captiv8ed

Spend several weeks deciding on the right programs, taking into account rank, faculty, fit, availability of schools/programs for husband, cost of living, schools for children Study off and on all summer for GRE, bomb it, spend several weeks studying to retake Spend many many hours over two or three months writing, rewriting, receiving feedback, reworking, and polishing SOP. Spend several hours revising my writing sample. Several hours on CV LORs: write "fantasy letter" for one, write talking points for another. Fill out seven applications online. The most time-consuming part of this has been the college search part, since I have 6 undergraduate schools. Maybe I do need to chill. But my least competitive program has a 30% acceptance rate, so why would I take any chances?

Cool! Good to know. I think if some people do it, then it won't send up any flags if I have it on mine. I just couldn't find any that did any bolding, so I was nervous. Thanks!

On my CV, I have written some things in bold, like my job titles. I think it looks better and it makes it easier to read because they stand out. But I am noticing most profs do not use bold. Will it look amateurish if I do?

Yes I get that too and it drives me up the wall! Yes 5% of applicants get in but of course I will get in. Because I win the lottery every other day too. I am just lucky like that.

In this same vein, I get annoyed when advised to focus on fit more than location of the school. The program could be absolutely perfect for me, but if my family and I are miserable in the town we are living in, that is going to affect my chances of success. I was able to find enough programs that address the fit question within the areas I would want to live.

I put it in my CV. I went to three different community colleges, but I got nearly a 4.0 at each of them (and had a 4.0 at the one I attended for a full year) and I will be graduating from a school that doesn't do grades, so I thought I should show off that proof of my non-flakiness. I list each school and and then I include a second line with my gpa and dean's list.

See, that is what I thought too. Because a CV is different than a resume. But when the career counselor said it, I took it as fact. I will look into more. Thanks for the heads up.

I took my CV into the career center yesterday and the adviser said it was totally rocking (WOOT) but he suggested I put it on nice paper. I have some resume paper, so I will print the CV on it. But should I use the same for the SOP, or just print it on basic white?

I am chickening out, even with words of encouragement! Not only is it a week beforehand, I just realized it will also be finals week for them, so maybe they will hate me if they see one more email in their box. (I am saying them because I was doing some deeper research and the one that I thought would isn't as close as I hoped, but I found two other profs who are doing research that appears totally in sync with my interests)

OOH, maybe this is a sign! I just posted a question about emailing people at this late stage.

One of the schools I am applying to has a deadline next week. I have had contact with one of the faculty members at the school for a couple of years. I have gone to the school and talked to her about fit, been to board meetings with her, and hung out a little in social situations. I have kep tin email contact with her about my application process. But I have never emailed anyone else in the program to discuss fit. And now I am looking over the faculty list and realize there is someone there who is an awesome fit for me, and it is someone that I have had one-on-one professional contact with. So, one part of me says, it is too late to get in contact, it will just look desperate and last minute. But the other side of me says go for it. What would you do?

I just put them on there with their dates. I might put the word forthcoming in parentheses.

It was coming along great, the writing center director said I was up to polishing. Then my prof read it and made suggestions and not it is out in lala land again. I would love to have some new eyes read it and give feedback. PM please.

Iowa's is like this. For the sociology department, all the supporting paperwork (SOP, GRE scores, LORs) need to be in by January 1, but the application itself needed to be sent to the graduate school by December 1. Very confusing.

I listen to a lot of old music. Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Michelle Shocked, Sarah McLachlan,Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Joni Mitchell, ABBA. Sometimes I will make 80s dance playlist. The other night while working on the SOP and feeling every bit the academic impostor who will be gaining acceptance nowhere, I made the most shitkicking country music playlist, mostly from the 1980s or earlier. Made me feel better. What do other folks listen to to get you through it?

Water. Sometimes with ice, cuz I am wacky like that

That might be the way to go. Wow, four samples that are far too long? Prolific. Are you already in a Masters program? The longest paper I have written for undergrad is less than 10 pages. I have always been amazed at how many people are cranking out much longer works.

I am going straight from undergrad but (if I get in) I will be 39 (!!!!) Took me awhile to get around to starting undergrad.

If it is omitted and they find out (I don't know how they would, but who knows) it would be grounds for expulsion

Cool, thanks. I was leaning towards it, but you know how easy it is to second guess yourself throughout this process.

One of the applications has two blanks for this. Would you include unpaid internships? Paid internships? Or just straight work?

hehe, I posted that link above!

Hm, this is interesting. It says there were four and on my copy there are four, but now on the website there are only three.

Okay, I was in the right field but the wrong side of the country! On this page is a link to the statements of purpose from 4 successful applicants at Duke http://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/grad/appinfo.html

I had found some successful applicants' SOPs from (I think) Stanford or Berkeley in (I think) anthropology. I have been going crazy trying to find them again. I thought I had printed them out and I will dig and dig and dig some more. If I turn it up, I will post the link. I agree, coyabean's was absolutely awesome. But we won't know if it was successful until the end of the application cycle.