rising_star

Blah. They were supposed to come out back in 06.

Depending on your field, you may not want to do it all. If you need to be in a certain lab or get a commitment from a certain professor, then you should make contact. 1. When to do it? When you feel prepared. When you have questions to ask that only that person can answer. When you're pretty much committed to applying to that school and have read all of the available information about your program on their website. Any questions about the program itself, funding, admissions procedures, etc should go to the DGS (Director of Graduate Studies, aka Graduate Coordinator at some schools) and NOT to whichever professor you're interested in working with. 2. What exactly to say? No one can tell you exactly what to say. You need to be polite and brief. Explain your interests and why you're contacting that person. Have some specific questions besides "Are you taking students?" If you don't have any specific questions or a particular reason to make contact (other than doing it because you hear it's the right thing to do), don't send them an email! I cannot stress that enough. 3. Whether or not to follow-up on a non-response is a personal choice. I didn't but then I think I only ever had one professional that didn't reply.

It depends. "Healthcare insurance premiums" doesn't to me imply that they're paying the whole thing. They're probably subsidizing the premium. P.S. You'll live. Even though my school pays my health insurance, I make several K less than that. Admin note: I'm moving this to "The Bank", which is the section of the forum for money questions.

I would be picking based on faculty and research labs more than anything else. Let that guide you.

You aren't mistaken. If you want to contact profs for recs, let them know now but then give them the info 6 weeks before the earliest deadline.

It's a test of whether or not you can write a 5 paragraph, coherent essay. I think in the social sciences, you need to score better than 4.0 to not get asked some serious questions.

halfpint, no direct experience but it seems like those schools have some stiff competition. Good luck!

Why would you use a writing sample that you already admit is not as good?

Your GPA will be somewhat of a problem. You really need to find a chart online (from a university) that helps you convert your grades to the American system. Your GPA could be higher than you think!

Could you take some classes at USF to shore up your background?

Heed the advice on the websites. It's there for a reason. I think a MBA would be better, based on your goals.

You need to really think about your interests, which none of us can do for you. Let your passion drive your degree choice.

feminist, if you can do the earlier date, do it. Better not to take chances.

I would apply for the program if you're truly interested in the school. What have you got to lose?

swathi, that's really not what this forum is about. We're here to answer questions, primarily, not to help you find programs. Best of luck in your search!

If you aren't passionate about it now, do you really think you'll maintain interest in the 5-6 years it will take for you to finish your PhD? Not to be mean but I sincerely doubt it. If you don't love your subject, you aren't going to want to read for your comprehensive exams, work on your dissertation, or teach classes on it for years to come. I suggest finding a specialty you are genuinely passionate about. P.S. Your lack of passion will likely show to the ad com in your statement of purpose...

swathi, without knowing your field, your question is impossible to answer.

hberens, why only one PhD program? Have you done anything else to strengthen your application (kept up with languages, taken grad classes, etc)?

You might be able to find something similar at SOAS in London...

I'm not in religion but I have a different perspective to offer on this. I did a 2 year MA program and used my three committee members, all of whom I'd taken two classes with before applying, as my recommenders. I have no clue what they wrote but it must have been great because I got in with funding to all of my schools. How well they get to know you depends a lot on the effort you put in. My writers knew me because I was in their offices, was working on a MA thesis with them, and because our courses were small (under 15, often less than 8 people).

Perhaps to work with specific faculty? The South Carolina program isn't a professional MA, neither is NYU. I think the list of schools depends a lot on what your career goals are.

Stacking cities is a great idea. Maybe have her rank cities with multiple programs for you highly? Like NYC, Boston, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Louisville/Cincinnati/Lexington, Washington DC, etc. Good luck!

I would do as well on the quant as you can since GRE scores are often considered in university-wide fellowship competitions.

I'd check with the school and the program. 20 credits in one semester is a lot. At my old school, that would be 7 courses...