Overwhelmed?

[PhDhopeful]

Question 1: Is anyone else sitting at home on a friday night working on applications

Question 2: are they trying to kill us before we even get in?

Question 3: does anyone else feel overwhelmed? I have this huge fear that I am bending over backwards to apply to these programs and once I get there (if I get there) I won't be able to cut it. I look at some of the faculty profiles and their research interests make my head spin. I have been spending so much time worrying about getting in what if I get in and am not smart enough?

Question 4: Is anyone out there as neurotic as me??

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[50960]

Yes, we all are/were! Hang in there and be confident...that will get you much further than your letters of reference, your undergrad school etc.. It is a long journey to the doctorate, but you must look at it one step at a time to get there....obsessing on the final outcome will drive you crazy as you will only acquire the knowledge and skills to be there as you go...not now.

 

[havesomefaith]

I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed, too!
To make things worse, I work 30 hours a week, I'm still finishing up my thesis and I have two more credits I need to get in order to graduate. So I spend most of my time trying not to procrastinate and trying not to loose it!!
I try to imagine myself, around this time next year, happily attending classes at grad school. It helps a little

 

[Neuro-Dr]

The process makes people neurotic. You look at the numbers, the pay, the work, the time and you think, "why am I going through all this?"

Persistence is the key. If you feel passionate about what you want to do and have enough flexibility to let your path follow your changing interests, you'll be successful and happy.

I didn't get in my first year, even though my GPA, GRE and recs were good (this was 12 years ago). I ended up getting a low paying, high experience job that I ended up loving and learning a lot. I got in the next year. I didn't go to a tier one school, but it was exactly what I wanted.

I'm out, I'm paid very well, I'm double boarded and I'm thankful I made the choices I did. you can do it, too. I ddin't do anything special or exciting, but my research interests sound like jargon too.

 

[PublicHealth]

I'm paid very well

What are we talking?

 

[ktwallis]

how about home on a saturday night?
i'm so happy my boyfriend picked these 3 months to go across the country. the last thing i need is consistent distraction and peer pressure to party

 

[PhDhopeful]

how about home on a saturday night?
i'm so happy my boyfriend picked these 3 months to go across the country. the last thing i need is consistent distraction and peer pressure to party

home on a saturday night too...i need sleep that would be good, damn thesis...damn applications
Things I could do without:
stress
GRE's
letter of recommendation packets
being bothered
homework
any kind of document containing the word "form"

Things I cannot do without:
sleep
food
booze (just kidding)

yet the things that I AM doing without don't seem to be in the correct list.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

You can take some solace that everyone has been where you are at during one time or another during the process. There are very few people who are willing to undertake this road, but once you are done you can look back on it as a personal and professional success.

Of course....this is what I keep telling myself (and what others have told me), because i'm right where you are.

-p

 

[Neuro-Dr]

The average for neuro is 104K and I've been above since my 2nd year out of fellowship. Most clinical friends I work with are as well.

 

[havesomefaith]

The average for neuro is 104K and I've been above since my 2nd year out of fellowship. Most clinical friends I work with are as well.

sweet

 

[PublicHealth]

The average for neuro is 104K and I've been above since my 2nd year out of fellowship. Most clinical friends I work with are as well.

Private practice? That's pretty good money for no educational debt. Are you double boarded in neuropsychology and sleep medicine? I recall someone saying that they did that around here, but I'm too lazy to look it up. Any interest in RxP?

 

[Neuro-Dr]

I work at an outpatient neurology practice and teach graduate courses. My boards are in neuro. There are three total, I hold two. No interest in RxP.

 

[sms2]

Definately neurotic here! I feel your same pain and I constantly wonder if it's worth it. I just keep telling myself this is what I want to do, and this is what I have to go through to get there, so hang in there!

 

[Sorg1123]

Haven't given up on my friday and saturday nights, yet. All this work does lead to a ton of stress, and the time seems to slip away so fast : six weeks to get all the stuff done! Maybe I should re-think the weekends... who are we kidding though? If we're invested enough to lurk about on this forum then we have the drive and passion to succeed in this field! No sweat, we'll all get in somewhere... right? right? This application process is just like the GREs: its not the score itself that matters, rather that we put forth the effort to achieve above 1200 and demonstrate just how important this goal is to us. As long as we don't make any bush league mistakes on the applications we'll be fine. Its like navigating a mine field with instructions. thats my take anyway. The numbers are misleading, too. Most applicants don't have the credentials to be considered, so the odds of getting in are really much better than that scary <5%. Sorry for the rambling. I should go email the prof's now! peace

PS: Neuro-DR is my hero! Go CNP!!