Am I being crazy?: considering applying to another program

[non humilis mulier]

Salvete,

Hope you're all well -- I have a question for you guys regarding which schools to apply to. My primary advisor urged me only to apply to top-tier programs. I took his advice and clustered my applications on the east coast, applying to highly ranked schools. While I appreciate his confidence in me, I'm starting to wonder if this is an insane strategy. I know I'm a competitive applicant, but I'm sure all of you are as well!!!

My question to you is this: should I try to apply to more programs? What would you do if you are in my shoes? Money and time, of course, are the primary barriers. But I also don't want to annoy my advisors and LOR writers by 1.) applying this late in the game and 2.) disregarding their advice. FYI -- I'm only interested in funded programs.

What do you all think of the Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison? I don't know much about their program, but I saw that their deadline is Jan. 5. I do straight-up classical languages and literature, emphasis in Latin poetry.

Thanks and Merry Christmas everyone...

~ NHM

[Pius Aeneas]

I'm not familiar with Madison's programs, so I can't comment on that, but I can give my opinion on the recommendations; I don't know that this would be a good idea--

Here's my experience for this semester: I got the greenlight from my recommenders way back in mid-October and I provided them with a comprehensive list of schools and programs that I would be applying to, along with respective deadlines, a couple weeks after that. Despite doing this so early, they all waited until the extreme last minute to submit letters for the first deadline two weeks ago, except for one prof who submitted all of them within a couple days of each other. At the moment I have a deadline for two schools tomorrow and my two tardy recommenders have not yet submitted, nor are they responding to my emails. My recommenders are great people, they're just not punctual, so for me, applying to more programs this late in the game wouldn't be a question of "would they be willing to do it" so much as a question of "would they make the deadline". However, if your recommenders are NOT like mine, and you trust their punctuality and believe that they wouldn't be tiffed by you adding more schools at the last minute, then go for it.

This is a sidenote but on account of the recommendation component of graduate applications, deadlines soon before or soon after the holidays are ludicrous in my estimation, especially when it's not uncommon for academics (at those I know) to travel overseas.

[non humilis mulier]

Aeneas, I think you're probably right. I also wish that applications weren't all due at the holidays... not for our sakes, but for our professors'! I decided not to apply to any more programs -- I think I was just having some submitted applications remorse. I'm going to try to relax and have confidence that my professors helped me choose programs that fit me well. I trust them and really don't think they'd lead me astray. And if I don't get in this year, it just wasn't meant to be for fall 2012!

[Pius Aeneas]

You should definitely trust your professors' advice, especially if they know very well what all of your strengths and abilities are. I happened to have one extremely helpful professor guiding me through the process this past semester, and it made some things a lot easier. Good luck, btw!