KieBelle

Anyone else out there experiencing this? I am so sick of working on these essays and applications that I'm getting to the dangerous point of not caring. I'm ready to just submit all this stuff as-is and take my chances. I practically have my essays memorized! Ugh! Now that all of my supplemental materials have been submitted, these cursed essays are the only things left for me to do. It's sooooo tempting to upload them and hit "Submit". Then I'll actually be able to get on with my life, imagine that! But then the voice of reason speaks up and I realize that I will hate myself if I start half-a**ing this stuff come March when I start receiving rejection letters. Sigh. So I guess I'll go rearrange a few more sentences, scour the department website for some heretofore overlooked bit to include in the fit paragraph, and agonize for 20 minutes over whether I should use "chose" instead of "opted" or "corresponded" instead of "spoke".

Alright, so I bit the bullet and called him. I had a script all written out to leave on his voicemail, per socal's suggestion, but he answered! He said he's working on them right now and will have the most important one in today and will finish the rest over the weekend. Hooray! So here's to hoping that my phone call has motivated him to actually follow through! Thanks to everyone for their support and suggestions!

I've submitted 2 applications and the rest could be sent in within the next week. All GRE scores and transcripts have already been sent. Two old professors have submitted their LORs. The ONLY thing holding back my applications is ONE of my LOR writers. I told him over a month ago that this week is my target application submission date and to please, please, please have his letters in by then or let me know if he won't be able to. He said it wouldn't be a problem. But a month has gone by, and I haven't heard anything from him. I emailed him twice last week to no avail. This prof has totally bailed on me before so I am FREAKING out that he's going to do it again. I really don't have anyone else that could write for me. I'm going to send him another, more urgent email today. What should I say? I don't want to piss him off (for fear that would come through in my LOR), but I want to let him know that he's single-handedly keeping me from grad school right now. (Dramatic, I know. But true nevertheless.) Some of these programs admit on a rolling basis so it's crucial that these apps are completed ASAP! How have you guys handled this? Help!

LOL well I'd like to think I'm smarter than your average idiot, but like I said, my GRE score is more likely the result of the freakish ease I have with standardized tests. But the PR book did help me brush up on my math and vocab.

I'm not sure what the "correct" answer to your question is, but I can share how I'm handling a very similar situation. I've been out of school for over 4 years and none of the jobs I've had in that time period are "relevant" to my intended field of study. But rather than leave 4 years of my life unaccounted for, I'm including each job on my CV, on the online app, and am mentioning it briefly in my SOP. Those work experiences have given me skills that will be vital to my success in grad school and in my future career, regardless of whether they're specifically related. I'm proud of my experiences and I completely reject the idea that they're somehow irrelevant and not worth mentioning.

That's the only book I used in preparation for the GRE and I scored above the 90th percentile in all sections. I have a knack for standardized tests, but I hadn't taken a math class in over 5 years and still scored a 750 with the help of that book.

I don't think it's even worth mentioning. Grad schools care about your work experience to a limited extent, but whether you're currently employed shouldn't matter at all. They aren't going to call your old employers- they have far more important things to do (like review hundreds of applications).

I hadn't even noticed this until I read this thread! I've already submitted 2 apps with the old percentages, but I'm not going to worry about it. But I'm definitely going to change the apps I've started but haven't submitted-- the percentages went up! My AW percentage is 6 pct. higher than it was when I originally took the test.

Your writing ability and vocab knowledge should come through in your cover letter without you having to point it out. And I wouldn't hesitate to name drop--if you've spoken to the director of the program, why wouldn't you mention that? That's the main reason why many people (including myself) contact professors at prospective universities ahead of time-- so that we can say in our essays that Professor X thinks our ideas are fantastic. I would advise keeping your mention of your GRE score very brief. State that you don't believe your GRE verbal score accurately reflects your abilities and that after speaking with you, the director of the program agrees. I agree with rockchalk about not mentioning the hours you spent studying, despite the director telling you to do so. I just don't see how you can say that without digging your hole even deeper, so to speak.

I think what the adcomm primarily wants to know is what you want to do with a degree from their school, not your entire life plan. I have several unrelated careers that I'd like to explore in my lifetime, but I don't feel the need to mention that in my SOP and I really don't think that counts as dishonesty. So I would only talk about your desire to teach, especially if your job in the military isn't going to be related to your degree. That being said, I agree with coyabean that I don't think you would be denied admission for wanting to join the military. I just think it might be irrelevant--the sort of "extraneous info" that we're always advised should be left out of SOPs.

Got some criticism on my essay and its anecdotal opening, so I'm bumping this thread up. The reason I wrote an anecdotal intro was to explain the initial reason for my interest in the field. I don't have any undergrad or work experience in the field, and I thought the adcomms might be wondering why I "suddenly" am interested in this topic. I've had several people read it (including on this forum via PM) and they've all said it was written well. However, two professors have since read it and suggested I ditch it altogether and start the SOP with my research interests. So I'm unsure what to do. What do you think: 1) Do I need to explain how I became interested in the topic if there's no relevant undergrad or work experience? 2) How important is it to have a "hook"? If I start with my research interests (i.e., no hook) will that hurt my SOP? Thanks.

I think the "common notion that MAs are a rip-off" only applies to certain MAs. There are plenty of professions in which an MA is the highest level of education required or desired. It just depends on what you want to do after graduation. For someone like me, who really has no interest in teaching or research, a PhD would be a waste of time. As for you, if you don't feel like you have the necessary qualifications to get into a PhD program that you'd be happy with, I think getting your MA first is a wise decision. Especially since you won't have to go into debt to do it. But for either level, I really think you should narrow down your research interests first. Also, keep in mind that this forum has far more PhD than master's students in it, so most of the responses you'll get will be weighted in that direction.

OMG I hope not! When I sent the email over a month ago asking if they'd be willing to write for me again I acknowledged the fact that my previous two attempts hadn't worked out and gave some reasons/evidence as to why I feel that I'm mature enough and ready for grad school this time. Plus, I tried demonstrating how serious I was by sending old exams and papers from their classes (thank god I kept everything), my CV, SOP, and a letter thanking them for the umpteenth time and spelling out exactly which schools would be sending them emails vs. requiring hard copy letters (and of course I provided the necessary forms and stamped envelopes). Unfortunately, the only old letters I have are from one of the professors who already submitted everything. I just sent another email to the professor I'm worried about, so hopefully this time he'll start writing. My first application is due December 1st though so he doesn't have much time.

I'm in the midst of a similar situation right now. I've applied (or at least started the application process) to grad school twice before. The first time, one of my recommenders (who was the dean of my department and knew me very well as I'd had 4 classes with him) was two months late submitting his LORs. The second time, he agreed to write and then I never heard from him again despite repeated panicked emails. I ended up abandoning the application process anyhow, but still. And this time, I've asked him again and made sure he knew that I will be submitting all apps by mid-November. I made it VERY easy for him- complete with stamped envelopes and everything. It's getting close to the submission date I gave him and.... nothing. My other two recommenders have already submitted everything. And I'm trying to remain calm, but inside I'm freaking out. I wish there was someone else I could ask to write for me, but I've been out of undergrad for almost 5 years so my options are extremely limited.

I've run into this problem as well. I've been double, triple, and even quadruple checking the guidelines for submission of each requirement because different areas of the website will give conflicting information. IU is the WORST about this! Their department supplemental form specifically says that LORs must be mailed in hard copy, but the online app says they have to be sent electronically. I ended up emailing the department and asking which one was correct (electronic submission). Very annoying.

Any school that will let in people with your level of effort, ignorance about your field, and total lack of focus cannot possibly be worth the time and money you will spend getting the degree. I have a very hard time believing that a degree from this school is worth much in the job market. Yet another example of how your sense of humor falls completely flat. Then again, maybe this wasn't intended to be funny. Hard to tell. This is my opinion absent all sarcasm and frustration: NO. It is not okay. Ugh. If you aren't a troll, you are one strange dude.

I would score this essay as a 4.0 or 4.5, although you're on the right track. My reasons: 1) In your intro paragraph, you say that practical work experience "should be a desired option for universities". The issue topic is asking you whether it should be required. It's unclear whether you are arguing that it should be required or that it is desirous but should not be required. 2) There are some grammar and spelling mistakes (mechanical engineering major led to...). I get the sense that English is not your first language. True? 3) Don't use contractions- it is more professional to write out both words. 4) Your third paragraph contains two supporting points. I would split it into two paragraphs and add a sentence or two more to each point. 5) You should be very cautious in discussing the scarcity of jobs and the theoretical nature of fields you're unfamiliar with. Stick with what you know (engineering) or you run the risk of being incorrect in your assumptions (which you are). Like I said above, you're on the right track. You just need to work on clarifying your argument and adding a bit more supporting evidence. Hope that helps.

I'm still in the process of applying, but I wanted to ask current grad students about the feasibility of having a pet while attending grad school full time. I have a cat that I've owned for the past 8 years and it would break my heart to give her up, but I'm preparing myself for the very real possibility that I'll have to. Between course load, internships, assistantships, study abroad, time at the library-- is it possible to have a pet? Has anyone been through this? I know the ease of finding a pet-friendly apartment/room varies from city to city, so my question is mainly about how much time I'll have at home to properly take care of an animal. Thanks in advance.

I'm going to try to be nice, but... I'm having a hard time understanding why you are asking for our advice again, since you chose to ignore everything we said the first time. As I'm sure you've noticed, the users on this forum are generally incredibly intelligent and many of them have gone through this at least once before. If you have 20 smart and experienced people telling you to do or not do something that may save your application from rejection, why not heed their advice? The fact that we all pretty much agree with each other says a lot. So if you want to continue to ignore our advice, that's absolutely your right, but don't keep asking for more. As for the plagiarism issue-- isn't it a bit late to be worrying about that? You've already posted 2 drafts of your SOP. If someone wants to steal it, it's far too late for you to do anything about. P.S.- I'd like to thank Tam and modernity for giving me the best laugh I've had in days. Maybe it's a crazy troll on a bus in an underwater city? Okay, that may have been a bit mean. Sorry.

Congrats!

OP = Original Poster

I strongly advise you NOT to view the SOP as perfunctory for any school, regardless of rank. And don't be overconfident- I was that way the first time I applied to grad school and got burned pretty badly. You cannot take anything for granted in this process. If you view the SOP as merely a box to be checked, the adcomm will be able to tell and will most likely be turned off by your lack of effort. You are trying to convince them that you are mature and well-prepared for grad school; one of the best ways to do that is to take their admissions requirements seriously. As for the intro paragraph, I agree with you that it is important to show them who you are. However, I don't think you've gone about that in the best way. The way it is written, you don't show them who you are; it sounds generic and contrived. IMO, vague is only appropriate when discussing personal issues that the adcomm doesn't need to know about- for example, in my SOP I said that "family circumstances" took me to my undergraduate school, rather than tell them I married a sailor and was forced to transfer there. In that case, vague is better- they don't need or want to hear the gory details of my personal life. So I think you should work on adding more concrete details about your academic and work experiences and less superfluous information. One last point, and I'm surprised no one else mentioned it: what struck me the most when I first read through your essay was the negativity. The irksome dogs, deviants, and lengthy preparation- all of that should be removed. There shouldn't be anything negative in your SOP. Try to twist those sentences around to be more positive. For example, you said being a mailman had its moments- what were they? Briefly mention a positive aspect of the job and how it prepared you for grad school or taught you something about your chosen field. It sounds like your life has provided you with a lot of raw material to work with. I'm sure that you can write a fantastic essay with a bit of work. Good luck, and stay positive!

I used Peterson's Cracking the GRE and it helped a lot. I took the GRE awhile ago so I'm a bit rusty, but from what I can remember the key to the essays is sticking to the essay format they're looking for (as boring and unoriginal as it may be) and coming up with at least 3 supporting points for your argument. And of course, your argument has to make sense. I remember leaving all traces of creative/figurative language out of it, and that seemed to work for me. My score was 5.5- so I didn't ace it, but I was happy enough with that score and chose not put myself through the torture of taking it again, haha.

Thanks Leica- this post has been bothering me for a few days but I wasn't sure quite how to answer it. I completely agree with all of the points you make. I would also add that it's important to distinguish between the U.S. State Dept's Foreign Service and foreign policy/IR jobs at other government agencies. Very different things. Also, you should never pursue graduate school simply because it seems to be "the next logical step". No wonder it feels a "tad off" for you- you're not going into it for the right reasons. And btw, I find it incredibly irritating when people use the forums to brag about their accomplishments, which is precisely what you seem to be doing, MJoy.