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just mailed my first app -- tears ensued


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Thank you! It turns out that I was mistaken both about the deadline (it IS the fifth, according to their website) and the transcripts (the application said I needed official ones, but NYU's departmental webpage said that only the unofficial transcripts were necessary).

But that's what application season does to you, I suppose! I feel like I'm losing years off my life.

Yeah, I know that. I submitted my first application in September, and I only have one app left; still, I can't believe how many hiccups I've run across these past few weeks. I thought getting started early would ease the insanity of app season, but the early start just elongated the crazy!

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Thank you! It turns out that I was mistaken both about the deadline (it IS the fifth, according to their website) and the transcripts (the application said I needed official ones, but NYU's departmental webpage said that only the unofficial transcripts were necessary).

But that's what application season does to you, I suppose! I feel like I'm losing years off my life.

NYU is my only school that requests a significantly shorter writing sample than 20 pages. I feel like the time and effort I spent on my writing sample for NYU is not commensurate with the joy I will feel when they reject me... Yes, this process does take years from one's life!

Edited by sebastiansteddy
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NYU is my only school that requests a significantly shorter writing sample than 20 pages. I feel like the time and effort I spent on my writing sample for NYU is not commensurate with the joy I will feel when they reject me... Yes, this process does take years from one's life!

I'm approaching my writing sample in a different way: everyone's getting the same sample, so they're all getting a 12-page paper because that's NYU's maximum. I'm hoping that application committees appreciate the fact that I submitted a much shorter sample, seeing as they theoretically have to read hundreds of these. Also, this paper happens to be interesting and provocative, and I believe it's the best paper I've written yet. I think it's slightly badass, and I hope that they agree and don't mind its short length.

Edited by Two Espressos
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Tonight I was walking up to the post office counter to mail my writing sample when I found a typo on the last page.

Cursing and kicking self all the way back to the car... :(

At least you noticed, right? I love that you were reading over it while in line at the post office!

What school still wants hard copies? I'm applying to over 15 schools and everything is online. 3 years back (MFA/MA applications) it was more like 50/50. Everything going digital has made everything so much easier... kind of!

Edited by asleepawake
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Thank you! It turns out that I was mistaken both about the deadline (it IS the fifth, according to their website) and the transcripts (the application said I needed official ones, but NYU's departmental webpage said that only the unofficial transcripts were necessary).

I didn't think you could upload an 'official transcript' -- don't those have to be signed and stamped from a registrars office, in hard copy?

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I didn't think you could upload an 'official transcript' -- don't those have to be signed and stamped from a registrars office, in hard copy?

A few schools have specified scanned copies of official copies... so still not actually official, but more official than a PDF from your online account. I can't remember which schools are which anymore, but I'm just submitting this format everywhere that wants an upload.

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At least you noticed, right? I love that you were reading over it while in line at the post office!

What school still wants hard copies? I'm applying to over 15 schools and everything is online. 3 years back (MFA/MA applications) it was more like 50/50. Everything going digital has made everything so much easier... kind of!

I thought I might catch something and I did! Always good to septuple check something before sending it off, right? :P

It does seem kind of quaint. I'm applying to MAs at State schools so that might answer your question. Probably a lot less volume of apps coming in than a top tier PhD program.

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blah it's details like THESE that are going to drive us crazy for the next few weeks! and I'm still fighting with my WS and SOP. how are people managing what feels like constant, chronic stress?

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I didn't think you could upload an 'official transcript' -- don't those have to be signed and stamped from a registrars office, in hard copy?

I ordered an official transcript from each of my schools (undergrad and grad) and scanned those.

P.S. Be aware that some schools want black and white scans! Changing my scan from color to B&W (because I'd misplaced the original document) took years off my life...(if you don't have Acrobat it's not that easy).

Edited by waparys
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Today has been hell. I've been super busy all day with work, attending a faculty lecture, etc. One of my letter writers still hadn't submitted as of this morning, and she said she'd submit all her letters this morning/afternoon. I get home from the lecture around 8:30ish...and the letter hasn't been submitted to NYU, whose deadline is *today*. I emailed her, but then I worried she wouldn't see it by midnight tonight. I had to look up her husband's academic profile (a fellow English professor who teaches at another institution), google his name, and then try to find their home phone number. Granted, I've only met her husband once, like a year ago, and I barely remembered what he looked like (luckily his academic page had a photo!). Thankfully, the number was correct, and it turns out that this professor forgot that NYU's deadline was today.

So long story short-- the letter is in, and I've just submitted NYU's application. But then I read somewhere that the deadline was 5pm toady, not midnight. And I can't upload my "official" transcripts because the file size is too large, so I just submitted the unofficial ones, hoping to email the grad secretary about my next course of action.

Oh and if you can't tell already, I'm hyped up on caffeine and freaking out.

#losingmyshit

It's the 5th, but thanks for temporarily scaring the bejeezus out of me, haha.

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So long story short-- the letter is in, and I've just submitted NYU's application. But then I read somewhere that the deadline was 5pm toady, not midnight. And I can't upload my "official" transcripts because the file size is too large, so I just submitted the unofficial ones, hoping to email the grad secretary about my next course of action.

If you have Acrobat, you can hit "Print" and then print it as PDF. On that window, you'll see the option to make it "smallest size" format. That brought the file size WAY down. If you don't have Acrobat at home, most school computers will have it, like in the library.

This is only for people who need to down PDF file sizes. My transcripts totaled four pages (3 UG, 1 G), PLUS the scan from the backside with the legend, PLUS two Word Documents explaining what each course was bc my UG was one of those schools who lists classes like: ENGL 321: British Literature. I also had to make three different PDF files, one for just graduate, one for just undergrad, and one for them combined. I now understand why everyone tells you to start early on these because if I hadn't done this a month ago, I'd be just about ready to off myself at this point.

I've submitted two of six, and I'm about to submit my third.

OHHHH and here's something else: I'm working from home today, and I have an EPSON printer. I'm out of fucking blue ink, so I can't print anything in black. NOW I have to edit off of my computer screen (which I hate doing), and I'm about to smash the printer into the floor. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH :angry: I had to do that. Thanks for listening.

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blah it's details like THESE that are going to drive us crazy for the next few weeks! and I'm still fighting with my WS and SOP. how are people managing what feels like constant, chronic stress?

I am probably the worst person at stress-management. Mostly I've been getting a lot of headaches, crying, overeating, and last night my boyfriend and I drove a half an hour to a specific bakery because I wanted their cupcakes.

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how are people managing what feels like constant, chronic stress?

Coffee. OMG so much coffee.

Followed by periods of (caffeine poison? Is that a thing?) total panic, heart palpitations, feeling like I'm dying... then usually a nap.

Then more coffee.

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blah it's details like THESE that are going to drive us crazy for the next few weeks! and I'm still fighting with my WS and SOP. how are people managing what feels like constant, chronic stress?

I am also still dealing with my WS and SOP. There have been moments where I just don't even know where to begin to edit again. So, I've given myself periodic breaks where I just block out any thoughts about my applications, watch a 20 min Modern Family episode, take a hot shower, do some push ups, anything. I used to try to fight through stress, but I've learned to step back and take a deep breath. YMMV.

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Re: Michigan

WHY DOES IT MAKE ALL OF MY DOCUMENTS LONGER WHEN IT TURNS THEM INTO PDF

I don't want them to think I'm the idiot who submitted a two-page resume or a three-page SoP. URGHHHH.

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On 12/4/2012 at 8:46 AM, skybythelight said:

I am probably the worst person at stress-management. Mostly I've been getting a lot of headaches, crying, overeating, and last night my boyfriend and I drove a half an hour to a specific bakery because I wanted their cupcakes.

LOVE THIS. my mom ordered me a dozen cupcakes to ease the stress....needless to say, they're gone!

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I thought getting started early would ease the insanity of app season, but the early start just elongated the crazy!

I'm with you. The early start created a longer waiting period during which I have nothing productive to focus on and I might die of anxiety. And I thought it was such a good idea to be ahead of the game...

...last night my boyfriend and I drove a half an hour to a specific bakery because I wanted their cupcakes.

YES. Cupcakes fix everything, no?

Sorry to crash your English party...my art history colleagues aren't posting much so here I am. Art historians steal all of your theory, so why not barge in on your forums, too?

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Re: Michigan

WHY DOES IT MAKE ALL OF MY DOCUMENTS LONGER WHEN IT TURNS THEM INTO PDF

I don't want them to think I'm the idiot who submitted a two-page resume or a three-page SoP. URGHHHH.

When this happened to me, I just uploaded them as Pdfs to begin with and it worked. But it was for another school so their system might be different.

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Sorry to crash your English party...my art history colleagues aren't posting much so here I am. Art historians steal all of your theory, so why not barge in on your forums, too?

I loved reading this. Really though, English people steal theory all the time, so it's like second-order thieving, or something like that.

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