Let's do a self-esteem exercise-

[perrykm2]

It's easy to get sucked into a spiral of doubt, anxiety, and regret after finishing your applications. Let's do a self-esteem exercise and say what we did right. Maybe you had an awesome conversation with a POI before submitting your apps, or graduated with a 4.0 and honors, or got an awesome GRE score. Tell Grad Cafe why you are an awesome candidate in the 2012 application pool.

Anyone who is negative will be flogged.

[LLajax]

Can we also add why we think the person above us is awesome? Ego boosting is more fun when we can do it for others, too

As in, I think I'd be a really interesting candidate for studying material culture because I have an interdisciplinary background (history and archaeology). Also, I think I would have a great time at UVA because I visited there and absolutely loved my conversation with the grad students- I waanted them all to be my friends on the spot.

Also, perrykm2 would be a great candidate because from her comments, it always seems like she has nice, positive things to say. She would brighten any department smart enough to pick her!

[gellert]

I love the idea for this thread.

I think LLajax would be a great candidate because he/she is obviously highly intelligent, and it shows even though a medium as dense as posting on a typically-neurotic forum. Also, always gives great advice.

I think I'd be a good candidate for my schools because I scored really highly on my GREs. Also, I have four years of research experience and I'm more passionate about my field and science in general than anyone I know.

Edited January 15, 2012 by gellert

[Loimographia]

I'm swooping into the Lit forums as well, because this thread is a lovely idea! (And heck, as an undergrad I took nearly as many english/comp lit courses as I did courses in my major, so I'm practically one of you guys!)

I think Gellert is a fantastic candidate for a PhD program because he/she/it has posted that he/she/it is currently co-authoring a paper with a professor (I'm jealous!) which will be a feather in his/her/its cap on top of a very impressive four years of research in an impressive nine different labs, including, apparently, working abroad. The sheer time commitment you've made to your research is already impressive, I think it'll show enough dedication to wow any committee!

Meanwhile, I'm going to assert that I'm a good candidate because I think my writing sample paper is a quite clever piece that blends paleography and history with literary analysis and takes a unique approach overall, and because I had the nerve to argue that previous scholarship made a mistake, which takes guts (though I am still, to this day, terrified that the only guy who actually knows anything about the primary source I worked with will find out and hunt me down), and I think it ought to impress addcoms.

[Seeking]

Loimagraphia is a great candidate who can not only turn out a greatly innovative writing sample, but can also critically analyse previous research in his/her discipline. Any faculty would be proud to have such a brilliant candidate - and the person who wrote the piece s/he critiqued will enjoy having a great discussion with Loimographia!

I hope my writing sample will be appreciated by the ad-comms because of its innovative theoretical approach, apart from my publication record.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Seeking

[lolopixie]

I.AM.F*CKING.FABULOUS. THE.END.

[wintergirl]

I have trouble coming up with an answer to this post on my own (more of a worrier, personally), but my best friend last night had this to say about my anxieties of not getting in anywhere: "But you're fascinating! You're the most interesting person I know! They have to take you!" Hahahahaha, bless her dear sweet supportive heart. Do you think the adcomms would take a late extra LOR from my bff of 12 years??? ; )

Edited January 16, 2012 by bespeckled

[indalomena]

This is a nice idea, since we've all been obsessing over those typos in our submitted apps and the quantitative GRE scores and such. I know I had a lot of typos, and a poor AW score, and a slightly inconsistent record. And my CV is a little short -- a few impressive things on there, but not necessarily relevant to academia.

But I have one or two things going for me: extremely high MA grades, and an innovative interdisciplinary writing sample. I would be surprised if any other grad students are doing this kind of work, which could be a hindrance, but I think originality is good

I don't know my fellow posters well enough to add anything meaningful to the person-above-you game, but everyone here seems articulate, dedicated, humble, and ambitious. All fine qualities in a prospective scholar

[LLajax]

This is a nice idea, since we've all been obsessing over those typos in our submitted apps and the quantitative GRE scores and such. I know I had a lot of typos, and a poor AW score, and a slightly inconsistent record. And my CV is a little short -- a few impressive things on there, but not necessarily relevant to academia.

But I have one or two things going for me: extremely high MA grades, and an innovative interdisciplinary writing sample. I would be surprised if any other grad students are doing this kind of work, which could be a hindrance, but I think originality is good

I don't know my fellow posters well enough to add anything meaningful to the person-above-you game, but everyone here seems articulate, dedicated, humble, and ambitious. All fine qualities in a prospective scholar

The beginning of that sounded suspiciously negative. Don't make us bring out the flails! This is a happy land of no self-doubt; haha there are more than enough threads for agonizing over shortcomings- I would know, I'm a high-frquency poster in them

As for the person-above-you game, I went with the creepy creeper strategy of searching.

[indalomena]

The beginning of that sounded suspiciously negative. Don't make us bring out the flails! This is a happy land of no self-doubt; haha there are more than enough threads for agonizing over shortcomings- I would know, I'm a high-frquency poster in them

As for the person-above-you game, I went with the creepy creeper strategy of searching.

ooooooops.. Sorry! I just wanted to acknowledge the necessity of a thread like this, given that we all have so many worries. But any slight hint of a crack in my resolve and the negativity just leaks out!

[LLajax]

ooooooops.. Sorry! I just wanted to acknowledge the necessity of a thread like this, given that we all have so many worries. But any slight hint of a crack in my resolve and the negativity just leaks out!

No worries! (which reminds me of that song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" Doooo dododo dee doodly doo ah deedly dooo)

Edited January 16, 2012 by LLajax