languages-etc

Wow, MammaD, you've got a full life and you're managing. Good for you. I also have children and am thinking hard about how to manage a move to a new city, my studies, research, family time and everything else. If I'm accepted anywhere, I know I will be older than everyone else in my cohort (but hopefully not by too much!) I honestly can say that as an older student, I feel much more grounded, with a better grasp of what is important and what's not important in life. I've learned to let petty things slide, and focus on the important things. I don't care that much about what people think of me, but I am very committed to my work and will give grad school my all. (Just to be clear, I'm not saying that all older students are more grounded than younger ones. I'm saying that I'm more grounded than a younger version of myself.) During a Skype call with a POI, she mentioned her kids and husband, and she also asked about how my husband felt about moving to another city. It was a big relief to hear her ask about family. I agree that being in school can be a good time to start a family - yes, you'll be very busy, but you will likely be able to connect with other young parents on campus to share resources and get tips on childcare etc.

Glad you got a good response from them during the holidays. Hope it turns out well!

How about just one sentence that avoids being corny, but just sums it all up, like "I look forward to studying under Professor X and bringing my _________ (passion/experience/whatever) to your department."

No worries

I suggest you contact the department directly (usually there's an administrative assistant who handles these things). Admit you made a mistake and politely ask if there's any way to replace the SOP with a revised one. And double check it again before submitting it!

If it's maximum one page, just state everything succinctly and get right to the point. I'd use full sentences and try to make it flow well, but just list everything they've asked for. Depending on the deadline for the application, you might want to contact the department administrator and double-check on the length; maybe even call the person in order to save time. It strikes me as very unusual to ask for all that in 1 page.

I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding you, but does the prompt really say not fewer than 200 words? That would mean your statement would be more than 200 words. Describing all of the above would be difficult in 1 page.

I sent you a PM.

I agree with comments here, especially fuzzy logician. Very bad idea. Grad school means a ton of study, reading, research and writing (especially in PoliSci, the OP's field). If you can't write a 2-3 page statement, why go to grad school? But people actually doing it? This article was highlighted on LinkedIn. http://chronicle.com/article/The-Shadow-Scholar/125329/ I don't know if he's mostly talking about international students whose main struggle is writing academic English, but it was depressing.

Practice on the computer (pay for a CD or other program), simulating the conditions of the actual test as much as possible. Start as early as possible and practice as often as you can, until you are totally comfortable answering GRE type questions. I was very happy with my scores for Q and V. However, my AW could've been higher. For AW, practice typing as fast as you can and write A LOT (4-6 paragraphs for the issue essay). I wish I had practiced the writing sections more.

Hi everyone, I've finally finished my apps and am breathing a sigh of relief. I only applied to places I would absolutely love to attend - which means they are competitive. Mostly looking at endangered languages and documentation, while exploring the theoretical implications. I have a good GPA from a top school and have lived and worked abroad for a few years, which are pluses, but I have mostly been working in Applied Linguistics and am looking to get into a theoretical program. I'm also older than most applicants (no, I'm not "old" as in 25 but much older than that!) So I really don't know what my chances are, but here's hoping...

A few professors I spoke with said that your writing sample will be evaluated for your writing ability - i.e. the way you formulate ideas and research and organize them into a well-written paper. So it doesn't necessarily have to be about linguistics. If your writing sample is well-written and professional, an English literature topic is fine. What you say in the SOP does make a big difference. You should clearly communicate that you understand what a PhD in Linguistics entails, and the reasons why you will be good at it.