It's finally over...or starting...or something.

[jacket24]

It's April 15th and, after much deliberation, I have accepted an offer to attend Carnegie Mellon this fall. All of the toiling through the whole application process has finally paid off and my efforts have been validated. Now that the reality that I will actually be going somewhere has set in, planning and preparation can begin. I'm excited to get into the lab and get started.

 

I hope all of you are happy with your decisions and end up where you want to be. Congratulations and good luck to you all, and thanks for the advice that you've posted on this website.

[mb712]

I've reached my quota of positive votes for the day, but I hope you're feeling as happy and relieved as I am now that this whole application process is over!

[serenade]

We made it, guys! We survived grad school applications...now on to grant applications, fellowship applications...later on, tenure applications, etc etc. In some ways, it's like the concept of "the application process" is never really over in academia. It's like a state of life, lol.

But for at least now, I'm happy to think of it as over!!!!

[Cheshire_Cat]

We made it, guys! We survived grad school applications...now on to grant applications, fellowship applications...later on, tenure applications, etc etc. In some ways, it's like the concept of "the application process" is never really over in academia. It's like a state of life, lol.

But for at least now, I'm happy to think of it as over!!!!

 

But, no more standardized tests.  At least for me.  Lots of un-standardized tests, but at least I'm done with the GMAT and CPA exams.  That was the worst part.

[serenade]

"But, no more standardized tests. At least for me. Lots of un-standardized tests, but at least I'm done with the GMAT and CPA exams. That was the worst part."

Ooooh yeah I totally agree! The GRE was dreadful for my numerically-inhibited brain. But thankfully I never have to look at another math problem for the rest of my life... I'll pay people like you who aced the GMAT and CPA exams to do my taxes for me!! But yeah I agree-thank goodness standardized testing is OVER...for the rest of our lives! Whew!

[brown_eyed_girl]

COMPLETELY agree about no more math or standardized tests. Whew! 

 

Obviously there will be many challenges down the road, but for now I'm just happy to have gotten into a great program and be starting a new adventure across the country. (And relieved and grateful that I will never have to retake the GRE or go through another application cycle!)  

[rising_star]

We made it, guys! We survived grad school applications...now on to grant applications, fellowship applications...later on, tenure applications, etc etc. In some ways, it's like the concept of "the application process" is never really over in academia. It's like a state of life, lol.

 

 

You totally left out "job applications"!! The biggest time suck for me in grad school was probably job applications. 

[serenade]

Oh, right -- probably need a job before working on getting tenure! Ha! And yeah I agree -- I want to push all that other stuff out of mind and just enjoy having application season be over! I called my school today to confirm that my online acceptance had gone through the system, and I started, "Hi, I'm a prospective student -- I mean, a *newly admitted student*"...that's when it hit me. Cheers to everyone that the phrase "prospective student" is a thing of the past!!!

[mb712]

Oh, right -- probably need a job before working on getting tenure! Ha! And yeah I agree -- I want to push all that other stuff out of mind and just enjoy having application season be over! I called my school today to confirm that my online acceptance had gone through the system, and I started, "Hi, I'm a prospective student -- I mean, a *newly admitted student*"...that's when it hit me. Cheers to everyone that the phrase "prospective student" is a thing of the past!!!

I emailed to confirm my signed offer acceptance had been received and the response email closed with "Congratulations, and welcome to UniX!" I think I was grinning like an idiot for at least ten minutes after reading that.

[MathCat]

I accepted my offer almost two weeks ago, but it was such a relief to have made a decision. It was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.

 

And then a few of my professors obviously disagreed with my choice, which was a bit of a bummer. I'm completely certain it was the right choice for me amongst my options, but some of them questioned my turning down the most prestigious school I got into (although it's not any higher ranked than where I'm going, it had Ivy League wow-factor going for it.)

Edited April 16, 2015 by MathCat

[autumn]

I accepted my offer almost two weeks ago, but it was such a relief to have made a decision. It was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.

 

And then a few of my professors obviously disagreed with my choice, which was a bit of a bummer. I'm completely certain it was the right choice for me amongst my options, but some of them questioned my turning down the most prestigious school I got into (although it's not any higher ranked than where I'm going, it had Ivy League wow-factor going for it.)

 

Yeah, that's a bummer. My faculty were generally just happy expect for two: one was super pleased because he went there and the other was a bit disdainful, tbh. 

 

Which, honestly, after all the effort we've gone though, felt a little like a personal slight lol

[MathCat]

Yeah, that's a bummer. My faculty were generally just happy expect for two: one was super pleased because he went there and the other was a bit disdainful, tbh. 

 

Which, honestly, after all the effort we've gone though, felt a little like a personal slight lol

Yeah, it's a bit like that. But, the faculty who seem the least supportive of my decision are also the ones who know me and my reasons the least. To be honest, I don't care much for their opinions anyway. Those who wrote my LORs or know me well, and whose opinions and advice I value know how my decisions process went, and they say I made a good choice.