memorable moments

[litjust]

For better or for worse, we're all in this waiting game together, hoping for good news. But, the application process has been long (I know it has been for me) and so many crazy things have happened along the way. Years from now, when you tell your "the-year-I-applied-to-grad-school-story" what will stand out as the most memorable moment(s)?

It's hard to narrow mine down, but I would love to hear what others are thinking and then I'll chime in

[Chande]

My boyfriend proposed to me on Christmas day, shortly after I finished the last of my apps.

He'd actually been planning and budgeting for a ring for months and I barely had a clue it was even coming!

We aren't going to start planning until after there's some degree of certainty in where we'll actually be living next year but as stressful as this whole process has been for me it really helps to know he'll be there with me and that gives me so much hope for the future.

[LLajax]

Congrats Chande!

[litjust]

My boyfriend proposed to me on Christmas day, shortly after I finished the last of my apps.

He'd actually been planning and budgeting for a ring for months and I barely had a clue it was even coming!

We aren't going to start planning until after there's some degree of certainty in where we'll actually be living next year but as stressful as this whole process has been for me it really helps to know he'll be there with me and that gives me so much hope for the future.

Yay! Congrats. Definitely memorable

[gellert]

I had a severe car accident the day of four of my deadlines, so submitted the applications from the hospital, while on a morphine drip. I'm kind of afraid to find out my results from those schools....

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

This is the third year of waiting for apps for me, so hopefully my memories this time 'round will include how needlessly terrified I was to find I submitted the wrong writing sample. "OH HO HO, turned out to be a freak out for nothing!" I'll say in two months as I'm deciding between two full-ride programs. Right?

[wlkwih2]

Spending my New Year's Eve finishing applications for Harvard, MIT and Yale.

What a celebration.

[hyperjulie]

Nothing all that crazy here, other than having a technical difficulty that nobody in the entire admissions department could explain. After selecting my program and level, I needed to select a campus from another drop down menu, but when I clicked on it there was nothing there other than "please select." It wouldn't let me submit the application without selecting something there. I ended up having to apply for a different program and have someone in admissions go in and change the department to the correct one afterward. They sent me through three people and the third one who ended up helping me couldn't recreate or explain the problem I was having. Annoying.

[LinguisticMystic]

Nothing all that crazy here, other than having a technical difficulty that nobody in the entire admissions department could explain. After selecting my program and level, I needed to select a campus from another drop down menu, but when I clicked on it there was nothing there other than "please select." It wouldn't let me submit the application without selecting something there. I ended up having to apply for a different program and have someone in admissions go in and change the department to the correct one afterward. They sent me through three people and the third one who ended up helping me couldn't recreate or explain the problem I was having. Annoying.

Almost the same thing happened to me. In a drop-down menu of documents to upload everything was available except for the writing sample. I even had a couple of friends stare at the online application with me & I tried with multiple browsers/computers so I didn't feel like I was just blind to something that should be obvious. So I e-mailed the dept coordinator who after a bit of back & forth trying to figure things out offered to accept my writing sample via e-mail attachment. Then of course I go to submit my application & the option to upload a writing sample has populated. -__- Felt pretty dumb -- kind of wish I had taken a screen cap. Haha. They better like that writing sample!

[litjust]

I had a severe car accident the day of four of my deadlines, so submitted the applications from the hospital, while on a morphine drip. I'm kind of afraid to find out my results from those schools....

Oh no! Glad that you're OK, and maybe the morphine gave you application superpowers

This is the third year of waiting for apps for me, so hopefully my memories this time 'round will include how needlessly terrified I was to find I submitted the wrong writing sample. "OH HO HO, turned out to be a freak out for nothing!" I'll say in two months as I'm deciding between two full-ride programs. Right?

Were you able to switch it out? Hope so

Spending my New Year's Eve finishing applications for Harvard, MIT and Yale. What a celebration.

Nothing all that crazy here, other than having a technical difficulty that nobody in the entire admissions department could explain. After selecting my program and level, I needed to select a campus from another drop down menu, but when I clicked on it there was nothing there other than "please select." ... Annoying.

Sounds annoying.

Almost the same thing happened to me. In a drop-down menu of documents to upload everything was available except for the writing sample. ...They better like that writing sample!

Agh, technological blips like that are awful!

[litjust]

Finding my all-time dream program, AFTER the deadline. I didn't know about it because I'm looking primarily at Education (Curriculum & Instruction) programs and this one is Writing & Rhetoric. Fortunately, I found out I can still apply to the College of Ed. (which is also amazing) and possibly do interdisciplinary coursework with that program. I literally rounded up everything and completed another application in 36 hours I feel like such a slacker and wish that school had been on my radar much sooner.

Edited January 8, 2012 by litjust

[Jbarks]

At the end of the year, I received a generous raise and awesome bonus. It was a great feeling until I realized two things:

1.Everyday I go to work a little piece of me dies inside;

2. I make approximately four times more a year now than I ever will on a PhD stipend.

These conflicting thoughts only exacerbate my anxiety.

[gellert]

Oh no! Glad that you're OK, and maybe the morphine gave you application superpowers

If not the morphine, I fully expect the sheer number of head CTs they put me through has now given me a superpowered mutation. Hopefully that mutation is getting into any grad school I want.

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

If not the morphine, I fully expect the sheer number of head CTs they put me through has now given me a superpowered mutation.

You...you DO realize what your icon is, right?! Or rather, if your icon is what I think it is, this sentence is hilarious. Otherwise, this interchange is just awkward. Edited January 10, 2012 by OnceAndFutureGrad

[gellert]

You...you DO realize what your icon is, right?! Or rather, if your icon is what I think it is, this sentence is hilarious. Otherwise, this interchange is just awkward.

Oh, I realize perfectly. (<<cyclops emoticon) I was so hoping someone would catch the ref!

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

I was so hoping someone would catch the ref!

Glad to oblige! I know who Gellert is too, if you're referring to the Welsh dog. I got one person in the chat who got my user name and no catches so far on the icon, but the season is young...

[gellert]

Glad to oblige! I know who Gellert is too, if you're referring to the Welsh dog. I got one person in the chat who got my user name and no catches so far on the icon, but the season is young...

Oooh you are the first person to realize the connection to Prince Llewellyn! I initially derived the username from the minor Harry Potter dark wizard, but as soon as I read his name in the books I thought immediately of the dog as well. (Which, actually, I thought was an interesting choice in JKR's part when it comes to "who REALLY killed Ariana?" in that 3way duel.... I believe we have our answer!)

[DrinkAwayTheDays]

My girlfriend made me wait until my applications were finished to get Skryim. The upside is, she offered to get it for me. So on December 14th at 8:30pm, I finished and sent in the last of four applications, and said "get your coat, we can make it to GameStop before it closes." And now I have an awesome distraction from the waiting.

[violet.]

I've had a lot of memorable trips and met some great people associated with the foundation I work for now. It's been great to get to know other young professionals who are in the same mindset I am about social issues! (Also, new friends and trips to see them = less time thinking about apps!)

[MCS_aspirant]

After taking GRE, I was extremely excited for getting done with one hell of a test. I got down at the wrong bus-stop and had to walk 1 hour to get back to my apartment. My most pleasant walk ever

[wildviolet]

I was at the airport, sipping on the most delicious glass of blackberry sangria, when I decided to check my email and found out that I had received my first acceptance. It was hard to tell what was making me giddier--the wine or the email!

[Triple Tall Cappuccino]

One of my personal statements was written at my (soon to be) sister-in-law's bachelorette party cruise. I'm sure that one will impress the faculty!

[coffeeplease]

I pulled an all-nighter trying to get my NYU SOP done in time for their "recommended deadline." I had to leave for the airport at 5:30 am, and didn't spend a whole lot of time thinking about packing or sorting through my handbag.

I cleared security at two international airports -- Hamburg and Newark -- and worked like crazy on my SOP. During the Newark flight I finished and rifled through my handbag to get some chapstick. While searching, I found something I had forgotten to remove from my bag ..... pepper spray. Made it through two major airports with mace in my bag. Good job, TSA.

[Kelkel]

The most memorable moment from this season (so far) had little to do with the applications. One day I opened my mailbox to find three copies of a historical journal. I had no idea why they would send me one copy, let alone three... until I opened it up to find my paper was published! I had entered a competition in the Spring, which one of my classmates won, so I hadn't expected it at all (especially five months later)!

Mine was the only paper in the volume which had not won (there was the ungraduate winner, graduate winner and another sort of winner), so I think that means mine was pretty special. Or only four people submitted papers. Either way it was a win for me.

But, more importantly, it was just in time for my applications.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Kelkel

[radioalfredio]

My MA adviser and most important letter writer had her computer (along with many other technological implements) stolen from her car about a week before my first letter (to my top choice school) was due. I felt really sorry for her, but at the same time, I really wanted her to submit my letter. I felt like such a sleazeball asking her if she would still be able to submit my letter. Fortunately she did, because now I have an Open House invite at that school!