Anybody else apply to just a couple (or a few) schools?

[MidwesternAloha]

I applied to 3 PhD programs, mainly because distance/proximity to home ( where my husband is stationed) is a huge factor.

[juiceboxrampage]

I applied to five PhD programs. I backed out of a few at the end because I wasn't super stoked on the program, area, school, etc.

 

I'm kind of kicking myself now, seeing other people getting accepted to the schools that I decided not to apply to. I've had to remind myself numerous times that, no, I actually do NOT want to live in Minnesota or Texas, even if it would make me feel better right now to have a better shot of getting in somewhere.

[Zoethor2]

Back during my first go-round with graduate school, I applied to 15, but I was largely unconstrained in terms of location and was applying into a very common field.  I'm now aiming to go back, but with far more restrictions, and interest in only one specific subfield, and I applied to only 1 school.

 

It's quite nervewracking, but there's no sense applying places that I wouldn't want to go to even if I got in!

[smpalesh]

I applied to 2 last year.  I was accepted by 1, and waitlisted by 1.  I had to defer for a year so this year I applied to 1 (I am already accepted to the 1 I deferred and I am reapplying to the one I was waitlisted at).  I have geographical limitations - my husband has a good job and my 3 children are settled in this area - so I focused on the ones around my area that I knew fit my area of interest.  I can't imagine applying to tons of schools, how do you find the time to tailor each application to the school? 

[MidwesternAloha]

I applied to 2 last year. I was accepted by 1, and waitlisted by 1. I had to defer for a year so this year I applied to 1 (I am already accepted to the 1 I deferred and I am reapplying to the one I was waitlisted at). I have geographical limitations - my husband has a good job and my 3 children are settled in this area - so I focused on the ones around my area that I knew fit my area of interest. I can't imagine applying to tons of schools, how do you find the time to tailor each application to the school?

Sacrificing sleep.

[MermaidturnedMSW]

I only applied to three schools out of state (which I heard was a gamble). I worked on my apps constantly and made sure that I was giving adcom the best representation of myself and my goals. 

[RA92]

I intended to apply to 6 program but ended up applying to 2 only. Because of the nature of the programs I was aiming at (combined masters and dietetic internship) With delay in reviving my transcripts from my previous school and I had to do many accreditation assessments, reality hit hard when I figured I could apply to only 2 for fall session. So yes, same boat different float. I tend to get every now and then panics when I realize its just two programs, one that I still have to figure it's financial matters out and the other is hanging by thread because of a possible finale assessment delay which could cost consideration of my application.

It's risky but Im a firm believer of what is done is done and nothing can change that. Currently surviving on wishful thinking!

good luck to all.

[shadowclaw]

I applied to 7 schools. Across all of biology, it seems that the majority of applicants apply to 10+ schools when aiming for a PhD (I believe I even saw some folks applying to over 15). Ecology applicants don't seem to apply to quite that many since we generally have to identify a potential advisor before applying, and quite often there are only one or two professors in any given ecology program that specialize in a specific area. So that really restricts where we can apply, since we have to convince a POI to accept us into their lab rather than doing lab rotations in our first year.

 

I started out with a much larger list of potential programs... probably around 25. Many e-mails later, the list was whittled down to 8, and then I dropped one from the list because 1) I was out of money and 2) funding was iffy. I really shouldn't have applied to two of the programs (which I was already rejected from) because they were really at the periphery of my research interests and I don't have much experience in those areas. However, one had no application fee and the other is just a really good program. My remaining programs are a pretty good fit with my core research interests and experiences, so I feel confident about them.

[metallocene2015]

I applied to five schools for my PhD in chemistry- got accepted by 1 (my current undergrad institution), rejected by 1, still waiting on the other 3. Many have told me to apply to more "safer" programs since I only applied to the top 5 or top 10 schools in chemistry but I never did since I know very well that I wouldn't attend those safety schools even if I got accepted. What I would say: don't apply unless you actually intend to attend! Grad school apps take a lot of time and also cost a lot (esp. if you're international) and it simply isn't worth applying to all those extra schools if you know you won't attend them..

[LittleMac]

I was originally planning on applying to 5 schools, but only wound up applying to 3. All Ph.D. programs except for one application in which I indicated that I'd like to be considered for the MA as well (if they didn't consider me for the Ph.D.)

 

I was pretty concerned that I only applied to a few schools, but my anxiety has been quelled as I've been accepted to the highest-ranked school on my list. Yay!

[FacelessMage]

I only applied to 4, which was half the amount I was originally planning to since no one in my speciality is accepting students next year. I applied to the same amount for my masters and ended up getting 2 interviews and 1 acceptance (from a school I was originally waitlisted and rejected from, no interview there), so hopefully the odds will be in my favour. 

[firewisp11]

I actually only applied to one program (Master's, not PhD). It may seem foolish to only apply to one program, but it's honestly the only program that has all of the qualities I'm looking for (or maybe I just have really high standards haha). I would much rather be rejected, gain an extra year of relevant experience, and re-apply than end up at a program I wasn't in love with. I'm lucky enough to have some flexibility so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I take a gap year between undergrad and grad school.

[ineedanak]

I planned on applying to 5 schools but only completed the application for 3. After submitting the first three, I felt so hopeless and thought that I really had no chance of getting in anywhere this year. In an attempt to cut my losses I didn't complete the final two. As it turns out, I've gotten an interview at 2 of the 3 schools I applied to.. definitely not expected. I was floored when I heard back from the first school, telling myself that I just got extremely lucky. Then the second interview invite came out and now I kind of regret not exploring my options more, because I apparently gave myself way less credit than I deserved.

[ribble]

I applied to four schools for a PhD in Computer Science, but mainly because I have a backup plan (one-year Master's at my current school) if that doesn't work out. All things considered, I calculated it as being something like $700 for all of those and I just didn't have the resources to apply to more.

 

(I'm...I'm fine getting rejected from everywhere... )

[EelPoweredHovercraft]

I applied to four schools for a PhD in Computer Science, but mainly because I have a backup plan (one-year Master's at my current school) if that doesn't work out. All things considered, I calculated it as being something like $700 for all of those and I just didn't have the resources to apply to more.

 

(I'm...I'm fine getting rejected from everywhere... )

 

It cost $700 for 4 schools?!  

I saw someone in one of the bio forums say they had spent over a thousand but I think they applied to something like 15+ schools.

[ribble]

Yeah, but that's including everything. The average cost of the four programs I applied to was about $100 per school (luckily I didn't have to pay anything for the Master's program), and then the GRE was around $125 or so per test, and I took it twice. It cost $27 per school to send the GRE to, which I only had to send to three schools and a fellowship I was applying to...so that's another $108 tacked on. Three transcripts total sent for $21 (some were fine with uploading it to their website). Sooo 400+108+250+21 = 779. To be fair, this means I probably could have applied to more for only about $100 per school, but I was already taking out loans just for these darn applications.

Edited January 28, 2015 by ribble

[sleeplessnights2]

I applied to three PhD programs and two masters. I did not get interviews at two of my phD programs and I am waiting to here back from the other three. 

[HistoryGypsy]

I was originally only applying to four schools, but then panicked and added two more.  Now that I've seen so many people here applying to ten and thirteen schools, I've begun to worry that I should have done at least two more.  The trouble is, applying is so wretchedly expensive, plus I factored in how pleasant/unpleasant life would be in each place . . . and some places, such as anywhere particularly hot, are just not places where I could see myself living for five years.  

[Crucial BBQ]

Out of an initial selection of 22 programs I worked the list down to 12.  In the end, I will most likely only apply to 5 tops  (EEB biology programs have later due dates).