Waiting to hear from grad school. Tearing my hair out...

[Moontiger]

Ugh.

 

Title kind of sums it up. I applied to grad school and have been driving myself crazy going over every little detail of my application.

 

Pros: 1) Four recommendations instead of the required three. 2) Strong resume. I have several years of experience in the field.

 

Cons: 1) GRE score, horrible. 2) Personal Statement. I really struggled with it because I am terrible at writing about myself. I just discovered you can check on Microsoft Word what grad level you are writing at and found my statement was at a lower level then I would have liked.

 

I already have a contingency plan: I have complied a master list of required reading for the main classes and am making my way through reading them. If I get rejected I plan on re-applying detailing the experience.

 

According to their website I should(have) heard from them anytime between mid March and the first week of April. Any advice on how to keep myself from going crazy?

[MsAdorkable]

Yes the waiting is horrible, especially now that most schools notify by email so you feel compelled to just keep refreshing it all day lol. In the interim I'd say try to keep busy. Catch up with friends/family, run errands, deep clean the house, and heck go out of town if you can.

 

You can also expand your contingency plan. I don't know what you plan to study, but I'm not sure how detailing your experience of reading several books would boost your application the second time around. Are there volunteer opportunities in the field that would help you? You can also job shadow professionals in the field if you haven't already to get more insight on what you want to do.

[SpottiOtti]

Yep, even if all your friends and family are like "Of course you got in!" there's still that nagging voice in your mind that says "What if I didn't?"

 

I think MsAdorkable's advice is exactly what I'd say too. Keep yourself busy with things that remind you there are other things in life that matter to you just as much as getting into grad school. And expand your contingency plan; volunteering in your desired field is great advice and it looks good on resumes too.

[hazelynut]

....enjoy not being in grad school while you still can. This **** is crazy.

[lavenderdove]

Remind yourself that whatever will happen will happen, and worrying won't change it. And if you don't get into this school, then perhaps you can take a course so that you can get a better GRE for better chances of getting in somewhere.

 

Many schools have a minimum GRE level cutoff point you need to be accepted. You could try calling the school to see what that is (and if they'll tell you), and if you fell below that, you could bone up for the exam and get a better score, enough to get you in.

 

And a lot of whether you get in or not is based on how competitive the field is and how many people apply for your particular area that year. So it is really hard to tell, and if you do get rejected, you can call and ask what you can do to be a better candidate (i.e., what areas you need to improve on in order to get accepted).

[Moontiger]

Thanks guys. Some more details: The program is for a Museum Studies Master's Degree. I meet with the head of the program over the summer and asked about the GRE score. They have no minimum but still require it.

 

If I have to re-apply I plan on writing about how I have already done the bulk of the reading and how I applied what I learned to my current work. I work all the time (six days a week) but I still find time to worry about this! Lol.

 

Thanks guys!

[lavenderdove]

It is nervewracking... like waiting to hear about a job offer or not... but the good news is you have only a few weeks to worry at most... so just try to get busy and do things you enjoy doing to take your mind off it.

[Batya33]

One thing I did was read my personal essay backwards -meaning last word first - to see the words out of context and insure there were no typos. Yes the waiting is terrible -it's one of the things you just have to handle when you choose to apply to grad school -and it's great that you are! When I applied I did not have a computer and there was no internet access or mobile phones really so the waiting was even harder. I can relate! I agree with Victoria's advice -repeat it as a mantra when you feel yourself getting overly anxious. Good luck!

[blueidealist24]

Thanks guys. Some more details: The program is for a Museum Studies Master's Degree. I meet with the head of the program over the summer and asked about the GRE score. They have no minimum but still require it.

 

If I have to re-apply I plan on writing about how I have already done the bulk of the reading and how I applied what I learned to my current work. I work all the time (six days a week) but I still find time to worry about this! Lol.

 

Thanks guys!

 

I think the reading plan is a good idea if you're applying it to your current work, because it shows that you can connect the concepts to something practical.

[Moontiger]

Welp. I was wait listed. I get an answer and I'm still in limbo. The email said to contact the head Professor if I had any question. I sent one right away thanking him agian for meeting with me over the summer and asking if he could give me a general time fram for when people will be selected from the wait list.

[blueidealist24]

Welp. I was wait listed. I get an answer and I'm still in limbo. The email said to contact the head Professor if I had any question. I sent one right away thanking him agian for meeting with me over the summer and asking if he could give me a general time fram for when people will be selected from the wait list.

 

Maybe you should ask what number you are on the wait list, if they'll give out that information.

[Moontiger]

Maybe you should ask what number you are on the wait list, if they'll give out that information.

 

Good idea!

[Moontiger]

Yep, even if all your friends and family are like "Of course you got in!" there's still that nagging voice in your mind that says "What if I didn't?"

 

I think MsAdorkable's advice is exactly what I'd say too. Keep yourself busy with things that remind you there are other things in life that matter to you just as much as getting into grad school. And expand your contingency plan; volunteering in your desired field is great advice and it looks good on resumes too.

 

Only an hand full of people know I applied because I didn't want to deal with the "Of course you'll get in!" thing. And, then if I don't get end in the endless round of calls telling everyone and having the same conversation over and over again. My dad knows I applied but no one else in my family does.

[MsAdorkable]

....enjoy not being in grad school while you still can. This **** is crazy.

 

Yeah that too lmao! I'm in grad school now and frequently my frustration levels are past their limit.

[MsAdorkable]

Only an hand full of people know I applied because I didn't want to deal with the "Of course you'll get in!" thing. And, then if I don't get end in the endless round of calls telling everyone and having the same conversation over and over again. My dad knows I applied but no one else in my family does.

 

Smart move not alerting the masses, there is nothing more irritating and embarrassing than telling everyone your plan didn't work out. Plus being wait listed isn't the end of the world. Did you only apply to one school? If so you should use this time to look into other programs, even if before you rejected the possibility for some reason. You may find another option viable taking a second look, especially if it is possible you won't get off the wait list.

 

I had this very same thing happen when I applied for grad school. I had my heart set on one program, it didn't work out, and I took another look at my reject pile and found a similar program that would help me reach my goals that would let me get started right away. At first I didn't want to go with plan b (and sometimes I still wonder what the heck I was thinking lol), but overall going this route beat sitting around trying for plan a again and risking it still not working out. Ultimately I wanted to be moving forward not standing still.

 

Also now that you've clarified your intentions with doing the reading and applying it to current work, I think that's great. Are there internship programs/summer apprentice type things you could also go for? The more you can demonstrate your ability to apply what you'll be learning the better.

[Moontiger]

Right now I work four days a week and have an internship two days a week. I will also be completing a certification in a few months. I have meet with the head of the program and it seems he remembered me because the email basically said Professor X wanted you to know right away and asked that if you have any question to contact him.

[blueidealist24]

Right now I work four days a week and have an internship two days a week. I will also be completing a certification in a few months. I have meet with the head of the program and it seems he remembered me because the email basically said Professor X wanted you to know right away and asked that if you have any question to contact him.

 

Well, that's good that the head of the program remembered you. It might mean you're nearer to the top of the waiting list than the bottom.

[Moontiger]

Well, that's good that the head of the program remembered you. It might mean you're nearer to the top of the waiting list than the bottom.

 

I hope! I emailed him yesterday but haven't heard anything back yet. I know right now a ton of people are going back to school so I bet a lot of over qulified people applied. Or atleast, thats what I'm telling myself so I don't go crazy.

[blueidealist24]

I hope! I emailed him yesterday but haven't heard anything back yet. I know right now a ton of people are going back to school so I bet a lot of over qulified people applied. Or atleast, thats what I'm telling myself so I don't go crazy.

 

Yeah, everyone and their dog who can't get a job but can get into a Master's is enrolling. lol.

[Moontiger]

Well, they cannot tell me where I am exactly on the list. But according to the professor I emailed, he thinks I am in the upper half but cannot be more percise then that. And, I have to wait for everyone who was accept on the first go to make their choice before I hear of I get in or not. So that means sometime after April 15th most likely.

[MsAdorkable]

Well, they cannot tell me where I am exactly on the list. But according to the professor I emailed, he thinks I am in the upper half but cannot be more percise then that. And, I have to wait for everyone who was accept on the first go to make their choice before I hear of I get in or not. So that means sometime after April 15th most likely.

 

Well that is pretty broad information so it seems like the smart move is for you to start implementing plan b now so that you can reapply as a better candidate. Best case scenario: you get started on plan b and find out you've been accepted from the wait list. Worst case scenario: you stay on the wait list, proceed with plan b, and reapply next year.

[Moontiger]

So freaking done right now. I have one class left to complete a certification and the school has completely messed up. I was suppose to start it today but can't now. When I get home I have to call the school to try and get this resolved. This is a different school then the grad school I applied to.

 

If I can't get into the class I have to wait another year to take it. So fing pissed right now...

[Moontiger]

Well that is pretty broad information so it seems like the smart move is for you to start implementing plan b now so that you can reapply as a better candidate. Best case scenario: you get started on plan b and find out you've been accepted from the wait list. Worst case scenario: you stay on the wait list, proceed with plan b, and reapply next year.

 

Ya, I have already finished one book and am halfway through a second one. I applied for a job at a traveling museum that I hope I can get and put on my resume. My boss at my internship is going to have me help with a grant she is writing (really just having me look it over and throwing out ideas but it stil counts lol).

 

I want this certification complete if I have to reapply...Grrrr.

 

Not sure what else I could be doing.

[MsAdorkable]

So freaking done right now. I have one class left to complete a certification and the school has completely messed up. I was suppose to start it today but can't now. When I get home I have to call the school to try and get this resolved. This is a different school then the grad school I applied to.

 

If I can't get into the class I have to wait another year to take it. So fing pissed right now...

 

Oh no! Ok deep breath and don't panic yet. If you can't get in to the class is there a way you can do it as an independent study course? That would certainly beat the year wait if you can get an instructor to supervise your work.

[Moontiger]

Oh no! Ok deep breath and don't panic yet. If you can't get in to the class is there a way you can do it as an independent study course? That would certainly beat the year wait if you can get an instructor to supervise your work.

 

Well it is now half way fixed and half way not. What happened was my username wasn't being accepted to register for the class, without getting into everything I did and all the people I talked to: I was told my username had expired (no one ever contacted me that had happened) so I finally got someone who knew what they were doing to reset it for me.

 

So I went on praying that registration would still be open. It was so I signed right up (paying them $1000 dolls...) and when I go to log in for the online class site it brings me to the class for LAST YEAR.

 

I have the morning off tomorrow so I'll go down to the office and see if they can fix this.