It seems a little ridiculous

[sunshine6]

that when applying to grad schools one has to depend on so many outside factors.

I realize that it does me no good, to complain....

but I have to pay my junior college (ten bucks) to send transcripts that are already on my graduating school's transcripts, which I also pay for (twenty).

I have to pay 20 bucks for each school that ETS sends a score in for.

Plus the app fee of the school (45-80), and then count on my recommender's letters to arrive on time.

Then after all that, the grad college has the documents but the department is still asking me for them.

Yesterday, I got an email from one school's department missing transcripts I sent two months ago. I called the grad college office and they said they had everything, even though the online status check says I am missing one of my recommendations. I told the department that their own office had them, but they still request a copy. Which they could have mentioned, like, two months ago.

Then after all that, I get to entrust the postal system which I must have angered somehow, because I haven't received any mail for over a week-not even circulars or bills!

Am I the only one thinking this system could use some updating?

One of the schools I applied to offers online app, online submission of the SOP, writing sample, and CV. Also recommending profs can upload their letters. But still their dept is missing one transcript, (already sent a while ago.)

oy vey.

This can't be just me!

[frankdux]

I agree COMPETELY!

it is frustrating to no end. one of my schools somehow received NONE of my LORs. even though that same school was in the same email as a couple other schools i sent to professors, and all those other schools received my LORs.

the amount of time and money i've invested into all of this crap is absurd. especially considering there is no guarantee of getting in anywhere. and the amount of worry brought on by the number of items required all coming from different sources is enough to just about give me a heart attack.

somehow i managed to get through it all. i did my best to be as organized as possible on my end. and then i followed up on EVERYTHING. i got tracking from the post office. i sent friendly reminders to my LOR writers. i contacted my previous colleges to make sure transcripts were sent. i called all my programs and made sure everything was received. in the end, everything eventually got to where it needed to be. and yet the worst part is actually after its all over and all you can do is wait for other people to make the call on the rest of your life.

[Tonights]

I agree, it's really a terrible system. One side of my brain knows that they make us jump through a million expensive hoops so that departments make sure all the applicants really want to be admitted, and aren't just applying everywhere. But the other side of my brain knows that education ought to be affordable and accessible and not just for people who can afford to drop a couple hundred dollars or a thousand dollars into the void.

My best friend's applying to medieval history programs. She's not too well-off financially and it's been really hard for her to handle affording everything, even sending her last app in after the fellowship deadline just because she doesn't have the money to apply in time and will have to rely on loans if she's admitted. That kind of thing grinds my gears a bit about academia.

[sabana15]

Yeah, I totally agree! My first school that I applied to had you do EVERYTHING online, even upload transcripts! I didn't realize how easy I had it! I do think it's part of their way of testing how dedicated you really are to getting a graduate education...

[IvyHope]

Law school admissions have it right...do everything through the LSAC.

[ohheygradschool]

This whole process has left me with very little confidence and only $17.20 in the bank. Please accept and fund me, dream school? *puppy-dog eyes*

[gadhelyn]

Theory: all the expense of applying to grad school is the first test in order to finish grad school. If you can manage your money and all the communications necessary to apply, then they might let you try to manage all the money and communications necessary to do research!

[storiaitaliana]

I think it's just because university systems are relatively slow and outdated, since they don't really have to keep pace like business does. They are just a different animal altogether. Probably ad comms couldn't care less how you got them your information, as long as it's accurate. It's the force of combined inefficient administrative organization that makes it an expensive endeavor, IMO.

[modernity]

I am spending so much money on applications (and I am only applying to three schools) between postage, transcript fees, etc. that I like a previous poster have next to nothing in my bank account, and have resorted to borrowing from family JUST to get all the last bits in. I really want grad school, and I am a very firm believer in "where there is a will, there is a way"... so even though the odds are completely stacked against me that I'll even get in, let alone be able to fund myself... I've put myself through this process. As its coming to an end I'm really wondering what kind of masochist I must be to put myself through this nonsense now that I am sincerely worried about rejections across the board. I also feel a bit of angst at the idea that this process is easier for people who have money (and can apply to more than 3-4 schools because they can afford it/ have better options of funding themselves), are well connected, did not have to work 50+ hours a week during their undergrad (had plenty of time to study, schmooze professors,etc)....but i guess if i make it, this will eventually be my "i walked both ways uphill in 3 feet of snow" story for future generations.

[rising_star]

I think it's just because university systems are relatively slow and outdated, since they don't really have to keep pace like business does.

They often don't have the money to keep systems updated, a situation that's only gotten worse at state universities in the last year or so.

[ridgey]

I think the ridiculous-ness and hassle seems to be directly related to how much of a hybrid the application procedure is between all-online and all-paper submission. Or if the school has recently begun some "make applying easier" thing, it is bound to be more hassle initially. In particular, there is one scholl that I would hav liked to apply to but the red-tape and cost was prohibitive. They required the PhD application to be submitted to the Association of Schools of Underwater basketweaving. Most Masters apps in the field go through this centralised system, but few PhD apps. The fees for this service are per application, with better value the more applications, eg 1 app is $90 and 2 are $105. But the school required an extra application fee, and the Grad School needed transcripts sent directly and couldn't accept the ones as part of the application.

I'm deliberately not calculating how much these applications have cost me - if I don't get in anywhere I'd rahter not know! I decided to definitely apply this year several months ago, when $1 in my currency was worth 80 US cents. It's now worth ~55 cents, so this has cost me far more than I budgeted. Stupid international economic crisis!

[ridgey]

They often don't have the money to keep systems updated, a situation that's only gotten worse at state universities in the last year or so.

Surely, most of it can be electronic though? If you upload your SoP in AplpyYourself, there can easily be a record that it's there. The system manages to automatically generate notification that electronic LoRs have been received, why not everything else? I'm liking the move on the part of some unis where you can even upload a scanned transcript, and they don't need to see the official version until later - outside of application nightmare stress season. Obviously, having everything automated to this degree could be a problem if/when the whole system crashes, but that risk is present with the rest of the app anyway, and in the meantime it saves a lot of manpower.

[deianira]

I've actually been impressed with the availability of on-line options for submission. All of the schools I applied to had them. Back in 2002 when I was applying the first time, none had them. The only things I couldn't do on-line were transcripts - and I'm wondering whether that's the undergraduate instutions' fault for not making them accessible in electronic format. Application fees have gotten slightly higher, but not to the point of being unreasonable. You have to consider how much very valuable and high-ranking manpower goes into processing and reviewing all of our applications. Plus the funds for flying people in for interviews (yes, I know, not really fair tot he ones who are rejected, but such is life).

[storiaitaliana]

They often don't have the money to keep systems updated, a situation that's only gotten worse at state universities in the last year or so.

That is part of it, but large, government-funded institutions also simply put up more resistance to change than other types of organizations. I can speak on this from personal experience, having worked for substantial amounts of time in both academic and private sectors since 1991 (yes I am old).

[gadhelyn]

Watch, updating university systems in USA will be up next as Obama tries to update all our technology (but medical files first!)

[saritapie]

This whole process has left me with very little confidence and only $17.20 in the bank.

Yeah, um, who here spent $517 to apply to 3 graduate programs?! I just did the math yesterday. Suddenly, the fact that I am flat broke isn't so surprising...

[sunshine6]

$788 over here... Not counting postage and envelopes and stuff like that.

[saritapie]

$788 over here... Not counting postage and envelopes and stuff like that.

Holy crap! Makes me glad I only applied to three.

Also makes me realize I forgot a FedEx charge... make that $543.

[t_ruth]

$905 before mailing fees

[sunshine6]

glad to know I am not the only one horrified by the money spent...

I guess I was figuring everyone had oodles of cash or generous family.

To further the initial rant, we spent all that money and have to wait THIS LONG for a response!?!?! lol.

It is going to be really ugly come mid February.

[drpsych]

wow, just did the math.. I think I spent about $850!! :shock:

[fenderpete]

I am spending so much money on applications (and I am only applying to three schools) between postage, transcript fees, etc. that I like a previous poster have next to nothing in my bank account, and have resorted to borrowing from family JUST to get all the last bits in. I really want grad school, and I am a very firm believer in "where there is a will, there is a way"... so even though the odds are completely stacked against me that I'll even get in, let alone be able to fund myself... I've put myself through this process. As its coming to an end I'm really wondering what kind of masochist I must be to put myself through this nonsense now that I am sincerely worried about rejections across the board. I also feel a bit of angst at the idea that this process is easier for people who have money (and can apply to more than 3-4 schools because they can afford it/ have better options of funding themselves), are well connected, did not have to work 50+ hours a week during their undergrad (had plenty of time to study, schmooze professors,etc)....but i guess if i make it, this will eventually be my "i walked both ways uphill in 3 feet of snow" story for future generations.

This all sounds very familiar and makes me feel a bit encouraged . I'd say at a conservative estimate I probably spent close to $1200 on application fees, GRE, study material for GRE, travel to do the GRE, postage for LORs etc. As others have said, the GBP dropping heavily against the dollar hasn't helped and handouts from parents has been how I put food on the table the last couple of weeks before Christmas.

I'd like to think the complexity is to try and separate the wheat from the chaff as well, but I really don't think the cost needs to be so high - and international applicants can't get application fees waived which seems a little harsh. Like you've said, I think the 'I was juggling so much work, while sick, trying to do undergrad work, GRE and apply' will become the tale for younger generations if I do get in somewhere lol