The 10 Stages of Applying for Grad School
Start writing a post
Student Life

The 10 Stages of Applying for Grad School

Applications are hard, Internet articles with memes help

9
The 10 Stages of Applying for Grad School

Graduate school is daunting for a lot of reasons: possibly crippling student loans, huge life change, interviews, the question of what you are doing with your life, etc. The application process has it's own challenges

Aspire

The future looks full of possibility and potential, and you daydream of attending top schools. This is the stage where you Google pictures of Ivy League campuses, and maybe you look up the cost of real estate around your (reach) school. When thinking about where to apply, the sky is the limit! Harvard? Why not! Oxford? British and smart, so it sounds perfect! You tell yourself you are going to apply to 15 schools and all before the deadline. Aw, so cute…


Procrastinate

After an entire college career of experiencing the fall out procrastination - whether through all-nighters or poor test grades or the following inevitable rush and panic - you think you would have learned your lesson. After all, you’re a kind-of-adult applying for the serious investment of graduate school. But sadly you have not. You may have learned about gender in the Canterbury Tales or how to build a robot, but that caveman part of your brain refused to learn how not to procrastinate. For this reason, you find yourself watching yet another cat video on the Internet. Speaking of which...


Panic

You make to-do lists, map deadlines, and realize just how much you have to get done and how little time you have to do it. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?! Grab the brown paper bag and take some deep breaths.


Get to work

Panic does have one benefit, forced productivity. You are a whirlwind of statements of purpose, writing samples, begged letters of rec, and résumé edits.


Get realistic

Maybe that 2.9 GPA isn’t going to cut it for that Harvard application, but who cares! That’s one less application you have to do. At this point, that’s a victory in and of itself.


Panic again because deadlines

It turns out that procrastination has some serious, possibly life-altering consequences. Deadlines are in a month, then two weeks, and oh my goodness THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME!!!


Panic again because midterms and applications

So now that things are getting serious, life decides to hand give you the gift of midterms, and even if your professors insist it’s a celebration of learning, all you can see is the growing mountain of impossible tasks waiting to swallow you alive. But keep positive kids!


Power through because there is no other option

You plant yourself in the library or couch and you get it done. You write, you study, you send in countless seemingly insignificant pieces of academic and personal information, all while chugging espresso and devolving into an ever more hobo-like/crazy-mad-scientist-like state.


Cross the finish line

It’s the day before the deadline and you only applied to seven schools…OK, 6, but it’s over. You walk out of the library or emerge from your apartment and squint into the light. What is that and why so bright? Oh yeah, the sun. Good to see you again old friend.


Pass out in victorious exhaustion or break out your best happy dance

Go take a shower and collapse into bed with some Netflix, rejoin the social world, sleep, or do whatever it is you want to because you are FREE!!! (unlike graduate school)

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

A Beginner's Wine Appreciation Course

While I most certainly do not know everything, I feel like I know more than the average 21-year-old about vino, so I wrote this beginner's wine appreciate course to help YOU navigate the wine world and drink like a pro.

3255
White wine being poured into a glass
Pexels


Keep Reading...Show less
Types of ice cream

Who doesn't love ice cream? People from all over the world enjoy the frozen dessert, but different countries have their own twists on the classic treat.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

100 Reasons to Choose Happiness

Happy Moments to Brighten Your Day!

41208
A man with a white beard and mustache wearing a hat

As any other person on this planet, it sometimes can be hard to find the good in things. However, as I have always tried my hardest to find happiness in any and every moment and just generally always try to find the best in every situation, I have realized that your own happiness is much more important than people often think. Finding the good in any situation can help you to find happiness in some of the simplest and unexpected places.

Keep Reading...Show less
Christmas

Remember The True Meaning of Christmas

“Where are you Christmas? Why can’t I find you?”

8252
A painting of the virgin Mary, the baby Jesus, and the wise men

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year. Christmastime is a celebration, but have we forgotten what we are supposed to be celebrating? There is a reason the holiday is called Christmas. Not presentmas. Not Santamas. Not Swiftmas. Christmas.

boy standing in front of man wearing santa claus costume Photo by __ drz __ on Unsplash



What many people forget is that there is no Christmas without Christ. Not only is this a time to spend with your family and loved ones, it is a time to reflect on the blessings we have gotten from Jesus. After all, it is His birthday.


Keep Reading...Show less
Golden retriever sat on the sand with ocean in the background
Photo by Justin Aikin on Unsplash

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore my dog. I am constantly talking about my love for her. I attribute many of my dog's amazing qualities to her breed. She is a purebred Golden Retriever, and because of this I am a self-proclaimed expert on why these are the best pets a family could have. Here are 11 reasons why Goldens are the undisputed best dog breed in the world.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments