fadoesaudade

This is a pretty broad question. Do you have any particular subfield you are interested in? If so, we might be able to suggest the titles of some journals. You could browse through those journals to see what has been published recently in that area, which might jog some ideas for your assignment.

Hello, I am applying for MA/PhD programs in linguistics this fall...Would anyone be willing to read over my SOP? I would be happy to read over yours in exchange! Thanks.

I have taken several graduate classes as undergrad and found the experience to be overwhelmingly positive. I appreciated the depth and breadth of information covered in the classes. My field (linguistics) is terminology heavy and my graduate work gave me the ability to understand and appreciate the nuance in modern research articles. The exposure also informed my research interests and gave me the confidence to frame them in context. Although I agree that graduate classes are not a substitute for outside research, I do believe they helped me gain exposure to the field in a valuable way. As long as the professors are cool with taking on an undergrad, I say jump in!

Anyone else applying for fall 2011? As we labor to write our Statements of Purpose and craft our lists, I thought it might be helpful to compare interests and schools. Where are you applying and why? I'm a senior at a large public university. I will be graduating in December, so I'll finish college just as apps are due. I'm interested in writing systems and comparative syntax, with a focus on language documentation and language universals--So I looking for programs with a strong theoretical orientation and a faculty supportive of independent, student-led research. I'm interested in Middle Eastern and indigenous American languages in particular. So far, my list is long and varied, although I hope to narrow the search over the next couple of weeks. Namely, I'm considering USC, UCLA, Cal Berkeley, Stanford, UCSD, U Hawaii, U Chicago, and Rutgers. And yes, I do have a California bias. Any advice from the veterans? Any other applicants excited about the process? Let's dish!