Sh*t people say when you are applying to grad school

[gellert]

I can relate to almost all of these! Here are a couple of my other favorites: 

 

Them: "Isn't one of your degrees in Zoology? Why do you need a PhD to be a zoo keeper?"

Me: "I don't want to be a zoo keeper. I want to do animal behavior/cognition research."

Them: "Oh so you want to be like a dog trainer or something? You need a PhD for that?"

Me: "Yep! You got it!........."

 

Old women: "Oh but hunny, you're so pretty! I don't know why you bother with all of this school stuff. You could easily just marry a rich doctor."

Me: "Or I could just be a doctor (of sorts) myself."

Old women: "You're right, hunny. It's just so much unnecessary work."

Me: blank stare.....

 

The one time I'm happy my parents told me I could be anything I wanted, as long as it was a doctor or a lawyer....   At least I am living up to expectations (unless I don't get in; then that's another bag of worms, and I'm pretty sure they expected a different kind of doctor...).

[neuropatholover]

I can relate to almost all of these! Here are a couple of my other favorites: 

 

Them: "Isn't one of your degrees in Zoology? Why do you need a PhD to be a zoo keeper?"

Me: "I don't want to be a zoo keeper. I want to do animal behavior/cognition research."

Them: "Oh so you want to be like a dog trainer or something? You need a PhD for that?"

Me: "Yep! You got it!........."

 

Old women: "Oh but hunny, you're so pretty! I don't know why you bother with all of this school stuff. You could easily just marry a rich doctor."

Me: "Or I could just be a doctor (of sorts) myself."

Old women: "You're right, hunny. It's just so much unnecessary work."

Me: blank stare.....

FACE PALM... It's amazing what comes out of some people's mouths. 

 

I told my one coworker at my part-time job I was applying to Ph.D. programs in neuroscience to do Alzheimer's disease research and she asked why I didn't want to work with a disease that mattered since old people were "near their end anyway."  Jaw drop. That's not insensitive or anything.. 

[obaka]

Sister: Stop worrying, I know you'll definitely get in!

Me: You said that last year....

Sister: Yeah, but this time I KNOW you'll get in!

Me: ...

Edited December 12, 2013 by obaka

[faithfullywaiting]

This entire forum made my day!!!

 

Recent conversation I had with my mom:

 

Me: Mom I finally submitted my grad school application!

Mom: when do you hear back?

Me: not until march 

Mom: Oh wow...hey there's something I want to talk to you about (said this in a super serious voice...sat me down and everything)

Me:...oh no what's wrong? (heart is racing-thinking someone died)

Mom: Nothing is wrong, hun you know that you won't stay young forever...and you know...marriage & babies....

Me: Ma are you serious right now? I'm having an existential crisis as I apply to graduate school and you want to ask me this?

 

**Please tell me why me settling down is more important than my graduate school applications? Oh and I'm only 22 wtf 

[faithfullywaiting]

Oh and another one....

Mom: People keep asking me what you are studying? Can you explain it to me

Mom: You should have stuck with Pharmacy. It's easier to explain...

Me: *walks out of room*

This happens at least every 4-5 months

Edited December 13, 2013 by faithfullywaiting

[calliope_dogstar]

Current Grad Student:

"Have you figured out where you are going?"

 

Me:

"Um. I still have to find out if I am officially accepted anywhere. I have a long time to wait still."

 

Same Grad Student:

"Do you have one you are really hoping for?"

 

Me: 

"Uhhh... I applied only to ones I really hope to go to...?"

 

 

A week later:

 

Same Grad Student:

"Have you figured out where you are going?"

 

Me:

"Um. I still have to find out if I am officially accepted anywhere. I have a long time to wait still."

 

Same Grad Student:

"Do you have one you are really hoping for?"

 

Me: 

"...Am I having deja vu?"

 

 

Clearly being a grad student also causes brain damage.

[IAmJoeLee]

My least favorite question and why I never really talk to my parents about this stuff:

 

"So how are you actually going to afford going there?"

 

DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT

[DeeD]

Haha ! Thanks for this thread. My personal favourite is something my training officer told me when I went to him to ask for help getting an internship. 

 

" Why do you want an internship ? Don't you have enough work to do ? 

 

For graduate school ? Why the hell do you want to do an MS ?! 

 

Get a job at a consultancy here (the pay is toughly 500$ mo) and maybe they'll put you in an offshore project. 

 

Then you can have fun"

 

Damn. I'm sad again. 

[cjjensen]

1. Don't you want to apply to any easy schools?

2. Did you email that one professor? Did you call them? When are you going to visit them?

3. You can just stay another year and do research.

4. If you get rejected, you can apply again next year. 

5. Oh, it's THAT expensive to apply?

[astreaux]

I love this thread!

I get this one frequently. The more I hear it, the more it bothers me.

"Your husband is going to leave his job? You're all going to move? The kids too??"

I liked the question initially because I feel incredibly fortunate to have my family's support. Nobody thought it was odd when we moved to advance my husband's career, though. Other moms are (disappointingly) the worst. They often say "shouldn't you wait until the kids graduate?"

[ajaxp91]

After explaining that I've applied to grad schools:

 

Response 1): "Ohhhhh....*grimace face*" 

Response 2): "But you can stay at your job if things don't go well, right?" (e.g. yeah, this may not work out for you. Don't quit your day-job. Literally.)

Response 3): "[insert obscure, most likely deceased relative] was a professor! It's in the family!!!!"

Response 4): "You'll make a great teacher. Wait...can you do things other than teaching with a Ph.D.?"

Response 5): "Where are you going to go? Oh you have to wait on an acceptance? Well, have you heard any news yet? No? So when will you know? That long of a wait?! You must be sooo anxious." (very unhelpful)

Response 6): "Wow, it sounds really expensive to apply. I can chip-in $20....if you really need it. Just try to save your money."

[PsycD]

After explaining that I've applied to grad schools:

 

Response 1): "Ohhhhh....*grimace face*" 

Response 2): "But you can stay at your job if things don't go well, right?" (e.g. yeah, this may not work out for you. Don't quit your day-job. Literally.)

Response 3): "[insert obscure, most likely deceased relative] was a professor! It's in the family!!!!"

Response 4): "You'll make a great teacher. Wait...can you do things other than teaching with a Ph.D.?"

Response 5): "Where are you going to go? Oh you have to wait on an acceptance? Well, have you heard any news yet? No? So when will you know? That long of a wait?! You must be sooo anxious." (very unhelpful)

Response 6): "Wow, it sounds really expensive to apply. I can chip-in $20....if you really need it. Just try to save your money."

 

Omg...#6...

[Maleficent999]

I have extended (read: not even actually related, but kind of related...I don't know) in the city where my top choice school is located. They literally post pictures/info relating to the city on my Facebook every week and tell me to "try really hard to get into [that school]." While I appreciate the enthusiasm, all I can think is: YES, OF COURSE I'M TRYING REALLY HARD TO GET IN THERE. IS THAT EVEN A SERIOUS STATEMENT?!

[PsycD]

"Wow! Wait...won't you be, like, 40 by the time you finish???"

[Felixjuggler]

Well, the simple thing is people in my department are trying to guess which school is my favourite, the one I really want to get in. At the same time they don't want to know from me which is my favourite! The reason in the answer: "Noooo, it would bring bad luck!! Don't tell us, let's avoid the bad luck!".

I got infected by the "bad luck avoidance", full stop.

[PsycD]

Well, the simple thing is people in my department are trying to guess which school is my favourite, the one I really want to get in. At the same time they don't want to know from me which is my favourite! The reason in the answer: "Noooo, it would bring bad luck!! Don't tell us, let's avoid the bad luck!".

I got infected by the "bad luck avoidance", full stop.

If that's bad luck, then I'm screwed. I think the entire world knows my #1 pick.

[Felixjuggler]

If that's bad luck, then I'm screwed. I think the entire world knows my #1 pick.

Well, then let's regain some rationality and think it's just superstition!

[PsycD]

Well, then let's regain some rationality and think it's just superstition!

That sounds like a great idea to me! I'd like to regain something as I totally lose my mind waiting for admissions decisions.

[MadtownJacket]

If that's bad luck, then I'm screwed. I think the entire world knows my #1 pick.

 

Meh, the entire world knows my #1 pick and I still got an interview with them.

 

This will probably jinx my luck now though.

[jellyfish1]

Them: "So which one is your safety school?"
Me: "None of them are safety schools. They are all top programs and anyway, there's no such thing as a "safety" when you're applying to PhD programs in this field."

[MSW13]

As well meaning as it is, it still bugged me to no end when I heard, "Don't worry, you'll get in".

[MadtownJacket]

As well meaning as it is, it still bugged me to no end when I heard, "Don't worry, you'll get in".

 

It also bugged me when I got invited for an interview and they all said "See, we told you you'll be fine".

[roguesenna]

Meh, the entire world knows my #1 pick and I still got an interview with them.

 

This will probably jinx my luck now though.

 

My number one is Columbia. But I know I won't get in, so I can say.

[faerare]

I had several family members recently tell me that I could only apply to master's programs straight out of undergrad for any field. When I told them that I had only applied to PhD programs, they panicked and told me to hurry up and finish some master's degree applications so I could still be considered for some schools.

[reinhard]

"So have you gotten accepted yet?" (when it is still December from my parents)

 

I mean seriously? I am stressed out already and you have to ask me that?