Anyone else nervous about the "consequences" of not getting accepted anywhere?

[ion_exchanger]

I'm most afraid of getting rejected after an interview. I would much rather be rejected before. I'll feel like there is something wrong with me because I couldn't seal the deal.

[NeuroTU]

I'm most afraid of getting rejected after an interview. I would much rather be rejected before. I'll feel like there is something wrong with me because I couldn't seal the deal.

 

I feel the same way! That hurts the most. Knowing they just didn't like YOU

[selecttext]

In my experience, at least in science, is that interviewing means listening to the professor talk for a few hours, visiting the lab and other such pleasantries. it seems unlikely that you would be rejected after an 'interview'.

[NeuroTU]

In my experience, at least in science, is that interviewing means listening to the professor talk for a few hours, visiting the lab and other such pleasantries. it seems unlikely that you would be rejected after an 'interview'.

 

Say that to the 50-25% (depending on school) that get cut post interview! >.< 

Edited January 15, 2013 by NeuroTU

[epsilon]

Say that to the 50-75% (depending on school) that get cut post interview! >.<

Where's that stat from? I've heard more like 20-40

[NeuroTU]

Where's that stat from? I've heard more like 20-40

Whoops meant to put 50-25%. Which is closer to your 20-40. Yours is nicer! I read it on here and College Conf

[Soleil ت]

PLEASE don't make me tell my recommenders I didn't make it anywhere!  Oh please...

[redread]

I'm so anxious. Part of me worries that I'll get rejected on a minor thing like a transcript coming in late. Here's to a nervous few months! 

[MSW13]

Agree on not wanting to tell your recommenders you didn’t get in anywhere. Also not thrilled with the idea of potentially having to ask them to write another recommendation…

 

When I didn't get in anywhere last year, I waited a few days to let it sink in then I emailed my references (referees??) telling them that I didn't get in. However, I also mentioned that I would be reapplying and asked whether they would be willing to provide a reference again.  All of them were incredibly kind and supportive and said they would be more than happy to provide another reference.  Asking them right off the bat made it much easier this past fall when I contacted them again. I also made sure to tell them what I did to strengthen my application so that they could refer to it in their letters.

I think most people can appreciate what you must be feeling to get rejected, afterall they probably experienced the same wave of emotions when they applied years ago too.

Edited January 17, 2013 by MSW13

[BerenErchamion]

Right now, recently done with my bachelor's, I could have gotten a job but I decided to spend this time preparing for my applications. Of course I'm thinking on getting a job while waiting it out (until Fall 2013), but I'm afraid that it won't be a great one thanks to the fact that, in case of being admitted to graduate school, I will be able to work at most 5 or 6 months, and employers may not like that.

If I'm not admitted anywhere, a few months of my life may have had gone down the drain... and just thinking about it really sucks. So yeah, I'm starting to get nervous about not being accepted anywhere, anyone else with similar thoughts?

 

It might be worth it to call a temp agency.

 

That's what I did after I finished my BA this past May.  I got placed in a job that I'm good at (and they really like me), but I absolutely hate and won't mind leaving when the time comes--but in a company which has plenty of advancement opportunities should I not get accepted anywhere, and that actually isn't a company I wouldn't terribly mind spending the rest of my working life working for (I hate the job because the job itself is pretty crappy, but that's an unavoidable part of the job itself and has nothing to do with anything the company does).

 

Companies that hire through temp agencies expect lots of turnover, and at any rate you don't have to tell anyone until after you get hired (or accepted).

 

Incidentally, I just learned of my first Ph.D. admission yesterday, which I have to admit makes it very tempting to just up and quit and spend the next seven months reading, pursuing my other hobbies, and spending time with my girlfriend and family.

[greg0629]

I am scared I won't get in anywhere. Totally choked on the GRE's. Completely. Throughly.

I am graduating three years early with an MFA, (I was advanced to our Graduate Conservatory as an Undergraduate Freshman) and am EBT for an MA in Film Studies. I have finished approx. 60 more Masters credits than is necessary to graduate in my major. I have great rec's including my school's chancellor. I have had papers published and have presented at national conventions. I qualified for the Academy Awards twice while in school and was nominated by the school's faculty this year for the Princess Grace Foundation Grant. I have a GPA of 3.8 at a Top 15 film school. And my GRE's are so freaking abysmally terrible that I think I won't make any of the school's cutoffs.

Next year is for younger people. I have worked as a stockbroker and as the CEO of a telecommunications company. Finding something to do for a year is not a real issue. I'll be 47 in June. That, however, is an issue.

 

[The Whistler]

I am scared I won't get in anywhere. Totally choked on the GRE's. Completely. Throughly.

 

 

Oh, if it makes you feel any better, I think my quantitative section would've been better if I took it blindfolded. Seriously, it sucks. And for someone applying to English programs, my verbal isn't as good as it should be either.

I think that, if they like the rest of your application, there's no GRE percentile in the world that would keep them from accepting you. And you seem to have and excellent CV.

Edited January 18, 2013 by The Whistler

[MSW13]

I am scared I won't get in anywhere. Totally choked on the GRE's. Completely. Throughly.

Next year is for younger people. I have worked as a stockbroker and as the CEO of a telecommunications company. Finding something to do for a year is not a real issue. I'll be 47 in June. That, however, is an issue.

 

Although I'm not familiar with your program, I cannot imagine any creative program rejecting a student with such a strong background over one *tiny* aspect of the application. Hang in there, as they say "it ain't over till it's over"

Also, regarding your age, you are hardly 'old'.  I think that whether you are 23, 29, 35 or 46, you are going to feel like you dont have another year to spare. In reality, you have as many years to do this as you have motivation.  To me it sounds like you are in a great position to be admitted somewhere but if the worst case scenario happens and you dont get in, it isn't the end of the world. I say this from experience. I was rejected last year from everywhere I applied because my gpa was below cut-off.  I too am an older student and have a wealth of experience and an otherwise strong application.  I spent the last year strengthening that part of my application and believe me, the time has gone by really fast.  If I dont get in this year, I will just go back to work and reassess my plans, but nowhere do I feel like my age will hinder my academic future.

It is hard not to catastrophize especially since you put so much time, effort and emotion into this. But really it is just another hurdle in life.  

Good luck to you! You have a great chance, remember that!

[greg0629]

You guys rock. Thanks so much. Kinda freaked out.

[lifesgood]

Oh, if it makes you feel any better, I think my quantitative section would've been better if I took it blindfolded. Seriously, it sucks. And for someone applying to English programs, my verbal isn't as good as it should be either.

I think that, if they like the rest of your application, there's no GRE percentile in the world that would keep them from accepting you. And you seem to have and excellent CV.

From your lips to God's ear!  Like you and the original poster, I did not do nearly as well on the GRE as I had hoped to, and one of my three recommenders (who promised he'd write the letters) has still not submitted any.  ><   If I don't get accepted anywhere, I'll try to get a job in a plant-related business, volunteer at a local plant laboratory, and prepare for another GRE experience next year. 

[The Whistler]

From your lips to God's ear!  Like you and the original poster, I did not do nearly as well on the GRE as I had hoped to, and one of my three recommenders (who promised he'd write the letters) has still not submitted any.  ><   If I don't get accepted anywhere, I'll try to get a job in a plant-related business, volunteer at a local plant laboratory, and prepare for another GRE experience next year. 

 

Oh dear, well when's the deadline for those letters? Could you politely remind him somehow? I'm a bit of a nervous nelly when it comes to deadlines, so I sent an "I'm not sure if you got the e-mail from school X, and I was wondering if everything is OK" letter to one of my recommenders, just to make sure he still knew I existed. He's a pretty cool guy, so he didn't take it the wrong way.

[BuddingScholar]

I'm 35 this year. I think I'm a little older than you! It just worries me.

Same here... I feel I don't have any time to waste; I am not getting any younger either.    The very thought of not getting in anywhere frightens me profoundly.

[lifesgood]

I called the forgetful prof and he was very apologetic.  That very day, he submitted three LORs for me, and he did some more the next day.  An assistant in the department at one of my schools assured me that the application was not too late to be considered.  Of course, that doesn't mean I will get accepted, but it's a relief anyway. Good luck to all of us!

[kiki123]

I am definitely nervous about not getting in anywhere, though it wouldn't be the end of the world if I didn't - I would definitely have to reevaluate my plans, however. Sent in my last application yesterday. I just graduated college, too, so I have been applying to jobs as well. I had an interview for a position within my field, but I am not sure if they will hire me if I plan on (hopefully) attending grad school in the fall. If I don't get in anywhere, though, that would be fairly humiliating. Like others on here, it would be awful to have to tell my undergraduate professors that I was rejected. The applications are in, however, and now it's out of my hands. If I don't get accepted by any of my schools, I suppose I will just continue applying to jobs and try to gain some more experience before reapplying.

[RafAkd]

I am totally nervous about it. Although I have a job in one of the biggest oil companies in the world, I don't really agree on how it is been managed right now. Besides, my wife and I just don't feel comfortable and happy about the situation of our country either. Thus, if I don't get into any of the Schools I applied I will definitely have to rethink some things out because I don't want to spend another whole year in the same situation. Probably I will try to apply for a Canadian or European school for the spring semester.

 

Just thinking about chasing Professors in order to see if they submit the LOR makes me

[IOPsych3927]

Long story short: not getting in, or deciding to take an extra year to re-apply is a blessing in disguise. If you aren't accepted this round, your life will most certainly NOT be over, ESPECIALLY if you're an undergrad. I will have taken two years off between undergrad and grad school (*knock on some serious wood*), and I tell all of my undergrad friends to do the same: take time off! Grad school is long enough, and you don't have to be in a rush to get there-- it's better to make such a serious decision with slow and careful deliberation. Plus, now that I want it that much badly, I will be so happy to get back to school. Some of my friends who went straight to grad school couldn't say the same.

 

I completely agree. Spending time in the "real world" made me more certain that graduate school was the right path for me, and more determined to get there. I'll never wonder if the grass (aka cubicle!) is greener, because I've been there. Although I sometimes get a little envious of the grad students I've met who are my age and in their 3rd year, I wouldn't take my post-bachelor's experiences back for anything. 

[Science!]

I guess this is a more likely (but still far-fetched) scenario when trying to apply to PhD programs and needing funding?  If you're an old fart like me just trying to get your MS and some research experience after a decade or more in "the real world."  I'm having a hard time seeing any institution saying, "Nope, we don't want your free money and labor." Unless your SOP and LORs were written in crayon and your GPA puts you in the squares club!  

 

Although, I suppose if the 2 Universities that I have applied to don't want me, I'll just go down to the pub and have a beer and start working on next year's applications.  Who knows, maybe by the time my own kids are at Uni I can be their TA hahahaha!

 

If it does make anyone feel better, I will relate a story of one of my High School teachers.  She let 30 years pass between her MA and PhD and she taught HS for over 40 years.  She's since passed on, but I remember her remarking that we shouldn't be in such a rush.  It's the journey that matters.  So if you end up spending time in the real world with the rest of us, please don't despair.

[gubidal092]

I am pretty terrified of possibly not getting any anywhere I applied; I reached for the stars, but even when I directly asked my mentor if I was being unrealistic, he seemed optimistic and so did all my other recommenders. However, due to time constraints I essentially completed all the aspects for my applications including  studying for and taking the GRE, writing sample, and 7 statements of purpose in about 2 months. (A true measure-twice-cut-once sort of situation.) 

 

But really, despite the potential feelings of personal rejection and the shame of telling my family and colleagues that I was not accepted, I simply really want to go to grad school. I cannot imagine myself being happy as anything other than a grad student and eventual professor. There are no real comparable areas in my field outside of professorship, and I love my field dearly. I would simply have to take a job in a relatively unrelated field or pay to be a non-degree seeking student for the year I'd have to wait to re-submit applications (try to build a graduate-level gpa). 

 

Because of the narrowness of my interests, I was kind of forced to direct my attention towards higher-end schools and was unable to find any sort of local or safety school; it wouldn't do me any good to be accepted to a program that doesn't cater to my subfield. 

[MSW13]

You are very passionate about your profession which is great.  It sounds like you applied to a lot of places to boost your chances which is also great.  Just remember, *if* the worst case scenario happens and you get rejected across the board, this is NOT the end of your career.  It just means that you learn from this and strengthen you application for next year.  MANY people get rejected, even top candidates. The great thing is that grad school will always be there, whether you apply now, next year, or 10yrs down the road.  It is not the end of the world if it doesn't happen this year.  I hope this is not coming across harsh--I totally get how you feel. 

 

I am pretty terrified of possibly not getting any anywhere I applied; I reached for the stars, but even when I directly asked my mentor if I was being unrealistic, he seemed optimistic and so did all my other recommenders. However, due to time constraints I essentially completed all the aspects for my applications including  studying for and taking the GRE, writing sample, and 7 statements of purpose in about 2 months. (A true measure-twice-cut-once sort of situation.) 

 

But really, despite the potential feelings of personal rejection and the shame of telling my family and colleagues that I was not accepted, I simply really want to go to grad school. I cannot imagine myself being happy as anything other than a grad student and eventual professor. There are no real comparable areas in my field outside of professorship, and I love my field dearly. I would simply have to take a job in a relatively unrelated field or pay to be a non-degree seeking student for the year I'd have to wait to re-submit applications (try to build a graduate-level gpa). 

 

Because of the narrowness of my interests, I was kind of forced to direct my attention towards higher-end schools and was unable to find any sort of local or safety school; it wouldn't do me any good to be accepted to a program that doesn't cater to my subfield. 

[tiarabun]

i guess that will mean aggressive job hunting?

 

i quit my industry job last sept and spent the next two months preparing for my GRE and applications. I just started with a few adjunct gags to pay the bills, but if i dont get in, i will need to start looking for a real job again, which sucks, because i really dont think the corporate world is for me. i will feel like i have wasted a good half year of my life by then.