u/Flat-Secretary-827

i'm at a top predoc and applying to econ ph.d. programs this cycle. i got my grade back for real analysis and ended up with a b+, which was pretty disappointing given that i went into the final with a grade i was happy with. i'm trying to figure out whether there is any realistic way to make up for the grade in the short window before applications, or at least signal that i can handle math.

a few details:

• this was a retake of real analysis. i took it once during undergrad while i was quite ill, which my letter writers know, and also got a b+ then. the version i took during my predoc is apparently much harder than the version at my undergrad, possibly closer to a grad-level real analysis course there.
• i’ve also heard some predocs say they didn’t submit their predoc institution transcripts when the grades weren’t helpful. not sure if that’s actually kosher or just something people do. if it’s genuinely optional and above water, though, i’d rather not include an imperfect grade i’m not required to disclose.
• i do not have the budget to take an online math course before admissions.
• math camp is an option, but it is pass/fail here, so i am not sure how strong of a signal it would send.
• i can take ph.d. micro, metrics, or another course here, but i would not have grades by the time applications are due.

i feel pretty confident about the rest of my application, but i'm trying to figure out how to handle this specific part. i'm honestly feeling pretty discouraged right now, but i just want to find a way forward. thank you!

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for context, here are my relevant math/econ grades from undergrad. stars indicate courses taken during the semester when i was ill. my overall gpa was a 3.9x at a u.s. t10.

coursework, undergrad: undergrad micro, macro, econometrics, proof-based linear algebra, ode, linear algebra, probability, calc iii, two thesis classes, and two miscellaneous econ electives not super adjacent to my field of interest: all a/a+. real analysis: b+*

core coursework, grad level: master's econometrics: b+*, master's time series econometrics: a, stochastic processes: a-*

trigger warning: (sudden) death

my ex (23m) dumped me (22f) a few months ago over a phone call, completely blindsiding me. i lost my father very suddenly when i was 19 and repressed it a lot. not to get too freudian, but i had to go to a lot of therapy after the breakup because the way he did it reminded me of how another male figure suddenly left my life (plus it was right before his third death anniversary) and brought up all those feelings i repressed. he also got back with his ex hook-up almost immediately after but that’s a separate thing.

i recently learned through a social media site i didn’t have him blocked on that HIS father died recently. he was sick for a while but was on a good path to living longer than expected, so it was surprising but not unexpected.

throughout our relationship, he would talk about his father’s illness occasionally and i would encourage him to speak to a professional, but he was adamant about not getting help. he said that his backup plan would be to “talk to his friends.” i’m the only person he knew closely who dealt with major life trauma like that, and i knew on some level that the brunt of the responsibility to help him get through the grief would be on my shoulders. i simply did not want to relive my own trauma again but always felt guilty about possibly not being there to help him through it. there were times that i wanted to break up with him but i didn’t want to leave him to deal with the inevitable on his own.

since then, he has made the decision for me. i don’t feel good about his father’s death, but i don’t feel bad that i’m not the one he has to lean on. i feel terrible for his family and for him that he has to go through this bc i know how bad it feels, but frankly i am and was not equipped to handle something like that and am working through my own trauma. idk.

22f, got dumped a few months ago by 23m. the relationship was short-lived but fine. however, it soured after the breakup bc he broke up with me in an incredibly disrespectful way (classic avoidant discard.)

i blocked him on everything a month ago after he recontacted me accusing me of something i didn’t do. yesterday, i got curious (i know, not happening again) and unblocked him on instagram; he had me unblocked and i could see stuff on his profile. i reblocked last night, but i wanted to show my friend his profile so i unblocked him this morning. lo and behold, he ended up blocking me between last night and this morning.

edit: clarifying that he has a private account and i don’t follow him nor does he follow me, so there’s no way for him to know that i briefly checked on him.

why would a dumper block someone months after the fact, especially if the dumpee already blocked them? plenty of my friends have given theories that i “won” the breakup, but i don’t think i want to frame breakups as a competition. i would love to hear thoughts from any dumpers who have done the same.

22f, got dumped a few months ago by 23m. the relationship was short-lived but fine. however, it soured after the breakup bc he broke up with me in an incredibly disrespectful way.

i blocked him on everything a month ago after he recontacted me accusing me of something i didn’t do. yesterday, i got curious (i know, not happening again) and unblocked him on instagram; he had me unblocked and i could see stuff on his profile. i reblocked last night, but i wanted to show my friend his profile so i unblocked him this morning. lo and behold, he ended up blocking me between last night and this morning.

edit: clarifying that he has a private account and i don’t follow him nor does he follow me, so there’s no way for him to know that i briefly checked on him.

why would a dumper block someone months after the fact, especially if the dumpee already blocked them? plenty of my friends have given theories that i “won” the breakup, but i don’t think i want to frame breakups as a competition. i would love to hear thoughts from any dumpers who have done the same.

… and scientology and some megachurches. he treated me really poorly towards the end of the relationship. i can’t say i feel especially bad for him considering he was an incredibly disrespectful boyfriend, but i feel very guilty that i was this childish, even though i was drunk … ugh. :(

… and scientology and some megachurches. he treated me really poorly towards the end of the relationship. i can’t say i feel bad for him, but i feel very guilty that i was this childish :(