KieBelle

I completely understand- I'm unemployed right now (one of the many victims of this wretched economy) and have zero money left over after paying bills each month. But I'm applying to 10 schools, which means I have to make about $1000 dollars appear out of thin air in the next two months. I refuse to apply to fewer schools because I am hell-bent and determined to get into grad school this time (this is my second attempt). Fortunately I don't have a family to worry about so it's just gonna be me that goes hungry. :| What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? :wink: Yeah, sure.

I agree with the two previous posters- you'll have to send them both. But I really don't think that the NP is going to matter at all. The rest of the grades are excellent, and if your last 4 years have produced good grades as well, who would care about one class a long time ago? I don't even think it's worth mentioning in a SOP.

I really don't think you should give them all the gory details, either in the SOP or in an addendum. It might just raise questions in their minds about whether or not you're emotionally ready for grad school. Instead I would mention very briefly in your SOP that you were the victim of an violent attack that year and that while your grades suffered for a year, you were able to bounce back and complete school with good grades. Make it a positive story. Do not mention the suicide attempt.

Most of the LOR forms I've seen for schools say that the recommender is welcome to attach a separate letter to the form rather than answer all the questions. They prefer the form to be filled out, but they'll accept a letter on letterhead with the form stapled to it. I've also found that most schools really don't like the dossier services- they want personalized LORs. And I don't think you should cut down the number of schools you're applying to. This is part of a professor's job and if they agreed to write letters for you, I'm sure they had an idea of what they were getting themselves into. If they're annoyed by it, I'm sure it won't be directed at you- they'll just be irritated with the schools and the ridiculous lengths they make us all go through. Just make sure you make it as easy as possible for them by mailing each a package with everything they need to write and send the letters to the schools.

NYU - MA in Near Eastern Studies University of Washington - MA in International Studies, Middle East Studies Georgetown U - MA in Arab Studies Univ of Michigan Ann Arbor - AM in Modern Middle Eastern and North African Studies Indiana Univ Bloomington - MA in Near Eastern Studies University of Chicago - MA in Middle Easern Studies I believe Columbia, Harvard, and UC Berkeley also have programs on Near Eastern or Middle Eastern Studies. Avoid Univ of Texas Austin because although they have a MES program, it's geared toward those wanting to go into business. Your stats sound very good, but don't rely on stats alone. Make sure your LOR and SOP (and any writing sample, if it's required) are very well done.

Hmm, I would consider that neutral-good. The prof doesn't say anything about your research proposal- did you just give him/her your general area of interest (I'm assuming Victorianists) or were you more specific?

Just have to vent a bit... I think it's ridiculous that some schools make you send 2 sets of official transcripts (which they'll probably lose anyhow). Do they not have copiers? Hello? It's expensive enough having to pay the application fee, send GRE scores, and send one set of transcripts (especially if you went to two schools, as I did). It just seems like pure laziness to me. They don't want to have to copy them and walk them over to the appropriate department, despite the $50-$125 bucks you've paid as an app fee. Grr. :evil:

Not sure if anyone knows the answer to this, but... I took the GRE back in October 2005, which means my scores expire next year. I'm applying to master's programs now, but what happens if in 2 years when I get my master's degree I decide I want to pursue a Ph.D.? Will I have to take the GRE all over again because my scores will have expired? I can't believe they would make me do that if I already have a bachelor's and a master's, but I don't know. And I REALLY don't want to go through that nightmare again. Anyone have any idea?

Apparently I'm an anomaly- both the hook and the conclusion came to me right away. It's all the stuff in the middle that's taking me FOREVER to write. I finally finished my first draft of my first essay today, lol. One down, 50 to go... :roll:

I just sent my first email to a prof on Friday and then spent all day Saturday freaking out that I worded it wrong or that maybe my research idea actually sucks or my summarization of his research was completely wrong, etc etc. But he emailed me back today and said that he's "very interested" in my research proposal and really hopes that I apply to their program! I'll admit, I did a little happy dance by my computer. So don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine!

no, she didn't say but it would definitely be different for each school

I thought of one more thing: She said that people whose area of study is politically sensitive (like mine) need to be very careful about not revealing any bias one way or the other in the SOP. For example, someone who is intersted in the Arab-Israeli conflict (like me) needs to be careful and sit directly on the fence, so to speak- don't criticize or praise Israel in any way, shape, or form. Showing bias can only hurt and will almost never help. So I guess I'll just add that to the list of SOP things to stress out about.

I thought I'd share this info, even if many websites offer the same or similar advice... I just got back from dinner with a family friend who is a faculty member at IU in the Communications and Culture department. She is on the admissions committe for her department. So of course I pumped her for as much info as I could (IU is one of the schools I'll be applying to, but unfortunately not that department. darn.) Here's what she said: 1) Don't spend much time on background bio information in the SOP. They don't care that you've been interested in [fill in the blank] since you were 5 and the lengthy evolution of your academic interests. Just because it's a good life story doesn't mean it belongs in your SOP. Focus instead on your current research interests. 2) Do lots of homework on whether each program is actually a good fit for you and what you want to study. You can have a well-written SOP, but if they feel like you wouldn't fit in with their program and "wouldn't be happy at this school", you won't be admitted. 3) As part of your research into each school, contact the "Graduate Secretary" (her words) and ask to be put in touch with current grad students. Pump them for the real behind-the-scenes info to determine if you'll be a good fit there and which advisers are good/bad. 4) Contact potential advisers via email (but make it short and sweet), discuss your research interests, ask them about theirs. She said that she gets emails like that all the time and when applications start coming in she makes a note to look out for the people who she's spoken to via email. Basically it'll put you a step ahead of everyone else who didn't contact the professors. 5) There is an unofficial cutoff for GRE scores below which you'll automatically be put into the reject pile. Above that cutoff, scores are "sort of given a grade based on how high above the cutoff they are". They don't play a major role unless the adcom is trying to decide between several similarly qualified candidates that each have "heartfelt well-written" SOPs, and in that case the candidate with the highest GRE scores wins. Also, GRE scores are used by the department in their attempt to get you funding. For example, after they've decided to admit you, they pass along your application to their bosses (again, her words) and will use high GRE scores as evidence as to why you should be granted funding. That's all I can remember right now. I hope this helps- although advice directly from someone who reviews applications for a living certainly can't hurt, right?

it sounds like you actually have a lot to work with for your essay. you'll have a great essay if you start with growing up in a poor neighborhood, being the first in your family to pursue college education, and having to almost literally fight your way through high school to achieve good grades. then maybe roll that into how well you did once you were at school and how proud your family is, how much you want to continue your education, how your early life experiences coupled with your undergrad work has prepared you for the rigors of life as a grad student... start with a bit of darkness but then make the rest of your essay really positive. I know a lot of other people have already posted about this, but have you looked at Donald Asher's book Graduate Admissions Essays? I checked it out of the library and it's been really helpful. I bet it'd be even more helpful for you since you already have a great "overcoming the odds" story. Good luck!

I'm totally stressing about my CV and need a bit of help. My problem is that while I've been out of school for almost 5 years, NONE of my work experience is relevant to the programs I'm applying to. So do I leave it off completely? (And I really don't think it's possible to somehow twist it to sound relevant- waiting tables and office administrative work is pretty far from ME Studies.) Also, is it normal for someone applying to an MA program to have a very short and sad looking CV? I'm a member of 2 national honor societies, I presented one paper as an undergrad, but no publications, no research, no year-long trips to sub-Saharan Africa to feed starving children, etc etc. I'm hoping that a fabulous SOP and strong LORs will offset my puny CV.

I'm applying to Middle Eastern Studies programs all over the U.S. and overseas. I have two questions regarding the writing sample. First, should it be a paper related to my intended area of study (the schools' websites don't say either way) or do adcoms care more about seeing how well I write, regardless of the subject? Second, one of my best research papers that I wrote as an undergrad was on Hamas- its history, structure, role in the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the social services it provides to Palestinians. The paper isn't sympathetic to Hamas, but it is critical of the Israeli government. I'm applying to a school in Israel. Probably not a good idea to send that paper to them, right? I wouldn't even consider it except that I'm very proud of the paper and it's relevant to my intended area of study and future career. What do you think?

It seems that most of the posts and advice in the threads are geared toward PhD programs. What are the differences between MA and PhD SOPs (if any)? Will MA adcoms be a bit more lenient on the writing sample and SOP?

Hey, thanks for the helpful response! :| I'm not stressing about it, I'm simply wondering if anyone else knows whether or not adcoms put much weight on the undergrad school attended.

I graduated from a small (~8,000 students) private school in Hawaii that isn't well-known. My GPA was 3.94 and my GRE scores were 750V 760Q 5.5 writing. I'm applying to grad schools like UChicago, Boston Univ, Georgetown, Tel Aviv Univ, UWashington, etc.- not Ivy League, but still very respectable schools. I'm concerned that my undergrad school will negatively affect my chances of being accepted because it isn't a big name or widely respected school. What do you think? Is there anything I can do to mitigate any potentially negative effects?

I don't have much advice for you regarding the Istanbul issue (other than I agree with the other posters that OF COURSE you should go!), but just wanted to ask if you'd looked into the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey for grad school. Instruction is in English. I've done some research and it looks like a pretty good school. You should check it out if you haven't already!

Thanks everyone! I feel a lot better about this already. And kent, you're absolutely right- I have an unfortunate tendency to do that. (Hence the 5 year wait before finally applying to grad school.) I did my undergrad in Hawaii and now I live in California, so visiting the profs isn't possible. But I'll definitely take the time to write a thoughtful and detailed email to each of them. As for employers, I could get a letter from an attorney I worked for recently but I'm not sure if that would be helpful since my intended area of study isn't law.

I'm planning on applying to grad school for next fall and I need 2-3 letters of recommendation (depending on the school). But I have a few problems. First, I graduated almost 5 years ago so my professors prob don't remember much about me anymore. Second, I've already almost applied twice previously and my strongest recommender has already written me letters before that I did nothing with (I actually still have 7 signed and sealed letters from him, but they're dated 2 years ago). I really really don't want to have to ask him AGAIN. I'm afraid he'll be annoyed that I've wasted so much of his time already. Another professor wrote me one letter of rec a few years back and when I asked him a second time he said he'd write one and then I never heard from him again. I don't want to let letters of recommendation stand in the way of me going to grad school. What should I do?? :?