o.j. Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I feel you. I got one today that turned out to be an automated call from CVS....I'm starting to be seriously concerned about my irrational admissions thoughts haha. Haha. I am having to read sociological works on "time" and "waiting" as plausible strategies for youth. Needless to say, it resonates scarily closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gokpinar Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 So I don't want to be pessimistic but what kind of back-up plans do you guys have if PhD applications don't come through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 So I don't want to be pessimistic but what kind of back-up plans do you guys have if PhD applications don't come through? Quite honestly, I don't have any plans if PhD applications go badly. I will take another year to just work, read, and hopefully publish, and try to apply again next year with a stronger application. It would be quite depressing, though, since this is already my second attempts... gokpinar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xuejia Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 So I don't want to be pessimistic but what kind of back-up plans do you guys have if PhD applications don't come through? Three plans, in all seriousness and in no particular order: a) return to China to teach high school English work for an internet marketing firm here in NC c) join the US Navy Anybody top 'em? gokpinar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boazczoine Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 So I don't want to be pessimistic but what kind of back-up plans do you guys have if PhD applications don't come through? I'm lucky enough to have a great job, so I'll keep trucking along in my career and consider reapplying next year. gokpinar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gokpinar Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Do you guys think that one should stop applying for a PhD if it does not work two times in a row? Sorry guys I am anxious, so i am asking all these questions to have a clear idea about what to do next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Do you guys think that one should stop applying for a PhD if it does not work two times in a row? Sorry guys I am anxious, so i am asking all these questions to have a clear idea about what to do next. Hey there. I'm in round 2 myself. Here's a short list of questions worth considering: 1.) Is this really, truly what you want to do? 2.) or could you be just as happy settling with a plan B? 3.) If 1 is yes and 2 is no, what might have held you back this round? 4.) Can you fix this in one year? Two years? More? 5.) Have you considered making your plan B one that addresses 3 and 4? Of course, you'll have to take into account for yourself how old you are, your family dynamic, etc. If it doesn't work out this year for me, I'm going to move to where my gf is currently living and get a job (she has some connections there that would probably pull through, and she'll have her masters at the end of summer). I will not be reapplying next year, but that doesn't mean I won't consider it for the year after next. gokpinar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious2151 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I'm in my second round as well. I got into a good program last year that I would've ordinarily been happy to go to, but it was far from my top choice and quite far from my SO's school (which is one of my top choices too, both for academic and relationship reasons). I declined in the end with the assurance from my college profs that my application this year would be much stronger this season. If I don't do well this year, I honestly don't know what I would do. Probably hate myself forever for giving up a perfectly good program!! Not sure I'd try again within the next year or two. gokpinar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IR IR IR PhD Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 So I don't want to be pessimistic but what kind of back-up plans do you guys have if PhD applications don't come through? Guys and gals... it is January 21st. Before we totally destroy our innards, let's save this conversation for late March. Thinking about failure before receiving a single decision is bad karma. Also this year, everyone is getting in somewhere. I asked Oprah. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcI-rHO0yko veritaserum and silver_lining 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Guys and gals... it is January 21st. Before we totally destroy our innards, let's save this conversation for late March. Thinking about failure before receiving a single decision is bad karma. Also this year, everyone is getting in somewhere. I asked Oprah. Hahah, well played. Of course I'm nervous and really can't wait to hear back from schools, but in all honesty I do expect to get into at least one program. I'm quite optimistic about it Out of curiosity, what are you all planning to specialize in? I'm going for IR/IPE, focusing on European macroeconomics and monetary politics. Anyone else here interested in European integration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Anyone else here interested in European integration? Yes sir, but I specialize in integration through law and multi-level governance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Yes sir, but I specialize in integration through law and multi-level governance. That's right. We talked about it a bit when we exchanged SOPs! Looking forward to finding out where you end up attending. Would be nice to start at the same program with another EU enthusiast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver_lining Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Man, these boards were hopping yesterday morning. Everyone getting back to real life already? Hopping enough for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 That's right. We talked about it a bit when we exchanged SOPs! Looking forward to finding out where you end up attending. Would be nice to start at the same program with another EU enthusiast! I'm guessing we'll be hearing from Pitt next Friday or Monday. Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hopping enough for you? Like an IPA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I'm guessing we'll be hearing from Pitt next Friday or Monday. Good luck!! Yeah... Pitt seems to respond at the end of January or very beginning of February. Hoping to hear from them soon! Are they anywhere near your top pick? (Btw, by next Friday or Monday do you mean the 31st and the 2nd?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCBluenose Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hahah, well played. Of course I'm nervous and really can't wait to hear back from schools, but in all honesty I do expect to get into at least one program. I'm quite optimistic about it Out of curiosity, what are you all planning to specialize in? I'm going for IR/IPE, focusing on European macroeconomics and monetary politics. Anyone else here interested in European integration? Hey josh, I'm interested in IPE and the Eurozone crisis/austerity policies, although from a constructivist angle. So are you interested in researching the ECB in particular then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Yeah... Pitt seems to respond at the end of January or very beginning of February. Hoping to hear from them soon! Are they anywhere near your top pick? (Btw, by next Friday or Monday do you mean the 31st and the 2nd?) Well, I'd be beyond happy attending any of the schools to which I applied. It would certainly be an honor to go to Pitt. For a lot of reasons, it's toward the top of my list. But it's hard to predict what kind of factors will influence my decision (if I get to make one) in about two months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hey josh, I'm interested in IPE and the Eurozone crisis/austerity policies, although from a constructivist angle. So are you interested in researching the ECB in particular then? Hi there! Yeah, I suspect research related to the ECB will be a large portion of my future work. Recently, I've also been doing a lot of research and writing on banking union, which is obviously tied to the ECB as well. I see we have UNC Chapel Hill as a mutual school we've applied to. Makes sense, I suppose. They have a refreshingly large group of EU faculty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gretagarbo Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 (edited) Yay so many posts! I like the spirit of this forum. I also follow the sociology forum because I've applied to mostly sociology, they are currently slowly awaking from hibernation. I have a question to those on their second round: do you feel less or more anxious? I feel like I would be more relaxed if I was applying for a second time. Being inexperienced, I feel like I have made so many mistakes in my applications (the SOP fit, schools applied etc.) and I am sure I would be more careful and cautious if I had applied a second time, so I would feel more secure now. Edited January 21, 2014 by gretagarbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nords Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I have a question to those on their second round: do you feel less or more anxious? I feel like I would be more relaxed if I was applying for a second time. Being inexperienced, I feel like I have made so many mistakes in my applications (the SOP fit, schools applied etc.) and I am sure I would be more careful and cautious if I had applied a second time, so I would feel more secure now. I generally feel less anxious. Obviously it wasn't fun dealing with rejections, but in a way I'm happy I had to wait a year. I was much better prepared for the application process this time and feel much better prepared for a PhD program as well. Since I know that this is the only thing I want to do as a career, it gave me a chance to spend extra time just refining my area of interest and becoming a stronger applicant. The second round is not to be feared haha. gretagarbo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astreaux Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hey, congrats to the person who got the Norte Dame interview! It looks like another University of Washington interview rolled in as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonsoforth Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Do you guys think that one should stop applying for a PhD if it does not work two times in a row? Sorry guys I am anxious, so i am asking all these questions to have a clear idea about what to do next. this is my second year applying as well- originally i was going to apply last year with a not-so-good gre, and my advisor told me to wait another year, retake the gre and then apply. he suggested that applying three times to the same school is frowned upon, though obviously it can't be a hard and fast rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Does Notre Dame usually interview? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMyCoffeeBlack Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 http://youtu.be/UhV5RgcNJjE "DRASTIC TIMES CALL FOR WHAT? DRASTIC MEASURES. WHO SAID THAT? THANK YOU!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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