Gone.

As January slowly seeps away into February, the application season will gradually reach completion. Most of the applications have either been submitted online, or mailed through speed-post (which, I hope, would stand up to its name and actually deliver those packages to their right destinations and well, deliver them fast). With only a week left till UMich's deadline, I'm still juggling with the idea of whether or not to apply there. Ignoring the fact that it does not offer need-based financial aid to international students, I'd have already applied there anyway if their servers hadn't been so crap. Over the past months, I've gone through many apply-online databases but none have been so crap and full of shit as that of UMich. Even if you manage to upload your essay documents and enter the basic information in the form, you are never (and believe me, that means never) able to open a particular page of the application as a whole - the Firefox's window just sits there with the words "Connecting ..." and the partially loaded form. Many a times it even shows HTTP server errors. Dunno, if this continues, I would be forced to mail (urgh!) the application forms through the so-called speed post (which, till now, had only been reserved for mailing teacher recommendations and financial aid forms). Or maybe I'll just fax it before the deadline and post a confirmation copy by mail. Maybe I'll call UMich and get their opinions on how to proceed. The admissions staff at these universities is usually very helpful. I particularly like the ones at Brandeis and Duke - accommodating and friendly all the same.

Even when the application season gets over, the wait for the application decisions will begin; which (as many have happily assured me and I've been kind enough to heed without resorting to sarcasm) will be nerve-racking and the one that'd be inducing insomnia. I've started experiencing the latter; no sign of the former, though. Now, I gotta go and get a hair-cut.

-| AG.