Typos in application

[panasic]

Agh! I just found a typo in my personal history statement: principal instead of principle >_<

I am not a victim of homophonic heterographs (that's what they're called, folks), I swear!

Freaking out ensues or should I just hope the adcoms don't care too much about this?

Has anyone else found typos in their apps after submission?

I knew it was a mistake to go back and re-read after pressing send....

[PhDreams]

never reread. i found one that said "my commitment to HIGH education"...sheesh. hope that gave the adcoms a giggle.

Edited January 20, 2012 by FutureEdStudent12

[CSFive]

I also follow the "never reread" philosophy - unless I get invited for an interview/call/visit at least. In general, if it was missed in multiple proof-reads, I think there's a decent chance it could get missed in actual reads. That particular typo sounds like it's something they could miss, because they'll be "hearing" it in their minds, and it will sound right. When I'm reading, and come across that word, I automatically hear it the way it should be, and only notice if it's wrong if I stop to think about it.

[Jwnich1]

^ I completely agree with this. I've seen minor typos in financial documents, published SCOTUS opinions, endless books, scholarly articles and journals etc. I firmly believe that you read what you "want" to read, not what is actually typed. (i.e. we expect a certain word, and see it, whether or not it is correctly spelled), unless we are scrutinizing something with a fine-tooth comb. While this makes us our own worst editor, I think it also means there's a fair chance that with ad-coms reading through hundreds of applications, it won't get a second look unless its egregious.

The kicker: I once saw a (sucessful) application to a top 10 law school: beautifully typed, but with a minor correction in white-out. The individual who submitted it is smart, talented and now a sucessful lawyer, and this apparently did not detract, or at least not enough to deny entry. We're all human, and we all make mistakes. As much as I wish it wasn't true!

Best of luck,

Justin

[rowlf]

I am shocked at how many typos have made it through several rounds of edits by many people. I think I am less likely to notice a mistake, but even my multiple editors don't notice. Like CSFive, I think this just goes to show how easy it is for a typo to go unnoticed. Besides, the adcoms will probably read it more briskly than our proofreaders did.

[Ironheel!!]

I just noticed my CV has a typo, I misspelled the name of my undergraduate university.....yikes!

[PhDreams]

I just noticed my CV has a typo, I misspelled the name of my undergraduate university.....yikes!

That's on par with my "high" education. lol

But like other posters have noted, I'm sure we're the only ones who are really looking at our materials so closely. Don't feel bad.

[Grunty DaGnome]

^ I completely agree with this. I've seen minor typos in financial documents, published SCOTUS opinions, endless books, scholarly articles and journals etc. I firmly believe that you read what you "want" to read, not what is actually typed. (i.e. we expect a certain word, and see it, whether or not it is correctly spelled), unless we are scrutinizing something with a fine-tooth comb. While this makes us our own worst editor, I think it also means there's a fair chance that with ad-coms reading through hundreds of applications, it won't get a second look unless its egregious.

The kicker: I once saw a (sucessful) application to a top 10 law school: beautifully typed, but with a minor correction in white-out. The individual who submitted it is smart, talented and now a sucessful lawyer, and this apparently did not detract, or at least not enough to deny entry. We're all human, and we all make mistakes. As much as I wish it wasn't true!

Best of luck,

Justin

I love how "lawyers" are considered the pinnacle of good editing. I work in a law firm now and I can't tell you how many government documents still have all kinds of references to Enron that the prosecuting attorney failed to edit out of the template.

[IronicStatement]

I just noticed my CV has a typo, I misspelled the name of my undergraduate university.....yikes!

Don't feel too bad- I recently noticed that ETS, the GRE testing company, frequently misspells lots of universities!

[snes]

Don't feel too bad- I recently noticed that ETS, the GRE testing company, frequently misspells lots of universities!

Yes! Did you also request your scores to be sent to University of California - Los Angelos ??

[stratofanatic]

Oh gawd.

Whoever said you should never re-read your statements of purpose was right. I did -- and discovered that, instead of calling the school "University of Michigan" (at Ann Arbor), I called it "Michigan State."

After 20 revisions of that statement of purpose, it just now occurred to me taht U-M and Michigan State are probably completely different schools.

[Athenrein]

This isn't exactly a typo, but I was working in the university's mailroom during graduate application season last year and I remember this. I opened one application packet, and her cover letter and statement of purpose were addressed to a completely different school in a different state. The applicant must have switched envelopes somewhere along the way. I bet she was mortified when we notified her of the mistake.

[-hermes-]

Oh man. I'm trying really hard not to read my SoP. I was reading and rereading it over and over until I submitted it, to the point my eyes started glazing over -- and I caught a misplaced comma right as I was about to upload it! Don't know how I missed that during all the revisions. Scared to see what else I might have missed.

[wlkwih2]

Misspelled my POI's surname.

:suicidal:

[PhDreams]

Misspelled my POI's surname.

:suicidal:

Ugh... I forgot an accent in a POI's name. Hope that he's not super annoyed.

[jerzygrl]

Forgot to edit out a phrase in one of my SOP's. So now the sentance has to verbs which are different tenses. ::facepalm:: I figure I wasted $100 for that app.

[PhDreams]

I also applied to a "masters of arts" program....

so depressing.

[misgengen]

just realized, I formatted one of my job responsibility wrong when I copied and pasted, so the line should actually belong to another job above the job I am putting it in and it's about educating people for diabetes but I put in my blood service volunteer description. slightly freaking out

[sansao]

Ugh... I've noticed the same in my application. Not saying what it was, but I've been facepalming myself for about a week. I just hope the adcoms realize how stressful the application process can be (and have a decent sense of humor).

\dies

[applyingfromtexas]

no point in stressing over the little things now! we're almost there guys!

[Julianne Pigoon]

I sent out a copy of my writing sample with two (cite)s in it to Vanderbilt as last‒minute reminders to myself. I realized about two minutes after I sent it, and I'm STILL facepalming. I don't know what it means, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't bode well. As least most typos aren't in red x_x. You're probably fine.

[iwouldpreferanonymity]

Forgot to edit out a phrase in one of my SOP's. So now the sentance has to verbs which are different tenses. ::facepalm:: I figure I wasted $100 for that app.

I was just admitted into a program. After receiving the news, I revisited my SOP. To my surprise, I had done exactly what you did. Yet, I still wound up admitted. So, I would not assume too much at this point. They still could admit you.

[jerzygrl]

I was just admitted into a program. After receiving the news, I revisited my SOP. To my surprise, I had done exactly what you did. Yet, I still wound up admitted. So, I would not assume too much at this point. They still could admit you.

This just made my week Still waiting....

[anonyouknow]

I belatedly discovered I'd misspelled publicly in 5 of my 7 applications. Somehow word doesn't pick up "publically" as a misspelling. Whoops...

[Helpplease123]

What's a facepalm? I haven't wanted to go check my SoP for this exact reason although I know I made mistakes for all schools by writing masters not master's...I only realised that was wrong when someone on here mentioned making that mistake! I would have thought that meant "master is" damn it!