starrylanterns

Thanks for taking the time to respond, it really helps

Hey all, happy new years!

Anyone got advice on approaching the second essay for MPIA? I'm a bit worried about mine.... I'm approaching it as how the US's approach to the Senkaku-Diaoyu dispute changed my views on initiative and the role of leadership and actions taken by countries in leader roles like the US...

This is the exact way to go.

Most first drafts of SOPs I've seen start with a narrative of the person's past and background, and only get around to their current/future interests towards the end of the essay. To have a good SOP, however, the focus should be on your current and (mostly) future research plans, and it should be apparent what your interests are as early as possible. It's the same advice I get now for writing papers - don't recount the history of all your failed attempts and bad starts, tell me the path that succeeded and show me what you can do with it.

For a good, focused SOP, you should be able to demonstrate that you are familiar with the inner workings of your field. Address strengths and weaknesses in current thought about your topic, or suggest a fresh way of looking at it; choose a project that is feasible in size for the degree you're applying to; aim to have similar interests/methodology/both as the researchers in the department you're applying to. Remember that you're not committing yourself to actually doing the project, you just want to show the adcom that you can think through the details of a possible project within your area of interest. Choose no more than 1-2 interests as your main interests and spend most of your time talking about them. It's OK to have secondary interests, but it should be clear where your interests lie.

Aside choosing the right kind of interests to discuss, fit is also understanding your intended department's attitude towards things like collaborations, innovation, going in unexplored directions, doing quantitative/qualitative/theoretical/practical/etc work. Talk about things that make sense for that department. Mention anything unique that the program offers - resources, reading groups, any kind of opportunity like an exchange or a diploma. If it's not a school that emphasizes teaching, don't dwell on that. If you're not sure that you'll be encouraged to take courses at other departments, make sure before you mention "resources" that are not really going to be there.

If you want to mention coursework in more detail, most applications will allow you to e.g. upload a summary as a supporting document or as part of your CV. You can also attached it to your transcript. Include a list of course names/numbers, the instructors, and a one-paragraph description of each course (+optionally, the grade and nr of credits, but that should be on your transcript; optionally2: the topic and short description of term papers you wrote for each course). All those details don't really have to be in your SOP, unless they're directly tied to your current/future interests. If you've caught the adcom's eye, they'll go look at your credentials anyway. Optionally: give a link to a website that contains all the work you're comfortable with the adcom seeing. It can be a simple googledocs-based site, I hear they are easy to make. If they're really interested, the adcom might want to know more about your work, and that's a great easy way to give them that extra information.

Wish I had seen this six months ago! Great advice. All the crap websites I read about SOP's never are clear about what to really write in an SOP and what to express... It's a learning process in itself, I guess.

Congrats on the interview!
 
I would largely echo what was said above. I contacted some current grad students and had generally warm and helpful responses! I touched base while mulling over offers, rather than at the interview stage, but I think that correspondence at this stage could still be valuable. There are a few routes you could go. You could as a grad coordinator for the name of someone who is happy to correspond with you; this has the benefit of usually speaking to someone who is enthusiastic and has willingly made themselves available. I spoke to one such person whom I was referred to! I also exchanged e-mail with two students who were in my area and being supervised by the faculty member that i had in mind. I was able to get their info from the department website, which listed students' supervisors. As with PhDreams, I got great feedback concerning the availability and "supervisory style" of the faculty member, which helped me to make an informed decision. It could certainly help YOU articulate fit; I imagine that if you say, "I'm interested in working with so and so" and also that "I work well with a lot of autonomy" and the interviewer knows that the faculty member mentioned is appropriate/available for your interests AND generally allows for a lot of independence with her students, then your "fit" with the program will be all the more apparent.
 
Be sure to be concise and polite. Mention why you contacted THEM (either you were referred by someone or you see that they are in your area/with your supervisor ect;). That helps mitigate the "cold call" ickiness and will show that you directed your inquiry thoughtfully. And offer them an "out", especially if you were not referred to them. Acknowledging that you know that they are busy will help you to maybe get a response, even if it's just, "I'm not really available to address this, try (Other student)". At this stage, a general question like, "What do you wish someone had said to you before your interview?" might garner some interesting insight. I find that, even now, when I ask more senior students for advice on picking courses or comprehensive exams or something, they always start with. "Well, I wish that someone had told me-" or "If I could go back, i would have done this the same but that differently".
 
Good luck!

There is a difference, both academically and socially.
 
Like comp12 said, the academic one is a shift from external motivation to internal motivation.  More than that, college is less of an independent endeavor.  You have a pretty much prescribed course of study; you have a little choice within it, but generally there are a lot of people there to give you a lot of guidance and careful shepherding into adulthood and a BA.  Graduate school is not like that; it's much more independent.  Sure, the courses are outlined in the handbook, but most of what's important in grad school isn't printed in the handbook and nobody will tell you unless you know what to ask.  You have to really want it to get through it, especially academic/research grad school.
 
And socially, college students have a lot more free time than grad students.  I didn't realize exactly how much free time I had until I didn't have it anymore.  You may never have that much free time again in your life, unless you're able to retire.  So there's a lot more filling that free time with social pursuits - parties, mixers, all kinds of socials.  You have a lot less time for that post-undergrad, regardless of whether you go to grad school or not.
 
The secret is, of course, that you don't make a seamless transition from UG to grad mindset.  It's not like you step onto campus on your first day of grad school and instantly have the wisdom of a grad student.  It takes time.  I don't think I felt truly independent/capable/"like a grad student" until my fourth year.  I certainly didn't feel that way in my first two.
 
The other thing is that you're still going to be yourself, regardless of whether you're in grad school.  I like organized social activities and I missed that from college.  It took me a while to realize that if I wanted them I'd need to do them, so I've taken it upon myself to join groups and participate in, and organize, those social activities.  I also missed all the community service I did in college, so I've started volunteering in my spare time.  I can't do as much of it, but I can do it.

This thread is a perfect example of why it is important for everyone to learn to write clearly.

Do you not realize that in your topic you asked about programs in the "Middle East?" That would be Israel, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, etc.

I think you want to know about the "Midwest" and "Mid-South".

i won't attempt to answer for MWebster, but I will chime in. No, those statements do not contradict. The term you specified as 'craft,' (which I will assume you meant as the ability to render an image), is only a small part of the process in his subject -- a larger part (as per our Saltz conversation) is his convergence between his chosen language (painting, installation, mixed media, whatever) and themes -- many of which are complex (some may even say vague)...so when M-web states that "he engages the history of painting and photo..etc.." he means Richter does not simply accomplish this because he illustrates a picture that tells a narrative, he does so with various angles which may or may not be image driven (or even painting)

there is also a difference between the statement of why everyone else reveres Richter and why you revere Richter. Also, if your revery for him stems from his laborious process of image making (which he himself claims isn't very special or skillful at all since most of the time he simply takes photos and projects them into his canvas using a projector and copies and/or smears them), then do you just discount his work that deals with pigments of paint simply smeared on a photo? what of his installations? and did you further ignore his work that deals with non-specific imagery and abstraction...which is probably of even a greater body than his photo-based works?

But enough about Richter..lets move on to your dialogue..

when you state "The gestural fetus talks less about the individual identity of the fetus itself, and more about the fetus as a whole," why does this very general "expressionist" view on abstraction supersede other types of abstraction? what is your line of demarcation of abstraction, or do you have one?

You've seem to have thrown in Abstract Expressionism, which in itself is a very complex subject -- since it doesn't sincerely have a unique type of mark making that would equate it as an official style; rather, the term "abstract expressionism" is sort of the label people call work coming from a certain time period from a specific location (i.e. New York/USA). so you would have to be more precise with your terms...and probably art history.

But anyway, we can go on and on...and I guess you could fully explain your work in greater detail--but I think what the others are suggesting in regards to you taking more time to really mature is the fact that they may mean for you to expand your experiences in the contemporary art world a bit more, so you have a more specific understanding of your work as well as others in your field. I understand your great interest in the painting tradition, and it just feels that you may also benefit from schools that share your same viewpoints (aforementioned PAFA, NYAA, LCAD...etc) but seem to have ignored.

I don't know if I've really heard that term used so widespread and standard-practice, but no doubt there are various differences between UG and G mindsets, typically stemming from their different points in life, their structure of education, and their goals for what they do. College life is usually filled with going to class and doing homework assignments. UG students learn by being presented information. G students learn by uncovering new information. I gather when most people speak prerogatively about UG "mentalities," they are probably poking at the phenomena of modern college students perhaps being more motivated by external forces than their education per se. For example, maybe the harsh modern economies cause college students to be careerists rather than learners, and they pick their classes and do their homework all with a focus on how to achieve highest grades with highest efficiency. This is all with an eye to getting the best possible job after graduation. Or maybe, their motivations are in the social aspects of college life, rather than the academic. Grad students, supposedly don't care about all that, and mainly focus on their own work/research and nothing else. A quick google search on "undergrad vs. grad" will probably yield a lot more comparisons. One of my favs is: http://blogs.uoregon.edu/projectgraduateschool/2011/06/08/how-is-graduate-school-different-from-undergraduate/

Ok, so I know that this forum has a name similar to a skeevy pamphlet in a college health center... BUT, it's nothing of the sort.

Having spent a lot of time on this site during the admissions process, I began wondering: what's helped you the most? What have you gotten out of this site?


I'm applying for programs in Public Policy and Political Science. Personally, I got a lot out of SOP threads like this one:

Also, there was a PoliSci professor who was gracious enough to share here wisdom:


Those two, among many other threads, have helped me so much. And I think they're applicable across many disciplines. What's your advice.

I think I might have a "discussion" the next class on how someone's ideas and positions are not necessarily integrally connected to them, as a person, and that it is possible to objectively and politely critique ideas without attacking the person who has those ideas. Just an idea.

I'm not sure if you've seen the LOR threads but this is pretty common and schools seem to be pretty flexible about letters. Don't give up!!!!! I've had a professor flake out on me too and this was a BIG letter. But you have to move on and keep putting your best foot forward. You made it this far!! You're so close. DaisyAdair is right! You just have to try... You can do it!

I totally understand. When I applied to grad schools, I was always working on apps at the last minute. I remember going out on NYE and having to finish applications (some file uploads) on New Years Day while slightly hungover and before going out on a second date with someone. Totally ridiculous and hilarious. I'd like to say that I've moved beyond that BUT instead, I'm now procrastinating and working at the last minute on various fellowship applications with early January deadlines. At least I got the ones with December 31 deadlines done yesterday, right? Lol. 

Thank you I emailed my professor from abroad one more time last night, and she responded this morning!! Apparently a lot of her students complained in November about not receiving emails back, and it turned out that almost all of her emails have been getting sent into spam! She apologized for what happened and promised to write my letter post haste (tomorrow) and send it out!! Luckily for me, I always remained respectful and at most curious about the lack of response, and it paid off in the end!!! Seriously excited, sorry for the long post. I've been grappling with another professor for that last letter before I heard back from my study abroad prof, and he has been belittling me slowly over the past week. But yes!!! We can do this! Whether it's this fall, or next year, or the year after, I will keep applying until I'm accepted or find a decent job I enjoy lol Good luck kind poster, your attitude is refreshing!!

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that! Don't give up - If you don't try, you won't know, right? That is my theory. No matter what, in six years, I will be six years older. If I don't try, I will be six years older without a PhD. If I try I *could* be six years older with a PhD. May as well try.

My LOR writers have done well so far, but the one school I am really interested in has a Jan 15 deadline and I am waiting on two letters. I know there is plenty of time, but I wish they would just submit them so I don't have to stress about it.

You'll be fine. Try not to think about everything you need to do at once, it'll always be overwhelming. Break it down into steps and take it one step at a time (checklist). Try to always get a few steps done each day.

The best way to relieve stress is to eliminate the source.

100% this. Context REALLY matters here.

That feeling of inadequacy, even if only temporary, is normal. I think everyone experiences this, even those students who came up those "brilliant" ideas and interpretations (and who knows, they probably weren't the ones to come up with it first). It can seem like an insurmountable task to bring yourself up to speed. But let's be honest, I think that only comes after years of research. I find keeping a separate reading list of books and articles that are of interest to me really helps, even if they happen to be outside my areas of research.

And the thing about grammar and spelling. Who cares? Yes, obviously things like that need to be correct, but that's not what study at the graduate level is all about. Just be more careful and develop good writing habits. I'm sure your university has some sort of academic writing center that can help you.



Ain't it the truth?



I think too much organization is a bad thing. You obviously have more responsibilities than in undergrad, which requires better time management, but to plan which particular piece of work to do during which particular block of time for everything seems a bit excessive to me. Some people work better like that, but I don't.

I find it helpful to keep a weekly schedule with regular events (courses, GAs, office hours, time allotted for specified reading or study (e.g. second language)) and events particular to that week (meetings, talks/defenses to attend, etc.). Since I'm in the office fairly regularly (treat it like a job, 9-5 kinda thing), the rest of the time is spent doing work. The priority of the work is determined by writing down a list of things I have to do for the next two weeks or so (or even longer, if it's long-term) in no particular order, then assigning priorities (1,2,3, etc.). Then, just do it and get it done. No scheduling for hours only to find your paper is due tomorrow. Then, just lather, rinse, and repeat.

The rationale behind this method is that it abrogates the problems that arise when micromanaging everything. Instead of worrying about the optimal structure of how to get work done, you actually do the work and get it over with. Further, you don't feel obligated to do work in any particular way or at a particular time, which lifts that sense of burden and the procrastination that accompanies it.

To be an expert in your field takes years. It's not going to happen overnight. Just hang in there. Work hard and manage your time well, but don't forget to smell the roses.

Cheers.

I'm really not sure about word counts, I'd give them a call if you can't find that information on the website, they're pretty helpful. Funding-wise, there definitely is funding out there although I'd say that those who get it probably have more work experience, higher GPAs, test scores, etc. If you don't get funding there are opportunities to do TA-ships, etc. but these are completely contingent on you being able to secure these yourself after you've gotten here and they are pretty competitive to get since most TA-ships at UCSD go to PhD students. Also, they advise against getting them your first quarter when the work load is particularly intense. And I can attest that it IS very intense.

I'm not really sure about the rolling admissions issues, I know that some people did apply after the deadline and still got accepted, but I'd really say get your application in as early as possible to increase chances of admission and funding. Most people here have some kind of work experience too although there are certainly a decent amount straight out of undergrad as well- I'm guessing that they tend to have higher GPAs/test scores, etc.

Sorry, I don't know more about the nitty gritty of the application and admission process, I'd give them a call.

Thanks for the encouragement guys I spoke to a professor today about writing me an LoR, and he said he has written LoRs for less qualified people for the MPIA program who have gotten in, so I'm feeling a bit of a confidence boost. It helps that he mentioned he's worked at UCSD for 12 years previously and that should hopefully grab the IRPS people's attention? Ahhh, worried about applying, but now that the semester's out I'm gonna go full throttle to get this application done and done well for January. Good luck to everybody!!!!

This basically is a "what are my chances" type post, but with a slightly different spin. That's okay, though

Generally speaking, it's hard to gauge your competitiveness in the overall pool. We'd have to know the values of the individual programs to which you are applying. But I would say generally speaking, professional programs like the MPIA care less about your GPA (as long as it is above a certain threshold, generally a 3.0-3.2) and more about experiences and skills that you have that can contribute to your success in the job market. Your language skills and your experience living abroad, as well as your ability to articulate your passions and goals, are likely to be more important than your exact grades. And especially since you can show an upward trend of your grades now that you have solidified your ideas, you have a better shot.

We had a fairly extensive discussion on this recently over on the Literature board, but I think it's best to refer to it by the full name on first mention and appropriate abbreviations each mention thereafter. University of California Berkeley first, then Berkeley. It's like referencing an author by their full name on the first mention and last name for the rest.

I hope it is, since I referred to it as "Berkeley" with word count in mind. When faculty mentioned the school name in e-mails to me, that's how they referenced it, so I've kind of become accustomed to it. It reads better, too.