Which is the most annoying part of the application process?

[trani]

So I have been sitting in front of a blank page about to start my Statement of Purpose for a few days now , but I can't seem to be able to actually start writing anything

Given what I have been through so far then, I can conclude that the most annoying part of the process is writing the statement.

Lets see if you ppls agree...

[casaubon]

I voted for filling out the application. Each school has its own system, and there is just so much you have to fill out. Then you have to double- and triple-check everything to make sure you didn't make a mistake. The whole process ends up taking way more time than it should, particularly if you want to apply to several schools.

I don't think writing the statement of purpose is too bad. I've been tossing things around in my mind for awhile now. I'm finding it enlightening to try to summarize my previous work in a meaningful way.

[secander2!]

I definitely agree... the SOP sucks! Especially since the prompts for many of the different schools differ quite substantially. Also, as a physics/math person (duh!), I want everything to be perfect like a mathematical proof, but there is no perfect formula for writing and so I end up writing about 10 completely different drafts before finally getting too tired and just picking the best one.

For me the PGRE studying was also really annoying; although I kind of enjoyed taking the actual test (please nobody kill me for this) because I knew that the worst part of the process was about to be over.

[coreycwgriffin]

I started my Statement about a week ago. Luckily, one of the professors in my department actually got her Ph.D. in "History of Science", so she knows good written work and has helped me refine it lately.

I'd say the most troublesome part of the process for me so far was the General GRE. Had to drive about 130 miles to the nearest computer testing center, my car battery died while I was there and I had to call roadside assistance because my backup jumpstart pack was dead also. Then on the way home there was a fluke October snow storm and I got stuck in 6 inches of snow. Had to sleep in my car in a parking lot that night. Not fun.

[quizivex]

@coreycwgriffin
Wow, that's about as awful a GRE experience there can be... but at least you got to take the test and most of the drama came afterward. Makes me feel lucky that my computer and subject test centers were close by.

I had serious trouble writing my SOP, but I'd have to say the most annoying part is the recs since they're beyond our control both in terms of what they write and when(if) they submit them. Transcripts aren't a problem, as long as you send them early enough, since you can check to make sure they arrived before the deadline.

But no matter what I did, I knew some prof would wait until last minute. I'm quite lucky I was always down the hall from their offices so I could pop my head in once in a while, or otherwise it could have been worse... I can't imagine trying to get a rec from someone far away like an REU supervisor.

I had assumed at least that since Stanford's app was due Dec 11, 3 days before any of the others, that it would at least force them to get the rest in on time in case they were late with Stanford and I confronted them. Two of my profs sent all of theirs in before the 11th, but one of them did each individual rec last minute, which made me bite my nails through the whole process.

He actually had forgotten that Stanford was due the 11th (even though I had written all the info in a packet for him). If I hadn't reminded him he would'nt have done it. Instead of doing them all that day with Stanford's, he did each of them the day before their due date, except the last two, which were due on Jan 1st... I don't think he would've gotten those two in if I hadn't sent him a desperate e-mail the morning of the due date. He submitted those 3 hours before.

[secander2!]

Wow, Stanford just has to be obnoxious don't they? This year most of the other top-10 have deadlines on Dec 15 except Stanford which has its deadline on Dec 16. Bizarre!!!

[trani]

I must have revised my personal statement like 10 times by now and I haven't even started writing the paragraph that would be customized for each school.

[secander2!]

That's still better than me: I wrote the first draft of my personal statement, felt like it came out pretty good, and then lost all motivation!!! It's neither revised nor customized

[twistor]

To quote Tom Petty, "the waiting is the hardest part."

[sirius]

how about application fees? makes me sick when i look at how much money ets took too.

[xudis149]

There should be an option for "waiting for result"

[Helio]

i dunno the SOP seemed easy for me (my first one was due Nov. 1st). I just wrote something, gave it to a couple profs to approve and then send it through a couple english majors for correction and then just tagged on a generic paragraph for every school. I think the really worst part was trying to get one of my recommenders to write the letters and the amount of money i spend on this bullshit.

[nonick]

i dunno the SOP seemed easy for me (my first one was due Nov. 1st). I just wrote something, gave it to a couple profs to approve and then send it through a couple english majors for correction and then just tagged on a generic paragraph for every school. I think the really worst part was trying to get one of my recommenders to write the letters and the amount of money i spend on this bullshit.

Agreed. For my SOP I just locked myself in a room in the library on one Saturday morning and vowed to not leave until I have a finished draft. After that I just spent some time editing and proofreading, then gave it to one of my professors and couple of my friends for a critique, and that was pretty much it. All in all, about 3-4 days. It wasn't fun but was definitely not the most painful part of the application process.
I think for me that was worrying that my prof-s won't send their letters of recommendations on time. All of them sent them at the last minute.

[slugger]

My SOP was brutal. it took me over 6 weeks to finish the first draft (i had put the date in the header). The final version took about 3 more weeks of editing and revising. I feel like a learned a lot doing it though, cause a few weeks later i banged out an SOP for the girlfriend in like 20 minutes.

[meowful]

a few weeks later i banged out an SOP for the girlfriend in like 20 minutes.

Wow, your girlfriend required a statement of purpose? Intense! I usually just ask for a transcript and resume.

[twistor]

Sometimes I wish I were dyslexic:

"a few weeks later i banged out an girlfriend for the SOP in like 20 minutes."