If you don't get in

[CoyoteBlue]

I have decided to go ahead and contact a head hunter to look for jobs for me in Oregon if i don't get in anywhere. I guess i need to accept not going to grad school isn't the end of my life and i'd very much like to live a life. 

[meggied]

That's a really great attitude to have. I myself haven't heard back from any schools yet and am getting very anxious about my next step.

[ishouldbeworking]

I love this and I feel this! I just got rejected from UOregon's Anthro program. That's 2/6 rejections so far (rest are pending). I supposedly had the strongest apps for the two schools I've gotten the No from, so I think, unfortunately and realistically, that I won't get in anywhere else. I'm definitely bummed, but I'm trying to look on the bright side: I can have a puppy now, do yoga, plant a garden, read for FUN-- who knows! A 9-5 job for a while might be just what I need right now. I feel really burnt out as I start this final semester of college. I think this is a blessing in disguise. The hardest part might be telling my Rec letter writers that I didn't get in (anywhere..). It's embarrassing! How are you all coping with this? What are your plans? I'd like lastly to note that I will be moving to Oregon and looking for jobs there..just because I can. Young, childless, degree-holding, and with a positive attitude: things could be worse?

[CoyoteBlue]

I love Oregon, I worked there as a park ranger and i'd be happy to stay.  I have an interview set up with one college but i don't think i'll hear back from anybody else. I am also hiking the pacific crest trail this year so if i don't get in i'm going to be able to finish with plenty of time. I have a degree, i'm young and beautiful and life is gonna be okay! What stage of grief am I in? I will also get a puppy if i don't get in. 

[ishouldbeworking]

Haha good luck to you! Good question--what stage of grief is this? I don't know, but if I figure it out I'll let y'all know after I finish this slice of ice cream cake. Stress eating is not a thing right? 

[CoyoteBlue]

I don't know. My doctor suggested I should run more.  But the cookies say otherwise. 

[CoffeeFueledAnxiety]

21 minutes ago, ishouldbeworking said:

Haha good luck to you! Good question--what stage of grief is this? I don't know, but if I figure it out I'll let y'all know after I finish this slice of ice cream cake. Stress eating is not a thing right? 

Nope, definitely not a thing. I am eating all this loads of carbs and sweets because I really like them, not because the unofficial rejection I got after emailing my top choice program yesterday.. 

[jmillar]

6 hours ago, CoyoteBlue said:

I have decided to go ahead and contact a head hunter to look for jobs for me in Oregon if i don't get in anywhere. I guess i need to accept not going to grad school isn't the end of my life and i'd very much like to live a life. 

If you're interested in Oregon, you may want to look at PSU's Biology program and see if there are professors you might want to work with. The application deadline is February 1st.

[Gadgette]

If I make it to interviews, the programs I applied for all call all of the people they interviewed on the same day and tell them "yes," "no," or "waitlist," and then you have 48 hours to decide. Already decided I'm taking that day off of work and having an "oh crap" party. I figure it's either "oh crap, I didn't get in," or "oh crap, I'm gonna be a grad student!"  

If it's the "oh crap I didn't get in" I'm pretty sure I'll call out of work the next day, spend the day wallowing on the couch, and then the next day get up and figure out how to improve my applications.  I have a job that I thoroughly enjoy and relates to what I want to do, I have a supportive husband, and a couple of sweet and cuddly kitties. If I don't get in, I'll try again.

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

If I don't get in, I'd like to think I'd try again, but that may come down to if I land a good job that can support my cost of living. If not, my romantic brain wants to run away to a cabin in the woods for the summer and focus on my writing, then apply again in the fall. If I get a decent job, I guess part of the summer will be spent moving and setting up shop somewhere new, so not that different from moving for grad school. Honestly, I haven't heard back from any programs yet, so I'm trying not to think about it (it's not really working).

[gonzosports]

[Deleted due to unproductive negativity]

Edited January 24, 2017 by gonzosports

[CoyoteBlue]

11 hours ago, jmillar said:

If you're interested in Oregon, you may want to look at PSU's Biology program and see if there are professors you might want to work with. The application deadline is February 1st.

oh i already met with that university, and OSU and UO. A prof at PSU was rude and kinda mean to me when i visited so I didn't apply. 

 

My romantic brain is remembering if I'm less busy I can actually afford some time for romance. 

[EvelynD]

17 hours ago, CoffeeFueledAnxiety said:

Nope, definitely not a thing. I am eating all this loads of carbs and sweets because I really like them, not because the unofficial rejection I got after emailing my top choice program yesterday.. 

Me too! I had fries and a pizza on the same day because I live in a free country, not because I got 2 rejections in 24 hours.

I have 2 uni's pending, 2 rejections so far. If I don't get in I'm gonna spend about one week drowning in self-pitty and eating chips and dip in bed. Then I'm going to focus on turning my SoP in a real PhD proposal and send it to all European universities that are involved in animal studies. Then, I'm going to search for American schools again for the next application cycle. There were a couple of schools I wasn't able to apply to because I came across them too late, and I've gotten very helpful feedback from my rejections. I'm also going to look for an internship or summer program or something to get more research experience. It doesn't matter what, as long as I will get research experience from it.

I think I can affort (both financially as academically) to go through 2 application cycles.

[anxiousphd]

19 hours ago, ishouldbeworking said:

Haha good luck to you! Good question--what stage of grief is this? I don't know, but if I figure it out I'll let y'all know after I finish this slice of ice cream cake. Stress eating is not a thing right? 

Stress eating is the worst thing. Trying to lose weight while dealing with rejections, trying to find back up plans, etc. is miserable (and maybe impossible).

[RevTheory1126]

If I don't get in, I haven't decided if I will try again. Maybe, maybe not. I'll definitely try to talk with people in my fields to see if they would be able to offer some kind of "autopsy" on my application/profile.

But if I don't get in, I will stay in my current job a palliative care chaplain, perhaps take some time to rethink the future, and plan to build more on my current professional trajectory... maybe an MBA or a Master's related to public health care policy.

[EvelynD]

Ikea sells this type of chocolate candy called Daim (yes, really). Yesterday at the supermarked I found out they sell a cake/pie made of this stuff. Thankfully I have a strong personality and I'm totally not thinking about biking there tomorrow to buy it. 

[GunningForGrad]

If I don't get in, not much changes for me. I'll stay at my current job, work on my current projects, and then gear up to do it again. But god, I am so ready to go. I'm ready to uproot my life and focus on my greatest passions and learn. 

[CoffeeFueledAnxiety]

If I don't get in anywhere by the end of February I am going to send out applications to a few late deadline MS programs in Germany or France. Also sending out a lot of job applications because the pay at my current one isn't enough if I want to survive the next year..

[sturdyelm]

This is great! I hadn't thought about what I would do if I don't get in (or can't afford to go to any of the programs I get into), but I have now. Because I work for a small non-profit currently, we have already started the search for my replacement for the summer.... so that means no job either. The one optimistic thing is that my spouse and I could actually finally live together and I could just end up in some random new city in a new job (hopefully) and it wouldn't require any sacrifices on either of our parts. Probably would try again, but not for another couple of years but who knows.

I think the "oh crap" mentality that Gadgette brought up is exactly where I am at! Not sure if I'll be able to take an oh crap day if it's good news, but definitely will try to take a mini vacation to deal with the oh crap bad news. 

[EricaMac]

Last time I did this, I didn't have a backup plan, and ended up working in retail hell for a bunch of years. It was decidedly not a happy time. 

This time? If I don't get in, my husband and I will be buying a house and starting infertility treatments to have a baby. 

2017 is gonna be a win/win for me either way. I refuse to see it any other way. 

Edited January 25, 2017 by EricaMac

[Beals]

Bulk up the CV: i've got 2 conferences lined up for 2017, and i'll try for another publication. Move to Asia to teach ESL and make some $$$$$. Then, apply again!!!

Don't ask what I'll do if I don't make it in on round 2.  Eeeeek.

[Sleam]

On 1/23/2017 at 10:54 PM, GreenEyedTrombonist said:

If I don't get in, I'd like to think I'd try again, but that may come down to if I land a good job that can support my cost of living. If not, my romantic brain wants to run away to a cabin in the woods for the summer and focus on my writing, then apply again in the fall. If I get a decent job, I guess part of the summer will be spent moving and setting up shop somewhere new, so not that different from moving for grad school. Honestly, I haven't heard back from any programs yet, so I'm trying not to think about it (it's not really working).

Well, want to hide in New Mexico in a cabin? I'm thinking of heading out to Oregon, I applied for a Ranger job there if the grad school option leaves me alone... Seriously, gonna rent it out! Anyone want to trade? 

[Necrovex]

Since I've been wait listed at my two schools of choice (unknown for my last one),I decided to treat it as a rejection (for now), and I'm looking at opportunities to improve my application and make some $$$ on the side. I may do the Child Protection route for a year to bolster my application. Though ideally I would love to get a research assistant in the psychological field to amend my glaring weakness concerning research experience. 

[TK2]

Foment anarcho-syndicalist revolution. That was always Plan A, this academia detour of the last year is clearly some sort of identity crisis. In fine syndicalist form, I will honor the will of the array of committees (a committee of committees, even) who reject me and go back to spending most of my time coming up with stuff to write on placards.

Or I'll mope a bit, finish my thesis, work on publishing something and try again. I just realized that it all starts again in like six months at the latest.

(In truth, I think I have an informal admisson at one school, but it was so informal I'm not really sure its a thing. POI called to say I had "drifted to the top of their pile", but also ask if I was even still interested and point out that they shouldn't be my first choice, but ok, he'll take it back to the committee...)

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

@Sleam Thank you for the offer! I actually have access to a cabin in the woods already, haha. I just need to figure out a car situation (don't own my own) so that I can go get groceries sometimes (and get to the house).