Any other year 2 applicants out there?

[lexicana]

This is round two for me. Last year I applied to four schools and was put on the wait list for 3 out of the 4. I never did make it off the wait list. The first 4 months of 2011 were total hell. Admitedly, I did not handle the wait very well. This year, I am trying really hard to not let the anxiety get the best of me but it is soooooo hard.

I am wondering if there are others who are going through this horrible wait a second time and how you are dealing with the anxiety. As for me I am trying to keep things in perspective. While I want to go to grads school super badly, I know that I have a wonderfully fulfiling life already.

What is your round two story and how are you handling the wait?

[Kelkel]

I am a round two applicant as well! Your story is very familiar. However, I was only accepted to one school out of five. I did not take the acceptance due to the schools financial troubles and complete lack of confidence that it would get better.

I know the anxiety that comes with the wait all too well. I'm hoping to handle it differently this year, because instead of being in school I'm at work all day. That should force me to think about something else, and not constantly refresh the results board/History forum (I was seriously on my phone or laptop all day during and in between classes last year. I would even drive home after I knew the mail had been delivered just to check).

Of course, I can still check this place and watch my email carefully, but I'm determined to not let it take over my life! Plus, I go home for lunch right around mail time, so there's no rushing for that either!

Additionally, I have a rambunctious ball of energy called a corgi puppy that I can take for walks or kick a soccer ball around with to ease my anxiety and get my mind off things this go around!

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

Hi Lexicana. This is - well, I've been calling it round 3, but my fiance insists that it's round 2. You can read my story on my profile (and in several reiterations around this forum!), but in short: I've been trying to get into PhD programs since 2009, when I got 5 rejections and a "consolation MA". I took it anyway and earned my MA, and attempted the PhD again in 2011, going 0 for 7, including the very program where I earned the MA.

March-April 2011 was an extremely dark, dark time for me. I try not to think what may have happened if I didn't have such good friends and family helping me to keep the bigger picture in mind. Please, make sure that you keep your loved ones close even when you want to be left alone.

I know some people might turn up their noses at me because I got rejected so many times, but I choose to feel like a stone cold revenant, and I am very proud of my ability to be utterly flattened and yet try again. This time around I've only applied to two programs, although I have a third with a very late deadline ready just in case. I've been in face-to-face contact with POIs for months, some for nearly a year now, and done my utmost to craft the best, brightest, and most compelling application I could create. At the very least, my tenacity is a testament to my dedication.

I've been very busy with volunteer work, a job search, fitness, and other vital busywork. Idleness is the enemy around this time. I wish everyone the best of luck, particularly those of us with the stamina to undergo this process a second miserable time.

[kgumps2012]

This too is round 2 for me. I was kind of stupid the first time I tried to get my PhD. My undergraduate GPA and the GRE I took for that round wasn't very good. That was 2 years ago and am going to be graduating this year with a MS in Micro. I have re-taken the GRE and am hoping for better news, however it is starting to look the same again. (Rejected from one school already-see below). Still keeping a positive attitude though since some of my schools just closed their applications yesterday. Good Luck everyone!

[bythesea]

I'm applying for the first time, but just want to say thank you to the people who have posted their stories here. As I see notifications posted alongside my empty inbox, it is a great help to see how life and the aspiration to get a PhD are NOT going to end with this year's rejections. You are all an inspiration!

[snes]

round 2 for me!

Blaming my first round on naïveté, mostly. For one, I had not discovered this or any website devoted to graduate applications until after I had submitted. I just had one advice book, and it turned out to be not very good. I also didn't have as good of a sense of what I really wanted from a program.

I applied to 4 PhD programs (all tippy-top-tier), 1 Master's. Waitlisted at 1 PhD and accepted to Master's, but forewent the latter because it would have put me in a deep hole financially, which is not good to do on a track toward a humanities PhD.

This year I'm applying to many more programs, although they are all still top programs and there are things I could have done (with more money, time, and courage) to beef up my application more. I did moderately revise my writing samples, completely revised my SOP, and added one more professor to my mix of referees, but I am still very threatened by the possibility of universal rejection. I'm just livin' on the edge.

[Olivia1]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I just wanted to say thank you, particularly to Mocha, for being willing to put your story out. This is my second year of applying to Phd programs. And I am well aware that it might not be my last. But I there's one professor in my program with her Phd. She's the director of our master's program and is very much liked by students because she's so supportive. She's also successful in her profession. She's publishing in peer reviewed journals left and right. My point is that she tells us it took her 3 tries to get accepted. Once before the masters. Once during the masters. And I think finally once after once her thesis was completed. I'm so glad she hung in there because she's helping people like me. This gives me hope. Good luck!

[lexicana]

Thanks everyone for sharing. I hope we can all post acceptances soon! There is definitely something to be said for resiliency and being able to dust ourselves off and try again.

OnceAndFutureGrad, I am impressed with your determination. I can only hope to do the same if a third year is in my future. At this point my backup plan is to apply to MA programs (though I am less than thrilled about that option). That is awesome that you have been in touch with your POI's. Not contacting my POI's was one of my weaknesses last year. This year I did contact and meet with most of my POI's. Hopefully that will increase both our chances. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Good luck everyone!

[Ameonna]

I guess I could count as a round 2 applicant. I was rejected by every PhD program I applied to in 2010 (all 5 of them), which were all top-tier schools. though I ended up being invited at the VERY LAST MINUTE (mid-July) to apply to a new Master's program at my undergraduate university and getting accepted there. I got my acceptance less than a week before school started!! Talk about a crazy transition. At the time, my GRE scores were decent, but I had a 3.45 GPA and not enough research experience. Hopefully, one Master's, a wonderful internship, and a graduate-level thesis later, I'll be more prepared this round. I've increased the number to 7, as well.

I had no idea this board existed until this round... I'm glad to have found it!

[bikefarm]

I'm also a round two applicant. I applied to PhD programs two years ago and didn't get in anywhere. But this time, I really think I handled my applications in a better way so I'm actually more confident this time around. The first time I applied, it was while I was in a Master's program, and I'll admit I was so incredibly busy that I didn't give my applications the time and attention they needed. This time though, I did all the right things. I contacted professors over the summer to make sure I was good fit with their program, asked my letter writers for a strong letter of rec (as opposed to any old letter of rec), and had many people look over my personal statement. Even though I'm more confident this year, I know that doesn't necessarily mean I'll get in, but I sure hope I do!

Thanks for starting this thread! It's nice to know that I'm not the only second year applicant.

[Starlajane]

This is round two for me as well. I applied to very elite programs at private unis--albeit only two--last season and didn't get in.

I dialed it down a notch this season and not only applied only to state schools but, also, only to MA programs at state schools. Moreover, I also applied to programs in a variety of fields that are related to my major versus just one, and I applied to twelve programs.

This application season is definitely my last, whether or not I get in; I've compromised and worked as much as I can to get into a program.

[kgumps2012]

As the days pass by, I am becoming more and more worried I may have to try again a third time next year. I really don't want to have to go through all this AGAIN. The waiting is bad enough knowing its my second go-round.

[MashaMashaMasha]

I'm also a round two applicant, but with a year in-between. This year, I'm hoping to fill a lot of my time with the same things that inspired me to go through this process and dedicate my life to academia - I'm brushing up on my Russian skills, reading a ton of Social Movement blogs, keeping up with my peer-reviewed journals, and re-reading my favorite Russian novels. Also a lot of drinking. (Kidding! Sorta!)

[Benzene]

This is my round two as well! Last year I applied to eight schools, had one interview, and no acceptances. I was a disaster for about four months straight. This year, application season is right when I graduated with my MA, so this waiting period is full of....work. Full time retail hell. Being home, away from my friends who are also applying, is good in one way because we tended to feed off of each others' anxiousness, I think. But it is kind of lame too, because I feel like, aside from my mom, no one cares about what I'm going through (it's a source of chronic stress!) and no one at all understands or has been through the same thing.

I've been saying that round two will be my last. At the very least, if I don't get accepted anywhere, I plan to take next year off from applications.

[café con leche]

I never would have thought I'd be in this forum at this point last year, but I am. I only applied to one MA program last year, thinking that my qualifications were sufficient. I had practically no time invested in the application and no one reviewed any of the elements (cannot even believe how naive that seems looking back) so it doesn't surprise me now. I've applied to 6 programs this year, MA and PhD, ideal and backup. I feel much better this year, especially since I had a native Spanish-speaker review all my papers, contact with POI's, and advice from forums and the web on how to improve the SOP. Even with the maximum effort, though, I have already begun to worry. Last year I checked my mail 3 times per day, just to be sure, and I feel that anxiety coming up again. I'm trying to stay busy, but it's good to know that so many others are feeling the same way when I'm having a momentary lapse in self confidence (which will probably be more and more frequent as the next couple of months progress). Good luck to all!!!

[ladybug3]

I am also a second year applicant. I only applied to one school last year and made the waitlist, but there wasn't room for me in the end. Oh well. This year I applied there and to a second school, besides greatly improving my resume and gpa. I am hoping for better results this year

[Sshaw9]

Thank you all for sharing your stories, through the nervousness I keep having to remind myself that I'm only one year deep in this whole realm, and that in the long run I have hardly paid my dues.

Good luck to everyone, and stay strong!

[PoetryPupil]

I am raising my hand for this thread. So happy that I am not alone . Last year for me was all about 7 MFAs and one backup MA. Needless to say, I got the MA haha.

I didn't get full funding though and decided to defer it. It was a great school so that keeps me hopeful and this time around I've spread out my applications to both MFAs and phds. Worst comes to worst hopefully they offer me some consolation prize MAs. At the absolute worst I suppose I will take out a loan for the MA that I deferred in the first place.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

[psychdork]

My situation is very similar to OnceAndFutureGrad's, this is my 2nd/3rd time depending on who you ask. My first round I applied to 5 programs and was waitlisted at 1 but ultimately rejected. I reapplied the following year (two years ago from the present day) this time to 8 phd programs and 1 masters program. I was waitlisted at 2 phd programs (including my first choice) but in the end I had to "settle" for the masters program. Now I'm going through my third round of applications, this time applying to 14 (I'm not messing around this time!).

With this all being said, it's not that there is something majorly "wrong" with my application. I have a great gpa, good gre's, excellent letters (or so I've been told), tons of research experience (including numerous presentations and publications) but it just hasn't been my year(s). It also doesn't help that due to the way everything is right now (and for the past few years) the schools that would usually take 5-7 students are taking 1 or 2.

It has not always been easy. I went to a really dark place halfway through the second round of apps when it became clear that I was not getting in anywhere (unlike my friends). I don't tell many people but I almost gave up on this twice, but in the end I realized that this is what I love and I'm going to work hard to get there. In some ways I really think that this has been a good thing. I am so much more confident in who I am and what I want as a career and getting rejected and having to reevaluate "the plan" is a big reason for that.

I've been much calmer this time around, however, at the same time I am really worried about what I'm going to do if I don't get in this time. I know I'll figure something out if this turns out to be the case, but right now I'm really hoping I will never have to have that talk with my advisor.

[emmm]

Good Luck -- your perserverence is inspiring. I seriously thought I was going to have to apply multiple times, and was not looking forward to it. I applied knowing their were weak spots in my application, but I was kind of stuck -- I needed to do something to make things happen. Applying did that, and would have even if I hadn't been incredibly lucky. It made me get serious about my plans, let people around me know what my goals were, and got me contacts I would have never made otherwise. So, I think just applying can be beneficial, but you've been through all that -- I really hope you get in this time, you've earned it!

[wannabeaphd]

Well, I’ll bite.

I’m a 2^nd year applicant too. Or maybe 3^rd, depending on how you look at it. I applied for a couple of PhD programs and 2 MAs in 2007. I got accepted to a single MA program, which turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done. I got straight A's,. learned more about the field, and got great LoR writers.

Since I’ve been in a LTR with my soul mate since 2005, when I finished my MA, it was her turn to go to a MA/PhD program because she worked to support us though my MA. She got into a MA program (after applying to 4 PhDs and 1 MAs) so we moved all the way across country and I worked 9-5 for 2 years.

Last application cycle (for fall 2011) was the year we both tried our luck at PhD programs again. We each applied to 8 programs across the country (in corrasponding locations). She got into all but 1 program and I got rejected from every single program I applied to. So, she picked the best program that offered her money and we moved back across country.

I decided that I would try again one more time to get into a PhD program and applied to all of the programs (5) in my discipline in our new area. So far, I’ve interviewed with one (which I have good feelings about) and have been accepted informally to two others! And, if I get into the one I’ve interviewed at, then my SO and I will be doing our PhDs at the very same university! And, since her program takes 5 years and mine would take 4, we would even graduate the same year!

The things that changed about my apps from last year to this are: my GREs (I took teh new test and did really well), my SoP (which got more directed and project-focused), and one of my LoR writers got a new job @ NYU.

Stay optimistic! It can really happen!

[cokohlik]

This is round two for me. Last year I applied to four schools and was put on the wait list for 3 out of the 4. I never did make it off the wait list. The first 4 months of 2011 were total hell. Admitedly, I did not handle the wait very well. This year, I am trying really hard to not let the anxiety get the best of me but it is soooooo hard.

I am wondering if there are others who are going through this horrible wait a second time and how you are dealing with the anxiety. As for me I am trying to keep things in perspective. While I want to go to grads school super badly, I know that I have a wonderfully fulfiling life already.

What is your round two story and how are you handling the wait?

Amen!

I'm round 2, too. Last year, fresh out my BA, I was overly ambitious and applied to 4 top Ivy League schools in my field and one top public school. The Ivies weren't even necessarily strong in my area of study, but I was (and am still, to a degree) enthralled by their amazing faculty, campuses, and financial packages. I was rejected from all five, and it was like I was going through a breakup. I went through all the stages of grief. It was a bittersweet three months for me, and what carried me through was that I was getting married in April.

This year, I was a lot wiser (or so I'd like to think). I spent the year taking an expensive GRE course (by this point I'd taken it 3 times; I am simply not good at standardized testing). I also started my SoP from scratch, added a couple new professional memberships to my CV as well as some extra-curricular activities, and gave my writing samples some serious looking over. I refined my area of study, started studying German (I already have the Romance languages under my belt), and do heavy reading. I was extremely picky about the programs I was interested in, opting less for the prestige of the school like I did last year. I focused on finding programs that are exceptionally strong in my specialty. I contacted all my POIs early on (in the summer) and by October I had spoken to all of them, and we still keep in touch. I'm confident that I did everything in my power to give myself an edge this year. I won't be able to apply to grad school again, so this is all or nothing.

I admire everyone who, as emmm says, has the perseverance to do this more than once. The Grad Cafe is my favorite place on the internet. I love the community. Good luck everyone!

[cokohlik]

Well, I’ll bite.

I’m a 2^nd year applicant too. Or maybe 3^rd, depending on how you look at it. I applied for a couple of PhD programs and 2 MAs in 2007. I got accepted to a single MA program, which turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done. I got straight A's,. learned more about the field, and got great LoR writers.

Since I’ve been in a LTR with my soul mate since 2005, when I finished my MA, it was her turn to go to a MA/PhD program because she worked to support us though my MA. She got into a MA program (after applying to 4 PhDs and 1 MAs) so we moved all the way across country and I worked 9-5 for 2 years.

Last application cycle (for fall 2011) was the year we both tried our luck at PhD programs again. We each applied to 8 programs across the country (in corrasponding locations). She got into all but 1 program and I got rejected from every single program I applied to. So, she picked the best program that offered her money and we moved back across country.

I decided that I would try again one more time to get into a PhD program and applied to all of the programs (5) in my discipline in our new area. So far, I’ve interviewed with one (which I have good feelings about) and have been accepted informally to two others! And, if I get into the one I’ve interviewed at, then my SO and I will be doing our PhDs at the very same university! And, since her program takes 5 years and mine would take 4, we would even graduate the same year!

The things that changed about my apps from last year to this are: my GREs (I took teh new test and did really well), my SoP (which got more directed and project-focused), and one of my LoR writers got a new job @ NYU.

Stay optimistic! It can really happen!

This is so romantic... I can't tell you how much I hope that you and your SO get into the same school! Ahhh! :wub: :wub:

[pikachu]

Heey guys

Well, I am round N applicant (where n >= 2 ), too.

Dunno, maybe it can be called a loser? I was applying to masters and phd since 2009.

This year felt shy even to ask for recommendations... Because I always ask for recs and don't get in!

OK, once I got into unfunded masters, but could not manage financial stuff on time.

Sad experience.

But let's never give up!

The dream that is hard to achieve is sweeter when it comes true.

This year I applied only to 2 master programs. Not very smart, but the reason is also financial. These ones I absolutely love, but also can afford without scholarship... Though it will be hard time.

And nobody gives scholarship to such candidate as me. Undergrad from unknown, unranked uni from third-world country, GPA 3.21, GRE 770Q/350V/3.0W... ::facepalm::

But.. I believe that if one tries hard enough, it will work. Once Dream-activity-of-life is like a dream relationship with man It is worth trying to make it work. 2nd time or 10th So no regret It will be fine!

And now.. Now I am writing code to earn money to pay for my masters if I get admitted And yeees.. harassing F5

[wannabeaphd]

Thanks cokohlik! I should be hearding about that school in the next week *gasp*

Good luck all!!!