Gwendolyn

I hope not to sound redundant, but I firmly believe it's important to write about program fit. 
 
For what it's worth, I have to attend an annual conference for one of my undergrad programs (although there are several optional events throughout the year) and the majority of fellows in this region are from emory, rice, and wustl so we'll typically have graduate admission counselors from those schools, but we'll also have graduate admissions counselors come from other prominent fellow schools from other regions sometimes  (when I say "prominent" I mean schools who produce a large number of fellows) to speak and answer questions about admissions as well (mainly ucla, university of chicago and northwestern, but I've seen harvard, dartmouth, and stanford and a few others). Over the course of two or so years it's been explicitly stressed over and over again from admissions counselors from these schools to make sure to write about how you fit into a program, but here's where some people might err. Don't just pick out professors blindsighted -- ASK if professors are willing to work with more students during the next school year. ASK if professors are interested in your research. ASK if professors think your research aligns with theirs before you apply.
 
Writing about your fit means absolutely nothing if your POI can't work with you (they might already be advising more students than they can manage or  they might be on a sabbatical by the time you enter etc.), if your POI doesn't have interest in what you're doing (their research interests do change - one professor at OSU told me he wasn't doing something I inquired about anymore, BUT he was interested in working with some of my other interest areas).
 
This is why it helps to list 3-4 people you can work with in your letter (hopefully you've at least contacted the primary 1 or 2). If you can only name one person you want to work with and he's not taking any more students, then you're out. If you've convincingly written in two or three others you can see yourself working with then, if admitted, you'll have access to Professor of Choice and you'll prove that if something happens to Professor of Choice (they leave the school, they retire, they die... all realities), you'll still have other people in the program who can guide you. Appealing to 1 professor is like applying to the professor. Picking a few reveals your interest in the department rather than just one POI. 
 
A few other things I've taken away:
 
1. Write about why you want to study at the school; what resources does the school have that will contribute to your research? Is there a special collection or a special institute? Is the location particularly beneficial to your research? Are there local off campus resources?
2. Explicitly state what you want to contribute to the academy as a whole. What conversations can you join? What new are you adding?
3. Tell what academic experiences prepare you for graduate study (avoid too much extraneous personal information unless requested). 
4. Know what you want to research, but be sure to indicate that you are a young scholar so your interests are evolving (this illustrates your flexibility and makes those professors with changing interests more inclined to work with you). 

I'll definitely second this. I've heard this advice over and over again since I became interested in pursuing a PhD around sophomore year. Always write about the professors you'd like to work with and state how you fit with them.
 
Very basic example:
 
...Professor One  has conducted research concerning X, X, and X which informs my own interest in exploring X. Professor Two's work with X and X theory intersects particularly well with my own research on X . I hope to work under Professor Three to use his expertise on X and X to further my exploration of X.

I'll definitely second this. I've heard this advice over and over again since I became interested in pursuing a PhD around sophomore year. Always write about the professors you'd like to work with and state how you fit with them.
 
Very basic example:
 
...Professor One  has conducted research concerning X, X, and X which informs my own interest in exploring X. Professor Two's work with X and X theory intersects particularly well with my own research on X . I hope to work under Professor Three to use his expertise on X and X to further my exploration of X.

Definitely what is written.If Professor Famous writes you a letter of recommendation that doesn't speak very highly of you, is very broad and generic, doesn't prove you why you're prepared for graduate study etc. then you're worse of than the student X who gets a very personal letter of rec from Professor Nobody that adequately speaks on behalf of her ability to do well in graduate study.
 
Not sure about the environment of departments in larger school, but I think I was lucky to go to a school with a smaller department because it allowed me to get to know the majority of professors in my department on a more personal level. There's one I stop to speak with every day and a handful I see at least once a week. I think building those connections over the course of undergrad helped me get strong letters of rec. Alternatively, I've spoken to people from bigger universities who maintain many of their professors are hard to reach.

I'm probably echoing others, but I've always been told to never go anywhere that wasn't going to fully fund. I think it's especially telling if other applicants to the program received funding, but you did not. Schools tend to fund those who they believe will be most successful.

Preparing for Fall 2013 damn near killed me. I wish you all the best at any rate! 

I hope you don't have to start! I'm sending good vibes your way .

Amazing, congratulations!

I know, I am still absolutely shocked!

Congrats!
 
Also, how does it feel knowing that you are a mythical beast on par with the Pegasus and Unicorn?
 
Like seriously, how often does this kind of thing happen?  Many congrats!

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE BOTH JUST ACCEPTED TO LSU WITH FULL FUNDING!!! I am BEYOND happy!!! We didn't think we would get in anywhere together!!!!!

After two solid weeks of radio silence from the rest of my programs, I got an offer from University of Houston today! Super pumped and also super overwhelmed by options. 
 
Hope this weeks proves to be exciting for everyone!

I saw someone on here a while ago asking if anyone ever got into grad programs without taking the GRE Subject Test—the answer is yes. 
 
Last application season, I applied to Comparative Literature programs, for which there is no subject test. This time around, I totally forgot that that was even a thing for English programs until the fall semester was about to start (I'm in a MA program), and then felt I didn't have enough time to properly study for it. 
 
So, this season I only applied to programs that didn't require the subject test. There were enough programs that I really liked that I didn't feel that it was that big of a loss, and I was accepted to plenty of PhD programs without it. 

I am from Seoul!! Do you have friends in Seoul? it's random but one of important reasons for me wanting a spot in OSU is because my best friend lives in Columbus, Ohio!

Reapply and "aim higher." 

Hi guys!!
Writing this from South Korea. I am obviously an international student. About a week ago i received an email from Dr. Garcha (right?) that I have made into the wait list for MA/PhD program and that I am the top candidate for the specific area of the program. His words were really hopeful. OSU is most definitely my top choice for me. I would love to be a part of this group of exciting grad students!! cross fingers for me if you would!!

I'm super late to this party, but-- not to overgeneralize from two examples, but this is a point that has been made by people in my program under fellowship as well. Missing the week-long mentor program and twice-weekly practicum meetings does make some people feel a little alienated. I'm lucky to be in an extremely tight-knit cohort, and the fellowship students are integral parts of our group. (The first years are crazy close, too. They had Christmas photos taken at a professional studio together!) It helps, here, that the first of our five core classes is always the first semester and always the new cohort. But I think this feeling is pretty common, and it isn't always ideal to miss out on the teaching experience.
 
That said, what are you gonna do, turn down a fellowship? The money is better and you have a CV line for life. It's a great honor and a good thing. I would just make sure to reach out to your cohorties who have regular TAships. I'm in love with my program, but I can't imagine it if I wasn't so close to my cohort. They're incredible.

Acceptance from U of Oregon! 

Another offer of admission, this time at UWashington. Wow! I really don't deserve this good fortune.

Been accepted to IU Bloomington with six years funding!
Wow. After so many rejections (lost track), I can't believe there is a school that wants me.

I'm planning on getting into town Thursday, but I don't think I'll get there in time for a seminar. I am going to stay in town all day Saturday so I can scope out the city and apartments.

Ditto.  It turned out to be more generous than what I had been told over the phone.  Very tempting....

Official fellowship letter came today. 

In at Georgetown!  The email said I'm a "strong candidate" for funding, but those offers won't go out until next week at the earliest.

hi potential future cohort members. first gradcafe post here! my interests are postmodern literature and queer theory.