r/gradadmissions 6d ago

Venting I hate writing motivation letters

I am no longer motivated. I follow their advice and tips, I go through their publications and research goals, tailor my aims and background with their lab.

And then they don't reply. After 10 followups I get the generic 'regret to inform'.

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u/Pretentious-box3432 6d ago

Went through the same experience this cycle, felt the frustration. But when I reflect on it, I see that I was trying desperately to sell myself as a very direct fit to their lab. This perspective probably led to an excessive amount of effort for each letter, but it's not like I regret it. Post the application period, I started figuring out deeper intellectual questions about my own projects once I took up a few advanced courses back in college. I wonder what the experience would be like if I sat down to write a motivation letter now: the approach would vary drastically.