PhD applications for fall, 2019?

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 5, 2018

I am not in your situation yet... However, throughout my adult working career, I have dealt with long waits by just remaining busy... If you are a per diem worker, then you have the opportunity to remain busy by picking up more hours at work. For example, December just started and I have so many shifts between now and January, it feels like December is almost over already. :) Good luck! :)

saheckler, PhD, RN · Dec 5, 2018

I think you replied on the fall 2019 PhD thread that I started awhile back. I've been combing through the doctoral threads periodically and so far it looks like just you, JC_NC2019, and I are applying for the fall. At least we have a little bit of company! When were your applications due? I submitted on November 16 to Columbia (the priority deadline), then I submitted to UCSF, Penn, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, and UIC in the last couple weeks of November (for Dec 1 deadlines). I haven't heard anything yet and am on the edge of my seat! I'm not sure about the schools you listed above, but I was expecting to hear back sometime in December regarding interviews because most of my schools have interviews in January and I figured they'd give at least a few weeks' notice. Johns Hopkins is the latest interview as far as I can tell (Feb 8) and UCSF doesn't typically require interviews. Do all of your programs require an interview? Hang in there! You're not alone!

FawkesFyre · Dec 5, 2018

My earliest deadline was actually Vandy (Jan 1). The latest deadline is MUSC (Feb 1). Vandy doesn't interview everyone, but lets you know in January if they want an interview. MUSC and Colorado interview everyone, and Mizzou doesn't do interviews. It feels like forever to know what I'll be doing next year.

I live in rural NH, and I'm not in a position to move right now, so I only applied to schools with distance or hybrid programs, which limited me quite a bit. I really like the program at Hopkins, but just can't move to Baltimore right now, unfortunately. The program at MUSC is fabulous, and there a couple professors there who study what I want to study (human factors & patient safety). Vanderbilt has a great program, but their professors have been a little less enthusiastic about my work, so it's a harder read. But Vandy also fully funds all their PhDs, so that would obviously be desirable.

My application is generally really strong. I have a 4.0 in my masters program, so that feels good. The weakest part of my application is my math GRE. I did well on the verbal (162) and the writing (5.0), but my math was a 152, which is just 47th percentile. I was hoping/working for better than 50th percentile. This part of waiting is so hard, where it just all swirls around over and over :) I'm sure you understand.

Sam

saheckler, PhD, RN · Dec 7, 2018

Wow! That is a long wait! Good for you for submitting your applications so far ahead of time! I just heard back today that my application is being sent to the Columbia faculty team and on Wednesday I found out that my Johns Hopkins application was sent to the Admissions Committee for review. I would assume that just means they verified that I meet the minimum requirements, but it was really nice to get an update that somewhere something is happening! Hopefully you'll get some updates like that too so you have an idea of where you are in the process.

I think it's great that you're applying to hybrid programs! It's a nice way to make PhDs more accessible to people, especially since nurses are not usually 22 year olds just out of college when we go for our PhDs. And those should all be pretty fun places to visit when you have to go for the in-person portions of the program! Hopefully you will find that Vandy professors are more enthusiastic about your work once you're admitted; it sounds to me like professors are so busy and have so many students vying for their attention that they may not have the capacity to get very excited about students who aren't even officially in the program yet.

I bet that your GRE score won't hold you back, especially with a 4.0 and a master's degree. All the schools seem to recommend a GRE score of around the 50th percentile; if you're at 152 and that's 47th percentile, then you are probably only one point away from 50th. I doubt that you would lose your spot over just a point, especially if you've taken statistics and done well and shown that you have the ability to do quantitative work. I'm rooting for you!

I'm on the edge of my seat over hear waiting to hear back! I really hope I hear back before winter break and that I don't have to wait until January! I hope you hear back earlier than expected too.