Returning applicants - how're ya feeling?

[Imogene]

All of you who are in your second+ application season -- how are you feeling? At first I thought I was going to be on cruise control because I felt like I had a head start on things and knew what to expect, but now I'm feeling even worse than I did last year.

I've been trying to pinpoint why things feel so crazy, and I think it's actually because I know more about how things go that I feel worse: maybe I was blissfully ignorant last year?

So, what I mean is that even though I might have been nervous and anxious about various aspects of the application season last year, now that I know how difficult things really are, and how delicate the process is (a sentence here in your SOP; a percentage point there in your GRE; other applicants with your same interest areas; make-up of the adcomm; current grad students already working in your area, etc.), I have less hope about it all. I have more of the "it's all futile" feeling than the "I'm nervous but really excited and hopeful" feeling this time around.

Are you more or less hopeful than you were the last time(s) around? The same?

[skybythelight]

You described how I've been feeling pretty perfectly. I feel in a lot of ways better prepared this time around: I don't have a full time course load. I'm working closely with a professor on my writing sample. I did more research into the programs I'm applying to. But I'm also much more realistic because, like you said, I know much more about how things work this time.

[rems]

I didn't go through with applications last year, but I was planning on applying until about mid-October. I don't have much to say about the actual SUBMITTING process since, well, I didn't go through with it, but I did go through a lot of prep last year that I didn't complete. I'm worried that I'm a little overconfident this year because of it -- almost like I've done this tango before and don't feel like I need to revisit the steps. HOWEVER, I definitely do. In fact, today was the first day that I actually said to myself, "Okay, self, during lunch hour maybe I should go through and make a chart of what exactly is expected of each school instead of just assuming you know." So, there's that. (Let it be noted that I'm not doing that -- I'm just on the cafe.)

I'm also glad that I don't have a course load right now -- I can't imagine going through this last year when I had my thesis, language exams, comps, teaching, etc. to go through as well. I'm adjuncting right now, so I teach a full load at 4 courses (80+ students), but it's not nearly as bad as having to do actual course work. That being said, I give extra props to those who are tackling apps while attending school -- best of luck to you!!

[thestage]

feeling awful, still behind the eight ball, lost most of my summer to an incredibly poorly timed mystery illness

[Datatape]

[rems]

DITTO

[HHEoS]

Hey guys, I'm a returning applicant as well. My situation is a little different, however, since I wasn't exactly shutout last year. I got offers from two programs: one funded, one unfunded. The latter said it was likely I'd get funding, and I was first on their wait-list. I didn't. I'd set my heart on that program, and even though the other offer was from a great program, I didn't accept. I talked it over with my advisors, and they agreed with my argument for reapplying. I'm not pessimistic at all, in fact, I'm pretty excited about my prospects this year. I'm not sure if that's because of what happened last year. It would really suck if I got shutout completely this year though. Anyone else in a similar place?

[Imogene]

wow, HHEoS, that is a unusual situation. I think you should feel somewhat confident given your offers last year, though I have been told by both faculty and other applicants that previous offers/wait-lists don't necessarily mean those schools will offer admission again, but it should indicate that your credentials and interests have strong appeal for programs.

Did you change anything for this time around? As in, did you work on your writing sample or significantly change your SOP? Are you applying to same/different programs this year?

I got wait listed by two programs last year, but no admits. I wrote a completely new writing sample and took a new approach to my SOP. I'm applying to about 4 of the same programs as last year (including the 2 that wait-listed me), plus 5 new ones.

Best of luck, y'all!

[mostlytoasty]

I was waitlisted at 3 schools two app cycles ago (one of which was my top choice and a pretty close top 10)... I used the year to get my MA so I have a new writing sample and a clearer sense of direction in my SOP. The whole 1 year MA program felt really rushed so I don't feel that confident about my WS. I try to comfort myself by saying, well, if my thesis was THAT bad, my advisor wouldn't have given me an A, wouldn't have agreed to write me a rec, and I wouldn't have graduated, right? I'm hoping that the dream school that waitlisted me in spring of 2011 will remember me this time around.

[HHEoS]

wow, HHEoS, that is a unusual situation. I think you should feel somewhat confident given your offers last year, though I have been told by both faculty and other applicants that previous offers/wait-lists don't necessarily mean those schools will offer admission again, but it should indicate that your credentials and interests have strong appeal for programs.

Did you change anything for this time around? As in, did you work on your writing sample or significantly change your SOP? Are you applying to same/different programs this year?

I got wait listed by two programs last year, but no admits. I wrote a completely new writing sample and took a new approach to my SOP. I'm applying to about 4 of the same programs as last year (including the 2 that wait-listed me), plus 5 new ones.

Best of luck, y'all!

Hey Imogene, I've also been told that previous offers mean nothing to decisions in other admissions seasons. The Acting DGS at the program that offered me admission but not funding did tell me he'd look out for my application personally this year if I reapplied though. I've considered contacting him as sort of reminder, but I haven't. Were you in contact with anyone at the programs where you got wait-listed? Have you contacted them this year? I guess this question is also for you, mostlytoasty, and anyone also in a similar situation.

As for changes: I'm hesitant to mention this on here, because I saw a discussion in another thread about how rare this is, and I don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers or come off as though I'm bragging, but here goes. The biggest change in my application is that I got a shorter version of my writing sample from last year published in a well-known, longstanding (almost 150 year-old) journal. I'm not using it as my writing sample this year, though, except for one program to which I'm applying that requires two samples.

My writing sample this year is currently under review for publication at a prominent journal in my particular field. I wrote it last fall for a Master's course during the application process, and made several major bouts of revision since. The latest revisions have been based on the comments of specialist readers at two journals where the piece was rejected. All these readers commented that the argument was publishable, but needed work.

My advisors and I discussed these possibilities thoroughly before I made my possibly risky decision in April.

My personal statement has been revamped completely. Only my paragraph on teaching is relatively similar to last year's.

I applied to 13 schools last year. I'm applying to 13 again: 7 are same (including the program from which I got the unfunded offer last year, and another where I was wait-listed last year), 6 are new. Because I decided to roll the dice instead of taking the offer last year, most of the new ones are very prominent programs.

So that's the long version of why I'm mostly, cautiously optimistic about my chances this year. I'm still worried that my terrible test-taking skills and atrocious GRE Subject Test scores will keep me out of programs though.

Good luck to you, Imogene, and everyone else reapplying this year.

[Imogene]

I just have to say that last year, I had already submitted all my applications by this time, and it was a matter of watching and waiting to confirm that all my external credentials had been received and my LORs uploaded their letters.

This year, I actually feel way behind. I was working on my SOP and even WS right up until the last seconds with the 4 applications I've submitted over the last week, and I feel like I'm pushing right up to all of my deadlines.

The difference is mainly from the shift to unofficial and uploaded credentials for almost all of my schools this year, and my using Interfolio to manage the LORs -- this has given me a (false?) sense that I can submit the online application closer to the deadline (because I don't have to wait for the slow paper trails and matching). But now I feel really behind!

Ugh.

Ok, still chugging through. 5 more applications to submit!