I got my scores from the GRE in the mail yesterday. I had viewed them online, but seeing them on paper made it real. I have to apply to grad school this year.
When you take the GRE, they let you pick out 4 schools to send your scores to for free. I was prepared for most of the test except this part. I hadn`t thought at all about what schools to apply to. I was putting that off until after the test. I also wasn`t prepared to hear that it costs $23 to send a score to a school after the test is over.
I just picked four schools at random. Either schools that I heard amazing things about or schools that I knew had good financial aid programs. One of those schools was the University of Iowa. I am obsessed with the University of Iowa. So many writers that I respect have attended the Iowa Writers` Workshop. It would be the dream of all my dreams to go to school there.
I finally looked at the website for the Iowa Writers` Workshop today. And now I am scared. I literally shook a little as I read the admission requirements and browsed the bios of the faculty. What the hell chance do I have to get into this program?
I`m going to try anyways. The application deadline for Fall 2012 is January 3, 2012. The application fee is only $60, which I`ve come to learn is pretty decent for a graduate school. I have almost a year to get my writing together. I think I can do it. Even if I don`t get in, I am determined to show those highly-accomplished professors my best work to date.
I don`t know if I can handle looking at more admissions pages today. I am so much more afraid of this than anything else. Ever. Except maybe caterpillars and the very tip top of mountains.
Looking at admissions for graduate programs always makes me feel terribly inadequate and dumb. I get so excited looking at different programs. The possibility of getting into a good program in a new place is exhilarating to me. ...And then I look at the admissions page and that feeling turns into panic. It's very intimidating. The requirements usually make me feel like I'm too stupid to get into the program. This is especially true when they list the average GRE scores and GPAs of current students. That's when I get bummed out and go back to reading about the paranormal or whatever I was looking at before I had the grand idea to do some research. So, I understand where you're coming from, Em. We'll both get into good programs. <3
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