ratlab

Retake the test if you think that'd help and you have time. The priority deadline is not the only deadline, and it's likely you'd be pushed to the regular deadline anyway if your app isn't competitive. Best of luck!

The email was just to let you know your application was complete and was eligible for review (meaning it will be reviewed)

What's your field Loric?

They unfortunately aren't.

I was under the impression that the OP is talking about having a letter on a plain document background versus the official letterhead of the university? (Be that PDF version or actual paper).

How'd this work out for you?

Nearly every professor I know uses official letterhead for their letters (in multiple fields).

So self-centered.

You are infuriatingly ignorant and you are going to make a terrible social worker. Do the whole world a favor and go on eharmony.com to find your spouse and have your 1950's lifestyle marriage and baby rather than add a horrible counselor to the lives of the people who need it most. You need a wake up call. As for the OP, I wish you all the best. I am sure it will work out :-).

I would try to find another writer, but that's just me. It's better to have a complete application than an incomplete one, as some departments will immediately throw you out if its not finished. Call your schools! Hope all goes well.

Each of these factors is important. If you have listed these factors as weaknesses in your application, to be very blunt you haven't proven yourself capable of a math PhD program (especially a top 10 one - you should apply broadly). You really should reconsider doing a masters before a PhD, but my guess is that you'll see this in the school responses. You've listed like 10 faults (several of which will be kisses of death) and are basically asking for reassurance. I'm sorry, but I have none to offer (as I personally think you shot yourself in the foot by only applying to tier-1), and it's likely that the lack of other posts indicates the same. -Whether the application is submitted on time. - Many programs won't even review your application if it's not submitted on time. -Whether GRE general test have been taken. - This isn't negotiable, they either require it or do not. If you don't take it, they will throw you away. Plenty of others took it and followed directions (assuming the school requires it). -Not stellar GRE maths subject test. - I don't know the importance of this subject test, but this is your field and I imagine they take it seriously (if they require it). -No REU. - Not important as long as you have research experience elsewhere. If you have no research experience, then how do you know you'll even like a PhD? -Only have 3 letters of rec. ​- Most schools only require 3. -Whether recommenders are strong researcher. - Most likely it won't matter. What matters is that you did research under them, so they can comment on your skills. -Undergrad is in liberal art instead of univ. - Not important. -Lacking graduate level maths course. - Again, not important as long as you have extensive undergrad background. This is not the norm. -Lacking basic maths course. - Extremely important. How does the committee know that you can do a math PhD if you haven't done math? This will weed you out. -Low cumulative GPA. - Again, very important. Undergraduate is easier than Graduate school. Coupled with these others weakness it proves that one isn't ready to enter a PhD program. Really address why you didn't do well in undergraduate - try to gain some insight. -Failed/low grade in many non-math course. - Not as important as failing math, but still alarming. -Some maths course with not perfect grade. - Depends on what grade. There is no way a perfect statement of purpose is going to make up for this list. My advice is to apply to masters programs in addition to these PhD applications.

I am not sure what you mean...perhaps someone else would like to chime in?

A perfect statement of purpose is not going to make up for that list (as it doesn't even demonstrate math skills). I think you're probably better off doing a funded masters if you can find one, and now would be the perfect time to look. Sorry it's not exactly an encouraging response - again though, there are exceptions to everything.

Sending them Christmas cards was extremely unprofessional, particularly if you didn't personally know them.

As it stands, you should completely delete your first two paragraphs. Either come up with a more relevant opening or forgo that style altogether and start your statement of purpose with your academic background and research interests. In other words, don't talk about anything before the day you stepped foot into your UG career. Keep in mind this is just my opinion, but I think most people would tend to agree. There are *very* few circumstances where it would help you. Likely it will bore your readers.

I edited my post, so refer back to that for what I think needs the most work. If you really want to "hook" them, try and find something that happened to you after high school during your college years. Make it relevant. For example, in my statement of purpose I opened with a very brief narrative about when I was waiting in an airport talking to other scholars - we were all waiting to get on a plane to go to a conference. I allowed this story to introduce the fact that I presenting my honors thesis (with a travel award) at a scientific conference. It showed that I am excited about research, and that I have experience in academic dissemination. In all, it was about four to five concise sentences. Most importantly, it was relevant to the overall narrative of the statement of purpose and flowed very nicely into my research background.

To be blunt - the first two paragraphs are irrelevant, no one cares about your childhood or high school. It kind of made me disinterested in reading further because the thought crept up in my mind "oh..it's another one of those..". Be very careful about being too casual - this is very much a sample of your professional writing ability. I strongly suggest you read it aloud to yourself multiple times as that will be a very good indicator of flow, and I guarantee that you will catch a lot of errors while doing so (pay attention to things like tense). I think your last few paragraphs need the most work. Don't state things like "I work hard, I am dedicated," show these things in your narrative.

The latest I've ever seen is January 1st.

I would never do a PhD without full funding. If for some reason I don't get funded offers I am going to work as a research assistant for a year or two. This is incredibly unlikely as I only applied to schools that have a history or statement that says they fully fund admitted PhD students.

I think you're seriously overthinking this - graduate programs would say "by the end of Tuesday the 16th" if they wanted it midnight on the 17th. Generally, if something is due X day, then if you do it any time on X day, you're fine. The only thing I would try to do is submit it before the close of business on the 17th so they can mark your application as "complete" in the system on the 17th, but I think it won't matter as long as you submit tomorrow.

I am NOT going to reread anything. No SoPs, and no applications. It would drive me nuts if I found something wrong.

This is great except for one sentence: Setting a slow progression towards the latter, I feel that I am now most interested in the beauty of ideas. Take this out, it's unnecessary and vague IMO.

I think it would be rude to contact them now.

Application fees: 11 schools x $80 average = $880 GRE Scores: 11 x $25 = $275 Actually taking the GRE: Registration fee = $200 Subject GRE that I missed (-.-): 1 x $150 = $150 Transcript fees: 11 x $8 = $88 Misc. expenses: ~$50 Total: ~$1700 Expensive stuff.

I would write a concise second document highlighting the things you left out. For example, in my short SoP I left out all my leadership experiences and extra stuff (tutoring, supplemental instruction, etc.). If I were given the opportunity to upload a second document, I'd talk about that.