Summit_Bid

I've heard different things. I know people who applied the day before the deadline and got it. I know people who applied months before the deadline and didn't get in. I've heard every combination so I don't think there's a really good solid answer. I recommend applying early. I've heard from someone in my cinema studies field who does grad admissions that you should apply early for the following reasons: 1. The earlier you apply the more chance you have of getting in. This is because a. They aren't tired of looking at apps yet. If they see one they like they choose it and already start building the class. If you apply late, they already have a good class put together and won't know where to put you, so they will probably reject you. b. some schools are strict and if you are missing something from your file they reject you if it is not postmarked by the deadline. Submitting your app early will catch mistakes that you can fix BEFORE the dealine and keep you in the race. Everyone finds out if they got in or not at the same time. Submitting your app earlier doesn't mean you'll hear earlier. the committee does all meet at once and makes the descisions at once and lets everyone kow at once as well for the most part. They do look at apps in the order they were recieved. I know alady who turned her app in after the deadline and still got in! An admissions book I read once said send them in early because some schools do look at apps a few times throughout the season and most people apply later so sending in your app early means there are less people to compare your app too which is a good thing. I once worked briefly in an office at a top school that dealt a little with admissions (this was undergrad admissions though so it's probably different) and this lady there said sometimes they don't even get a chance to look at apps that came in on time--but they still cash the app checks! Despite everything I said above, I think that generally speaking it doesn't matter when you turn it in so you'll be fine if you turned it in later.

I agree with the above poster. They will tell you via email or snail mail that you got in. Or, they will email you and tell you to check the application status page to find your results so you don't really need to check. Some schools/departments, while they have these update pages to let you know what's been recieved and what hasn't, they don't use them or only use them to post something like GRE scores that's been recieved. When they do update them, it's after you've recieved your acceptance or rejection sometimes! Some schools do use them so you can check on those schools. There is usually a date on those pages that says when they've been updated so if the date is 10/1, you know they aren't really using it. In general, I wait for schools to email me that I got in or am missing something.

I finally had an admissions dream last night! In my dream I came home from work and as usual checked through the snail mail. I saw four special envelopes from I think it was UCLA, UCSB, USC and I think maybe NYU (I'm not applying to NYU in real life though). The NYU one looked the thickest so I figured it was an acceptance. I decided to go for what I thought was the bad news first and opened up the flatter envelopes. When I did there was a letter in there reminding me to send the schools my FAFSA info and that this was just a formality not related to a descicion by the department. Then, there was another little note that something like this: "Sorry to bum you out. You probably thought this was an acceptance or rejection letter-that will come in another month. Every year we have students who call in and complain to us that these Financial Aid letters get them excited because they think it's going to be an acceptance. Understanding your pain of realizing you're going to have to wait longer for a desicion, we are sending you this consolation prize..." and inside the envelope was a shiny nail clipper that you could attached to your key chain! All three envelopes had the exact same thing inside. I was so excited in my dream that I woke up before I got a chance to open that final fourth thick envelope from NYU!

In regards to applying because of the recession...it's one of my reasons. Before the economy tanked I wanted to get a PhD but now it's more of a motivation than ever. I was unemployed for year after I graduated in '08 and am stuck with a near minimum wage job now (I've got a MA too!). Since 2008 I've been applying to jobs and this dumb receptionist thing I have now has been my only offer. I want to go to grad school for all the right reasons but also, riding out the economy by living on a hefty stipend (all the schools I applied to give you tuition remissions and stipend)and not having to work at all (or work a little)would be sweet for 4 years! When I get out the economy will more than likely be better (Let's hope), I'll have a new set of academic and life skills and I'll also just be more mature. sure I'll be another new college grad but in my competitive field I feel like there is no use trying to even make an effort getting a job during this recession so not worrying about it and focusing on something else for a while will be nice.

I'm paranoid someone is going to find out who I am ...although I think I've revealed enough already even without naming schools.

I'm obsessed with tween girl stuff: Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez etc. especially Disney channel. Kinda embarrassing I know. It was fun writing my SOP and talking about my connection to Hannah Montana. Anyways, I like looking at the changing roles of teen and tween girls in TV and Movies. I especially like looking at the the types of roles they played in the late 80's/early 90's and comparing them to the rolls of today. Basically girls are portrayed in more career oriented/power roles than they were before. The same is happening in movies but at a slower rate I think. comparing the TV side the movie side is fun. I can't wait to start my PhD and not feel guilty watching the Disney channel-hey, in my case that's considered research.

I have a pet tarantula although I'm afraid of spiders. A hobby of mine is nomenclature. I love anything to do with peoples' name (like meanings of names) and I especially love collecting names. I enjoy studying the history of commencements and academic regalia...hmm..wonder if this is a good omen of things to come. I think I'm unique because I can use my artistic background in performing arts and film and apply it to almost anything (a boring office jobs, life, other fields etc.) and always see the connections between these seemingly different relationships.

Like many of you, I've been waiting it out in the gradcafe since I got my 15 apps done in October. I've been spending way too much of my work time perusing these forums like a mad woman. If I get accepted into a school, long gone will be the days are checking the results page every hour on the hour 365 days a year. Long gone will be the days of taking everything everyone posts personally and posting away until I finally get my last word in. Long gone will be the days of moping over the "positives" thread and rejoicing over the "negatives" thread. How will you wean yourself off of something like the gradcafe who for so long not only was your comfort during those long winter waiting hours, but aided you in becoming a grad app fanatic? Won't you miss it...just a little?

I applied to 15 schools and all are saying they need my FAFSA info. The FAFSA only lets you submit your info to 10 schools. Do I print out a copy for the last 5 schools and send it to them via snail mail or what?

I'm feeling better already reading all these. This "negatives" threat is actually cheering me up and making me laugh. I'd like to take a stab... I want to get into a PhD program in Cinema Studies and the only way to get in is to have an MA in Cinema Studies...which I don't have. My MA is in a completely unrelated field. I have no more money to get another MA or even take a few classes. So basically, I'm doomed. To make matters worse my GRE Scores are also somewhere in the 3rd %tile and my recs, while all glowing, are from people not in my field and who taught me undergrad classes (all the classes I took as a grad student were undergraduate level but I got grad credit for it...it's a long story). I have nothing published and have no real work etc. experience in my field. My writing sample?....I chose what I still feel is my best piece of writing but it was my master's thesis--I never did pass my master's thesis the firs time around. No wonder it's my third time applying. I'm more screwed than all of you!!! Ha! See if you can top that!

I'll live with my folks (yuck I know!) so they'll know. I'll tell one of my undergrad professors from back in the day. He really wants me to get in and will be really surprised if I do.

Thanks for the instructions! It worked. Here are my two SOPs:

Same for me.

I still don't get how to upload my wordles either. Anyone have instructions?

I was done with my 15 apps in October (Dec. and January deadlines). While I'm glad it's over this just means I have longer to wait for a response!

Not to scare you or anything but but when I graduated in May 2008 I couldn't get a job for a year. I tempted while living in NYC I ran out of money and had to move back in with my folks since temping wasn't enough. A year to the day after I graduated I got a job as a receptionist. (I have a master's degree in Film and Dance from a top ranked school too! But ya know, dance and film is a bad thing to get a degree in anyways...). I'm hoping you will get into a school but should you not...Yyu will survive. You'll end up finding a job but it likely won't be something you like. We are all in that situation however. It's understandable and only temporary. You'll find something to do. Trust me. I did. I wish you good luck.

1) MA or PhD? PhD 2) What do you want to do with your degree? Teach I guess. 3) What is your undergrad degree in? Film Studies and Film Production 4) What topics do you want to study? The life of the movie director paralleling the films he makes. (i.e. Jurrasic Park was really about Speilberg's bad relationship with his mom.) 5) What's the #1 thing you concentrated on when working on your apps? Applying to a a range of different schools not just the top ones. 6) What's the thing you fear the most about being accepted and if accepted are you going to pimp up your dorm or apartment like a true movie diva (huge TV screen, dolby surround sound, max out the netflix plan, have milk duds nearby) or just settle for watching flix on your computer...or worse....your iphone (shame on you!) ? I don't actually like watching movies. I'm going to bring my Nintendo Wii though. I'm scared I'll fail quals. 7) Do you like making movies or just studying the history, theory and criticism of films? Both. Making movies streese me out but it's still fun in a way. I don't think I'm good at theory but I kind like some of it. 8) Do you even like going to the movies? I like going on Monday or Tuesday nights when no one else is there. 9) When people know you want to study film don't you always hate it when they ask you, "What's your favorite movie?" Yeah I hate it. but I figured out a little trick. I make up names of movies and plots no one has ever heard of. If there is one people really like I try to make that the next movie I make. 10) Tell me a story about talking to someone about applying and them "not getting you". All my friends are film geeks so they "get it".

It does depend on the school. I don't think most schools have one specific time they meet. They meet multiple times during and after the app deadline.

I don't know how the admissions consultant thing worked out since I haven't heard from any schools yet. I think the real result of if it worked or not will be the indicator of money well spent...or not. As of right now though, I think it was worth it. I think my SOP was as good as it could be and really represented me. I feel confident about my apps and in no way is there a single thing about my apps that I feel like "oh, I wish I would have said this in my app" or whatever. I owet his to my consultant. In a way I feel like I paid for piece of mind...and it's worth it. I feel like if I don't get in this year then I never will since this year I did a thorough job. If I get into a school, I believe it will be because of the consultant. If I don't, I will just think the consultant (who wasn't directly in my field but teaches in a similar field) just didn't understand the nature of the programs I applied to but will mostly think it actually wasn't her fault, just me and my degree (my master's is in an unrelated field to what I want the PhD in which is a big "no-no" for the departments I'm applying to.) Yeah, it was expensive but I feel worth it. If you don't get in this year, save money all year like I did and get a good consultant.But again, check back with me in April and I'll let you know how it goes.

14 Application Fees at about $80 Average:$1,200 Admissions Consultant for SOPs: $1,300 Admissions Consultant for CV: $250 2 GRE Prep Courses: $1,200 *Not including gas to get there. Postage: $45 *Not including gas to get to the post office (sent via USPS W/Delivery Confirmation). Transcripts: $60 GRE Score Reports: $300 GRE Prep Book: $30 Paper, Envelopes and Ink: A lot of $ but it's not included in this estimate. Total: Approx. $4,385 I work full time at a professional job and saved for a full 12 months for this. I'm broke now but I wanted to leave no stone unturned this year and went all out since getting into a PhD in my field is very competitive.

Media and Cinema studies are really competitive fields so don't be discouraged. Continue to apply to schools again and again and don't give up.Your stats look really good so getting into NYU was a real accomplishment that's a tough school. I would expect you to get into anymore than one or two being that this field is so competitive. It's not like undergrad you get into a lot of places. One school is good enough, let alone NYU! My advice: -If you don't have an MA yet, just apply to the MA first. Schools want to see you can write a thesis before a dissertation. Writing a thesis is hard so who knows, maybe you'll be burned out after that and not want to do the PhD. Get a regular MA not a terminal one. A terminale one won't get you far especially if you want to teach. Just get the regular MA and who knows, maybe down the line you could get the Phd if you wanted, not so with a terminal MA. I think there maybe a stereotype going around that people with terminal MAs weren't good enough to get into a PhD program or were lazy. This isn't true but who knows, it could come back to haunt you one day. -Apply to more schools. My research indicates 3-26 students are excepted (on average about 6-12) for all these programs yet about 150 people apply. This year, with the economy tanking, the numbers look worse. -I understand your dilema about location. You and I are in the same boat. I'm obsessed with going to West Coast schools however, I'll apply to all schools everywhere...I can decided later if I'll actually go or not. Unless you spent some time in some place, it's hard to tell what you like and don't like. Who knows, maybe you never thought you could live in say, San Francisco, but once you go you love it....that's what happened to me. -SOP is the most important part of your ap. Make it sound professional and like you are really dedicated to research and are focused on one idea that is similar to what someone in their department is working on. Email or call that person in the department whose interest is similar to yours and connect with them. Kiss ass a little if you have to yet still be yourself. I think it was your SOP that prevented you from getting into more places. Again, you have to be a match with the school you are applying to. You might be really great with italian cinema but if you go to a school that focuses on women in film or whatever, you'll have no chance there. -Publish papers and present at conferences. Present yourself as a serious and sophisticated academic. Your SOP should really be an outline for your dissertation idea. Personal stories and extra curriculuars are for freshman. Tell them your idea for your plan of study and sell yourself. -Make your CV look like you are obessed with film, media, whatever it is you want to study. Take off any little jobs not related to your studies (like that camp counselor position...unless it's related to your field)...basically, keep it streamlined. -Choose a really good writing sample you already wrote in undergrad or grad school. -Consult your professors on everything. Good luck.

Donald Asher's "Graduate Admissions Essays" is good. But I agree with the above poster, get feedback from other professors or students already in the program you want to apply to.

No one will ever know you went to that school and since you will never be asked for transcripts from that place for any other reason I would not send one. I take a lot of community colleges classes for fun at a different univeirsity and never report them when applying. If you were to take a little summer class or something and for someone reason either got credit or even if you didn't but it shows on another transcript some where or something like that then you would have to report it. But for your situation there is no need to so you don't have to.