I bet a lot of you are in the same boat as me right now, tearing your hair out while you withstand the agonizing wait that universities put you through while they process applications.

I have applied to computer science PhD programs and fellowships, and am now waiting for the responses. Vent here, fellow grad school applicants, because I know you want to. And to those who have applied to undergrad programs, you can join the party too.

AHHHH my app is imba but it definitely has a weak point (GRE scores) which scares me.

Antipathy

United States222 Posts

January 15 2009 04:45 GMT

Just curious, what schools did you apply to?

strongwind

United States862 Posts

January 15 2009 04:47 GMT

On a semi-related note, job searching after grad school is also a pain. I'm tearing my hair out atm.

AcrossFiveJulys

United States3612 Posts

January 15 2009 04:50 GMT

On January 15 2009 13:45 DaleKim25 wrote:
Just curious, what schools did you apply to?

Stanford, Berkeley, Cal Tech, and U Michigan. I should have applied to more, but a lot of the apps were due during last quarter and I didn't have time.

Carnivorous Sheep

Baa?21242 Posts

January 15 2009 04:51 GMT

Well, I'm an undergrad applicant. Also painful.

The Waiting Game is a very uncool guy >.<

-huddles in a corner-

nAi.PrOtOsS

Canada784 Posts

January 15 2009 04:53 GMT

OMg my marks are toss ups what if I don't get into anything?

cgrinker

United States3824 Posts

January 15 2009 05:00 GMT

then you are going to junior college

Quesadilla

United States1814 Posts

January 15 2009 05:03 GMT

I'm studying for my GMAT right now... It sucks dude... I only need a 620 and admissions said I had a really high chance of getting in, so that helps a ton even though I'm an undergrad.

AcrossFiveJulys

United States3612 Posts

January 15 2009 05:10 GMT

OMg my marks are toss ups what if I don't get into anything?

You'll get in somewhere =] hopefully you at least applied to a backup school or two!

I'm studying for my GMAT right now... It sucks dude... I only need a 620 and admissions said I had a really high chance of getting in, so that helps a ton even though I'm an undergrad.

Where are you applying to? I feel your pain, studying for those tests is the biggest annoyance/waste of time ever invented.

IzzyCraft

United States4487 Posts

January 15 2009 05:13 GMT

#10

Standford Cal Tech lol best chances are with Berkley i just hope you have a lame duck school that is auto in like a state college.

Athos

United States2484 Posts

January 15 2009 05:17 GMT

#11

On January 15 2009 14:13 IzzyCraft wrote:
Standford Cal Tech lol best chances are with Berkley i just hope you have a lame duck school that is auto in like a state college.

I have that with Penn state LOL

Waiting to hear from Brandeis and Lehigh.

AcrossFiveJulys

United States3612 Posts

January 15 2009 05:26 GMT

#12

On January 15 2009 14:13 IzzyCraft wrote:
Standford Cal Tech lol best chances are with Berkley i just hope you have a lame duck school that is auto in like a state college.

FYI, for CS PhD programs, Berkeley and Stanford are tied for #1 (with MIT and CMU) according to the usnews ranking, which is primarily based on endowments. Cal tech and U Michigan are both top 10 but not quite S class.

And yeah, I do have a lower ranked school (Around #50 I think) as a backup, but my real backup is a full time offer from a good company.

benjammin

United States2728 Posts

January 15 2009 05:27 GMT

#13

i applied to 21 grad programs ;_;

wait, wait, wait

AcrossFiveJulys

United States3612 Posts

January 15 2009 05:31 GMT

#14

On January 15 2009 14:27 benjammin wrote:
i applied to 21 grad programs ;_;

wait, wait, wait

My god... med school I presume? I can't imagine applying to that many, takes too much time and distracts from coursework/research you know?

benjammin

United States2728 Posts

January 15 2009 05:33 GMT

#15

even worse, mfa programs in creative writing

i took the top 20 schools and applied to them all, plus 1 safety school

the admissions process can be so random in mfa programs that you have to hedge your bets

sadly, i ended up spending almost $1500 in application fees

OneOther

United States10774 Posts

January 15 2009 05:48 GMT

#16

UNDERGRAD

haha sup rob

shavingcream66

United States1219 Posts

January 15 2009 06:00 GMT

#17

undergrad for me...waiting for UC's and USC responses in late march/early april

can't wait for those rejection letters

United States6173 Posts

January 15 2009 06:15 GMT

#18

I remember those undergrad apps...those were pain in the ass just to complete. I totally stopped giving a shit after I submitted them...

...then got worked up again as more and more denial letters came in...T_T.

I didn't even get accepted into UCI when my dad WORKED THERE AS A PROFESSOR. That was bullshit.

LosingID8

CA10828 Posts

January 15 2009 06:38 GMT

#19

On January 15 2009 15:00 shavingcream66 wrote:
undergrad for me...waiting for UC's and USC responses in late march/early april

can't wait for those rejection letters

USC letters can come as early as late january/early feb, so you might not have to wait for TOO long if you're lucky

LosingID8

CA10828 Posts

January 15 2009 06:39 GMT

#20

On January 15 2009 14:17 Athos wrote:

Show nested quote +

I have that with Penn state LOL

Waiting to hear from Brandeis and Lehigh.

you don't want to go to penn state. or any big10 school for undergrad, for that matter lol jk

HeavOnEarth

United States7087 Posts

January 15 2009 07:16 GMT

#21

*rides the USC rejection boat*
weeeeeeeeeeeeee

Polar_Nada

United States1548 Posts

January 15 2009 07:25 GMT

#22

UCs only. woohoo!

too lazy to apply anywhere else >.>

Xeris

Iran17695 Posts

January 15 2009 07:39 GMT

#23

applying to law school next year FTW~

zer0das

United States8519 Posts

January 15 2009 08:00 GMT

#24

I applied to 7 chemistry graduate programs... most of them haven't hit their deadlines yet though, and a couple of professors are still finishing up their letters of recommendation. I figure it'll be another month or two before I hear anything. Fortunately I've grown used to wasting my time away...

ieatkids5

United States4628 Posts

January 15 2009 10:00 GMT

#25

Graduate admissions sounds like a tough process. how does it compare to undergrad? I just finished all my undergrad apps (10 schools total) and am so relieved, but it's gonna be one hell of a wait for the decisions to arrive.

benjammin

United States2728 Posts

January 15 2009 10:35 GMT

#26

it depends on the program, but it is typically insanely hard

for example, i applied to u of texas, and they got 750 applications for 10 total spots, not the best acceptance rate

the GRE is also pretty tricky in its difficulty, the math is a total breeze but the verbal can be unfair at times, luckily i lucked my way into a near perfect score :D

unfortunately for me, the importance of the GRE <<<<<<<<<< the importance of SAT

nataziel

Australia1455 Posts

January 15 2009 11:22 GMT

#27

Interestingly enough, the first round of university offers in queensland were made today and I was offered a place in a double degree bachelor of engineering (electrical)/ Bachelor of mathematics.

Don't know if I'm going to accept yet.

micronesia

United States24676 Posts

January 15 2009 11:38 GMT

#28

I practically strolled right in to my grad program but being science education helped tremendously :p

rredtooth

5459 Posts

January 15 2009 11:41 GMT

#29

Woot. This is why you do Early Decision (undergrad).
You get to sit back and watch other stress out while you sing hakuna matata.

zer0das

United States8519 Posts

January 15 2009 13:01 GMT

#30

On January 15 2009 19:00 ieatkids5 wrote:
Graduate admissions sounds like a tough process. how does it compare to undergrad? I just finished all my undergrad apps (10 schools total) and am so relieved, but it's gonna be one hell of a wait for the decisions to arrive.

I don't even remember undergraduate applications (aside from taking the ACT/SAT)... graduate applications are a bit more work, but it's nothing too bad. Although I'm thinking chances of getting in are a bit lower.

KOFgokuon

United States14893 Posts

January 15 2009 15:38 GMT

#31

you always stress about graduate applications, until that first letter comes in, and then it's free sailing from there
the good thing about graduate programs is that you always hear pretty early, because people need to schedule visitation weekends
unfortunately due to the down economy, a lot of programs are going to be taking smaller classes than normal, for a number of factors including having less money to recruit students, having less funding for various projects, etc. I know that's an issue with my program, but it doesn't sound like anyone is applying to MIT Chem E grad

Good luck!

zer0das

United States8519 Posts

January 21 2009 17:01 GMT

#32

Well, I wasn't really expecting a response so early, but KU has accepted me into their chemistry graduate program. Most departments are a ways off from meeting, so this was a bit unexpected. So that means my undergraduate education wasn't a complete waste!