Freaking out!

[kab]

I am graduating in December and I am strongly considering applying to grad schools for next Fall semester. I've taken the GREs and while everyone I've talked to has told me not to worry about taking them again, I don't feel totally secure. I'm in the 86% for Verbal and 81% for the analytic writing, which is really all that matters for my prospective field. My major GPA is a 3.77, and that's including a D- for a class which I am retaking (the D- will appear on my transcript but won't be factored into my GPA).

Besides that worry, I am concerned that I have already run out of time for the application process. I have not contacted any professors at the schools I am interested in, and now I'm worried that they'll blow me off as being 'too late.' I feel like I have time to revise my writing sample, write SOPs, and my CV, and I know I have at least 2 strong letters of recommendation (my third choice is in California for research, and my advisor has even suggested that someone else in the department might be better even though I feel more comfortable with my first choice).

I am also concerned that not only do I not have the time, but I definitely don't have the funds to visit prospective programs which they all strongly encouraged. How am I supposed to get around this? The application process is expensive enough as is, but I really want to get in to certain programs. I'm just not sure going into debt without even some type of guarantee is worth it.

Sometimes I think I should take a year off, retake the GREs, and spend that time building relationships with professors- but I am 25, have taken 3 years off during my undergraduate education, and I am very ready to move on to this next step.

Does anybody have any advice???

[alexis]

Personally, I don't think it's too late. If you feel confident you can get everything done by the deadlines, go for it. I don't think it's too late to contact professors either. The get questions etc all the way up to the application deadline, I imagine. You should have at least a month to go before your first applications are due.

If you don't have the funds to visit prospective schools, then there's not much you can do about that. However, I would think adcoms care way more about your credentials & research fit with their program than whether or not you were able to visit them beforehand. (You can always visit after you find out where you got accepted.)

If things don't work out this year, you can always re-apply next year. I'm 25 and took 3 years off from school as well, so I kinda know how you feel with wanting to start the process now. I say "seize the day!"

[fuzzylogician]

I agree with alexis. It's not too late--it'll be hard, but it's possible for you to have a good application ready by December.

Going through your list of concerns:

- Your GRE scores sound fine and frankly, if you're only starting to work on your application now you're not going to have the time to retake it anyway. You didn't say which field and schools you're applying to, so it's hard to give you concrete advice about this.

- Your GPA is also OK. I assume it'll go up after this semester, since that's usually the case in senior year. Having one D on your transcript is really not the end of the world, especially since you're retaking the class and will (hopefully) get a good grade this time.

- It's not too late to contact professors, but you shouldn't wait any longer. This holds, of course, only if your field is one in which it's customary to contact profs before applying - not all fields are (again, it would have been useful to know what field you're applying to).

- Visiting programs is not a must by any means. Not everybody has the means, and it's not going to be a deciding factor against your app. Once you've been accepted it'll be easier to get funding for a visit, and then you can decide whether you do/don't like the school.

As alexis says, try applying this year and if it doesn't work out, invest the year in improving you credentials and try again next year. You have nothing to lose by trying.

[kab]

I agree with alexis. It's not too late--it'll be hard, but it's possible for you to have a good application ready by December.

Going through your list of concerns:

- Your GRE scores sound fine and frankly, if you're only starting to work on your application now you're not going to have the time to retake it anyway. You didn't say which field and schools you're applying to, so it's hard to give you concrete advice about this.

- Your GPA is also OK. I assume it'll go up after this semester, since that's usually the case in senior year. Having one D on your transcript is really not the end of the world, especially since you're retaking the class and will (hopefully) get a good grade this time.

- It's not too late to contact professors, but you shouldn't wait any longer. This holds, of course, only if your field is one in which it's customary to contact profs before applying - not all fields are (again, it would have been useful to know what field you're applying to).

- Visiting programs is not a must by any means. Not everybody has the means, and it's not going to be a deciding factor against your app. Once you've been accepted it'll be easier to get funding for a visit, and then you can decide whether you do/don't like the school.

As alexis says, try applying this year and if it doesn't work out, invest the year in improving you credentials and try again next year. You have nothing to lose by trying.

Thanks, that helps a lot. I'm an Art History and Psychology double major, but I'll be going to grad school for Art History. My profs have all said that contacting professors at prospective schools is an absolute must. I am interested in applying to some competitive schools like Columbia and Northwestern, which is what makes me nervous about my GREs- although even the Columbia website says that GREs are not a make it or break it thing. Especially since I started reading some GRE thread on this site which was talking about funding and cutoff points and all sorts of lovely things. My advisor has encouraged me to look at other schools that aren't so competitive, which I agree is a really good idea, but trying to decided whether or not I'm going to like a program based on prospective professors and location alone has me

stressed as well.

I feel really frustrated because it's felt like I have had no one to talk to about this process. I have met with grad students in the art history department here at my school, and with a number of professors, and I still can't believe how unprepared I've been. I'm not sure if this is some fault of mine, or just miscommunication all around, because I thought I was asking the right questions and I was on the right track.

[socialcomm]

I feel really frustrated because it's felt like I have had no one to talk to about this process. I have met with grad students in the art history department here at my school, and with a number of professors, and I still can't believe how unprepared I've been. I'm not sure if this is some fault of mine, or just miscommunication all around, because I thought I was asking the right questions and I was on the right track.

When did you decide you wanted to go to graduate school? Did you not know when applications were due? If you feel more comfortable waiting until you're more prepared -- you're still young, take the time to prepare over the next year! But, as other people have said, there's no harm in trying this year either. It's really up to you.

Edited October 28, 2009 by socialcomm