Anyone else regretting not applying to more schools?

[waitingNC]

Like, now that it's nearing decision time... why didn't I apply to more schools in warm climates? Or maybe I should have applied to a couple more "safety" programs. Oh my god what if I don't get in anywhere?!!

-FREAKING OUT

[limeinthecoconut]

Like, now that it's nearing decision time... why didn't I apply to more schools in warm climates? Or maybe I should have applied to a couple more "safety" programs. Oh my god what if I don't get in anywhere?!!

-FREAKING OUT

Yup, U Hawaii is starting to look more and more attractive. Why didn't I apply again? :cry:

[Tonights]

I'm toying with the idea of applying to a masters program with rolling admissions just in case. :X I'm having one of those days where I'm sure all eight of my schools will reject me (which is every day, now).

[gadhelyn]

I wish I applied to U. Mich. Ann Arbor and U. Texas - Austin. Both have good looking programs. Well, if it doesn't work out this year, I'll have to try them next year.

Also, I would have applied to more if I had the cash. Kinda hard having cash when you're an underpaid research tech.

[dherres]

I was originally going to apply to 8 schools but ended up with only six after I got more information and realized how much the 2 were NOT a good fit! Towards the end of December I started panicking, but by that point most deadlines for any school I might consider had passed or were to soon to compile more recommendations, transcripts, etc. The masters rolling admissions idea is a good one..... Here's hoping it won't be necessary!

[heymanyo]

I only applied to 3 schools, but I don't regret it... unless of course I don't get into any of the 3. I applied to each school for specific reasons, and didn't see any other schools that were as compelling.

[fuzzylogician]

Actually, now that I'm done with my apps I think that at least one of the schools I applied to is NOT a good match to my interests and another is only a "maybe". It might have been better not to apply to those schools and spend more time refining my apps for the other schools - 6 in total.

[socialpsych]

Yes. Which is odd--because I'm also feeling overwhelmed by the number I did apply to. So basically no number would have made me happy. I think 10 was about right for me, though.

[studyordie]

I applied to 5 schools, all are top tier in my discipline and I will be ecstatic with a single acceptance letter (w/funding, of course). My rationale was that if I'm going to go to a "backup school" I need to take very seriously the possibility that I will not get a job within my field since the market is so competetive. If I come up empty this time around, that's what I'll be thinking about as I consider going for round 2 next year with a different list of schools. Also, the five apps I've (almost) completed were so time consuming that another one would probably not have been completed with the sufficient attention to detail that they require. If I am still doing this next year, I'm at least glad I will have a better taste for what to expect and how to put quality apps together. All that to say that I do have some hesitations about only applying to 5 very good schools, but I'm still comfortable with my decision.

[cardnav]

No, because I got accepted to one of the three applied for. Up until then, I wished I applied to more.

[frankdux]

i applied to 10. my goal was 10-12. so i feel fine. although, in all honesty, maybe 1 or 2 aren't really a great fit after all. i still feel fine though.

last year i only applied to 2, and these were schools i felt were awesome fits. i was waitlisted and eventually rejected by both. i'm applying to those 2 again, and those are still my target schools. but i know i needed to add more schools and be a bit more realistic and less cocky with the number of schools i apply to.

[drpsych]

I don't really regret either way (applied to 9), but I think if anything, maybe I should've applied to 3 less.. but I was nervous and unsure so I guess that was a good amount for me!

[UnlikelyGrad]

Yes. Which is odd--because I'm also feeling overwhelmed by the number I did apply to. So basically no number would have made me happy. I think 10 was about right for me, though.

Same here. My PI recommended that I apply to 15 schools. That probably would have been the right number from a statistical point of view, but actually applying to an extra 6 schools probably would have killed me (not to mention my bank account)!

[dragynally]

I don't believe in regret. I did what was best for me.

[t_ruth]

I applied to nine, and I guess that was an ok number, but I wish I would have applied to more higher ranked schools.

[miratrix]

I applied to seven, well mixed in terms of MA/PhD & overall reputation but all decent fits with a good chance of funding. I'm happy with the number, but once in a while wish I'd gone ahead and applied to U.Alaska at Fairbanks. I didn't because I thought picking up and moving to the middle of Alaska for five to seven years, and specializing in something that would make it hard to ever work on the east coast again, was too much of a risk...but I also I think it would also be fascinating...*sigh*

[ewurgler]

I applied to 8, which I think is a good number, but I wish I could cut 2 I did apply to and replace them with 2 that are a better fit. I just wish I would have done more research or had more time to mull over my choices before having to send packets with deadlines to Letter writers and such. Oh well, if I have to do it again, I will know.

[tnk0001]

I was applying to 4, one informed me they wanted my foreign credentials looked at by an office for the great price of an extra 200$ (with the rush) since I was a US citizen with foreign transcripts (but if I'd been a foreign student I wouldn't have to????) .....sorry.....venting...........so down to 3 now, only one interview, no word AT ALL from the others....already have a masters so no back up jumping into a masters program.....

So in short...yeah...

[kbupz]

Since I haven't heard anything yet, I think it's only human nature to start second guessing myself, which is probably what a lot of us are doing right now. Thinking back though, it's possible I should have applied to less (I applied to 7) and focused on really perfecting my applications for the 2-4 places I'm really interested in.

It should be easier knowing everything is now out of my hands, but this waiting has been by far the worst part of the application process for me.

[husky07]

Since I haven't heard anything yet, I think it's only human nature to start second guessing myself, which is probably what a lot of us are doing right now. Thinking back though, it's possible I should have applied to less (I applied to 7) and focused on really perfecting my applications for the 2-4 places I'm really interested in.

It should be easier knowing everything is now out of my hands, but this waiting has been by far the worst part of the application process for me.

I am in the EXACT same situation, also CS, applied to 7 and tried to perfect 2-3. Which schools did you apply to?

[flatcoat]

I applied to 3, all good fits and met with/talked to professors in each. I'm definitely worried, but there weren't any other schools I really wanted to go to. If I end of 0 for 3, though, I'll definitely have regrets!

[readyforachange]

I am getting worried about not having applied to more schools within my reach. I applied to top, good programs and with all of the waiting and a phone interview/clarification - I'm worried I may have shot too high. Four of the applications were due in December, and I'm still waiting for any type of communication... :?:

[misterpat]

I wish I applied to U. Mich. Ann Arbor and U. Texas - Austin. Both have good looking programs. Well, if it doesn't work out this year, I'll have to try them next year.

Comfort yourself with the fact that those two schools have notoriously irritating applications to fill out. UMich took forever. My friend who applied to UT said that he'd rather have another catheter put in than apply there again.

[misterpat]

I applied to 9 schools. I think I should have done 2 (specific programs) more that were between 30 and 50 for a good balance. But I thought at the time that if I end up going 0/9 on my current list, there's probably something wrong with my app and I'd be just as likely to go 0/11. Better to save the money and dominate next year's cycle when I know what I did wrong OR sell my soul and go to law school (no offense synthla). :wink:

[synthla]

Comfort yourself with the fact that those two schools have notoriously irritating applications to fill out. UMich took forever. My friend who applied to UT said that he'd rather have another catheter put in than apply there again.

Haha - not that my odds would have been great there anyway, but one look at the application and I decided against applying. I forget the details, but my first take was that the brain damage from that one application would approach that of all my other applications combined.