Applicant: What They Really Thought of You
One night, while dumpster diving on an Ivy League campus, artist Jesse Reklaw discovered confidential Ph.D. applicant files for the biology department from 1965 to 1975. The yellowed recommendation forms contained ratings on the applicants’ strengths and weaknesses as determined by former professors and employers. Reklaw collected these photos and snippets of commentary in a 48-page little paperback in the tradition of Found Magazine, titled Applicant. It’s a zine classic that still makes an impact every time you page through it – funny, sad, and totally wrong. You can order Applicant for $3 here; it’s a lovely thing to own.
Reklaw also publishes Slow Wave, a web-comic dream diary. You send him your dreams, and he draws them! The first print collection of Slow Wave is called The Night of Your Life, and it’s available here.
March 5th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Well, that’s amazing. Ordered one for myself and one for…a friend down the road? Who knows will it will go, but surely I know someone else who will love it.
March 5th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I’m a graduate secretary at a state university. Part of my job is to organize and appropriately destroy applicant files. The idea of these files and their confidential information being casually thrown in a dumpster horrifies me.
I ordered two copies of Applicant *immediately*.
Coilhouse, I am once again indebted to you.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Love “Applicant!” I got the little book at the Alternative Press Expo 3 years ago.
March 5th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Ah! I didn’t realize this thing was still around! I found it at a local comic book store back in high school, and it has been a long cherished member of my zine library. Glad it can still be found!
March 5th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I hadn’t thought about ordering more than one copy. But it really would be a fine gift for a few grad students I know.
Coilhouse is one of the very few websites that actually succeeds in separating me from my money.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:50 am
I’m glad I can spread the appreciation! Shit, I just bought one too after re-reading my own post. Coilhouse IS hypnotizing!
March 6th, 2009 at 4:25 am
Hahahaha. Nadya’s been huffing paint again.
March 7th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Very, very cool. And three dollars!
March 9th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Ha ha ha, a great find indeed!
April 30th, 2009 at 3:05 am
[…] Coilhouse discuses Jesse Reklaw’s Applicant, a collection of found photographs and applications to the an “Ivy League” Biology PhD program from 1965 to 1975. […]