captiv8ed

I have been told that Duke has a strong social networks program

I have talked to a few secretaries (including a comp program) and all have said there are several weeks between deadline and when they actually starting looking at them. So I was told it is okay for pieces to come in after the deadline.

OOH, that is good!! Thanks!

But it is tough because I don't want to say "if I don't get in" but then I don't want to look unfocused either. Does that make sense. I posted a draft on livejournal with the "If I don't get accepted next year I will do XXX and reapply" kind of statement and someone mentioned that it makes me sound less confident. And I can definitely see that.

You said that pretty actively And not everyone agrees. http://ls.berkeley.edu/soc/diversity/apply/tips.html http://www.essayedge.com/graduate/essayadvice/course/lfour_verbs.html

That is the question. The answer is: None, I will stalk these programs until someone let's me in. How do I put that in a better tone? Anyone else dealing with a question like that?

I don't want to use the second one because it is coauthored. Here is the background and decision making

I raised my score by 180 points and a month of studying. It was all 180 on one section. I didn't study V at all because Q was where I needed the most help. I used the GRE math bible and felt so much more confident on so many of the concepts. But at the same time, I think it was luck of the draw because the second round seemed just as harder or even harder, even though I had studied. So many of the questions (even early on) had me blind guessing. Even though I had learned so much, ETS still found a way to quiz me on the stuff I hadn't gotten down.

Two of mine asked for specific talking points for the letter. I think professors appreciate knowing exactly what needs to be stressed.

Thanks that is what I did

PM me

Your second paragraph kind of reads like a brochure for the school. They know what is awesome about their program. They want to know why you will be awesome there.

Aw, that is too bad Are you going to apply anyway? What is their cutoff?

Thanks, that is kind of what I am leaning towards. And yes, for the second school, I see how I can omit it but still get the point across.

How much editing did you do? And who did you go to for help? Or did you just do it yourself? I have two samples, and I plan to submit them both whenever I can. One is a conference paper. I worked side by side with my mentor on it and she critiqued it like mad, and then I reworked it and submitted it. I got word back from the session organizer (pretty quickly) and the organizer called it excellent. Should I edit more? Or can I do a read through to check for obvious errors and then send it on its way? My second is a piece I wrote and my mentor edited. She and I are listed as authors, but I am lead author. It has been published on many newsfeeds and even been used in undergraduate classes. I think that is probably good to go, right? Thank you!!

I have gotten in touch with professors at 5 of my 7 schools. coya, are you driving your recommenders up a wall? I had thought about adding a school but then got nervous about having to ask my recommenders for another letter at this late date. How are you dealing with that? If you feel like you have the time and money, go ahead and apply to your maybes. If not, let them go and take a great big breath and delete their pages from your bookmarks

I have a weird little thing that is bothering me. At my school, all professors use their first names with students. My school is nontraditional and this is one of the things that is well known. When I write about my mentor, my immediate reaction is to use her first name (after using first and last to introduce her)since that is what I have called her for three years. But I wonder if that will look bad? I am referring to the professors at the schools I want to go to by their formal titles. To add a wrinkle, in the fit paragraph at one of my schools, I actually talk about the similarities in the two schools, and mention that at my undergrad teachers and students are all on a first name basis. So, even if I change her name to professor so-and-so in the other applications, would it look weird to call her professor so-and-so in that one but then say I am on a first name basis with her? I hope this makes sense. I am sick with a head cold and the brain is working clearly enough, but the paranoia sure is!

If it makes you feel better, I got a 600 V and a 590 Q (on my second try, my first Q was much worse) and I am applying to sociology programs.

Luckily my mentor is absolutely over-the-top about active voice. I have learned to live in fear of the passive. But I have noticed on applyingtograd on livejournal that a lot of people write their SOPs in the passive voice and most commenters do not react to it.

I am going with the above-mentioned tactic, saying that I have been in contact and am excited to work with them because of their work in ABC. Yay! for you. I am still beating my SOP into submission.

Thanks Peanut! Right now I am working on Iowa's, which is a luxurious 2 pages and has many prompts to answer.

Gee you had me in a panic there for a second. I am a domestic student and ours aren't due until the 15th of January. But UW's is due 12-15, so I will have the statement done by then.

Yes, I am also dreading the process for Indiana. I am going to rewrite and go almost straight research proposal, which I will use for Washington and Indiana. I would call and ask if 650 is acceptable.

That is how I handled it.

I *heart* Mad Men! I am going through the same thing sort of. My favorite program is quite impractical. Across the country, expensive area, really difficult to get into. I had been in the mode of, "I hope I don't get accepted because then I won't have to figure it all out." But I sent an email to my favorite professor there and he wrote me back to say he would be happy to work with me if I am admitted and that was it!!