Feel like a loser

[omigoshlolz]

I'm sad

I feel like a huge loser with no potential. I was rejected from NYU's Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness about 2 weeks ago, and today I was rejected from University of Toronto's Counselling Psychology program.

I'm upset. I feel stupid. I know both were really competitive. I didn't really look at the admitted and rejected stats before applying. I have a good GPA and experience with research. I don't know why I'm not good enough. Keep in mind that this is like 5 minutes after opening the letter, so I'm wallowing in self pity right now.

I like to know what's coming next and now I don't. I don't know what I'm going to do. I mean, what kind of jobs can you get with a BA Honours in Psychology? I didn't want to take a year off to work. I just didn't. Will universities even give people paid jobs who aren't current students? I just don't know what to do now.

I should have applied to more than 2 competitive schools. I just didn't have the money at the time. And it's not like I can apply to more now, because most of the deadlines have passed and there are basically no programs that start in Spring.

Boo.

Help me

[farnsworth]

Just learn from the experience. Some professors I know suggest applying to about 10 schools while others suggest around 15 schools. Try to find a position (whether paid or volunteer) where you are at least somewhat close to the subject you want to study further. It is not fun having a year off (I know from experience and may get another year off...), but if this is what you want to do, then you can only start preparing for the next go around and use what you learned from this one.

No one on here is a loser for trying to get into grad school.

Good luck to you.

Edited March 29, 2011 by farnsworth

[neuropsych76]

Just learn from the experience. Some professors I know suggest applying to about 10 schools while others suggest around 15 schools. Try to find a position (whether paid or volunteer) where you are at least somewhat close to the subject you want to study further. It is not fun having a year off (I know from experience and may get another year off...), but if this is what you want to do, then you can only start preparing for the next go around and use what you learned from this one.

No one on here is a loser for trying to get into grad school.

Good luck to you.

I agree with farnsworth.

It sucks right now but take it as a learning experience and move on. I applied to 12 schools and probably was rejected from about 10 of them. It happens. Also, applying strait out of undergrad makes the process even more difficult. Tons of people take time off so don't worry about that. Maybe in taking time off you'll refine your interests a bit and apply to a program where you would be happier at than the ones you applied to this year

[tibbles]

It's like a break up - it sucks right now, but you'll get over it. I have just got into a Grad program 7 years after initially finishing my undergraduate degree (I didn't spend every year applying - I applied once before in Philosophy, and the failure combined with life experience gave me the perspective to switch to Cognitive Science). Not getting into grad school straight out of undergrad is nowhere near the end of the road, and there are many valuable experiences you can acquire that will make you into an even better candidate in the mean time - whether it's doing RA work, or getting relevant work experience in another setting.

Also, take the time this year to look at the schools you could go to, and which ones you would really be happy to attend. It is fine to be picky about applying to particular schools, as long as you end up with a list of schools that you would want to attend if you got an offer from them, independent of whatever offers you received from elsewhere. If doing graduate work is massively important to you, would you be satisfied with attending a less prestigious program in order to do so? These are the questions that you have to ask yourself over the next year.

It does suck to be rejected, but at least it was only from two - I got rejected from 11 schools on my first Grad application round and that stung like hell (Philosophy admission stats are ludicrous).

You have plenty of options going forward, and definitely worth asking at your current institution if they know of any RA positions available after graduation. Good luck, and I'm sure you'll have better luck in another round of application.

[lewin]

I should have applied to more than 2 competitive schools. I just didn't have the money at the time. And it's not like I can apply to more now, because most of the deadlines have passed and there are basically no programs that start in Spring.

This was your problem and you know better now, so don't beat yourself up about it. Applying too narrowly is much easier to fix than low GRE scores or bad grades

[PyroNeko]

I applied to about 9 schools, 3 different programs...and received rejections from all of them.

I tried to go straight from undergrad to Ph.D., but I think my GRE scores just aren't high enough.

It sucks, but just keep applying. I'm getting ready to reapply this Fall.