ohgoodness

I'm pretty sure that this is an average for most graduate programs but it's still utter bs. 100 hours per week means that you work atleast 14 hours a day 7 days a week. Such practices were banned and outlawed in most professions some decades ago.. I think most of us have enough passion for our subjects to put in 14 hours 5 days a week and then an additional package during the weekend (in at 6, out at 8.30 is regular to me as a MA) but to assume that one does not need any rest or disconnect is just horrible. Even if this is the way it is - it's still not an ok practice nor a good deal for either party. Additionally - "I love my area of study. Truly, I do--and I love my research. But if it came down to a choice between working on research and sitting on the couch with a glass of wine and a good fiction novel, I'd take the latter in a heartbeat. I'm putting in about 70 hours a week right now and don't think I can go on at this pace." This attitude means that you should quit and do something else..

I did the same for one of my schools but was told to make sure that the professor has some connection to your program of choice. It would probably enough if he teaches a class that you are eligble for or has collaborated with faculty in the program etc etc. If not then I would not mention it - for all they care the professor might as well be at another school.

Even if it would be okay for you to submit late then you would still be well-advised to let them know so good luck to ya

E-mail the schools. No other way

I like it but my view is biased since I included my own background into my SOP.. I would, however, work some more on the structure of the second sentence. Keep it simple and streamlined - I would try and put it like "early interaction, being the daughter, drove me to be a research-oriented person". Sure It still deviates somewhat from your present situation, which I think is okay, but you must take measures to ensure that the reader follows the lead - ok early experience which led her to being research-oriented and this lead to winning the nobel prize... Oh I just noticed - my passion for this issue and my curiosity for this topic are just repeating each other. Remove it. They know that you are interested in the issue

If it still matters in your life and work then include it but I would assume that you have built off those experiences and gained more interesting qualities. It is strange if your passion for research still is drawn from experiences long ago.

Do all the John Le Carre Books. Perfect for the commute, perfect for winter. The year of magical thinking to get some perspective on things Ender's game #1 as prep for life to come...

Focus on the positives and the now. Lingering on a decision made two years ago only suggests that you regret your decision and could connote that you see doctoral studies as a retake. Just focus on the positive things about your MA and ignore the rest. If good schools saw you as a fit for a MA then they should be equally interested in you today. You have the same qualities plus a full MA - never a bad thing.

I had the Calhoun for my modern sociological theory course (Parsons and onwards) and never read it. Mostly used it for referencing and to look up the names to read, google the key texts and read them. Think I read 500 pages worth of articles and 500 pages free reading for a 5-week course and I feel sufficiently prepared in contemp theory. The inequality reader is good if you want social stratification

Install it at your work computer if you work at the university - do the test after hours and it should be good. That's what I did and it worked well.

http://www.demographic-research.org/ roughly 1/3 would qualify as poor writing in sociological demographic yet pass for excellent in mathematical demography. Where do we draw the line?

Too simplel. Noone, unless they are paid to, keep tabs on all the programs, professors, faculty, sub-fields etc. Just ask your LOR - most professors barely know whether their former collaborators remain at the same school as five years ago or if they moved to China. You might apply to the top programs for one reason (resources, future possibilities etc) whereas you apply to a smaller one because they have specific faculty members that are highly relevant to your topic of interest. The most random list is the one where you simply put the top 10 programs and nothing else.

Just check all the other posts in the forum re AW. 4 is good enough since it will be counterbalanced by your SOP, work sample etc. You should really include your 162V so send it

I talked about my GRE (which according to this board is not up to par..) and that was the reply I got. The only clarity I received in that area was that there is little risk of not even being looked at just because your GRE is less than the average for a school.

Where it's from and how it's used - two widely different things. Noble roots..

Think you answered your own question. Slogans like "Property is Theft". Just like yr not a libertarian simply because you say "tax is theft" 1000x on national television.

All depends on where you are at. All the Ph.Ds at my program start with their work day 1 but this is Sweden so It's all about the program you are in and the advisor you have.

"That said, when you are on the market, if you have top letters from at least one top scholar and you have published good papers, as sole or co-author, and your dissertation draft chapters are really, really good, you will get a good job. Getting pubs is not so straightforward in the U.S. system as in our system because most PhD programs may not look favorably or even disallow a collection of articles as a thesis (something to chat with people about after you are accepted), and (2) have more course requirements so it is difficult to get papers going independent of the thesis. That's why you want to hook up with someone who wants you to work with them and is generous with student co-authors (easy to see from the CV). But all of these details can be handled later, after you know what your options are. " Yet again - this is the advice I got from my guiding voice (big name). I asked whether it would be a good idea to apply to places like Rice, Albany, NYU.

This thing abut GRE cut.. I had a skype-chat with someone at one of my schools yesterday (top10) and was told that the GRE weeding out was done by the Grad Office. The only way you would get weeded out at that point was if you had a very, very low GRE. After that it seemed more a one small thing among the rest. Good GRE - good for you. Poor Gre (<50 percentile)- meh if you've got other qualifications then it probably wont matter. I have a rather poor quant GRE for my field but it seems like my research experience and ability to finish things (projects) will counterweight that. ps. I just submitted all my applications so perhaps my optimistic side is just "ok now I'm done with the worrying - time for waiting"

I went to a couple of formal dances during a year at the Uni. of Saskatchewan (...) which is a rather traditional kind of place. I had never even heard of a formal event prior to this and I was rather nervous the first time. But dude - be easy, smile and tell the girl she looks lovely. Ask her about dress code and dress accordingly. Just be laidback. It might feel like there are lots of rules and regulations around formal events but hell - it's a dance and a girl asked you - ignore everything but your companion. It's like going to welcome day at your new school - new place, new people, new things but you'll just follow the crowd and forget yourself in a matter of minutes.

This is completely out of context but I just received an invitation to apply to their international studies Ph.D.. They "selected" me since my TOEFL score was good enough and they want international students. The e-mail contained the exact same info about funding as you have listed but it seemed very hard to get a full funding. It sure feels like a way to get more money rather than be an attractive school. I have no interest in going there but they do seem very keen on making money from their students rather than anything else. Just a note of info

I'm from a completely different context (Europe) but I do feel for you. Adding to what fuzzylogician says - If you have any good trusted friends in the faculty or at other universities then I would have them look over your thesis and give you a decisive estimate (yes this is ready or no). You obviously need to bypass your advisors and proving that his judgement is completely biased by his own motivation should be the best way. At this point I would not be afraid of becoming enemies with him since he is just holding you back. At my university (or rather - in my sub-department) there has been a tendency of being allowed to defend a thesis but then being held back to "improve the finished product" until you can publish it. So if you defend by end of spring term then they will hold you until they feel you are ready to leave. Feels like an increasing trend in Research-heavy places.

I honestly think that it will doom you. 130 is the absolute bottom of the test and there might have been reasons behind getting 135-140 that you could explain in the SOP/have your references explain but 130 only suggests that yes you have issues with your math, if you have dyscalculia then no worry, but you did nothing to address it. There is simply no way of explaining this. You cant write "Sorry I have always had issues with my math but I was simply so stretched for time that I couldnt address it prior to applying". My suggestion is to - drop everything, study and plan to retake it asap, e-mail the adcom and adress the situation "my previous score was due to bla bla but I realized that it would misrepresent the sincerity of my intent so I am retaking it". They will surely allow your score to arrive late and it will atleast signal that you are willing to put in the extra work required.

I'm sorry but what? Dissertation proposal? He is trying to be distinct about his future research by using a concrete example of interest. All the advice I have ever gotten is to be extremely distinct about the research that you are interested in - if they think that your research will fit then it will progress from joining the program and developing your skills. I think you are going in right direction - cant help with the question itself but I would ignore econosocio's point.

Why be vague and open-ended in your concluding lines ? All you achieve by putting it this way is making someone go "Yeah true but so would any of the other 500 propositions". It might be ok if your message is sold and taken by the reader but why even include it then? it's redundant. Better to include a phrase that makes the reader go "yup" and be happy with what they got.