Going crazy waiting :(

[Kalika]

Hey everyone...

I just need some coping advice.

 

I am waiting to hear back from grad schools. I have no idea how long that will take, hopefully by the end of April I'll hear back from them. In the meantime, I'm going nuts. I am terrified about what will happen if I don't get in, because then I'll have to completely rethink my career choice. (I applied to 2 schools, one is wayyyy cheaper so if I don't get into that school, I don't know if I'll go to the 2nd one or not. The 2nd school's program isn't as good as the first & less expensive school).

 

To top it off, I'm looking for a summer job, and that's a waiting game, too. I keep contacting people about nanny positions, and then waiting to hear back.. So far, no calls or emails returned. This is driving me craaazzzzzzzzy!!

 

Any tips on how to get through these next few months???

[rpare001]

I wouldn't sweat grad school too much, keep this in mind, most students who apply for undergrad are applying because their parents want them to, but people who apply to grad school generally do it of their own initiative to further their education, and thereforeeee grad school are much more likely to take a chance on a student, because they know they are making a commitment to be a good student

[bouldersweden]

The guy above me is dead on. Besides, not getting into grad school doesn't mean they're going to chop off your legs (meaning it’s not the end of the world). I know this is hard not to do, but PLEASE don't hang your self worth on formal academics. I'm not knocking school, my parents are both professors, but the whole system really does thrive on making people think they are inferior. Don't buy that junk. Professors and administration people at universities are rarely of superior intelligence, they just got a job that pays them to take summers off. If you get in to grad school AWESOME, but if you don't just regroup and figure out another way to get the credentials you need.

[Kalika]

Hey thanks for the replies

 

I probably should have mentioned that me feeling "inferior" really isn't the issue.. I have a child and I'm trying to get grad school over with as quickly as possible so that I can make some decent income. Money is tight as I have been a full time student for the last 6 years.

 

For the last 4 years I have focused on attending this one school an hour away (my top choice) and the biggest problem is, if I don't get accepted to either of these (they are both law schools) then I don't know what on earth I'm going to do with the rest of my life, because that's what I've focused on for the last 6 years.

[rpare001]

Well don't panic, take it one step at a time, if you don't get into either of your top two choices for law school, you could try to work as a paralegal, a few of my friends are paralegals, and they make very good money, I don't know what your financial situation is like, but that would probably help get you through the transition of having to cover school and living costs

[mintblossom]

how many times can we apply to the same grad program? is there a limit?

[rpare001]

I don't think theres a limit... I don't see why they would reject your application money, seeing as how universities are these days

[Kalika]

I think you can reapply several times, but to be a serious candidate you have to show that something drastic has changed (ie. a higher test score, work experience, etc).

[karvala]

The guy above me is dead on. Besides, not getting into grad school doesn't mean they're going to chop off your legs (meaning it’s not the end of the world). I know this is hard not to do, but PLEASE don't hang your self worth on formal academics. I'm not knocking school, my parents are both professors, but the whole system really does thrive on making people think they are inferior. Don't buy that junk. Professors and administration people at universities are rarely of superior intelligence, they just got a job that pays them to take summers off. If you get in to grad school AWESOME, but if you don't just regroup and figure out another way to get the credentials you need.

 

Both of your parents are professors, and you still think that professors get to take the summer off, just because we're not teaching? You've never heard of research? Writing books and papers, attending conferences, giving guest lectures, running experiments, analysing data, building models, procuring and configuring new equipment etc. etc.. YOU may get the summer off, but your professors don't. Trust me.

[bouldersweden]

I should have clarified... They're both English professors. Besides the odd summer course and interdepartmental scrum they don't do much in the summer. I understand where you're coming from, especially in the science field. But I would guess that professors who work 60+ hours a week, when not teaching, are not there because they have to be. I'm also not saying that professors are lazy. My point is that the education system is based on making people feel a certain way about themselves and personally I think it's garbage.