failure. This application season is turning me into a dramatic pyscho, but I can't help it!!

I got a gym membership about three weeks ago, so about this time everyday i've been going (the endorphins really help!) but today I didn't get myself together, and now I'm sitting here refreshing my email every five seconds.

I feel like it has been february for an eternity.

You have read my mind. I echo all of these statements exactly. I am completely distraught at the mere prospect of spending another year working at my mediocre job and going through the whole life-consuming process of reapplying. I received my first rejection today from CUNY and I definitely had a mini breakdown. We're all turning into dramatic psychos, I think!

[hopefulwoolfian]

I'm definitely beginning to feel like maybe my interests weren't clear enough or my fit paragraph in my SOP was too general. Or perhaps they are just reading my writing sample and thinking "Huh?" Even though there are many stories of people doing multiple rounds of applications and feel like if I end up getting all rejections that I would rather take it as a sign to pursue a different field.

I think with that it depends on the application year and where you applied. Last year I applied to mostly Ivies and Top-15 schools, with a few "backups." Between last year being ridiculously competitive, even by normal English grad school standards, and now realizing just how competitive top places are, this was a dumb move. This year I focused more on places I thought might actually take me, fully understood that there is no such thing as a backup in this process, and worked much harder on my application (especially as I lost my job and moved back home, ensuring that this was all I had to focus on ). If I don't make it this time, I will probably not try again, as I gave it my all. But realize that a bad application season can definitely be because of external forces!

[Queynte Fantasye]

I saw this forum at a very helpful time... the anxiety level's been at about an "orange" this week, and knowing that last year my top school sent out letters at this time (to the day) is not helping things.

P.S- to those of you guys applying to Loyola Chicago: you got a letter confirming your completed application?? I saw that and nearly had a stroke. I didn't get any "yay! your app is complete" emails... does that mean I'm screwed?

[TC3]

I saw this forum at a very helpful time... the anxiety level's been at about an "orange" this week, and knowing that last year my top school sent out letters at this time (to the day) is not helping things.

P.S- to those of you guys applying to Loyola Chicago: you got a letter confirming your completed application?? I saw that and nearly had a stroke. I didn't get any "yay! your app is complete" emails... does that mean I'm screwed?

I wouldn't worry. Loyola was entirely online, right? No lost mail, at least. In the Wisconsin thread, we seem to have decided that there's no rhyme or reason as to who does or doesn't receive confirmation emails.

As long as your application reads as "finalized" at <https://gradapp.luc.edu/gradapp/login.htm> you should be okay.

[USTgrad]

I think with that it depends on the application year and where you applied. Last year I applied to mostly Ivies and Top-15 schools, with a few "backups." Between last year being ridiculously competitive, even by normal English grad school standards, and now realizing just how competitive top places are, this was a dumb move. This year I focused more on places I thought might actually take me, fully understood that there is no such thing as a backup in this process, and worked much harder on my application (especially as I lost my job and moved back home, ensuring that this was all I had to focus on ). If I don't make it this time, I will probably not try again, as I gave it my all. But realize that a bad application season can definitely be because of external forces!

I gotta second that motion. Over the summer I visited a few schools for a, let's say, more physical understanding of what I am up against, and one of the profs I spoke with at U of Iowa made it clear to not be overtly specific about who you want to work with because that particular prof may be on sabbatical/out of state/researching, etc. Your particular focus may not have an opening that year, or there may be profs who are retiring in your field and don't want new students. Hopefulwoolfian is right, there are many external factors that we are not privy to which influence the application process. But spending the time, money and heartache is definitely a personal decision.

[TC3]

one of the profs I spoke with at U of Iowa made it clear to not be overtly specific about who you want to work with because that particular prof may be on sabbatical/out of state/researching, etc. Your particular focus may not have an opening that year, or there may be profs who are retiring in your field and don't want new students.

Hah. That takes me out of the running at Iowa, then. My "fit" was explicitly based on working with two faculty members.

[apieceofroastbeef]

I can't believe I haven't gotten ANY emails today from the schools I originally posted about! There are more accepts/rejects on the results board but nothing for me...

[USTgrad]

Hah. That takes me out of the running at Iowa, then. My "fit" was explicitly based on working with two faculty members.

In my SoP to Iowa I mentioned four profs as having interests related to mine (i.e. 'fit'), but made it quite clear that I wanted to work with Dr. Priya Kumar. Sometimes being specific can work for you... sometimes against you! I don't have much choice in my sub-field of interest: pick the postcolonial/diaspora/popular Lit prof and run!

[tortola23]

I still haven't heard a thing. I really hope it all explodes next week, because I can't take much more suspense and anxiety.

[lolopixie]

Most of my schools had fairly late deadlines, so I really just don't know when I will be getting decisions. I had been very positive and not really thinking about the waiting game that much until about a week ago, which is when I started coming home from work, checking this board, checking the websites, and repeat until I was ready to pass out. Luckily, I was able to harness some of my crazy and make a big dent in the thesis. I'm still checking the information, but luckily the feelings of anxiety have subsided to a minimum for the time being. I'm sure this will all change again on Saturday when I have the whole day to sit around and check things as if there will be adcoms working on the weekends lol. But who knows, acceptances went out last Saturday for some schools. All I can say is....Jesus, take the wheel!

[apieceofroastbeef]

when I started coming home from work, checking this board, checking the websites, and repeat until I was ready to pass out.

This is my life! If I don't hear anything tomorrow...I keep checking my spam folder too, just in case, but there is nothing. Cruel, cruel ad-comms!

[Queynte Fantasye]

I wouldn't worry. Loyola was entirely online, right? No lost mail, at least. In the Wisconsin thread, we seem to have decided that there's no rhyme or reason as to who does or doesn't receive confirmation emails.

As long as your application reads as "finalized" at <https://gradapp.luc.edu/gradapp/login.htm> you should be okay.

Thanks! That definitely relieved a little pressure

[Medievalmaniac]

Still haven't heard anything from any of my schools, about anything. Not even the "your application is under review" emails some are receiving from some programs. So if this is you as well - you're not alone.

[cread]

For those of you working on your theses: how are you doing it??? I'm supposed to be working on my second "mini-thesis" (odd MA requirements here), but every time I try to write I get distracted by the unrest/doom/insanity. Any tips on working past those feelings to get some writing done?

[tortola23]

For those of you working on your theses: how are you doing it??? I'm supposed to be working on my second "mini-thesis" (odd MA requirements here), but every time I try to write I get distracted by the unrest/doom/insanity. Any tips on working past those feelings to get some writing done?

I applied to eight schools while working on my thesis last year. Believe it or not, I was less stressed out then, because the thesis took my mind off of applications! This year I'm just working, so there's very little to distract me.

[margate]

I applied to eight schools while working on my thesis last year. Believe it or not, I was less stressed out then, because the thesis took my mind off of applications! This year I'm just working, so there's very little to distract me.

Ditto. Of course, I think one of my problems with last year's set of applications was that I used them to take my mind off my (undergraduate) thesis, rather than the other way around... On the other hand, the thesis won an award, which came with some cash, so there's that. (Unfortunately, $200 does not equal a year's funding...)

[tortola23]

Ditto. Of course, I think one of my problems with last year's set of applications was that I used them to take my mind off my (undergraduate) thesis, rather than the other way around... On the other hand, the thesis won an award, which came with some cash, so there's that. (Unfortunately, $200 does not equal a year's funding...)

Yup. I was also told by all of my professors that my apps would be stronger with both a completed BA and a completed thesis as a writing sample. So we'll see . . .