moneyandcredit Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) Yeah, it seems like you're doing it backwards. Usually, one aims high the first year, and includes reaches the following year only if shut out the first time around. (EDIT: Somehow I forgot what "reach" means for a second. Nothing to see here. Move along.) Edited August 14, 2013 by moneyandcredit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm_member Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 Yeah, it seems like you're doing it backwards. Usually, one aims high the first year, and includes reaches the following year only if shut out the first time around. Reaches = high Target = realistic Safety = low I think you misread the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgequant Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 If anyone is curious, Google Ads informs me that the dream of a lifetime can be achieved at Grand Canyon University...just a thought. Also, I recommend freaking out NOW, but only because yesterday has already passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyrtap22 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Just took my GRE this morning and really satisfied with my score! Narrowing down my list of schools hopefully by tonight! Where's everyone thinking of applying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HungryGriot Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Lurked around for about a year, learned a lot. Time to go for Fall '14. Good luck everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 How many schools is everyone applying to? I was slightly surprised to learn that 8 is too few! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catrina Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Eight is way too few. Last year I applied to 12, IIRC, and that was too few. I am still unsure of how many I will apply to, and that number will likely depend on how I do in the PhD micro class I am taking at a top-25 this semester. If I do well enough that I can be pretty sure that I will get in (or if I get such a feeling from my professor there), I may apply to fewer schools. Otherwise I am planning on applying to around 20 schools. Twenty is on the high side but I have a very noisy profile (much more so than last year), so I'm really unsure of where I will end up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HungryGriot Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Methinks I'll apply to about 12..Regionally want to be East Coast or Southeast so that's an immediate filter for me, another being realistic expectations ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeefan Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Eight is way too few. Last year I applied to 12, IIRC, and that was too few. I am still unsure of how many I will apply to, and that number will likely depend on how I do in the PhD micro class I am taking at a top-25 this semester. If I do well enough that I can be pretty sure that I will get in (or if I get such a feeling from my professor there), I may apply to fewer schools. Otherwise I am planning on applying to around 20 schools. Twenty is on the high side but I have a very noisy profile (much more so than last year), so I'm really unsure of where I will end up. That's a ridiculous amount. IIRC you will be sending 3 different transcripts for each school no? Plus application fees & GREs reporting fees? That's some serious mulah. I would imagine 8-10 for the super confident with exceptional profiles, 10-12 for the above average & ~15 apps for everybody else. Cost will probably vary with regards to transcripts, since some (most?) schools allow you to upload an unofficial copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Thanks guys, this is really helpful. I had been planning to apply to 12 and thought that was on the high side, but I've been categorically proven wrong. That's fine. Time to burn some more money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
to2012 Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 For someone with financial resources it is totally reasonable to apply to ~20 schools. The difference of cost between applying to 10 schools and spending $1000-$1200 and applying to 20 and spending double that is far, far less than sitting on the sidelines for a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catrina Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 That's a ridiculous amount. IIRC you will be sending 3 different transcripts for each school no? Plus application fees & GREs reporting fees? That's some serious mulah. I would imagine 8-10 for the super confident with exceptional profiles, 10-12 for the above average & ~15 apps for everybody else. Cost will probably vary with regards to transcripts, since some (most?) schools allow you to upload an unofficial copy. Actually, I thankfully have a relative who volunteered to pay all application costs, so the only cost to me is the opportunity cost of my time. (I paid my own way during college for everything that scholarships didn't cover, so don't think that I am ridiculously spoiled. Also, those of you who know my quite unusual situation will know that I am not). And I actually need to send four transcripts to each school. Twenty really does seem to high, but my profile is really so noisy that I don't have a clear range to target. I'm worried about simply finding the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catrina Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 For someone with financial resources it is totally reasonable to apply to ~20 schools. The difference of cost between applying to 10 schools and spending $1000-$1200 and applying to 20 and spending double that is far, far less than sitting on the sidelines for a year. And this is my second application season already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Actually isn't there another (hidden) cost? That your LOR writers might be less than happy to have to write to so many different schools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catrina Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Actually isn't there another (hidden) cost? That your LOR writers might be less than happy to have to write to so many different schools? I actually asked my adviser about that, and he said it is not a problem since once the letter is written, it isn't a big deal to send it to more schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Great! I guess I will clarify it with my LOR writers then. I will make the point that if I get shut out due to applying to too few schools, they will have to write me letters AGAIN the next year. That should convince them (unless they operate on pitilessly high discount rates). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam12 Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Just talk to them about your app list - I would be surprised if they see a few more as a problem. Remember: your letter writers have been through this process, too. When I originally talked to one of my professors about applying to PhD programs, he supplied me with a list of nearly 20 programs to consider. I talked with another professor after narrowing my list down to 10, and he suggested another program to add. So, not only will your letter writers most likely not mind submitting a few more letters, they could have some good suggestions for programs to consider that you may have initially overlooked. Great! I guess I will clarify it with my LOR writers then. I will make the point that if I get shut out due to applying to too few schools, they will have to write me letters AGAIN the next year. That should convince them (unless they operate on pitilessly high discount rates). That's fine, but remember the mercilessness of hyperbolic discounting. Edited September 5, 2013 by adam12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setsanto Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Did my GRE on Thursday, and my preliminary scores were good! 167Q 160V, with a 2 week wait for AWA and final scores. I'm hoping for a 5.0 on the AWA! Does anyone know if preliminary scores tend to change much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulebrahim Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Did my GRE on Thursday, and my preliminary scores were good! 167Q 160V, with a 2 week wait for AWA and final scores. I'm hoping for a 5.0 on the AWA! Does anyone know if preliminary scores tend to change much? from experience it doesn't change much.In the new GRE mine didn't change but in the old format my math went down by 10 points which is equivalent to about 1 point in the new format I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catrina Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Mine stayed the same both times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutto Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 One of my recommenders did not like most of my safety schools (i.e., UNM). He suggested that I re-apply the following year if I am not accepted into one of the better schools this round. For those of you trying again for 2014, what are your thoughts on this advice? Were you in the prior attempt accepted into some safety school but rejected the acceptance to re-apply to your top choices? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insti Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 One of my recommenders did not like most of my safety schools (i.e., UNM). He suggested that I re-apply the following year if I am not accepted into one of the better schools this round. For those of you trying again for 2014, what are your thoughts on this advice? Were you in the prior attempt accepted into some safety school but rejected the acceptance to re-apply to your top choices? i think it is pointless to apply to schools you will not be happy going to. Having said that, you should apply only to schools you will be happy to enroll in if no better school has accepted you, not to schools your adviser would not be happy you go to. If you think you will be happy with UNM if no better school accepted you then go for it. Your professors can give you valuable advice and you should listen to them, but be aware that a lot of the profs may overestimate your chances of admission. There have been plenty of people on this forum whose professors thought they will place much better than they did. This is especially true if your profs have not been directly involved with the admissions process for some time since it has been getting more and more competitive with every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBZ Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 (edited) Good advice. Actually it may not be a bad thing if your LOR writer over-estimates your chances, since it indicates that your LOR writer thinks highly of you and that can only help your letter. But it's wise not to rely on them completely when it comes to school choice. (It's odd: whenever I writer L-O-R, TM auto-converts it to letter of recommendation.) Edited September 11, 2013 by NBZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeefan Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Good advice. Actually it may not be a bad thing if your LOR writer over-estimates your chances, since it indicates that your LOR writer thinks highly of you and that can only help your letter. But it's wise not to rely on them completely when it comes to school choice. (It's odd: whenever I writer L-O-R, TM auto-converts it to letter of recommendation.) Try typing p-p-l without the dashes and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ms484 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Yes when you try to add a p-s at the end of your statement it translates to personal statement. also hhahahahahahaha on the p-p-l Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.