Coping with grad school rejection

As of right now, I have been rejected by two PhD programs, offered a spot in a masters program instead of the PhD I wanted and interviewed at two schools. PhD application season is hard and exhausting and as those rejections start to trickle in, it can be difficult to deal with the sadness, dejection and disappointment on top of the stress of waiting to hear back. I have compiled a series of tips to try to help ease the pain of what is a normal, but no less exhausting, part of the process:

1. Celebrate your small wins. Did you successfully finish marking exams? Did you write a page of your thesis? Did you submit your last application? Celebrate these achievements! In grad school we tend to only celebrate the large things, like convocating with our degrees, but it’s important to celebrate the small things too so that our self-esteem isn’t tied up in our rejections and acceptances into programs. 
2. Remember that grad schools evaluate more than just your application package when deciding who to accept into their programs. They also look at whether there is someone who could supervise you, whether they have other students in the same stream as you and whether there is funding for you. Sometimes when you get rejected, it has nothing to do with you or your work. I learned this from sitting in on department council meetings when they were discussing applicants to the program. 
3. Allow yourself to be sad. Being rejected from a program you really wanted to attend hurts and it’s important that you don’t bottle up your sadness. People might tell you to “be happy you got in somewhere else” or “be happy with the fact that you even have a masters” but I am here to tell you that it is okay to be sad if you get rejected from a program you really wanted. 
4. Remember that you can always reapply. There is one program that I really want to attend and I have applied three times so far. Grad schools like to see dedication and I have heard many stories from people who got rejected one year and then accepted the next! 
5. Remember, your rejection or acceptance to grad school says nothing about your self-worth, intelligence, hard work or dedication to your subject. 

Good luck with all of your grad school applications!

About Laura

Laura is in the third (and hopefully final!) year of her Master's degree studying Classical Languages. She can always be found with her nose in a book. Whether it's academic reading or for pleasure, she will read pretty much anything and she's passionate about languages like Middle Welsh and Ancient Greek. Laura adores animals and fosters the cutest bunny in the world and in her spare time loves to knit socks for her loved ones!