Creffecreve

So, I am finishing up applications... and beginning to have panic attacks at the thought of waiting till March/being rejected from everywhere/telling people I've been rejected/having ruined my life by a misplaced comma, ad infinitum. Anyone else?

Oh, idk, one of my recommenders submitted my letters the day of. I'd remind them if they don't get them in then.

So, Cornell's website says their writing sample should be 3,000 to 7,500 words (12-30 pages). But 30 pages is way closer to 10,000 words than 7,500. Which one is it? I really want to send in 30 pages!

mastercard should work, I think. I also think both credit and debit cards should work, even if only credit is specified.

Another questions about word limits: if a program says it wants 300-500 words for the sop, would having 600 words be too much?

I'm just going to put in all my applications tomorrow and be done. For all the arbitrariness of the process, I cannot believe that fiddling around with syntax and obsessing over minor details is helpful at this point. If my ws is good, as some say it is, then it's good. If it's not that great, as one person said, then there's nothing to be done at this point, you know? Let's just hope the people who do say it's good have it right!

^I believe most schools ask for sops to be single spaced, although some require double spaced. I am so tired of this process. I get contradictory advice/feedback from person to person and from the same person from one day to another, on pretty much every aspect of the application process, including my sop and writing sample. I'm done. Argh. I don't care if my writing sample is horrible anymore, I can't look at it again.

Emory just sent (i'm guessing everyone) an email telling them to not ask about GRE scores as they are overwhelmed with such questions. They were very curt and I didn't even ask...!

I believe they say 5-7 days. I'd do my best to get them in on time, but I'm guessing you'll be fine because they don't really start reviewing apps till later. (also, some of them ask you to self-report on the application as well)

What is the protocol on reminding people to write letters?! This professor said she was writing mine a week ago but it hasn't been submitted yet and the deadline is tomorrow :S

Two questions about the fit paragraphs: Is it all right to mention professors in other affiliated departments (says, comp lit or romance languages) whose research interests match yours? How should one refer to the POIs in the statement- as Professor X, Dr. X, or just plain X?

^Okay, thanks for clarifying that. That does make sense. I shall heed your advice. Back to the chopping board it is.

Well, my paper is around 14 pages after I cut it down... so I don't know whether it would be better to send that, or send size 11 font, since technically nothing is specified. I guess I'll work on whittling it down by another page...

Another question: So NYU says that their writing sample should be "10-12 pages, double spaced." Would it be okay to send in my sample of 12 pages, double-spaced, in a size 11 font, instead of 12? My writing sample is 18 pages for other schools, and I can't cut it down any further!

As terrible as I feel right now finishing apps, I can't tell if this is worse or if the two month waiting period with nothing to do but wait will be worse!

How detailed are people's fit paragraphs? I am just mentioning a couple of professors and an aspect of their research that interests me. Do they expect anything more detailed than that?

In more news about panic attacks, one of my letter writers told me that "graduate programs expect you to come in with a masters". Why are people such inconsiderate idiots? And is this true?

Thanks for the answers! It's interesting that GRE scores came up as the focus of this discussion, because (while I would love to have done a couple of points better) it's really the subjective portions- the writing sample, especially- whose strength I can't figure out!

Hi, So this is kind of a silly, last minute panic question. How do you decide what range of schools you would be competitive at? I mean, yes, obviously interests and fit determines the schools you look at, but how do you decide whether or not you stand a chance at Columbia, say? aka, I think I won't get in anywhere, halp!

I think I was freaking out way more in September, thinking about all the work I had to do. Now it's time to do it, and I'm ready to do it and be done (hopefully forever!) with applications.

Hi guys. Jumping into the discussion to hopefully untangle the lingering questions that no one seems to be able to answer as the application deadlines approach. Are any of you submitting two writing samples, by any chance? My problem is that I had a really polished sample on one topic (18 pages), but it wasn't really in my field of interest. And then I have another sample that I've been working on that is directly related to my current interests, which is presently at 15 pages. I've had professors recommend both that I go with the former and others who say the latter would make more sense. Argh. What would you guys recommend? Anyone in a similar situation? Related: Three of my schools explicitly state that two writing samples are fine. Although definitely not the way to go about the process, does anyone know of any other schools that permit this?