Not surprisingly, the competition in the grad school market this year has been brutal. From what I’ve read on The Grad Cafe and other related forums, It’s not unusual for applicants to be rejected from every school they’ve applied to. Ouch.

This year’s odds of acceptance–and the odds of receiving a substantial funding package–may be even tougher due to program budget cuts, resulting in smaller incoming cohorts and less funding to spread around.

Not to worry! For those caught in this conundrum, there are options that don’t involve gloom and doom. Here are a few courses of action for the stymied applicant, beyond the few consolation pints of ice cream.

Remix and refresh
Whatever you did this time around when you applied, try something a little different next time. If you’ve got your heart set on re-applying next season, get feedback from knowledgeable professors and mentors. Take a good hard look at all of your application materials and consider reconfiguring and reshaping the way you’ve “marketed” yourself. As soul-sucking and gross as that sounds, much of the application process is about how you look on paper, so perhaps there’s something you can improve or rearrange in order to increase your appeal to programs.

If possible, consider making contact with some professors at the schools you’d hoped to get in to, and try to find out more about what they’re looking for in a potential grad student. Many will be happy to consult with you on the specifics of their program’s scholarly expectations. Then you’ll have a better idea of how to construct your fabulous scholarly self on paper.

Broaden your horizons
Take classes in your area of interest at a local community college. Submit papers and abstracts to journals in your field of study or participate in conferences and events that interest you. You can enrich your mind and pad your resume/CV at the same time, even if you aren’t currently enrolled in school.

For a particularly encouraging article (and a fantastic blog in general), check out what ZenHabits has to say about setting aside school to pursue other passions, if that happens to be something you’re willing to do. If knowledge and personal fulfillment is what you’re after, take the opportunity to do independent study–it may lead you down a path you never expected!

For those who have been accepted to a school and just aren’t sure if they’re ready to make the commitment (or if the commitment is too expensive), here are some suggestions:

Deferred Enrollment
Many programs will allow you to defer your enrollment one year, essentially giving you time to do whatever it is you need to do before committing to the scholarly life (traveling, working, pondering.) However, know that this procedure depends very much on the department you apply to, and each school has different protocols for deferred enrollment. Generally, if you’re offered funding, your package will not be guaranteed if you accept deferred enrollment. Consult with the department in question if you’re seriously considering this option.

External Aid
If the school of your dreams costs an arm and a leg, and you’re dead-set on committing to it, research all the application-based scholarships, fellowships, and grants related to your field, your school, and your personal situation. FastWeb is a great place to start.

Small travel and project grants can help here and there, while larger scholarships (with more rigorous procedures) like those offered by the Point Foundation (specifically geared toward queer students) can make a considerable dent in your annual academic costs. Check with the school’s LGBTQ resource center (and career center, for that matter) and see if they have paid internships or office jobs for grad students. Often, these types of jobs will work with you to accommodate the rigors of your academic schedule.

Brush Your Shoulders Off
If you’re stuck on rejection letters, confused about where to go, or generally feeling rotten about the whole process: shake it off and move on. Be confident that if you want the degree itself badly enough, you will find a way to get it–and the knowledge that accompanies the degree can often be acquired with a library card. If the process is not working out now the way you’d expected it to, be open to the idea that there may be something even more fulfilling waiting for you in your near future.

No matter your situation, these decisions can be difficult and require a bit of soul-searching. And if you’re left in a rut, I can’t repeat enough the power of positive thinking, picking yourself up, and moving ahead in a direction that will enrich your mind and exercise your potential as a scholar/professional.