hedgequant Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 For reasons that still don't make complete sense to me, the FInance boards operate much differently than the Econ boards. But what I think we can all benefit from is a thread that is just a place to vent, get distracted, post funny things, etc. I am just about finished sending out all of my apps (14 in all) and now the excruciating waiting period begins. I know I'll be a bit of a neurotic mess between now and February (I pray that things start happening in February, or else I'll be even more of a mess), and so I thought creating a thread to help distract those of us who are applying this year would be helpful. I think it would be best to not post things like "have you heard anything from Harvard yet?" I wish I could just avoid the forums altogether, but since that is nearly impossible, perhaps we can benefit from a thread like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaSvoboden Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I like the idea. I am almost done with my 15 applications. Just have to touch up my statement of purpose for some of them and pay all of the fees. I have been a little nervous about this and may have read through the 108 pages of last year's waiting thread, just to get an idea on timing. February had some activity, but it looked like a lot of decisions weren't made until March. I figure I have 4 months before I actually know where I will live for 5 years. It's nice to see some people in the same boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainKing Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 I haven't been through the application grind, but whenever I feel superanxious, I just observe my breath. Breathe really slowly. Another technique which helps you stay mindful - Close your eyes, roll them up, focus them between your eyebrows, count backwards from 50. Doing this for 10 minutes is equivalent to getting an hour or two of sleep, they say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syous Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Yeah, I'm also in :) like YaSvoboden, I am almost done with the SOPs and I have 10 applications or so to send out. Overworrying as usual, but I guess that's pretty common. That said, how shall distract ourselves? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Yeah, I'm also in :) like YaSvoboden, I am almost done with the SOPs and I have 10 applications or so to send out. Overworrying as usual, but I guess that's pretty common. That said, how shall distract ourselves? :D My wife is flying to Dubai next week for a big product launch, and her luggage got lost on the way to Boston. This is barely an anecdote, but it is a 10 second distraction for those that read it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAmazingSteve Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 From what I hear of Dubai she's probably thrilled at the chance to do a little shopping! Time to put a dent in those grad school savings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittmic Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 This is funny, I just heard a story of a couple whose luggage was lost on the way to their honeymoon. The airline gave them a $1000 shopping card to a department store (can't remember which one), their luggage was promptly found and the airline let them keep the grand as a wedding gift, maybe your wife will have the same kind of luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 This is funny, I just heard a story of a couple whose luggage was lost on the way to their honeymoon. The airline gave them a $1000 shopping card to a department store (can't remember which one), their luggage was promptly found and the airline let them keep the grand as a wedding gift, maybe your wife will have the same kind of luck!! Actually, the luggage will be delivered to her hotel (allegedly) by 9pm, just after all the shops close, so if she risks the airline being true to their word, she might find out (too late) that she doesnt have any clothes for tomorrow :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 You’ve already made all the applications? I’m still working on the first draft of my SOP! You are really scaring me!!!! )and now the excruciating waiting period begins. Your profile is amazing and you shouldn't be worried at all. I should be terrified since my list overlaps with yours. I have always this nasty feeling that my recommenders are too optimistic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 You’ve already made all the applications? I’m still working on the first draft of my SOP! You are really scaring me!!!! Your profile is amazing and you shouldn't be worried at all. I should be terrified since my list overlaps with yours. I have always this nasty feeling that my recommenders are too optimistic... Well, I'm not going to tell you that there is nothing to be worried about, because 2 years ago I had a member of an ad comm tell me in person that "you'll get an offer somewhere" and I went 0-13. I feel good about the steps I've taken over the past 2 years to improve my profile above and beyond where I thought it could be, but I am 30, and geographical concerns ruled out many of the schools to which I wouldve applied, and so out of the 14 schools, only 6 are not in the generally accepted top-10. I will be worried and anxious until the first acceptance is in-hand, if it comes at all :/ As for still being on the draft of your SOP, I wouldn't worry about that. One of my letter writers used to run the ad comm at a top-25 school and said that they don't even think about looking at them until January at most places. So given that, and the fact that whether you finish your SOP 2 years ago or the night before the deadline, it doesn't matter, I wouldn't sweat it. Side note: my wife's luggage arrived at her hotel at 2am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/i-9Sc2cRV/0/L/i-9Sc2cRV-X3.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Well, I'm not going to tell you that there is nothing to be worried about, because 2 years ago I had a member of an ad comm tell me in person that "you'll get an offer somewhere" and I went 0-13. I feel good about the steps I've taken over the past 2 years to improve my profile above and beyond where I thought it could be, but I am 30, and geographical concerns ruled out many of the schools to which I wouldve applied, and so out of the 14 schools, only 6 are not in the generally accepted top-10. I will be worried and anxious until the first acceptance is in-hand, if it comes at all :/ The problem is that I don't know very well how the average applicant looks like. Economics students start to prepare PhD applications the first year of grad school, while it's quite uncommon for finance students (3-4 every year) to follow the academic route (M&A at JP Morgan is a much more lucrative one....). I hope that I’m underestimating my university brand name and my recommenders’ network…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 The problem is that I don't know very well how the average applicant looks like. Economics students start to prepare PhD applications the first year of grad school, while it's quite uncommon for finance students (3-4 every year) to follow the academic route (M&A at JP Morgan is a much more lucrative one....). I hope that I’m underestimating my university brand name and my recommenders’ network…. maybe you are maybe you aren't...my letters will be strong, but the overall "network" will be neutral for me...that's why you apply broadly. A 2% acceptance rate is much more likely to hit if you insert yourself into 15 of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Time will tell...... BTW, something funny http://freakonometrics.blog.free.fr/public/perso6/A4DPayQCIAEkV_B.png Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansrini Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 hedgequant : I remember you from 2010. We had similar profiles (industry experience etc) and I too went 0-14 or something like that. That's when I decided to break from work and enroll in a Masters program. Luckily that worked for me. So I am very sure it will turn out well for you this year - good luck buddy ! And to all you folks applying this year, hang in there - I know the wait can get stressful ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samil Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 hedgequant : I remember you from 2010. We had similar profiles (industry experience etc) and I too went 0-14 or something like that. That's when I decided to break from work and enroll in a Masters program. Luckily that worked for me. So I am very sure it will turn out well for you this year - good luck buddy ! And to all you folks applying this year, hang in there - I know the wait can get stressful ! Looks like I'm in the same boat as both of you, except that I'm applying to accounting. Applied two years ago, rejected by all I applied to, and enrolled in a master's. All the best to us! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrEgg Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Good luck to all of you! The wait is horrible, but it ends eventually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Good luck to all of you! The wait is horrible, but it ends eventually... The ending is not what makes it horrible....it's the experience of going 0-for-13 :) Thank you for the well-wishes though. A few more finalizations to apps and then I'm done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Also, for any nice person thinking I have nothing to worry about, one of my letter writers might have to back out after I've already submitted applications referencing his letter. He is my third referee and all I really need is an average letter from him (his reputation will mean a good deal), but now I'm struggling to make sure he can actually write it as he said he would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittmic Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Anybody else find it as nerve racking as I do to actually hit the submit button? I feel like I have control until that point, and then it's gone. Oh well. Distraction point: I had Gronkowski on my fantasy football team. Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted November 20, 2012 Author Share Posted November 20, 2012 Anybody else find it as nerve racking as I do to actually hit the submit button? I feel like I have control until that point, and then it's gone. Oh well. Distraction point: I had Gronkowski on my fantasy football team. Awesome. I find it terrifying and cathartic to hit send :) Strangely enough, I only am nervous when I do it for the schools in the 20-50 range. WIth the top schools, my attitude is "here I am, take me or leave me" Yo no soy fiesta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaSvoboden Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I've only actually managed to hit send on one app. The rest are just sitting there pretty much ready. After I sent that one in, I found a couple of glaring typos in my SoP. This has made me a little nervous for the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 (edited) Also, for any nice person thinking I have nothing to worry about, one of my letter writers might have to back out after I've already submitted applications referencing his letter. He is my third referee and all I really need is an average letter from him (his reputation will mean a good deal), but now I'm struggling to make sure he can actually write it as he said he would. Not a very nice behavior... This was actually my fear about my third referee (I have two very strong letters from quite young professors, the third one is the big shot), but he has already started to send letters! I find it terrifying and cathartic to hit send :) Strangely enough, I only am nervous when I do it for the schools in the 20-50 range. WIth the top schools, my attitude is "here I am, take me or leave me" In my case, the reason is that those schools are my target. Edited November 28, 2012 by Catguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 well, whoever had Dec 5th in the "When will HedgeQuant go to thegradcafe.com and look at the average notification times for schools to which he is applying" pool...you win. time to go for a run....Until January 20th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittmic Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 well, whoever had Dec 5th in the "When will HedgeQuant go to thegradcafe.com and look at the average notification times for schools to which he is applying" pool...you win. time to go for a run....Until January 20th. I shamefully have to admit that I did that as well, and it might have been in early November.. I'll join you on that run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts