What I Intend

PhD coaster
Originally uploaded by Leo Reynolds.

Today I am desperately trying to finish off my PhD application. For the last few hours I have been blankly staring at my Personal Statement of Intent. I have no idea what they want me to say. And yet, I don't think they want me to be honest. I am pretty sure they want me to write sweet nothings. But RIGHT NOW I AM OUT OF SWEET NOTHINGS!

I have learned one very valuable lesson from this 'experience.' It is not getting into the PhD program that is difficult, it is putting together the application package that is hard. Honestly, I have seen sky scrapers built in less time then it took to put together this application. I am now the proud, and somewhat tired, owner of a HUGE binder full of proof of my academic history:

* 2 sets of official transcripts for every post-secondary institute I have attended (5),
* an application form,
* my application fee clearly labeled and placed in it's own envelop,
* 3 letters of reference with signatures across the sealed envelope (just to make sure I don't doctor anything),
* 8 DVD's of my curriculum development work,
* my 6 page Curriculum Vitae (how am I interesting enough to take up 6 pages with a size 11 font?),
* the afore mentioned Statement of Personal Intent
* and finally a 26 page paper to demonstrate that I can right gud.

And after all this, I just can't help but wonder if the University doesn't looks at these huge binders and begin to laugh, 'I can't believe they fell for it again this year!' Then uses the time honored decision making method of tossing each binder down a steep set of stairs. Which ever looses the most amount of pages before it hits the floor gets accepted.