All I got is rejections so far..

[Iristar]

I'm applying for ph.D in Chemical engineering. All the schools I'm applying for are top - notch - I don't have any safety schools since I have the option of staying in my own school and do a master degree but all I have received so far is rejections... 9 of them... 

I have 4 more schools that I haven't hear back. I am feeling kinda depressed. I really want it. 

 

Will miracle happen to me... 

[ChrisTOEFert]

I'm going to re-post a kind of Cole's Notes from a different thread I posted in.  While your situation is horrible to be in, I feel for you, and the anticipation linked with the disappointment is surely maddening.  Not that this is going to help in the slightest, but there really isn't anything you can do right now but wait and hope.  You submitted your application and there is so much going on behind the scenes that determine who gets accepted and who doesn't that it is basically a crap-shoot each year on who gets in.  Some years a 3.2 GPA with weak to middle GRE scores could get accepted over a 3.9 GPA student with better GRE scores due to increased funding being pushed towards one lab or niche research idea and others lose funding.  Sometimes a PI may think they are going to have an opening and agree to review applications and then boom, something happens to one of their grad students and they need to extend their current position for 1-1.5 more years and fund them.  There goes the funding and placement for one other new student.  Further, the adcom committees have no idea how deep the applicant pool is until they have all of the applications in front of them.  

I have heard that some years are stronger than others, but by and large they tend to average out over time.  Maybe you just got really unlucky this year and the pool was extremely deep and they had to nit-pick over details.  "Oh, applicant Iristar only has a 3.9 GPA and almost perfect GRE scores and one first author publication, while applicant Y has the same GPA and GRE but an additional second author pub, we are going to take them as our final student," or something to that effect.  The key is to not let it bother you, which is awfully hard as it is intrinsically tied to your self worth as a student and academic, but these crushing blows are normal for academia.  A paper you worked your ass off on for 1.5 years gets rejected or is beat out by 1 month by a publication from a rival lab and they get all the recognition, or you get serially rejected for very important government funding that will ensure you can eat and pay rent in your dumpy apartment for another year, etc.  

I know it doesn't mean much coming from me as one glance at my signature will make you think "what do you know about rejection?  You got in!"...well I was in your shoes 3 application cycles ago.  I got rejected from all my Master's programs my first run through, by my own undergraduate school, by my own thesis advisor!  That hurt!  But I used that anger and confusion and sadness to pour everything I had into the application cycle the following year and got into a better ranked MSc program than my undergrad home offers.  If by chance you get rejected everywhere and you are not happy with the Master's option being held for you, I suggest you take a good hard look at the areas you can improve.  Trust me, there is always some aspect of your application you can work to improve to make you a more competitive candidate that you have direct control over.  Be it better grades, better GRE/TOEFL scores, more research experience, more volunteer experience, conference attendances etc.  Letters or recommendation are outside of your control, the only way you can kind of improve those is if you form a close bond with two/three profs who really care about you and want to go to bat for you.     

So best of luck on your remaining few applications.  But remember, a Master's degree is not all bad.  You may find that employment opportunities are the same with both an MA/PhD or the pay differential at the beginning is not worth the extra 4-5 years a PhD would take you, especially if you have to take out student loans the last 2-3 years.  Keep your head up and stay positive.

[Iristar]

13 hours ago, ChrisTOEFert said:

I'm going to re-post a kind of Cole's Notes from a different thread I posted in.  While your situation is horrible to be in, I feel for you, and the anticipation linked with the disappointment is surely maddening.  Not that this is going to help in the slightest, but there really isn't anything you can do right now but wait and hope.  You submitted your application and there is so much going on behind the scenes that determine who gets accepted and who doesn't that it is basically a crap-shoot each year on who gets in.  Some years a 3.2 GPA with weak to middle GRE scores could get accepted over a 3.9 GPA student with better GRE scores due to increased funding being pushed towards one lab or niche research idea and others lose funding.  Sometimes a PI may think they are going to have an opening and agree to review applications and then boom, something happens to one of their grad students and they need to extend their current position for 1-1.5 more years and fund them.  There goes the funding and placement for one other new student.  Further, the adcom committees have no idea how deep the applicant pool is until they have all of the applications in front of them.  

I have heard that some years are stronger than others, but by and large they tend to average out over time.  Maybe you just got really unlucky this year and the pool was extremely deep and they had to nit-pick over details.  "Oh, applicant Iristar only has a 3.9 GPA and almost perfect GRE scores and one first author publication, while applicant Y has the same GPA and GRE but an additional second author pub, we are going to take them as our final student," or something to that effect.  The key is to not let it bother you, which is awfully hard as it is intrinsically tied to your self worth as a student and academic, but these crushing blows are normal for academia.  A paper you worked your ass off on for 1.5 years gets rejected or is beat out by 1 month by a publication from a rival lab and they get all the recognition, or you get serially rejected for very important government funding that will ensure you can eat and pay rent in your dumpy apartment for another year, etc.  

I know it doesn't mean much coming from me as one glance at my signature will make you think "what do you know about rejection?  You got in!"...well I was in your shoes 3 application cycles ago.  I got rejected from all my Master's programs my first run through, by my own undergraduate school, by my own thesis advisor!  That hurt!  But I used that anger and confusion and sadness to pour everything I had into the application cycle the following year and got into a better ranked MSc program than my undergrad home offers.  If by chance you get rejected everywhere and you are not happy with the Master's option being held for you, I suggest you take a good hard look at the areas you can improve.  Trust me, there is always some aspect of your application you can work to improve to make you a more competitive candidate that you have direct control over.  Be it better grades, better GRE/TOEFL scores, more research experience, more volunteer experience, conference attendances etc.  Letters or recommendation are outside of your control, the only way you can kind of improve those is if you form a close bond with two/three profs who really care about you and want to go to bat for you.     

So best of luck on your remaining few applications.  But remember, a Master's degree is not all bad.  You may find that employment opportunities are the same with both an MA/PhD or the pay differential at the beginning is not worth the extra 4-5 years a PhD would take you, especially if you have to take out student loans the last 2-3 years.  Keep your head up and stay positive.

Thanks a lot! I don't know I 'm just feeling really frustrated and unmotivated overall... But thanks, this does help me a lot! And congrats to all you offers! I'm very happy for you. 

[ChrisTOEFert]

10 hours ago, Iristar said:

Thanks a lot! I don't know I 'm just feeling really frustrated and unmotivated overall... But thanks, this does help me a lot! And congrats to all you offers! I'm very happy for you. 

You'll get in somewhere.  Even if it isn't this year.  Your letter writers would not waste their time on you if they didn't think you'd be capable of excelling in a graduate program. Think hard about the master's, it may be a good leg up to leverage you for next year/two years from now if you don't get into the PhD's you are hoping for. 

[Navy_GRE]

I'm in the same boat w/out the safety net of a school to fall back on.  I had great LOR's, great grad GPA, thought was a solid SOP, good work experience, moderate research background, but mediocre GRE. (157V/154Q).  Do schools really look at that is a delimiter?    Iristar- did you ever hear back from the rest?  I'm 0-15.