How many programs are you applying to?

[Kilos]

1 hour ago, biyutefulphlower said:

 I know I'm a bit late, but my condolences about your mother. My mom passed while I was waiting to hear back from M.A. programs a few years ago, so I totally understand how it can reorient your priorities. 

Thanks, @biyutefulphlower. It really has disoriented me; I've lost both of my parents now, and I'm still relatively young. I feel like the anchor to my past and younger life is gone. I can't even count how many times I've tried to call either my mom or my dad over the last few years... before I remember they're gone. Bah.

Awesome to see you're applying to Oregon! That's one of my five schools.  I grew up near Eugene and did part of my undergrad work at UofO. Hoping to get into their English Ph.D. program (concentration in Environmental Lit/Rhetoric). It's a wonderful school with great resources, a beautiful community, and the English Ph.D. program is way more competitive (acceptance-wise) than most realize. I feel I'm a great fit, but I worry I've gotten my hopes up because of my personal connection to the area. I'm trying to be realistic and I understand that it's a long-shot. 

[Yanaka]

@Kilos I know I'm not in your shoes, but the very little you write breaks my heart. I'm really anxious about that time of life, even though my mom is still perfectly fine. (Although that doesn't necessarily mean she's "safe"!) You and I don't know each other, but I can assuredly say that you're being extremely strong!

[Kilos]

3 minutes ago, Yanaka said:

@Kilos I know I'm not in your shoes, but the very little you write breaks my heart. I'm really anxious about that time of life, even though my mom is still perfectly fine. (Although that doesn't necessarily mean she's "safe"!) You and I don't know each other, but I can assuredly say that you're being extremely strong!

Thanks for your kind words. If I have any advice (and it's fairly cliche, I know) it's to spend as much time with your mom as you possibly can. I ache knowing I could have called more often, or visited a few extra times. It's one of those things you can never make right, so you have to make sure you never do it wrong to begin with. 

Also, I don't know how strong I'm being, I've just been putting off dealing with it until after all this grad school application stuff is behind me. I'm sure sometime around February I'll completely fall to pieces. 

[Yanaka]

21 minutes ago, Kilos said:

Thanks for your kind words. If I have any advice (and it's fairly cliche, I know) it's to spend as much time with your mom as you possibly can. I ache knowing I could have called more often, or visited a few extra times. It's one of those things you can never make right, so you have to make sure you never do it wrong to begin with. 

Also, I don't know how strong I'm being, I've just been putting off dealing with it until after all this grad school application stuff is behind me. I'm sure sometime around February I'll completely fall to pieces. 

It's not cliché when it's sincere.  

When you feel bad you can pm me! Whenever you want, actually! I try to be a good listener  

[biyutefulphlower]

@Kilos - Uuugh, I feel you on the phone call thing.  It's been about 5 years on my end, and just the other day, I had the passing thought that I should call her.  (I'm really glad to know I'm not the only one that does that.)   When I was accepted to my MA program, I literally jumped out of my shoes from excitement - I was wearing flats that day, lol - then became a blubbering mess because she wasn't there to see it.

And wow! That's really a glowing recommendation for the school.  (It's one of my top program choices, too.) Though I've never been to Oregon, a lot of my family and friends said they could picture me out West.  Best of luck to both of us!  I'm hoping to focus on comic studies~  From what I hear, Portland is a great comics hub and it's not *too too* far for a weekend/long day trip.

Bouncing off of what @Yanaka said above, you're welcome to PM me too~

[Kilos]

@Yanaka and @biyutefulphlower: you guys are awesome. Thanks very much, and I totally will if I need somebody to talk to.

 

And yes, Oregon's wonderful! I've traveled the entire country and not found anywhere more beautiful. It feels like home. Portland is my favorite city in the country, though it's becoming a bit... overcrowded and over-trendy in my opinion. Who am I kidding--I still go back whenever I can. 

[soydominique]

@Kilos I don't know you, and I'm also late to the thread, but I'm so sorry to hear that you lost someone special during this already stressful time. I lost my grandmother (she basically raised me) before starting a new program this past semester, and the emotional confusion while needing to get "stuff done" was frustrating.

[chanoschanos]

I am an international applicant residing in the US. I applied to eight PhD programs. So far, just heard from one university. 

WashU DBBS

USC Molecular Biology

UMinnesota MCDBG

UPenn Biology

PennState Plant Biology (Feb3)

UGeorgia ILS

Kansas State Biology

UMichigan MCDB

[Kilos]

Thanks @soydominique . I'm sorry about your grandmother and you're spot-on about the emotional confusion. It's weird, because right before my mom died I was absolutely over the moon about these grad school apps. I had everything laid out and I was rearing to go... after she died I could barely get myself to the computer. Before she passed I couldn't think of anything I wanted more than to go on to pursue my graduate education. I was bouncing off the walls excited. I haven't been able to find that feeling since. It's been a month or so now and my head doesn't feel any clearer. I guess some things just change you.

[The Shade King]

15 minutes ago, soydominique said:

@Kilos I don't know you, and I'm also late to the thread, but I'm so sorry to hear that you lost someone special during this already stressful time. I lost my grandmother (she basically raised me) before starting a new program this past semester, and the emotional confusion while needing to get "stuff done" was frustrating.

That happened to me as well. I was finishing my masters and my grandmother who rasied me solo died abruptly. Definitely focus on self care and keep communication open with people as I isolated myself a lot trying to get through it stoically. I learned a valuable listen from that experience. 

[Yanaka]

That is so perfectly normal, @Kilos! You're processing, and going through a loss of that nature also redefines your entire life. Something new (and hurtful, for now) is beginning now that you have lost the one reference point one can lose, and it's only natural to be shaken and think about what you actually want. I'm sure you're still excited about grad school deeper in your heart, but you need to mourn and feel weird, first.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Yanaka

[Ufffdaaa]

I'm thinking about 10-12, but that seems so daunting (AND EXPENSIVE!). Now that we are closing in on the end of this application cycle for Fall 2017, are you glad that you applied to 10+? Could you really dedicate enough time to tailor each app to every program? Also, where do you get enough $$ for the app fees, transcript requests, GRE scores, etc? How much should I budget for it? 

[Warelin]

15 minutes ago, Wooshkuh said:

I'm thinking about 10-12, but that seems so daunting (AND EXPENSIVE!). Now that we are closing in on the end of this application cycle for Fall 2017, are you glad that you applied to 10+? Could you really dedicate enough time to tailor each app to every program? Also, where do you get enough $$ for the app fees, transcript requests, GRE scores, etc? How much should I budget for it? 

Hi Woosh.

Have you looked into getting application fee waivers? While you can e-mail the programs individually, the Big 10 alliance streamlines the process a bit more: https://www.btaa.org/students/freeapp/introduction

I'm not sure which schools you're interested in but a few schools you could be interested in are there. I think the rule is that you must apply for the fee waiver between September-Nov 15. Each school has different rules on to which applicants they grant waivers to. In addition, there are a limited number of waivers granted so it's best not to apply for a fee waiver if you know that you wouldn't apply.

[Ufffdaaa]

18 minutes ago, Warelin said:

Hi Woosh.

Have you looked into getting application fee waivers? While you can e-mail the programs individually, the Big 10 alliance streamlines the process a bit more: https://www.btaa.org/students/freeapp/introduction

I'm not sure which schools you're interested in but a few schools you could be interested in are there. I think the rule is that you must apply for the fee waiver between September-Nov 15. Each school has different rules on to which applicants they grant waivers to. In addition, there are a limited number of waivers granted so it's best not to apply for a fee waiver if you know that you wouldn't apply.

Nice! That is very helpful. I see a few programs (Purdue, Michigan, Ohio State) that I have on my short list. 

[kirbs005]

18 hours ago, Warelin said:

Hi Woosh.

Have you looked into getting application fee waivers? While you can e-mail the programs individually, the Big 10 alliance streamlines the process a bit more: https://www.btaa.org/students/freeapp/introduction

I'm not sure which schools you're interested in but a few schools you could be interested in are there. I think the rule is that you must apply for the fee waiver between September-Nov 15. Each school has different rules on to which applicants they grant waivers to. In addition, there are a limited number of waivers granted so it's best not to apply for a fee waiver if you know that you wouldn't apply.

A word of caution with the Big10 alliance: I used it this year and all of the schools have a VERY wide range of criteria to give out waivers to students. I did not recieve a waiver to most despite meeting the initial Big10 criteria. Most of the schools told me I needed to have participated in some type of program like summer research program, or have recieved a Pell grant. Don't let this deter you, because I did get one free app! But be prepared for them to tell you no (unless you did participate in one of those/get a grant/etc). 

[Ufffdaaa]

On 1/9/2017 at 6:39 AM, kirbs005 said:

A word of caution with the Big10 alliance: I used it this year and all of the schools have a VERY wide range of criteria to give out waivers to students. I did not recieve a waiver to most despite meeting the initial Big10 criteria. Most of the schools told me I needed to have participated in some type of program like summer research program, or have recieved a Pell grant. Don't let this deter you, because I did get one free app! But be prepared for them to tell you no (unless you did participate in one of those/get a grant/etc). 

That's good to know. However, I think it's worth putting the time into (even if the chances are low). Hey, we all know the admission rates and we still apply to MA and PhD programs!

I just looked at the application and I see that it's a lot of check boxes. Too bad. I thought that I could use my first-generation college student status to help me out. Here comes the regret of not knowing about the McNair program until I was a grad student. 

[KikiDelivery]

I applied to nine schools (all English PhD programs). I am wishing everyone best of luck with the results, and that we all get into at least one program.