[Othello]

Good luck in your applications. Keep us all updated. My statement of purpose is juuuuust about done. I'm glad the NSF application is due so early; it really forced me to get things done early. The last big thing I have for all my applications is just this stupid research proposal (for the NSF)....ugh, what a pain. I'm actually working on it right now.

[lorelei]

I took a look at the NSF application... it's so involved! I'm probably going to wait until next year to apply so I have a clearer idea of what to write for the research proposal. It will be tough with lab rotations and all the business of being a first year student, but I think I'll have a better chance. Good luck with it!

[Othello]

Oh man, it is brutal. However, the essays the NSF forces you to write are extremely helpful when composing graduate school applications. A couple applications have asked for an essay in supplement to my statement of interest, and I've gone, 'huzzah! I wrote something very similar to what they're asking for in my NSF application! [ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, tweak here, tweak there, done]'. I think the work is worth the chance of receivig the equivalent of a couple hundred thousand dollars.

[Big Baby Jesus]

I'm finishing up the Hertz Fellowship application. It's kind of sad knowing that there is almost no chance I'll get it. 20 in the whole country, yikes.

[Othello]

All my school and fellowship applications are DONE! Now the wait is on... Two months isn't too bad.

[tvn]

Othello, just wondering if you have contacted (or plan to) professors you are interested in at the schools you applied to ?

[Othello]

I did try to contact one professor early on (over the summer), but he never e-mailed me back, as I expected. I've since heard some people say positive things about contacting professors, but I've heard many more advising against it, so I didn't do it anymore after that. I think, in general, one should refrain from contacting professors. There's a chance you'll get a response, but more likely you'll just annoy the guy.

[tvn]

I tried to contact all that I feel have interests matched with mine (about 3-4 on average at each school), 95% of them didn't reply but several did. I figure it worths it, in the worst case probably they will ignore and delete my mail. Hopefully they probably won't hold it against me just because I send them a mail (which they probably didn't even read it pass the subject line).

[Othello]

Really? What kind of responses have you gotten from them?

[tvn]

only a few replies, however they are quite positive, probably they saw my experience matches theirs hence they replied. Some of them suggest that I put their names in the Statement of Purpose so my application will be passed directly to them.

[HoldOnTrue]

Just thought I would add that I contacted 2-3 professors at each school I was intersted in applying to. I heard back from half that I had emailed and the results were very positive. I emailed professors with similar interest and they all were excited to hear from someone interested their field and were interested in learning more about my past research. Several professors suggested I set up a date to visit so we could speak on a more personal level. Most also opened the door for further conversation whether it was via email or telephone.

I've also made contact with the graduate secretaries on more than one occasion. Not only were they able to answer questions about application and admissions, they made it a point to note who I was and that I had called. I figure it doesn't hurt to get your name out there, even if it is just with the secretary. Also, the secretaries provided me with info I wouldn't have gotten off the website or if I spoke with someone in admissions. They actually eased my worries about my application, deadlines etc.

[jennesy]

The graduate secretaries are a phenomenal resource. (And much better to call anonymously when you've got a question you don't feel comfortable asking over email, i.e., something you don't want your name connected to!)

What types of things should you say in emails to profs? I've sent out a few saying that I'm applying and this is what I'm interested in. What else should I include? Is it too direct to say something like "I want to work with you in grad school"?

[tvn]

My mails to profs are very short email listing the below:

- My current edu status (e.g., senior at school in major...)
- My research interest (<- customized so it matches with the profs' current works) => this leads to why I wrote the email
- My goal and what it has to do with that prof (e.g., I am applying for Ph.d. program at school X, and would like to know if that profs consider taking students for the time period Y).

- at the end, have a link to CV or webpage listing publications.


I don't know how helpful it can be when it comes to admission. However I figure it can't hurt, the worst case is they just ignore the mail.

[jennesy]

Great. Is it best to contact the professors before or after applying?

[tvn]

in my case, before. Because many of them ask me to mention their names in the statement of purpose so the application will be passed to them.

[thhung]

Hi, I just joined this forum recently and want to know how others work for the application.

Brief self-introdutcion:
From Taiwan. Graduated with a MS degree (in CompSci) in 2004 and now working as a research assistent.
Applying CompSci PhD program for 2007 fall. With poor GPA, good recommendation, GRE (V: 580, Q: 800, AWA: 4.5, subject: 95%).
My research interests include programming language, compiler, and computer architecture.
I applied to many institutions, from CMU (simply to satisfy my mom, "hey! my boy tried CMU but unfortunately got rejected.") to U. Arizona (well, I'm not saying it's a safety choice; I just list them according to the US News ranking).
By the way, I have to say I know nothing about U. Arizona before finding it on the US News; the only thing I know about Arizona is that Randy Johnson pitched for the Diamondbacks and won the champion once before.

Well, anyone interested in a foreign friend or a potential classmate/colleague, just talk to me.

[tvn]

I created a thread on Comp Sci application for 2007 at http://thegradcafe.c...topic.php?t=760 .

Very nice score on the subject test by the way.

thhung said:

Hi, I just joined this forum recently and want to know how others work for the application.

Brief self-introdutcion:
From Taiwan. Graduated with a MS degree (in CompSci) in 2004 and now working as a research assistent.
Applying CompSci PhD program for 2007 fall. With poor GPA, good recommendation, GRE (V: 580, Q: 800, AWA: 4.5, subject: 95%).
My research interests include programming language, compiler, and computer architecture.
I applied to many institutions, from CMU (simply to satisfy my mom, "hey! my boy tried CMU but unfortunately got rejected.") to U. Arizona (well, I'm not saying it's a safety choice; I just list them according to the US News ranking).
By the way, I have to say I know nothing about U. Arizona before finding it on the US News; the only thing I know about Arizona is that Randy Johnson pitched for the Diamondbacks and won the champion once before.

Well, anyone interested in a foreign friend or a potential classmate/colleague, just talk to me.

[itsimplied]

Hi everyone. I, too, am deep in the throes of applications and feeling like a total fraud.
stats:
Major: Art History - BA from little-known state college that has a really good art department
GPA: 3.52 / 3.8 major
GRE: 720V, 660Q, 6.0AW
CV: One conference presentation, museum internship, subsequent museum job, 3 art reviews in national publications, 1 catalog essay for an exhibition organized by a well-known curator, study abroad scholarship
Writing sample: Extremely risky 20-pager on the figure of the zombie/revenant in a 2004 French film (re-tooled undergrad thesis)
Recs: Enthusiastic as far as I know. 2 are from well-known people in the field, and 1 is from a controversial up-and-comer in the field
SOP: eighty zillion drafts written, 1 already sent out, 5 more to revise individually

School choices (all with Modern/Contemporary concentration):
UT Austin - MA Art History
Yale - PhD Art History
Tufts - MA Art History
CUNY Hunter - MA Art History
School of the Art Institute of Chicago - MA in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism
California College of the Arts - MA in Curatorial Practice

Concerns: I am worried about coming across as professionally acomplished but not academic enough. Will I be penalized for not having enough research / academic publications? Help.

[tigerinexile]

I'm glad to see others who feel like they're scatterbrains as well...

Me -- applying to history PhD programs.

Undergrad -- a foreign language and literature at a top school. (Big three)
GPA -- 3.65
Grad -- area studies MA (AM?) at another top school. (Big three, again.)
GPA -- 3.67
GRE: 680 V, 800 Q, 5.5 AW.

The schools: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, NYU, Michigan, Stanford, Princeton.

From my master's admissions and funding offers, am acutely aware of how important it is to meet the potential advisors, however just haven't done it this time.

History deadlines were early for some schools -- am just dawdling on my last one, for Yale, as they have an extra essay for their applicants to do.

Looking at potential advisors, I'd be lucky to go to any of the places I'm applying to. As I'm kinda switching fields and am a good but not great student, thought I'd toss out as many applications as I could -- hope that one sticks.

[tvn]

Greetings ... I greatly envy your GRE scores :] I plan to sneak in one of the top Ph.D. programs in Computer Science with the lowest-ever-publicly-known-scores-for-Ph.D of 1023.5 (combination of all 3 subjects) :]