jdhooghe's Blog

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jdhooghe
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Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:28 pm

jdhooghe's Blog

Post by jdhooghe » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:02 am

Wow, a frickin' blog...crazy. Anywho, here I am, on March 4th, still hoping for an acceptance while finishing up E&M homework and putting off grading. Like most Michigan applicants, I heard back from them a week or so ago and it, like most others, stung. Michigan was my dream school; it had courses that fit my interests(High-energy theory) and research that was very, very cool. I am also not holding up much hope for admission into Rutgers. One of my professors, despite frequent reminders all throughout December, finally told me a day after the application was due that he was too busy and that he never consented to write me a letter in the first place. Talk about jaw-dropping. I ended up sending him an email with his "yes" response attached to it(I also got a verbal yes too) just to rub it in his face. Our student-mentor relationship hasn't changed but I still feel akward around him sometimes in that I remember how he let me down. My roommate has been accepted to both U.C. Santa Cruz and Florida state while I am still 0-1(Out of seven schools). My normally very cheerful mood has been gradually fading despite being on "happy pills" for my severe anxiety. I keep imagining myself working at McDonalds(even though I know it's not productive) and having dreams of great physicists mocking how my best wasn't good enough(I am dead serious). I curse ETS and anxiety everyday . I really do hope my frequent e-mail/snail-mail checks pay off soon. Since my sentence content is becoming more and more fragmented I will sign off for now. Davis is apparently sending out it's second wave this week so I hope I get an offer tomorrow. You will definately know if I do. Hell, I am literally going to dance down my department's hallways and give each of my professors a hug(Once again, I am dead serious) if I do. I am so used to life shitting on me that it would be nice to see the blue sky again...hopefully that day will occur sometime this week.

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jdhooghe
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Re: jdhooghe's Blog

Post by jdhooghe » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:50 pm

Well, obviously Davis didn't send out any acceptances in agreement with my source. I am still waiting to hear from them. I heard from Stony Brook the other day, and didn't get in(big surprise). I also got desperate and emailed the head of admissions at Rutgers. He told me that I would likely not get in due to my weak G.R.E. scores. There have been others with my subject score that have gotten in so I am sure he meant my general G.R.E score. Oy...that test pisses me off. As some of you know, I re-took that test because those damn computer screens gave me a headache. You know how that resulted? E.T.S probably shat themeselves with glee that their test was somehow "accurate." I...got...the...exact....same....score on both portions; although I did get one point higher on my essays. 460V/680Q....what the hell is wrong with me? You'd think that being able to ace all my upper division physics courses and most of my math courses(Those that I didn't were taught by douchebags) would indicate that my ability in math was great. I am still trying to figure out why I didn't ace the math portion of that 45min. test...I can understand my verbal score since I don't go out of my way to learn the definition of "Gregarious" and all those other useless words. Oh well, vocabulary has never been my strong suit anyway. I do think I am a great writer though, when dyslexia isn't wreaking havok that is. I ended up writing the head of admissions back and made a pretty damn good case as to why my scores were so weak. Although I would love to go to Rutgers, the other schools also hold a place in my heart(Cheesy I know :) ). If I do get into two, I will have a hard time deciding(I am not a good decider, do you think Bush would help me out?). Oh well, it's the weekened of my spring break which will be devoted to Stat. Mech., E&M, Topology, and my other useless G.E. courses. Instead of having fun, I will be working...see that Grad. schools? Not "good enough" my ass(In no way affiliated with myass).

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jdhooghe
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Re: jdhooghe's Blog

Post by jdhooghe » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:15 am

Well, I am on spring break and have some great news to go with all my homework this week: I got rejected from both my safety school, Penn. State, and University of Maryland. Yay! So now I have two schools that have me on a wait list: Davis and Syracuse, as well as another, Rutgers, whose graduate director pretty much told me that I have no chance. I gave the member, Maxwell, some advice the other day and pretty much became a hypocrit today by making a "woe is me" post. Well mostly I was proposing the idea of paying for my first year of grad school myself and showing the department that I was worth a damn. Then, after dazzling them with my knowledge, have them throw a bunch of money at me. I will be filling out the F.A.F.S.A tomorrow since I financed all my years here at Chico with money from them...maybe they'll bump up the subsidized loan and pell grant for me to attend grad. school. Who knows? Well, I must be off...plenty of grading to do and emails to write regarding my idea to grad schools. Caio for now.

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jdhooghe
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Re: jdhooghe's Blog

Post by jdhooghe » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:54 pm

Still no word from Davis or Syracuse yet. I am starting to think that Grad. school will not be possible for me this year. I have talked to someone who was in the exact same boat as me two years ago. He suggested applying for a masters at San Francisco State Univ. and take classes at Berkeley while I am there. I will have the chance to make some connections and show these programs that I can succeed. Doors always seem to be closing for me but I will realize my goal one way or another. This will most likely be my last blog until two years from now when I once again go through this hellish process. My nerves are shot, I can barely keep awake and this website always reminds me of the pile of rejections that I am burdoned with. I am a ghost as it were to these programs and just like Jacob Marley, forced to carry the long chain of rejections gained so far in my academic career. As Stewie says, "Victory shall be mine" although it will take me longer to get there. For all those that have been accepted this year, congratulations and for all those future grad. applicants: hang in there and never, EVER give up. You are qualified but you MUST pull the right strings...this process is more than high numbers on a piece of paper, it is political also. Over and out.

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jdhooghe
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Re: jdhooghe's Blog

Post by jdhooghe » Fri May 09, 2008 3:00 am

Son of a Nutcracker, I got in! I got accepted to UC Davis in May! In May of all months! Anyway I am very excited but it is tempered by the fact that this was my only acceptance and really late I might add. It is tough working so hard for so long with having to sacrifice...well, a lot and then finding out no one wants you. It was especially hard for me because physics is my life. I know many people say that..yadda...yadda...yadda but I really don't want anything nor care about anything but physics. I know that sounds pretty nerdy of me but oh well :). Anyway, it was hard for me to reject San Francisco State because of the potential of getting into a more prestigious university but in the end I accepted Davis's offer. I have the usual fee waiver and $17k TA position with sadly no fellowships. Oh well, in my first year I'll just have to dazzle them and win scholarship and fellowships galore. To all of you future applicants, take my advice:

1) Make sure you do as many internships as you can
2) Study for the GENERAL GRE as well, don't blow it off
3) Highlight what you've accomplished in your Statement of Purpose not just explain what you plan to do
4) Study for the SUBJECT GRE as far ahead as possible. Let it sink in, take the first practice test, find what you're weak at, study that area and then repeat
5) Get into contact with potential grad school advisors BEFORE the application process starts. Show them that you are interested in their work if you are.
6) Apply to a spectrum of schools, not just prestigious ones. I know you are probably thinking that you will get admitted and maybe that is so you little genius but do not take chances.
7) Make sure you apply to those schools which you would be absolutely thrilled to go to even if it is lower in prestige.

I will add more advice if I remember. Good luck to all of you future applicants. Try not to get too discouraged and stressed out but I won't say don't do it. It is inevitable.



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