Anyone else regretting not applying to more schools?

[dherres]

I agree with Victory. Despite not knowing anything about your program, Girlatthehelm, I'd imagine that your qualifications will get you admission to school(s). I've noticed that we tend to be VERY hard on ourselves concerning the quality of our applications; when I spoke to a guy on the admissions committee for Penn State last week (one of the top 5 school for my field in the country), he shocked me by telling me that I'm quite well-qualified and would like to give me an offer, but can't at the moment due to funding issues (hence, I'm waitlisted). So I think that although we may be able to predict the outcomes to some degree and can have a good idea of where we stand with things, we're still limited in knowing exactly what a program is looking for.

I only applied to 6 programs, and like someone else (sorry, can't remember who said this!), they're all pretty well-ranked. I waver between feeling confident that I'll get in somewhere, to telling myself I was a complete fool for thinking that anyone would want me and I don't have a snowball's chance in hell. Hence, I'm now sending out applications to two Master's programs, just to be on the safe side.....

[pinkbrontosaurus]

I lost track of the number of schools I've applied to, roughly a dozen or so. I just applied to three MA programs as back up in case I am rejected all around at the PhD level. I wish I would have applied to more upper level schools, but honestly based on what others have posted in regards to their stats and great experience (ahem GirlattheHelm) I don't think I really would have had a chance at Berkeley anyways. I have high enough GPA/GRE scores but nothing mind-blowing. I do hope that Brandeis says yes, but unfortunately that is most likely a real stretch. Also, thanks to Bernie Madoff, Brandeis lost 30-40% of their endowment fund. I applied to all safeties with the exception of Brandeis, which has always been my dream school. I wish I would have applied to more West Coast schools, but I do have the Northeast pretty much on lockdown :?

[abolitionista]

After my first rejection came I thought crap only four more to go. In hindsight I really wish I had applied to more programs. At this moment five just doesn't seem like enough. Also considering that others have solid credentials and mine are good enough but not wow factor amazing. I'm taking it as a learning experience and will reapply next year if this time doesn't pan out.

[MDLee]

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

Most genocide programs are in cold climates (makes no sense to me, but whatever). I'm from the middle of the desert, so I insisted (against my chair's better judgment) that I also apply to programs in warm areas. So far I'm down two cold climes and one warm one with 4 cold climes and 3 warm ones to report. I didn't apply to any that I considered "Safety" figuring I'd be damned lucky to get into any of them...but my committee chair did insist on ten apps (if it had been up to her I'd have done 15.) After what it cost, I can't say I regret not doing more...but in the end I am kind of comforted by the number I did put out.

[soychailatte]

I only applied to one school, because I have a potential advisor who is interested in working with me and the program is perfect for my research. I am very nervous though. If I am not accepted I will have to look elsewhere for next year.

:freaking out:

[WindWhisked]

I applied to two schools, and once I saw this article, I rushed over to EdFind. EdFind is a directory of all the schools future speech-language pathologists apply to. I looked up all the schools in my area and kicked myself until I saw how much each of the others cost. Nearly double what I'm going to pay at these schools! And I'd have to be farther away from my future husband. I suddenly felt better. If I don't get in, I'll do my darndest to find a job and save the money to go to any school one day.

[illinoisellie]

Well, I probably should have applied for more backups - my backups didn't do very well for me....

I wish I was back at that stage where I was looking up which schools to apply to....

but wait - then i'd have to go through all this again. :|

maybe not. :wink:

[revrocksteady]

On Friday, I was emailed a rejection from 1 of 3 schools to which I applied.... with one down, two to go, I am not feeling sooooo great. I was already flipping out that I didn't apply to more places (couldn't spend the money and be far from where I live for other reasons...) Of the two schools I have left, 1 is a total 50/50 chance... well, maybe 30/70(not in my favor) and the 2nd is maybe a possibility but who knows! :shock:

Anyone else starting to weight options about re-applying to places next year? Or even wonder if they want to apply to schools again at all! :roll: :cry: :|

[MDLee]

Anyone else starting to weight options about re-applying to places next year? Or even wonder if they want to apply to schools again at all!

I'm not even sure where my life is going to be in six months. I have six applications still out--two of which I'm almost positive will not respond at all (maybe its my paranoia speaking), and one which I have heard is accepting no one...

I'm so buried in thesis writing that waiting for acceptances/rejections is actually beginning to take a back seat...but as mid march comes creeping up on me I begin to worry a bit.

I think I'll need to take the summer to reconsider my life's trajectory if I don't get in. Who knows if I'll have it in me to apply to any more? :roll:

[zoberg]

I've begun looking at other schools to apply to next year, as well. Branching out further north than Toronto and further south than Chicago. Also interested in Charles University in Prague, University of Zagreb, 3 Norwegian schools and several in Germany and Austria.

I applied to only 5--next year, perhaps I'll make it 25. :x

[cath2024]

Yes.

I didn't have all of my stuff together in time for some November deadlines at certain schools. I wish I would have.

[fsmn36]

I certainly do! In my case though, it wasn't a sense of grandeur or assumption that I would get in. It's expensive!! If I don't get in this year, well, I'm certainly going to start saving up so I can apply to more schools again next year.

[Dontuse]

without a doubt!

for UG i applied to x>15 schools. (i think it was 17 or maybe even 18! boy was i eager.)

in HS i sprinkled my application everywhere &, when i got accepted to places i wasn't serious about their acceptance alone made me sincerely consider going there. needless to say i made my world far too complicated & deserving of no sympathy. a 'YES. We want You' is a very powerful and persuasive thing.

for Graduate school i decided to tame it down. i applied to 9. (all of which i LOVE. sure, some more than others but all are genuinely adored.)

...but now i feel like an idiot.

although i clearly learned from my past HS experience i realize now that there was still more to learn.

my advice [in short]:

apply to 10-15 graduate programs... of which you actually, would absolutely without much prodding, want to attend 9-14 [with a good 1-2 safety schools]

[whateverneveram3n]

However, I want to go to the University of Vermont for all I'm worth. I don't know if it's a poor compulsion or what, but I love Vermont

actually the technical term is "I lovermont". maybe you've seen one or two of those t-shirts on the other side of the lake?

and need to get out of New York State and it's like this weird pull - and somewhat not of my own doing. UVM has a fantastic relationship with their State Historic Preservation Office, where I wanna work, and it's in the perfect location. Hell! The perfect situation. But I also have this itch that they'll look at my GRE's, laugh, slap the rejection on it and send it at me via pigeon.

I will go kick some asses for you if they do.

[Canukgirl]

I applied to 10 schools...I wanted to apply to Berkeley, WashU and a few others but missed the deadline. I regret not applying to more saftey schools BUT I am Canadaian and for me, I want to go BIG or go home...meaning if I am going to pay the crazy tuition in US dollars, it has to be a school where when I go back home its going to be beneficial....

Anyways, for me, if I dont get into those ten schools, I'd rather stick to my consulting job in Toronto....anyway anyone else feel the same way??

[bluegirl]

I applied to one school only. Location is a factor for me: uni is already 30 minutes away, I am an older candidate, I am settled here and have two small children, etc.

Haven't been rejected yet, but now I am seriously second-guessing my SOP. I think it is the sole weak point in my application.

(GRE: Great V, terrible Q (English dept. website says it does not care), 6 on the writing. I applied for an MA in English - would like to do the PhD - and I already have both an MFA in writing and an MA in translation. I know that I have 4 stellar LORs, two from top/nationally known professors/writers with their own Wikipedia pages, awards, etc. I had a 4.0 in my MFA program.)

Soooo ... what would I/will I do differently? I probably should have applied for Comp Lit as well, since this is a serious interest for me and my language skills are excellent - that so-called fit would have been excellent. I should also have applied to the one other university - an hour's drive, but what the hell - that I could possibly matriculate to. That would have been a safety I would not have minded attending for two years of a Master's, and THEN I could have applied to my local uni for a PhD.

The main thing: If I get that rejection (this week! supposedly ...), I will take a grad English class with the professor I really want to work with (via their Access/Continuing Ed program), be the perfect student, cultivate that contact. I already knew what area I *really* want to focus on, and I'm beating myself up now for not really stressing that in my SOP and instead sounding like some unfocused "I really like to read/I LUV literature" idiot. And, finally, I will craft a new SOP that tells the true story of moi in all my messy glory and emphasizes my actual specialization plans and how well they fit in with the English department's.

In short, I guess my real worry is that my application tells the story - and it is part of the story - of someone who wants into this school's program only because it's the only game in town. Which it is. DAMMIT.

[jferreir]

Nope. Not one bit.

While school reputation is important, it's definitely not the whole story. Many things should factor into your decision - proposed supervisor, faculty research, school resources, community, funding, etc. If you're pursuing graduate study simply for the title - which it sounds like you are (no offense) - then I think you're in it for the wrong reasons. Besides, there are still many fine schools within Canada that will provide you with an excellent education (Toronto and UBC come to mind).

Personally, while I would have liked to apply to more schools, my financial situation simply did not allow it. Assuming 10 apps costs around $1,000, that is a serious chunk of money for someone already swimming in debt. I have my fingers crossed for at least 1/3!

[whateverneveram3n]

... Many things should factor into your decision - proposed supervisor, faculty research, school resources, community, funding, etc. If you're pursuing graduate study simply for the title - which it sounds like you are (no offense) - then I think you're in it for the wrong reasons.

uh, how is that not offensive?

[whateverneveram3n]

Anyways, for me, if I dont get into those ten schools, I'd rather stick to my consulting job in Toronto....anyway anyone else feel the same way??

I'd rather stay in the work force than study at a program I wasn't thrilled about, hell yeah. And I hear Toronto is a great town, too; I don't blame you for wanting to stay there if you've got a good job.

[Tobson]

well, I wish I would haven been allowed to apply to more then just one school. I am Fulbright Grantee and we are limeted to only one school.

So no decision hazzle afterwards but no safety strings either :|

[Canukgirl]

Nope. Not one bit.

While school reputation is important, it's definitely not the whole story. Many things should factor into your decision - proposed supervisor, faculty research, school resources, community, funding, etc. If you're pursuing graduate study simply for the title - which it sounds like you are (no offense) - then I think you're in it for the wrong reasons. Besides, there are still many fine schools within Canada that will provide you with an excellent education (Toronto and UBC come to mind).

Personally, while I would have liked to apply to more schools, my financial situation simply did not allow it. Assuming 10 apps costs around $1,000, that is a serious chunk of money for someone already swimming in debt. I have my fingers crossed for at least 1/3!

I am not simply studing for the title or the prestigue. My first pick was UPenn- which I got rejected to yesterday by the way (wiping tears as we speak) and frankly in toronto canada poeople confuse UPenn with Penn State and don't even know UPenn is Ivy. But for me, when I say go big or go home, I just mean that there are certian schools that I know I will benifit from and yes some do have name recognition- but I am applying to MPA's and believe it or not when your passion is to serve the public- you still have to impress people to get the positions you want (Positions that will actually make and impact on society).

Excuse me for sounding lame...I'm still in shock over my rejection to my dream school...

[miratrix]

From all I've heard, when you're an international student (whether from Canada or Pakistan) and you want to go back to work in your country after grad school, the reputation of the American university DOES make a significantly bigger difference than it does in the US. Even if you are totally devoted to your field of study and don't care about "the title" for its own sake, it's a bit naive to refuse to think about your career goals and prospects until after you finish grad school.

Sorry to hear about the rejection...I hope the next news is better!

[TulipOHare]

A month or so ago I freaked out that I should have applied to more schools, but then I thought... what did I want? A good clinical program in NYC, DC or Philly. I'd applied accordingly, and wouldn't have gone to a worse school or a more research-bent school even if I did get in. So I was OK with it.

I did throw out one school that fit those criteria, because communicating with them (both the department and grad admissions) got so frustrating that I didn't want to try anymore. I threw out another because it required students that didn't have the prereqs to attend for an extra TWO years.

and frankly in toronto canada poeople confuse UPenn with Penn State and don't even know UPenn is Ivy.

fwiw, that's extremely common in the States, too. I own this t-shirt, as do many other Penn students and alums:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/151 ... 84.jpg?v=0

[MDLee]

well, I wish I would haven been allowed to apply to more then just one school. I am Fulbright Grantee and we are limeted to only one school.

So no decision hazzle afterwards but no safety strings either :|

wow...that's kind of lame. Its like an arranged marriage or something. "Here you go, Tobson. We've picked your future spouse. Never mind the body odor, the bad attitude, or extensive Pokemon trading card collection. We've taken all the stress out of having to choose. Bow down and thank us!!"

oy vey.

[leetchisgod]

Yes. I applied to 4, and I'm slowly learning my lesson. I guess I could start applying back in the UK, at least they don't make you pay any application fees.