The negative thread...

[watersnake]

Inspired by the "positives thread" I thought we could have a little competition here. First, this is not to list ALL the things that (you think) are weaknesses. List THE most comically terrible element of your application and see if anyone can "top" it...

[watersnake]

For example, I "earned" a GRE quant score in the sixth percentile. Not sixtieth, SIXTH. That's an accomplishment ladies and gentlemen!

[pangur-ban]

For example, I "earned" a GRE quant score in the sixth percentile. Not sixtieth, SIXTH. That's an accomplishment ladies and gentlemen!

Pf, like art history programs care about that.

I have a 3.0 undergrad GPA from an institution with grade inflation aplenty, including four failed courses (three *in my major*), one D, and a whole bunch of generally mediocre grades, and absolutely no reason for it, except that I was young and stupidly rebellious against things like homework.

Edited January 8, 2010 by pangor-ban

[piccgeek]

I'll bite.

I'm applying to a science writing program. Introductory biology is the only science class I've taken since high school. I think I must have been on crack when I decided this was a good idea.

[watersnake]

Well, let's hope they don't assume I had the left hemisphere of my brain removed.

[pangur-ban]

Well, let's hope they don't assume I had the left hemisphere of my brain removed.

I think that would show an impressive dedication to creativity!

[luar de ouro]

I stared at this text box for way too long because I couldn't think of anything comical to say....this is to say, my application is completely unremarkable and BORING.

Alas.

[joro]

My weakness would be my missing letter of recommendation, then my GPA, low verbal score, and unranked University.

[melusine]

I don't want to depress myself too much so I won't think of *all* the weaknesses my app might have, in general..

But the first thing that comes to mind right now is my Harvard app. Not only did I not realize they needed actual transcripts (not uploads) until the day of the deadline (dec 31)... needless to say they received an incomplete file... But when it came to submitting, I also realized last minute that they ask you to transcribe pretty much all of your transcript into their neat little box-format (*pls list all coursework relevant to your discipline+grades+average+semesters taken). At that point, it being new years' eve and all, I pretty much said "screw it" and submitted as is, leaving that annoying page blank,

So yeah. That was a hundred dollars well spent.

[piccgeek]

I stared at this text box for way too long because I couldn't think of anything comical to say....this is to say, my application is completely unremarkable and BORING.

Alas.

I feel that way about most of the discussions on this forum. I'm actually rather sad THIS was the post that I was like "Oh, I totally have something to say!"

Also, luar, I love the firefly reference in your signature. Totally awesome.

[Emilee]

My general lack of optimism is my worst weakness. I have already thought of a plan B if I don't get in and plan C if plan B does not work. I am even thinking of a plan D in case plans A, B, and C don't work.

Who knows...I might have even absentmindedly written,"Please just give me my rejection letter now instead of waiting until April" in my SOP.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Emilee

[iCyborg]

My weaknesses are all about numbers

-My ibt speaking is low (19) (one relieving point is some schools waive me TOEFL)

-My undergrad GPA is low (yeah I really enjoyed those years )

[Sanssouci]

I have an abysmal GRE Quant score, and there's no set way they'll convert my British-system marks into GPA, and a real sense (since reading this forum) of pessimism and resignation to rejection!

[Lauren35]

This seems much more up my alley than the positives thread, I actually have something to contribute here. Mostly I'm worried about my low GPA (3.1) and GRE score (1200) and AW score (3.5) and my personal statement which is probably going to be viewed as boring and nothing special. So yea pretty much everything about my application that matters. Can't wait for the coming months!

[LifeIsGood]

I started UG as an engineering major back in the 1980s. I flunked out. TWICE. I flunked out once, they let me back in, and I flunked out again. That transcript shows a 4 attempts to pass Calculus 2, 2 attempts at Organic Chem, and a 1.7GPA. I transferred into a journalism program at a different school and cleaned up my act. But that 1.7 stands.

I also have UG and G transcripts that have my intended major field down as: Engineering, Geology, Journalism, Environmental policy, English, and History. My intended PhD field? History. Can you say lack of focus and dedication to the field?

I think I should have done this one thread first, and then the positives one. I may need to go back to the positives field for a few minutes.

[artist_lily]

I have no publications, nothing even close to a publication, and it seems that's a must for would-be English PhDs.

When I gave my adviser the list of schools, she asked my GPA. When I told her, I could hear her jaw drop over the phone (and not in a good way).

After sending my SOP to about 80% of the schools I'm applying to, I've realized that it's terribly verbose in the last paragraph and could have been much better had I devoted a few minutes to breaking those sentences up correctly.

Here's to $2000 worth of rejection letters! (What an investment... )

[LateAntique]

I am at my third undergraduate institution. I went to a community college, then to a confessional Christian school, and now at a state school.

[gazelle]

I started UG as an engineering major back in the 1980s. I flunked out. TWICE. I flunked out once, they let me back in, and I flunked out again. That transcript shows a 4 attempts to pass Calculus 2, 2 attempts at Organic Chem, and a 1.7GPA. I transferred into a journalism program at a different school and cleaned up my act. But that 1.7 stands.

I also have UG and G transcripts that have my intended major field down as: Engineering, Geology, Journalism, Environmental policy, English, and History. My intended PhD field? History. Can you say lack of focus and dedication to the field?

I think I should have done this one thread first, and then the positives one. I may need to go back to the positives field for a few minutes.

Despite a chemical engineering degree, I still think calc 2 was one of the most asinine classes I took.

"DURRR, let's just throw an integral in front of AS MUCH CRAP AS POSSIBLE and watch you silently tweak during the test. What a useless class that ever was.

[Pamphilia]

I have no publications, nothing even close to a publication, and it seems that's a must for would-be English PhDs.

Really? Well I have no academic publications (a couple of minor pop magazine articles) so yikes. But none of the people I know in [top, like Penn] English PhD programs had publications as undergrads. From what I understand it's more of just a cherry on top for those going in without an MA, as it's very rare for English undergrads to publish. Can't speak fo standards for a applicants who already have MAs.

At least, I desperately hope this is the case.

[LifeIsGood]

Despite a chemical engineering degree, I still think calc 2 was one of the most asinine classes I took.

"DURRR, let's just throw an integral in front of AS MUCH CRAP AS POSSIBLE and watch you silently tweak during the test. What a useless class that ever was.

Yes! The only reason the prof eventually passed me (because I had to take the same prof all 4 times) was that I promised him I was quitting the engineering school. It killed me. I had a bunch of friends in the business school who thought it was hysterical that I couldn't pass that class. Oh yeah? YOU try it, Mr. Business Math.

[coyabean]

For example, I "earned" a GRE quant score in the sixth percentile. Not sixtieth, SIXTH. That's an accomplishment ladies and gentlemen!

LOL! My first GRE score was something like that. I think in the teens? My verbal was in the 96th for context. My advisors just looked at me and laughed.

And Y'all are failing at failure. Let me learn you something:

-- there is, no lie, a 12 year gap in my transcript. The last year of the first trip? All NWs and NFs. I'm talking two, if not three -- I can't look anymore -- semesters of straight nothing. When I returned to school the advisor told me it is a miracle of my early 4.0s that my GPA was above a 2.0...if just barely.

-- I graduated from a school where you can pass if you showed up for the final and didn't stab the professor, not exactly rigorous.

-- Thanks to the NWs and NFs? My attempted hours make me look like an idiot.

Edited January 8, 2010 by coyabean

[SNPCracklePop]

Negatives-a-plenty!

Low Verbal Score (450), maybe they'll look at the higher AW (5.5) instead.

No publications

Academic probation in UG, hoping the much, much better GR performance shadows that.

One LOR is a "did well in class" letter.

[catilina]

I've been a "stay at home mom" for 10 years.

I've already been enrolled in a Ph.D. program in a different field, but quit after two years.

I am old.

My letters of recommendation are from two professors in another field who taught me 15 years ago, and one from the professor who taught a graduate seminar I took last fall at a local, low-ranked university.

I have three graduate degrees, including a law degree from a good law school, but still haven't managed to accomplish anything professionally.

There is only so good you can make your statement of purpose if you haven't ever done any significant work in the field.

I do have very good objective data(though not without some problems), a few publications and some notable honors, but they are almost ancient history at this point.

I loved the positives thread. Seeing everyone's qualifications in print made me truly understand how stiff the competition is and I think it will help me deal better with rejection.

[NeuroNerd86]

Definitely my undergrad GPA in the U.S - some bad grades in my major present, although I got better eventually. It is also obvious that chemistry is not my forte - the highest chem grade I've ever received in college was a B. Oh well.

[watersnake]

So, I scored in the 1st percentile on the Quantitative. I was applying for MFA programs at the time, which notoriously don't care, so I simply filled in bubbles in a pattern (yes, seriously). However, I am using the same score to apply for an English PhD this year due to last minute decision making.

1st percentile! No joke! I will let you know if I get in to either of the two schools I applied to--

at one school I am a fourth generation legacy and still have doubts.

Shoot! I thought I would easily win the lowest quant score contest! Nicely done.