It's March 10th and my mailbox is empty...

eastside00_99

So far in the graduate school application process this is how I stand:

illinois (accepted w/o support)
Tufts (accepted w/o support)
Duke (rejected)

-------
Haven't Heard from

University of Washington
University of Southern California
City University of New York
Rice University
Boston College
Wake Forest


I have many things rattling around in my head:

(1) Why is it so late and I haven't heard back from any schools? To me, if I can draw any conclusions about how my application rates compared to others by this data, I would have to say I must be a boarder line case between admittance and rejection to most of the schools I apply to. Hence the reason for no support and for the long wait for replies on my applications from the other schools.

(2) Has anyone else had a similar experience?

(3) Say I get rejected from the remaining schools! Then I know I can get about 10-12 K from my parents for at least the first two years. Should I just take one of the offers at tufts or illinois and look for alternative forms of support to pay for the rest (such as job, loan, or something else)? Alternatively, I will have to find a job anyway and will probably still go to school at least part-time (but I would probably take undergraduate computer science courses or mathematical finance courses) unless the job is uber-terrific!!

Any advice here?

eastside00_99

I guess also there is the option of asking to be a part-time student rather than a full-time at illinois or tufts and getting a job. That doesn't seem like all that bad of idea really. Still what do you guys think?

CaptainQuaser

What are you planning to do with your life?
The job market is pretty competitive at the moment, and if you can't even find support at a grad school, then taking grad school might not be worth doing.

eastside00_99

Well, with you CaptainQuaser, I just don't have any good options now do I? I guess there is always well-fare.

Cyrus

I would not pay for grad school out of your own pocket if I were you. Perhaps you can find a job that would pay for you to go back and get your Masters.

CaptainQuaser

I meant the physics job market. You can get a decent job elsewhere, and perhaps even if you get a good industry job they may pay for you to continue education as Cyrus said. You shouldn't pay for grad studies out of pocket.

eastside00_99

oh, I see. Well, I'm a math student so I definitely am not expecting a job in the physics job market.