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 ForestI 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.