shitty shitty websites

[rainy_day]

So UMass wants a paper copy of the writing sample and official transcripts. Do we know if they want anything else?

When I was applying 2 yrs ago, almost everyone required at least a writing sample mailed to them. It's interesting to see how quickly that has changed. Also, at least their application process is more logical than UWashington, who wants a paper copy *of* the application itself, along with paper everything else.

[Timshel]

I just mailed the transcripts and the writing sample to UMass.

[rainy_day]

Thanks, Timshel!

[rising_star]

When I was narrowing down programs, I told myself that I would not apply anywhere that had a website that was hard to understand or didn't provide sufficient information. For me, it felt like their website was an indication of how smoothly things would go when I went there.

My current department's website kinda sucks. It's better than the old one but, everything sucked during the 6+ month transfer process to the new site. FWIW, things run pretty smoothly within the department and the university. They just don't spend money on website maintenance and design, which is reasonable given the budget cuts the university has had in recent years.

Also, a story! When I was applying to PhD programs, one program didn't update their website to the name of the new DGS until about a week before the deadline. So, everything I mailed prior to that (transcripts, application, the info I gave to my LOR writers) was wrong. Amazingly enough, almost everything made it to the right place. Maybe I should've checked the website more often but, since paper letters had to be mailed, there was no way the writers would've had the right info. And yet, it all works out. So, cheer up everyone.

[lcm]

colorado's annoyed me the most. they updated it this year, but I have to click that drop-down menu so many times just to go through all the links... not a fan. also I hated their application-- type in everything you've ever done on our online forms but also upload a resume?? no thanks.