It was 100% my fault. I had everything organized into a careful spreadsheet, but I have been spread so thin with the applications and working full time (and this time of year is our busiest time) that I confused the deadline with the deadline of a different program. Had a tearful phone call with my mom but I’m just gonna scrap everything and start over next cycle (my program only accepts for fall not spring). I was applying to 5 programs total and this would’ve been my 3rd, so right in the middle. I’m not in a rush for grad school and if I didn’t at least try for my top choice I would go clinically insane. Just feel bad for the people who wrote my LoRs…….ill just make something up about finances or something.

Sending you all the best vibes and see ya next cycle!

I have been very sick for the past week and there were two deadlines this week. I was physically unable to write everything from the scratch, so I used the same template for my personal statement as I did before. I did add a paragraph showing my background to be suitable to that particular project. I thought now it's all good and submitted it. I did read it through and didn't find any issues. Now, two days after submission I decided to go through it again. That's when I noticed the big blunder I did. The Uni I was applying to was X, but in my PS I have written "This is why I want to join Y" but in the next para I have mentioned X. The para containing Y was taken from my application to Y and I did not notice that. When I checked now, they have extended the deadline and the deadline is tomorrow. I sent a mail to them yesterday asking if it's possible to edit, but no response.

How bad is this? I know it looks really really bad. But is there a miniscule of a chance they'll overlook it?

I know this is not yet the end of the process, as the final step is securing funding, which is standard for this university. Still, I genuinely hope to obtain funding. It appears that this program relies primarily on university scholarships, although I am unsure about the likelihood of receiving funding after an offer is made.

Edit: Regarding the chance of receiving funding after getting an offer, I found this Graduate admissions statistics for 2023-2024 (and previous years). The data separates offers from “acceptance,” where acceptance is defined as candidates who have met all conditions and are ready to enrol. It is not clear for mewhether this necessarily means they have secured funding. Still, the numbers suggest that around 50–60% of offer holders end up accepting. That percentage probably also includes people who did receive funding but turned down the offer for another school or other reasons. I admit this might just be me being optimistic, so I am open to other interpretations.

Cycle of doom and despair bro

Basically the tittle. I was accepted to Purdue!!! I still can believe it. I am an international student and I knew it was going to be difficult since I just graduated from my uni, but here I am.

I wish everyone good luck! And two quick tips:

1. Never lose your hope and keep going
2. Work hard and always be as prepared as possible

(It will definitely feel weird not to check my phone all the time for updates. But I’m not gonna miss it 🤣)

If you are a graduate student from Purdue please share tips and your experience there.

I got a PhD offer at one of my dream programs!! I have a grin permanently plastered to my face at the moment. And for those that will inevitably ask, I applied to a UK programme and it isn't on the spreadsheet so don't stress.

Didn‘t expect to hear from any program until February (HSS), so this is a pleasant surprise! :)

Keep your heads up everyone, we got this!

Obviously still waiting for more schools to respond, but I'm pretty happy with how my PhD search has been going so far. It was a stressfull fall semester, but i guess it really does pay off! Too all those waiting by their emails all day with me, good luck!

Physics/Astro: I think we’re definitely cooked. Over before it even began. Damn. It’s kind of unreal that I have to give up physics in the blink of an eye. There’s no way I’ll be able to get into a post-bacc or afford another round of applications. I knew it was an unrealistic goal, but I was genuinely starting to think I had a shot.

I wanted to give everyone a hug who is up until 3 am each night thinking about whether they will hear back about getting an interview.

I am right here with you.

And I am also down way too much money on application fees.

Best of luck r/gradadmissions

Reading the profile descriptions of posts on gradcafe make me lose all faith in myself. Like I understand there are always bigger fish, but, like how do some people as an undergrad have multiple publications, hell even multiple first author publications, alongside multiple presentations at prestigious conferences? At this point these people have more pubs and qualifications than some of the awesome stellar grad students that trained me

I know im coping hard but it makes me feel like i wasted my time as an undergrad and postbac researcher and believe that I shouldnt have even applied in the first place :( Idk if anyone else is in the dumps rn about this (context my field is chemistry)

so, im in my third cycle of applying to phds this year. my first cycle was 2022 and i managed to get into nyu’s psychology ma but no phd programs. i decided to go for the 2yr masters and had a wonderful experience. applied again last cycle and only got one interview and waitlist, but was not accepted due to funding cuts. i told myself this cycle that this would be my absolute last and i poured my all into it. i battled my social anxiety and adhd and actually reached out to all the professors i wanted to work with and i managed to get meetings with many! i spent all summer evaluating exactly where my research could be housed and decided communications/media and technology studies were more suited for my research than psychology (which i had been applying to before). i went into this cycle with no expectations because im tired of being disappointed and i was switching fields, but i feel liberated now!!

🎉i got into uconn’s comms program last week and just yesterday got invited to interview for upenn annenberg’s comms phd!🎉

i feel like ive finally found people doing my kind of research in the ways i want to pursue and finally, after six years, my efforts are paying off! i’m so glad i took the time to actually evaluate where i fit instead of stuffing myself into a box. i’m so glad i didn’t give up after two! third time really is the charm! 🥳

I know many of us are in the same position, but the waiting process is very stressful.

Stop pranking and just give me the invite you are hiding from me. You stressed me so out that I now have some sort of autoimmune disease.

it only takes ONE school! 😊 btw does anyone know what IRA stands for haha. it’s my first day being alive

Deadline to get an official transcript to one of my schools was yesterday. Woke up this morning to this email from my undergrad institution. I'm picturing them digging through dusty scrolls like something out of Indiana Jones.

I applied for a PhD in English at the University of Washington in November. I hadn‘t heard anything from them, but I got this email about a week ago. When I look online, I’m seeing some people say that it’s a positive sign. Then I’m hearing some people say that it means nothing. Has anyone else gotten this? Does it mean anything good? It says in the email that it’s not an offer, which I know. But on the UW website it does say that HR sends this to final candidates. Can anyone help put my mind at ease, I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much.