Regrets?

[charliebear]

Just wondering if any one else is feeling regrets about the whole application process, even if you have already been admitted. If you could do it over and do it differently, would you? Are there schools you regret not considering?

[dunkeaters]

I wish I had done more research on funding for masters programs. I didn't realize that some schools guarantee funding for all masters students, and some offer none. 

 

I'd also have placed a bigger emphasis on finding professors that match my interest, instead of looking at the rankings of the department as a whole. 

[katieliz456]

i wouldn't have applied to what I thought of as a "safety" school. It was the most expensive fee and actually required two separate applications. I recently learned that, although their average GPA/GREs are low, they only accept a very small cohort. Also, I won't hear back from them until very late March, when I will have already chosen from my preferred schools :/

[krisavril3]

Wish i applied Standford and UC-Berkeley. Just realize how much I miss CA.

[RubyBright]

If I could have gone back far enough, I would have fought harder to get research experience earlier.

[mop]

I'd also have placed a bigger emphasis on finding professors that match my interest, instead of looking at the rankings of the department as a whole. 

same here, I've interviewed and been accepted at some schools that in hindsight are not a good match for me

[Owlie]

I probably could have applied to a couple more schools, even though I think my bank account disagrees with that statement.  It's nice to have options.  I made some of my where-to-apply decisions based on where I wanted to live.  That meant cutting out a lot of programs in the Southeast.  I probably should have applied to the University of Colorado--Denver and perhaps in the PNW. 

[newdisplayname]

I would have applied to higher ranked schools. I think that I am very insecure about myself and also the better the school, more chances of getting funded (at least in my situation). But how was I supposed to know?

[RandiZ]

Regrets. I have a few. But then again, too few to mention.

[nackteziege]

I would've taken it more seriously.  I've fared well so far, but the one I am waiting on is incredibly competitive.  I saw outside acceptances more as bargaining tools as possibilities and now it looks like I might decide to leave my current institution after all.

 

I'm not sure what all I could've done to improve my application, but I certainly would've at least recognized my low GRE score in my statement and probably sought someone to actually read over my materials before sending them off.

[Coleoptera-Kinbote]

-Applying to very low acceptance rate programs with an application fee that I'm not 100% sure I'd pick (the stress of a blow to your ego with the waiting game, and no real reward)

-Talking too much about my experiences in my SOP, and not enough about what I want to do (they have your CV, blockhead! sigh.)

-Researching professors rather than just programs. I might have discovered some places I was really on board with, whereas the initial shine of some programs I've applied to has worn off when I look past what they -say- they offer and see what they actually -do- in terms of hiring faculty.

 

It was my first time around though, not a total bust, but I could have saved a few application fees.

[ion_exchanger]

I definitely would have stuck to my guns about the schools that I wanted to apply to. I applied to some schools that I was rejected from that I really had no business applying to in the first place. I'm not just saying that because I was rejected. I was rejected because they weren't the best fit for me. I wish I would have been more confident in the choices I already made, instead of listening to the peanut gallery. If I could go back, I would apply to different schools, and even some of the ones I was rejected from. In the end, I was still accepted to my dream school, but there were a couple of schools I left off my list that might have been equally as dreamy.

Edited March 7, 2013 by ion_exchanger

[dhekiya]

I think I overestimated myself... applied to too high-ranking schools (although at the time I didn't think so). 

But then, if I could go way back, I would have studied better in undergrad (altho I redeemed myself in my MA,but that doesn't seem to count), would have published papers, would have done more research in my area of interest, blah blah

The list never ends. 

[avrachelle]

I wish I had applied to more schools. I only applied to 3 because their locations and programs most suited me. 2 (McGill and UBC) are quite selective, and although I haven't heard from them, I was rejected from Simon Fraser, which I take as a bad omen... I hesitated to apply anywhere else because it seemed like a waste of resources when I knew (for personal reasons) that I wanted to be in Vancouver or Montreal. I didn't realize at the time that I would rather be in a school in another city where I have fewer (or no) friends and family rather than fighting for paid work in Vancouver or Montreal... So in short I wish I hadn't let personal rather than academic considerations determine my application process. Not that personal considerations aren't important... Just that they shouldn't be overriding concerns.

 

I also wish I had spent more time on my Simon Fraser application and had it edited by other people, like I did my statements for UBC and McGill. My gpa was higher than SFU's average and I have very good LsOR and internships in NYC, so I didn't spend as much time on their personal statement as I did on the one for UBC and McGill, where I am a more "average" or "below average" applicant. Big oversight and overconfidence that I guess contributed to my rejection

[geitost]

I sort of wish I had decided to retake the GRE earlier. The way I did it I wasn't able to meet any December 1 or even December 15 deadlines, which precluded me from applying to a number of really good programs. But then, I have great offers now, and I really shouldn't complain. And in the end I don't even know if the money spent on additional applications would have been money wasted, so all is good!

[thunderchunky]

I wish I wouldn't have waited until so close to the admission deadline to get in touch with professors. I also should have applied to more schools instead of putting all my eggs in two proverbial baskets. I should have applied to schools in the U.S. and Europe.Finally, I should have been way better about applying for scholarships.

[ak48]

Gone into finance and made a trillion dollars by age 30.

[tiarabun]

i really regret having applied to only three schools and no safety schools, and I didn't take the GRE until the very last minute. 

if i do try again next year, I'd applied to at least three more and get my GRE scores up to a more acceptable level 

[spacezeppelin]

I would have applied to a few more prestigious programs. I should have gone for one crazy stretch school just so I felt like I really tried. I've been accepted to 4 out of 5 (still waiting on the 5th) schools, which leads me to believe that maybe I under estimated the strength of my application or the importance of the LORs and SOP. I live about 15 minutes from Berkeley, so it seems a bit crazy that I didn’t apply there now.

 

To make it even worse, one of the department director from a school I was accepted to asked if my other funded offer was from Berkeley...whoops. Its cool though, I have four really good options which makes me feel very lucky. Its a pretty damn good regret to have, lol.

[muro0901]

I feel the exact same way spacezeppelin, which is funny because we are also applying to the same or similar programs (MPA or MPP). Just like you USC was the most prestigious program that I applied to. USC is a great program but it doesn't have the same ring as some of the others. I am 2/2 so far and again since USC was the most prestigious I expect to get into the rest.

 

If I could do it again I would definitely apply to at least one other school that really seemed out there initially. Then again, funding is a beautiful thing so applying to slightly less known programs may not have been a bad way to go.

I would have applied to a few more prestigious programs.

[Regenerative Christine]

I wish I would have cared a little bit more about my GPA and classes I was taking during my undergrad. I had little guidance as far as what major I really wanted to pursue, and felt disillusioned by the end of my final semester with my overall transcript. I've always been ridiculously insecure about my GPA and felt that it was very limiting as to what schools I could apply for. If my GPA was more stellar, I would have applied to the UC schools, taking into consideration the research aspect of it. 

 

In the end, with a thorough amount of soul searching, I found a great way to utilize my undergrad education with my future graduate education. 

[anaZep]

In retrospect, it's easy to say that I should have been more confident going into the application cycle.  I applied only to top 10 schools in my field, but throughout the process I was insecure and pessimistic about my chances of admission anywhere, because of my low UGPA (sub-3.0).

 

I researched all the grad planning programs and only applied to those that have concentrations in my field of interest (among other determining factors, including location, alumni network, etc.). With solid recommendation letters, tailored SOP's, good GRE scores, and several years of work experience, I'm happy to say that I've been able to overcome a low UGPA and so far have been admitted to all the schools where I applied.  It turns out that admissions committees do value passion and motivation more than just numbers.

 

I'm glad I didn't let one poor factor in my application dictate where I applied, but this process has been humbling and simultaneously eye-opening.  It's time I stop expecting the worst, and start smelling the roses!

 

I read this quote recently and feel it's very relevant to my life and grad school application process:

 

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal:  It is the courage to continue that counts." --Winston Churchill.

[Reatha]

I wish that I had actually been a little more concerned about my application cycle. I really expected I would get in somewhere, but now that the rejection letters are coming in, I think I was overconfident. 

 

If I don't get in I'll reapply with work experience and a much more cautious approach. 

[abeilles]

I wouldn't have applied to so many programs!

[abeilles]

 throughout the process I was insecure and pessimistic about my chances of admission anywhere, because of my low UGPA (sub-3.0).

seconded!