Anyone else apply to only two schools?

[woolfie]

I only applied to OSU and PSU for location reasons (PSU is still too far away but I just really like the program). My boyfriend has one more year at OSU so I can't quite move anywhere just yet. And I realize that there is a complete chance of having nowhere to go for grad school. I'm coping by already making a long list of 10 schools to apply to next year and hoping that it will be a pleasant surprised if I don't wait another year. Someone, please, empathize with me because the waiting is so much longer for fewer schools!

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

I only applied to OSU and PSU for location reasons (PSU is still too far away but I just really like the program). My boyfriend has one more year at OSU so I can't quite move anywhere just yet. And I realize that there is a complete chance of having nowhere to go for grad school. I'm coping by already making a long list of 10 schools to apply to next year and hoping that it will be a pleasant surprised if I don't wait another year. Someone, please, empathize with me because the waiting is so much longer for fewer schools!

I only applied to four, none of which I expect to get into this year.

I now have a 22 school list (and growing) that will eventually narrow down to 12-14 for the 2011 app round. For which I will be much better prepared. And for which I have NO DOUBT I'll get in.

And yes - even knowing I'm not getting in, I wish they'd send those damn rejections already. humph.

[woolfie]

I only applied to four, none of which I expect to get into this year.

I now have a 22 school list (and growing) that will eventually narrow down to 12-14 for the 2011 app round. For which I will be much better prepared. And for which I have NO DOUBT I'll get in.

And yes - even knowing I'm not getting in, I wish they'd send those damn rejections already. humph.

Well that's good, now I know I'm not crazy. I've been working on a list of something like 20 schools and trying to narrow down where to apply next year and my boyfriend thinks I'm crazy. He thinks it's weird to be working on that when I haven't heard back from the schools I've already applied to!

Also I feel a little bit like I'm missing out if I do get in to OSU. It's a good program that I want to go to, but I started researching it out of necessity, not out of excitement. So I guess either way I can be positive about what happens. It'd be nice not to wait another year though.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

On 2/22/2010 at 3:57 PM, woolfie said:

Well that's good, now I know I'm not crazy. I've been working on a list of something like 20 schools and trying to narrow down where to apply next year and my boyfriend thinks I'm crazy. He thinks it's weird to be working on that when I haven't heard back from the schools I've already applied to!

Also I feel a little bit like I'm missing out if I do get in to OSU. It's a good program that I want to go to, but I started researching it out of necessity, not out of excitement. So I guess either way I can be positive about what happens. It'd be nice not to wait another year though.

I actually came to the conclusion that it's for the best - waiting the extra year. I'll be applying to schools with a better fit, I have time to re-write my writing sample (or rather, expand a terrific paper), focus my SOP, and I'm signing up for a Latin class to get a head start on my languages. Also, it gives me time to save up some money and actually be able to afford the plane tickets (for myself and my furry family) back to the states to start grad school, sort out my defaulted student loans from undergrad (very easy to default when you DON'T live in the US), as well as be able to buy an old car, a new laptop, and perhaps even a bed and a sofa hahaha.

But no, it's not weird. It's called thinking ahead. Although I have been driving my mother insane - she gets a call every other day that goes something like this :  "OH MY GOD, I found this AMAZING Arthurian scholar that teaches at so-and-so university, and I HAVE TO GO THERE." So I'm either talking about researching schools, or what I'm currently studying for the subject GRE - "I recognized a Spenserian Stanza!!" or "I REALLY need to buy this other book." *sigh*.

No, you are not alone in the madness.

[EsMussSein17]

I only applied to four schools, not including the MA at NYU (which you can elect to be considered for when you apply for the PhD). I'm still waiting to hear from 3/4, but so far I've gotten 1 rejection and 2 implied rejections (implied by me and my incredible powers to perceive the future, of course).

It's hard waiting on just 4! And 2, I'm sure even harder. I don't plan to apply to 20-30 or 12-15 or whatever other number of schools next year though, probably just 2 of the same schools and 2 different ones. I had whittled my list down from 12 originally (for this year's round) and found that the 4 I applied to were really the ones I could see myself attending. I don't see why next year would be any different.

But, of course, you had geographical constraints and I didn't really, so maybe my situation doesn't apply. I can say this, though: my professors/mentors suggested that I "not go fishing" and instead keep at it with the schools I really want to get into. I'm going to wait it out.

[pea-jay]

Good lord, 20 schools, I cannot imagine the headache or expense that would entail.

I am not an English major, but I did go with the two school scenario. Originally I seriously considered attending my previous grad school in Chicago where I completed 1/3 of my previous masters program along with three schools in NYC. I dropped the Chicago one after the city lost the bid for the 2016 Olympics--don't laugh, it's true--leaving three. I ditched one of the NYC programs after visiting the city and getting a weird vibe from the school. Thus I was left with two schools I would be more than thrilled to attend.

In the end I think it was more the fact I want to be in *that* city that kept my focus very limited.

We'll see how it all pans out.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

I have no intention of applying to 20 schools!! (I don't think woolfie does either)

20-22 schools is the long list.

it will be significantly narrowed down come applications - to somewhere around 10-12. And that's not by fishing - there are a LOT of great programs out there for medieval - it's just a matter of finding the best fitting 12 and applying.

[woolfie]

Yeah, I can't imagine applying to 20 schools. I don't feel like I could possibly give the SoP's enough effort unless it was my full time job to apply to graduate schools. Now that I've expanded my list to the whole country, I've been trying to cap my list at 8. I think that's a lot but, again, my boyfriend says I should do way more. I agree that you shouldn't just tack on schools so that you go SOMEWHERE. You gotta go where you want. My problem is I get excited about almost every school I read about.

[Str2T]

I "seriously" applied to only two schools. The others would have to give nice TA packages to get me down there (but they are not backup schools--I'm just not very enthused about the location. Location! Location! Location!). Right now, I'm waitlisted by my top school who only offered five acceptances. The waiting is like being in purgatory, like being in an airplane "on the runway for nine hours without being able to go to the bathroom." The "will they" or "won't they" is a better feeling than a straight rejection, but doesn't seem worth the torture if they end up denying entrance on April 16th. My other top pick sends out in March... They usually get over 300 hundred applications for limited spots, however, so I'm not holding my breath.

Only having a limited number of applications make each response that much more important...

Edited February 25, 2010 by Str2T

[woolfie]

I "seriously" applied to only two schools. The others would have to give nice TA packages to get me down there (but they are not backup schools--I'm just not very enthused about the location. Location! Location! Location!). Right now, I'm waitlisted by my top school who only offered five acceptances. The waiting is like being in purgatory, like being in an airplane "on the runway for nine hours without being able to go to the bathroom." The "will they" or "won't they" is a better feeling than a straight rejection, but doesn't seem worth the torture if they end up denying entrance on April 16th. My other top pick sends out in March... They usually get over 300 hundred applications for limited spots, however, so I'm not holding my breath.

Only having a limited number of applications make each response that much more important...

Which location are you not so enthused about? Can I guess Columbus? That's where I'm living right now, which is why I'm applying to OSU. Columbus ain't that bad, you just gotta find the right neighborhood.

[Str2T]

Which location are you not so enthused about? Can I guess Columbus? That's where I'm living right now, which is why I'm applying to OSU. Columbus ain't that bad, you just gotta find the right neighborhood.

Actually it's Ames and ND. I love OSU (plus, that's where one of my professors completed her PhD, so she knows the hook ups and hot spots)

[pinot noir]

I only applied to OSU and PSU for location reasons (PSU is still too far away but I just really like the program). My boyfriend has one more year at OSU so I can't quite move anywhere just yet. And I realize that there is a complete chance of having nowhere to go for grad school. I'm coping by already making a long list of 10 schools to apply to next year and hoping that it will be a pleasant surprised if I don't wait another year. Someone, please, empathize with me because the waiting is so much longer for fewer schools!

I'm only applying to three this year--UCI, UCD, & UCR. I narrowed down my choice based on the stout decision that I wanted to stay in California. Also, I'm finishing up my undergrad (I'm a returning student) and I don't have money to pay for more than three schools. I know it gives me less of a shot at getting in, but I soothed my nerves by telling myself that this is a practice run (even though I am desperately hoping that I do get in) & if I don't get in I'll take a year off, try my hand at something else related to my field and reapply next year. I hear you can reapply to the same school you were rejected from if that helps. I also hear it's good to apply to at least three--one choice, one secondary, & one fall back. Good luck!

[Medievalmaniac]

I'm only applying to three this year--UCI, UCD, & UCR. I narrowed down my choice based on the stout decision that I wanted to stay in California. Also, I'm finishing up my undergrad (I'm a returning student) and I don't have money to pay for more than three schools. I know it gives me less of a shot at getting in, but I soothed my nerves by telling myself that this is a practice run (even though I am desperately hoping that I do get in) & if I don't get in I'll take a year off, try my hand at something else related to my field and reapply next year. I hear you can reapply to the same school you were rejected from if that helps. I also hear it's good to apply to at least three--one choice, one secondary, & one fall back. Good luck!

I am also only applying to three schools this season. I can't move my family in this economy(we live in a very rural, high unemployment area and the houses for sale here are not moving at ALL), so there's no point in applying elsewhere; if I get in, I get in, and if I don't, I'm not getting a PhD. It's easy to be clinically calm and rational like that at present, but if I don't get in, I'm not going to lie and say I'll be totally fine with it - I WANT this degree, and I've worked incredibly hard to get to a point where I could earn it if I got in with funding. Not getting accepted this year would be absolutely devastating to me, crushing. But, I'm not going to keep putting myself and my family through this application hell year after year, especially since after this year I will have exhausted the local possibilities. I'm applying to the three programs within driving distance of where we are, and hoping for the best.

[augustquail]

I'm applying to 10 schools....and sometimes I feel like that's too small a number! I don't have the same geographic restraints though, and I don't want to go through the application process again. It's now or never...

[strokeofmidnight]

I am also only applying to three schools this season. I can't move my family in this economy(we live in a very rural, high unemployment area and the houses for sale here are not moving at ALL), so there's no point in applying elsewhere; if I get in, I get in, and if I don't, I'm not getting a PhD. It's easy to be clinically calm and rational like that at present, but if I don't get in, I'm not going to lie and say I'll be totally fine with it - I WANT this degree, and I've worked incredibly hard to get to a point where I could earn it if I got in with funding. Not getting accepted this year would be absolutely devastating to me, crushing. But, I'm not going to keep putting myself and my family through this application hell year after year, especially since after this year I will have exhausted the local possibilities. I'm applying to the three programs within driving distance of where we are, and hoping for the best.

Someone else applied to only 2 (maybe 3?) schools last year, due to severe geographical constraints (including not selling a house). She got into her top choice, with funding. Here's hoping that her luck will rub off on you.