So you have started to hear back from your chosen schools. Some said yes, some said no. No worries because you have chosen a variety of good schools, all of which you would gladly continue your education at. Let’s say you have two schools from the same tier that have both sent you an offer. How do you choose? Well if you haven’t visited the campuses yet, now would be the perfect time to go. Every brochure is going to show you the best the area has to offer but sometimes the parts you don’t see can make or break the deal. Depending on your budget and number of choices, you may be looking to make a number of trips. I suggest trying to narrow down your options as much as you can before buying plane tickets. Aim to get down to 2 schools and if you can’t choose between them then visit them both. You can inform the department you are coming or maybe they have an open house. You will either have a structured or unstructured visit. There are pros and cons to both but at the end of the day when you leave the visit you will have a gut feeling of if you could spend the next half of a decade at that school and not only be happy but prosper both academically, professionally and socially.
Tag Archives: confidence
So you have applied, now what?
Congrats you have sent off all of your applications. You have paid your fees and jumped all hoops. So one last question remains, now what do you do? There are two very different options. You can begin your preparations if you plan on moving in the summer. That is the fun and studious option. Personally I’d suggest you ENJOY THE END OF UNDERGRAD! wooo congrats you made it. The grades you will get the final semester will most likely not destroy your graduate school chances (although I wouldn’t suggest testing it). This is your chance to finally relax while still at your soon to be alma mater. You cant really specifically prepare for graduate school because you don’t know exactly where you are going yet and you don’t have the tension in your shoulders from getting piles of forms and transcripts together. Yes you are stuck in the blissful window of waiting. Reconnect with friends if you have been distant, find out what other people’s future plans are…or don’t. But whatever you do just relax and let your past efforts dictate your future. Good luck
Funding Blues
Folks, I’ve got the funding blues. There’s nothing that takes the spring out of your step quite like a rejection letter. It’s enough to make even a beautiful spring day like today turn sour. So since we’re talking about funding this month, I thought it was time for some advice on what to do when you get that email:
First things first – give yourself a little time to feel like lousy. It’s not fun getting turned down. It’s especially not fun when you really really wanted it. And it’s even worse when someone else you know succeeded while you did not. So it’s okay to spend a little time wallowing in grief over the lost opportunity and seeking comforting words from people who care about you. But the emphasis here is on a little time. I wouldn’t waste a full day on it, because next up you need to remember these things:
1. This is not a reflection of your self worth, intelligence, ability, or future success and awesome achievement. You are worthy, intelligent, and able. And you will be successful and achieve awesome things.
2. Every grant or other opportunity you apply for is a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes the wrong person sees it, or maybe your topic isn’t quite timely. Even if your application could use some improvement, very rarely does a rejection letter mean it was terrible.
3. It takes a lot of applications to succeed. Some professors will say you have to apply for seven grants before you receive one. Some say you have to apply for ten. So rather than think of a rejection as a failure, think of yourself as just crossing off one of those necessary bullets that everyone has to bite before they score big.
If you can remember these three things, you’ll spend less time with the funding blues and more time finding new opportunities. So once you’ve shaken off that “rejection letter funk,” go back to your mentor for some more guidance, revisit some of the excellent advice that the other emissaries have provided this month, and attack your next application without fear – because one little letter has no place impeding your journey!
Faculty Mentor(s).
An honest approach to seeking out a faculty mentor is to consider the impact of having several faculty mentors. I am currently in the process of forming my dissertation committee and so I see how this can be applied in a practical manner. My advisor recently alluded to this in that accessing critical feedback and understanding its worth will enhance my training as a future faculty member. Keep in mind a critical key to developing into a well-rounded scholar and a professional is actively engaging in opportunities to form meaningful connections with your colleagues and faculty alike.
For a great follow-up and a little bit of inspiration you should check out the featured articles on the concept of having confidence in your individual abilities and their relation to accessing invaluable support in graduate school. Enjoy!
Article Source: http://sacnas.org/about/stories/sacnas-news
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