Fall 2015 Applicants

[1Q84]

I HAVE A GIF I NEED TO SHARE BUT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT 

 

Figured it out. I'm smart sometimes.

 

Basically how I feel having filled out most of my applications and now must wait for an adcomm to like me:

 

Conversely, this is going to be me by the mailbox around February.

 

[queennight]

Never stop trying. Never. (Panda: applicants, Attendant: administration everywhere)

[unræd]

So--has anyone completed their Harvard app yet and messed around with the weird language background page? It says to "List all foreign languages studied, spoken, or read. If your knowledge of a language did not involve formal study, indicate how acquired." It then provides ten sets of fields, in each of which we're to list an "Institution," "Language," "Course Number and Title," and "Grades received, if any." What did you guys do--list one language course for each set of fields? If you did more than one course per set, how'd you get all the numbers and (abbreviated, of course) titles to fit?

 

The issue: I have more than ten language courses, so I can't use each single "Institution" grouping to just cover one course. But the input fields are so small that I also can't fit more than about two courses per "Institution" grouping, and use each set to cover one language. So should I spread a single language/institution over multiple groupings? That just looks so Frankensteinish and weird, and certainly doesn't seem to be how the form's intended to be used.

 

It's nowhere near the most important part of the app, and I don't even have a clever little GIF with which to entice your interest. But advice is appreciated!

[omensetter]

I'm coming to this conversation late, but where are you guys seeing that the Harvard English website says to send paper copies? The text at the English graduate admissions website here says, under the Admissions FAQ question on required documents at the bottom of the page, "Transcripts from each college/university you attended. The Graduate School requires that you upload your transcript(s) with your online application. Please do not send paper transcripts." Under the question about where to mail supplemental materials, that same English dept page says: "The entire application system is conducted online. Please do not send any paper materials to the English Department. Please note that GSAS no longer accepts paper materials." Am I just totally missing something somewhere?

 

Coming back to this late, but thanks for bringing this up - I was all set to send my transcript off until this made me re-check the English department website. It definitely used to say something about sending in hard copies, but must have just recently changed in preparation for this season. 

 

So--has anyone completed their Harvard app yet and messed around with the weird language background page? It says to "List all foreign languages studied, spoken, or read. If your knowledge of a language did not involve formal study, indicate how acquired." It then provides ten sets of fields, in each of which we're to list an "Institution," "Language," "Course Number and Title," and "Grades received, if any." What did you guys do--list one language course for each set of fields? If you did more than one course per set, how'd you get all the numbers and (abbreviated, of course) titles to fit?

 

The issue: I have more than ten language courses, so I can't use each single "Institution" grouping to just cover one course. But the input fields are so small that I also can't fit more than about two courses per "Institution" grouping, and use each set to cover one language. So should I spread a single language/institution over multiple groupings? That just looks so Frankensteinish and weird, and certainly doesn't seem to be how the form's intended to be used.

 

It's nowhere near the most important part of the app, and I don't even have a clever little GIF with which to entice your interest. But advice is appreciated!

 

Yeah, I don't have as many language courses as you but, as you say, it seems bizarre to re-list every course under a separate institution heading. I've not submitted yet, but in my 'course title and number' field I've just listed the course codes (e.g. ITAL11 or whatever). Would yours fit if written like that? Or you could do something like 'ITAL: 11, 12, 33, 45, 66' etc. As is obvious, I'm totally guessing. Also, I assume (based on nothing) that the 'length of study' bit would be more important, and the codes would just confirm what's on the transcript, although I guess the titles, if included in full, would also give an immediate indication of proficiency. The 'Grades Received, if any' bit is also weird - is this meant to be an average? (I've left it blank, but I've left most 'grade' fields blank on my apps due to not attending a school that gives a GPA.) 

 

While I've been getting completely frustrated with little parts of the apps, too, I also kind of think that as long as the information's there then the administrators/adcomm aren't going to judge how the form's been filled out; they presumably have to deal with the totally unintuitive and unnecessarily repetitive system as well. For various reasons my information never seems to 'fit' properly with any of the applications but I'm just trying to fill them out so that the information is there, no matter how weird it ends up feeling. 

[unræd]

While I've been getting completely frustrated with little parts of the apps, too, I also kind of think that as long as the information's there then the administrators/adcomm aren't going to judge how the form's been filled out; they presumably have to deal with the totally unintuitive and unnecessarily repetitive system as well. For various reasons my information never seems to 'fit' properly with any of the applications but I'm just trying to fill them out so that the information is there, no matter how weird it ends up feeling. 

 

Thanks so much for the helpful answer, omensetter. I certainly hope that's the case!

[hreaðemus]

Ack, the GRE Subject Test scores for October get released on Monday. I can feel the nervous energy building...

 

I'm genuinely terrified that I'll have flunked the damn thing. I mean - I felt ok after the test, but I took it under such stressful caffeine-deprived circumstances that I've been doubting my initial confidence ever since... I would be grateful for 550 or above, even though I never scored below 600 on a practice exam, but AUGH. It's so scary!!! *fidgets*

 

 

Update: AUGH they sent my scores today but they won't let me see them until Monday??? How cruel is that???

Edited November 22, 2014 by hreaðemus

[1Q84]

Ack, the GRE Subject Test scores for October get released on Monday. I can feel the nervous energy building...

 

Did not need this reminder :/ Nerves just went from 0 to 100.

 

 

I too would be happy with a 500.

[hreaðemus]

Sorry!! I have the flu, so it's just me, my homework, and my anxiety holed up in my apartment this weekend... I had to worry out loud somewhere! At least we can all be scared together, right?

[Dr. Old Bill]

I'm not the "praying" type, but if I were, I would be kowtowing to every deity known to man right now, beseeching the heavens that you all get great scores. Or have a computer glitch in your favor. I'm not a picky heathen.

[zanmato4794]

Update: AUGH they sent my scores today but they won't let me see them until Monday??? How cruel is that???

 

oh gosh you're right! those jerks!

[1Q84]

Sorry!! I have the flu, so it's just me, my homework, and my anxiety holed up in my apartment this weekend... I had to worry out loud somewhere! At least we can all be scared together, right?

 

Oh no worries. I'm the same way... I just managed to have enough whiskies that day to ignore my GRE profile.

 

On that note, where do you see that it's been sent? I don't see any new notifications in my online GRE page.

[hreaðemus]

On that note, where do you see that it's been sent? I don't see any new notifications in my online GRE page.

 

Oh! Well, in the "Scores and Score Recipients," or whatever that section is called, ETS lists out the schools you've ordered scores for - so mine says Berkeley, Yale, Harvard, and Cornell (because the British schools, bless their hearts, don't ask for GRE scores). And then, next to the school name, the Subject Test scores have all had a "Pending or not available"label - until YESTERDAY, when they changed to a date: 11/22/14.

 

Now, I don't know if that's the date ETS sends the scores, the day the school receives them, or what - but it means THEY will know if I bombed the test before I do.... *crawls under a rock*

[Dr. Old Bill]

Now, I don't know if that's the date ETS sends the scores, the day the school receives them, or what - but it means THEY will know if I bombed the test before I do.... *crawls under a rock*

 

Nah -- you'll get your scores overnight tonight. Mine arrived at 6:30 AM EST on the Monday after they were "sent" to my institutions, so I assume yours will show up around 3:30 AM PST. Also, I think (but don't know) that the scores are actually snail-mailed to the institutions. I know that most of mine didn't actually receive theirs until a few days later. So worry not: if you bombed, you'll be the first to know!

Edited November 23, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch

[1Q84]

Submitted my first application just now! Eep!

[Skye12]

1Q84: I just submitted my first application as well. One down...a bit more to go.

[TeaOverCoffee]

I'm applying for my first two tomorrow. Absolutely terrified to say the least. 

[jhefflol]

With the first wave of applications due tomorrow, I finally have a SOP that I'm satisfied with. Many thanks to Wyatt's Torch for calming me down in a panic!

 

I'll take this opportunity to do a wellness check. How's everyone doing? Stress levels? Finals going well? Anything you want to complain/boast about? We need some good news in all this stress, so if anyone has anything positive to share, let's hear it!

[thepriorwalter]

I'm applying to my first (of seven) tonight, and I feel ill. Still poking at my SOP. But I am getting to the point in refining it (over and over) where I can read it and feel like it presents me as a focused candidate with clear research interests and goals. If the application season goes poorly, maybe I can convince myself I just wasn't a good fit... 

 

As Lilo, in Disney's classic Lilo and Stitch, would say, "Leave me alone to die." 

[Dr. Old Bill]

With the first wave of applications due tomorrow, I finally have a SOP that I'm satisfied with. Many thanks to Wyatt's Torch for calming me down in a panic!

 

I'll take this opportunity to do a wellness check. How's everyone doing? Stress levels? Finals going well? Anything you want to complain/boast about? We need some good news in all this stress, so if anyone has anything positive to share, let's hear it!

 

Happy to help!

 

So my stress level is pretty high, though due more to finishing up my current semester than anything. Taking five English courses seemed like a good idea at the time... But I've got four papers out of the way over the past week, and just have two more (albeit ginormous ones) to worry about...plus three final exams. But still, I feel better about things, now that I've finished those papers. As much as I enjoy writing (and I really do), seeing so many on your "to-do" list is daunting.

 

I don't know how I would have managed juggling applications with all of it. I don't say that to rub it in to those who do have to do it...but I would have been in a world of trouble, I think. Of course the flip-side is that I've had a long time to second-guess everything on my irrevocably submitted applications...

 

Good luck to everyone! Some schools start reporting in a mere two months! Whoa.

[jhefflol]

Another one of my favorite and relevant Lilo and Stitch quotes: "Stitch is depressed. He needs desserts!"

 

I'm glad to hear that everything is going relatively well! One of my favorite things about having a to do list (even though they seem to be more overwhelming than helpful) is the feeling I get when I can cross an item off the list! I was going back through my undergrad transcripts and I took 5 English classes during most semesters. Seems like suicide now that I'm looking back on it. You'll make it through!

[1Q84]

I proofread my WS for the bajillionth time today and still found errors. It made me want to cry and tear my eyes out at the same time. 

 

At this point, I really think I look like this when I'm doing app stuff: 

 

Edited December 1, 2014 by 1Q84

[jhefflol]

I proofread my WS for the bajillionth time today and still found errors. It made me want to cry and tear my eyes out at the same time. 

 

At this point, I really think I look like this when I'm doing app stuff: 

 

 

Lol same here. I worked with the original document that I turned in for a seminar thesis as one of my writing samples and all I can say is that my writing has sure come along in a year! That paper has been edited and edited and revised so many times for presentations and whatnot, but I decided to go back to the orginial to get the maximized length. What a discouraging idea. I finally just saved my writing samples as PDFs and am calling it quits!

[jhefflol]

PS, that's how I felt taking the math portion of the GRE. Randomly imputing numbers ftw!

[fancypants09]

Hi everyone, 

 

I'm super late in the game (story of my life, it seems) but I thought I'd post and say hello.  

 

It's been almost a decade since I graduated from college, where I did not study literature. I've already been to graduate school once (law school), applied to and accepted at MA's in IR post bar, but decided to work. After a few years, I realized that the corporate day job was literally sucking away at my soul, so I've been lecturing part-time while preparing for my applications for a PhD in literature. 

 

For those who are going through this process while in school, major kudos, and for those who have already submitted applications, I am seriously in awe! I'm still working on my writing sample and the SOPs will come after that. My goal is to submit a day or two before the deadline...but I'll most likely be hitting that send button on the day of. 

 

If anyone needs a comforting image, please feel free to think of me---trying to get my old brain cells to hold it together to finish a paper within two weeks. Good luck to all!

[__________________________]

I proofread my WS for the bajillionth time today and still found errors. It made me want to cry and tear my eyes out at the same time. 

 

At this point, I really think I look like this when I'm doing app stuff: 

 

 

^^^^ Yep.  Black Books has basically been my whole state of mind during this whole process: bullshit everything because I feel like the only person doing this who doesn't know what the hell they are doing, expect failure, blame that failure on the stupidity of the human race, and take comfort in my piles of books, cigarettes, and red wine.

 

Applying to graduate school isn't entirely healthy, I've found. 

 

My (entirely hypocritical) advice is... don't sweat the small stuff?

 

My example would be... freak out over the small stuff until you finally say "fuck it" and give up and say it's fine because you have a life outside of this crap.  Maybe.  If you've kept watering it throughout this whole stupid application process.  Which not all of us have probably done very well.  Like me.