just mailed my first app -- tears ensued

[rems]

DON'T READ YOUR APPS AFTER YOU'VE SUBMITTED THEM. THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT NOW, YOU'LL JUST WANT TO HANG YOURSELF.

LET IT BE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE GIFS OR ELSE ID MAKE ONE OF JOHN LENNON.

sorry for yelling. I'm going insane.

[sebastiansteddy]

DON'T READ YOUR APPS AFTER YOU'VE SUBMITTED THEM.

sorry for yelling. I'm going insane.

But... I catch them while (re)preparing them for other schools. Yes... insanity...

[rems]

Yah, that's a good point. I haven't caught one yet while rereading, but I've reedited my intro to my writing sample and now it's much better than what I submitted to three schools. I debated contacting Wisconsin to switch it out, but decided against it for varying reasons.

[bfat]

The problem with this method is that I'll make an edit and be like, "Oh, this sounds so much better." Then I'll edit it again for the next school and be like, "Wait, what was I thinking, the first way was better!" ...and the infinite loop of editing doom continues...

[ETA: NOW I'M DOING IT TO MY POSTS! SOMEONE HELP ME!]

Edited December 6, 2012 by bfat

[rems]

The problem with this method is that I'll make an edit and be like, "Oh, this sounds so much better." Then I'll edit it again for the next school and be like, "Wait, what was I thinking, the first way was better!" ...and the infinite loop of editing doom continues...

[ETA: NOW I'M DOING IT TO MY POSTS! SOMEONE HELP ME!]

Yes. This exactly. I've had my boyfriend read, like, four different intros. This is what happens every time:

Me: Does it make sense? Does it sound weird? Worse? Better?

BF: Yah, it still makes sense. It's good.

Me: Is it better than last time?

BF: I don't really remember last time.

Me: WHAT GOOD ARE YOU THEN??? (Please still love me when I get rejected.)

[LenoreBeadsman]

Just submitted my app to Hopkins. Tears of joy. And then I realized I forgot to change my personal statement to single spaced so it's currently double the length it's supposed to be. Cool, cool, cool.

[GuateAmfeminist]

Cool, cool, cool.

love the Abed reference

[bfat]

Hey, I just found a missing the (the apparent antidote to my previous, extraneous the) in the SoP that I submitted to three schools! Hooraaaay!

At least I caught it before apps 4-8.

[practical cat]

Studies show that members of adcoms do not notice the absence of definite articles. It's when you leave out an "a" or "an" that you've got trouble.

Edited December 7, 2012 by girl who wears glasses

[rems]

I found one while editing:

I have the wrong page numbers in one spot in an internal citation. I had changed the primary source from an online source to an anthology. So internally, it reads "Althusser '....' (258)" and the end citation reads as an anthology citation with the pages numbers being "1496-1503." The funny thing is, my printed thesis (the official one sitting on a shelf in the library) has the same mistake and my thesis board didn't catch it, so maybe an adcom won't either?????

Maybe no one will notice...?

[waparys]

I found one while editing:

I have the wrong page numbers in one spot in an internal citation. I had changed the primary source from an online source to an anthology. So internally, it reads "Althusser '....' (258)" and the end citation reads as an anthology citation with the pages numbers being "1496-1503." The funny thing is, my printed thesis (the official one sitting on a shelf in the library) has the same mistake and my thesis board didn't catch it, so maybe an adcom won't either?????

Maybe no one will notice...?

That is DEFINITELY nothing to worry about. I found a similar mistake in my writing sample. Mine was just a plain old typo, though, and no one noticed. Breathe!

[practical cat]

I found one while editing:

I have the wrong page numbers in one spot in an internal citation. I had changed the primary source from an online source to an anthology. So internally, it reads "Althusser '....' (258)" and the end citation reads as an anthology citation with the pages numbers being "1496-1503." The funny thing is, my printed thesis (the official one sitting on a shelf in the library) has the same mistake and my thesis board didn't catch it, so maybe an adcom won't either?????

Maybe no one will notice...?

No one will notice. And, on the highly unlikely chance they do, it's not like it's an Issue.

[Ablukhov]

I found one while editing:

I have the wrong page numbers in one spot in an internal citation. I had changed the primary source from an online source to an anthology. So internally, it reads "Althusser '....' (258)" and the end citation reads as an anthology citation with the pages numbers being "1496-1503." The funny thing is, my printed thesis (the official one sitting on a shelf in the library) has the same mistake and my thesis board didn't catch it, so maybe an adcom won't either?????

Maybe no one will notice...?

My advisor has me editing my writing sample to make it easier to skim through, because he assures me that that is what the adcoms will be doing - and this is for Slavic programs that receive far fewer apps than English programs- so the little stuff probably doesn't even register.

(Does this mean I'll be able to take my own advice when the time comes? Probably not- I'll find some 'the' or 'an' to fixate on)

[rems]

Thanks, everyone, so much for the reassuring words!

I highly doubt that little mistakes are going to keep any of us out... I HOPE at least.

[Cactus Ed]

I agree on the point that little mistakes won't keep us out. But the first sentence of my SOP is a rhetorical question. Upon submitting my first app to UC Santa Barbara, tears of joy became tears of rage when I realized I left the question mark out. So much for that app. If adcoms read anything, it's the first sentence.

[bfat]

Putting my two writing samples in the mail today for UVA... kinda feel like crying. My second sample is garbage and has nothing to do with my field, but I just could. not. write. another. sample.

At least it's only 7 pages of garbage. The dominant, 18-page sample is much better and in my field.

But still. Ugh.

[rosales]

I'm new here, but I just sent in my final application, so here's to wading in anticipation with you all. Cheers!

[rems]

Okay, so I just did a sweep of my apps that are submitted, and all of them have changed status (except for Buffalo) to "Pending" or "Incomplete" to "Under Review." I'm not sure why, but all of a sudden seeing, "Under Review" scared the living crap out of me. OH NO IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

[sebastiansteddy]

In a short while, I will be submitting my app to U Chicago. I know it's an insane long shot, but there's just something emotional in sending off the application to your ultimate dream school.

[DaisyAdair]

This entire process is exhausting. I have one more application to muddle through and then I am done. OK, not done. Then I move to the waiting stage. At least with the application stage, I feel like I am doing something. I am afraid the waiting stage will be even more difficult because there is nothing I can do but wait.

[Datatape]

It is, unfortunately, and there's really nothing you can do about it but try to keep yourself as busy as possible so you don't think about it. The waiting period is a really good time to take up something you've been putting off, whether that's a long novel or series you've been meaning to read, a video game you've never gotten around to playing, a hobby you've been meaning to try or something else. You've been taking up so much time applying that the waiting can drive you bonkers if you don't do something to soak up all that excess time that's now staring you in the face.

[DontHate]

In a short while, I will be submitting my app to U Chicago. I know it's an insane long shot, but there's just something emotional in sending off the application to your ultimate dream school.

Of course! Do it! There's absolutely no reason not to

[practical cat]

I'm feeling like I'm stalling out at the halfway submitted point. Is this week over yet?

[Two Espressos]

In a short while, I will be submitting my app to U Chicago. I know it's an insane long shot, but there's just something emotional in sending off the application to your ultimate dream school.

The University of Chicago is such an awesome school. I didn't end up applying there, but I probably should have.

[dazedandbemused]

I finally got the last of my Dec. 15 stuff in the mail. Phew. It kinda feels like sending a child into the world to fend for itself.