If I don't get accepted anywhere, I think I'll...

[smellyorcas]

Continue working full-time as a research assistant. Continue giving 75% of my paycheck to Wells Fargo every month.

[Sevenoffs]

Moan and cry for awhile. Will continue working as an RA full-time (at least until our grant runs out). Find a new job and save enough money to apply for round two next year.

[oceanlover]

cry and cry some more. i have no backup plan because I decided to blow the majority of my money on a month long trip to africa this summer as a last hoorah before grad school, and i just got my first rejection today its hard to find a entry level job as a science major right out of college with only a bachelors, and i really really really don't want to end up just being a lab tech somewhere

[glm]

cry and cry some more. i have no backup plan because I decided to blow the majority of my money on a month long trip to africa this summer as a last hoorah before grad school, and i just got my first rejection today its hard to find a entry level job as a science major right out of college with only a bachelors, and i really really really don't want to end up just being a lab tech somewhere

 

I'm with you… I spent every last dime (and more..) on a 5 month trip to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia last year. No regrets! If I don't get into the one program I applied to, I guess I will just continue my existence as a seasonal national park service employee and apply to the same school next year. 

[teacherplease]

I just looked at the grad stats of people applying to my masters area at all schools reported by gradcafe results search (yes, I am that preoccupied by this) and everyone's stats look so good! I'm hoping that the people who post their stats self select as already high achieving people. 

 

I don't know. I'm getting scared. 

 

I guess it will just be back to the drawing board. I thought that a 3.6 would be good enough to be accepted anywhere for a ma in education. I might be wrong. 

[oceanlover]

I just looked at the grad stats of people applying to my masters area at all schools reported by gradcafe results search (yes, I am that preoccupied by this) and everyone's stats look so good! I'm hoping that the people who post their stats self select as already high achieving people. 

 

I don't know. I'm getting scared. 

 

I guess it will just be back to the drawing board. I thought that a 3.6 would be good enough to be accepted anywhere for a ma in education. I might be wrong. 

 

I do the same thing! haha literally three times a day im on the results page looking if people posted information today about the schools i applied to.  not really sure why, i either see nothing and get upset that all acceptances have been already sent or see something and get upset that i haven't received anything yet hahah.  everyones stats are so intimidating.

 

on another note, does anyone know if masters vs phd programs have different dates for sending out acceptances/denials? on the results page someone posted last month that they were accepted in my department, but looking back at it it was for a phd and i'm applying for a masters. do they do both at once or do they come out at different times?

[sylark]

I would retake the one class I got a B. Then, I would retake the GRE, after taking formal classes. Finally, I would do an assistantship under my undergraduate advisor, and attempt to publish something. Hmm, maybe substitute teach on the side?

 

All I know is that a poli sci BA isn't going to get me far; therefore, I would exhaust most efforts into becoming a stronger candidate.

 

(Some of the programs I have applied will likely accept me and fully fund my education based of information gathered from the results page. Though, I don't want to be overly optimistic.)

[thunder_bird]

I'll get an MBA and will hire the CS grads in my start up

[AWall2014]

This question is glued to my subconscious.  No matter how much confidence I have in my scholarship potential, there's this nagging feeling that things may not materialize as I'd planned.  It's happened to me countless times before, from where I wound up attending for undergrad to my study abroad misfortune.

 

I may apply for the Summer Programs Assistant Coordinator position at my university's Graduate Placement/McNair office. That's IF I decide to stay in New Orleans for an extra year.  During that time, I will - in addition to reapplying for graduate school - explore more of the city.  It's much different living somewhere as a resident than as a college student

 

I don't know what else I would qualify doing that won't also detract me from pursuing grad school.  That's a really common thing that happens during the post-undergrad "gap year".  For me, complacency just simply is NOT an option, and I refuse to let it cloud my judgment!

Edited January 24, 2014 by AWall2014

[emmaatquoins]

I'm trying not to think about it - for the career I'm looking at (museums / curation) even entry level needs a PhD nowadays. I have my Masters and I've spent a year working as a curatorial intern, but it doesn't seem to count for anything - I haven't managed to even get an interview since leaving the internship in September! This is my 3rd round of PhD applications (first round in the US) and it's really my last chance. If I don't get in anywhere, I think I'll just have to give up and get some sort of office job

[cloud9876]

I'm actually glad to see this topic because it shows that I'm not the only one who has thought about this possibility. Some days I think the results of my cycle will be good, and others days I worry that I won't get in anywhere.

If the latter were to occur, I would retake the GRE (didn't have enough time to study b/c I was on a whole different grad school/career track before), get some relevant work/volunteer experience in my area(s) of interest, and take some more online courses to prep me for grad school classes. With the work/volunteer experience I could probably write stronger essays as well. Hopefully, I won't need to do all this. Today's one of my optimistic days.

[kb1234]

I'll probably extend my masters and apply again. But I set a wide net (14) for the schools and I am confident there is one that will take me.

[Rushui]

I'll take GRE again, get a higher grade and reapply for the spring semester.

[astaroth27]

I would quit science as I have zero aspiration to be a lab tech and can't afford to wait another year and try again. I would probably do what my finance major buddy did and go be a prison guard or some shit.

[Alterman]

That's a really good question. One I've been both insistently asking myself and ignoring... I'm not sure what's the medial age around here, but I feel a bit old. I'll be 31 in a few months and if I won't be accepted this year, I'm not sure I would want to try again next year. Although in my field (Anthropology) it is quite acceptable to start (and finish) later in life, It's still quite scary to start this journey at the age of 32 with the possible prospect of finishing it around 37-39 and only THEN start looking for a job...

[ImpulsiveNixie]

Survive. Reapply next year. Maybe move to Japan for a year.

[wokeem]

I'm a triple major in political science, sociology, and philosophy so getting a career started is kind of out of the question for me in the near future  . If I don't get in anywhere I'll 1) Start studying German more seriously so I can put something better than "poor" down for foreign-language proficiency, 2) Start studying to retake the GRE, 3) Schedule appointments with professors in my field to go over my application (again), and 4) Start submitting some of my seminar papers to undergraduate and graduate journals in the hops of padding my CV. Basically I'll just work on making myself a stronger candidate for round 2. While I feel relatively competitive at this point, it will be a godsend to have the time to focus on my applications and test-prep without the added pressure of classes. 

 

My university also has a great internship center, so if I get my rejections early enough I'll try and net an internship for the summer.

Edited January 27, 2014 by wokeem

[jjduval]

This'll be my third attempt at graduate schools. I've posted my story and stats before, so I won't rehash what y'all already know.

I've come really far in my quest to become a good grad school candidate. While all my other friends got accepted into schools or took salary jobs, I pressed on looking for relevant work/experiences.

If I get rejected again? I'm going right to the source, baby. Non-degree student status and classes at the University I keep applying to. I'm a contender, damn it, and I've come too far to just give up now.

Edited January 27, 2014 by jjduval

[Kleene]

I'm actually glad to see this topic because it shows that I'm not the only one who has thought about this possibility. Some days I think the results of my cycle will be good, and others days I worry that I won't get in anywhere.

I am with you there!

 

If I don't get in, I will start a two-year masters at my undergrad institution. The coursework is not a fit at all, but some of the research is. I will probably continue as a TA, hopefully a RA as well, and continue my life as if nothing happened. I might also pick us my second BA again. After the masters I will probably apply again, but then to a greater numbers of schools (> 3).

[marsmat]

Moving to Pitcairn Island! They are looking for new people and I will be wanting to stay on the dl if I get rejected everywhere. Doesnt get more dl than that.

[gwualum4mpp]

Just FYI, peace corps/americorps/teach for america can be just as difficult to get into as grad school. be prepared.

 

As an Americorps member, I beg to differ. The other two may well be selective, but for if you are set on Americorps it is definitely possible to get a position. As far as the VISTA program goes I applied in 2 separate years and got my desired positions immediately. I've talked to other VISTAs whom also had a quick turnaround, and like myself, were given a very short time period to accept the offer. Programs like City Year also have corps members in the 100s for each city that they're involved with.

 

Still, I made the mistake of thinking that taking on Americorps would make for a relaxing gap year while I worked on my apps. This was SO not the case! Just a word of caution haha

[imperialstout]

I will cry. Then drink. Then cry some more. Then drink while crying. Then cry while drinking.

 

Then I will quit moping around and accept it like a man. I'll look back and evaluate my weaknesses then think if grad school is really for me.

[js3]

become a stripper... definitely become a stripper. I'll make way more money and my back won't hurt from pipetting.

 

Just kidding.

Probably going to go for a masters program and do one of two things 1) become totally disenchanted with research and question everything that I've done with my life  or 2) retain what little fragment I have left of my hopes and dreams and suck it up for round 2.

[BioBum]

...give up and live in a box. 

That's only partly a joke. Since finishing undergrad May 2011 I have, without break, had jobs ONLY relevant to my field. I have networked and published. And been told by my would be advisor that I shouldn't worry. Yet, I still do. He is already talking about potential projects and funding sources, however, I don't meet the minimum requirements for admission. There are exceptions in which they admit students on a conditional basis where you meet a certain GPA at the end of the 1st semester or you are kicked out. I'm really feeling the crunch especially since they have recently upped the requirements (after I applied) and seem to be getting stricter on admitting students. Sigh. 

If I don't get in, I think I will try to bulk up my CV and get more pubs out. 

[TheEndofSomething]

If I don't get in anywhere I'm going to stay in Baltimore and keep doing drug research at Hopkins. However, seeing as I'll be stuck here and probably totally broke, and my band from Pennsylvania will most likely end up coming to an end, I'll probably try to record stuff by myself and find a new band. I'll probably try to get some stories and poems published in the mean time; pay some of that rent money. Probably step up my graffiti game a bit too.