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fromeurope

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Everything posted by fromeurope

  1. As a fellow European, this is so true! I had one recommender from the American system (although originally from Britain) and two from Europe, and I heard later from my recommender (at a university to which I applied) that her colleague who had read my file had commented on my other two references "I'm sure they think 'X' is smart, but they don't seem really enthusiastic" or sth like that. It's just a cultural thing. One just has to hope that they make allowances for it. On the flip-side, one of my other recommenders told me about looking through post-doc apps for my home-home uni, and having to "filter" through the gushing and unrealistic praise overflowing the recs from American professors.
  2. I sent my WS on A4 sheets, 1.15 spaced, 11 pt font, ~20 000 words. I would advise against that. The day I realized that the US standard is 12 pt double-spaced... Well, cue panic. Not sure what this did to me at the places that rejected me, but apparently, there are places willing to look past even transgressions of this magnitude. But again. I was ignorant. Don't be. The A4 vs the other thing I didn't even know about until now. Fascinating.
  3. All I can say is that Rutgers have been amazing in helping me out in every respect, be it in quickly answering my inquiries or simpply just providing proper information and documentation from the very beginning. I imagine that without this support, it would have been nightmarish to sort out the visa and other such stuff. There's like a week-long international orientation program too, before the term starts. So, I realize that this does not help you. But I just had to respond since I'm so happy with the way I've been treated so far. I also realize that your post is a month old.
  4. You should've signed it in blood. That'd make you stand out for real! And it is, after all, a compact, is it not?
  5. I accepted my offer early! Like in the beginning of March. Although, it was pretty much a no-brainer...
  6. There are no words. I think you're last post might be the worst. The situation is not of your doing, and the way you seem to have been treated by some people! No words.
  7. My I-20 took some 35 days to arrive -- I was just about to pay for my school to express mail me a new copy when it finally did. Although, I suspect that it was lost in the mail for a bit, since I've received other materials in 10 days or so... But at any rate, if you're not getting it, and you're worrying, do pay for them to express it. (I'm in Europe.)
  8. Top 20 vs top 25? That's almost negligible! If you had said only a top... say 50 or something, it'd have made more sense. If a top 20 program (i.e. the 15-20 range) provides you with a shot at these kinds of job, I don't see how a top 25 (20-25) somehow categorically wouldn't. Perhaps you're at a slight institutional disadvantage, but surely, "serious setback" is a bit strong?
  9. I already voted you up to 0 [before you posted this]. Alas, someone else must have voted you down since.
  10. I put my FB account through my e-mail account, so if you'll allow it, we can do some mutual stalking...
  11. I see in your signature that you've gone from "pretty sure" to committed.
  12. This is so hard! The other parts of the application are sort of quantifiable, but the WS and SOP are inscrutable across the field of candidates. Since you have no idea what kind of writing samples other people have produced, it is hard to really gauge the competetiveness of your own. As a result, you come to doubt it. How could you not?
  13. You've probably seen this thread -- if not, have a look. I wasn't at the Open House either, so I can't help you much more than pointing you there. If you choose Rutgers though, feel free to contact me (I've accepted their offer).
  14. UMich had 339 applicants this year. Doesn't seem disproportionate to me. They are highly ranked, with great placement, and it's a far cry from the ~700+ applicants some schools have received. All schools seem to have ridiculous amounts of applicants though, speaking in absolute terms.
  15. (...) It's been such a long time, I think I should be going, And time doesn't wait for me, It keeps on rolling. There's a long road I've gotta stay in time with. I've got to keep on chasing that dream, Though I may never find it, I'm always just behind it. etc. (...)
  16. I remember seeing your posts a couple of weeks ago a couple of rejections in, and I could feel how you were bracing yourself for more of the same. Looking at your profile now, well, it didn't quite turn out that way...
  17. As a Professor told me, what these programs look for and invest in is potential. If the potential is there, the rest will fall in place with time. Perhaps, in the end, this may yield more interesting scholarship than the candidate who enters into grad school more quantitatively "prepared" or "versed." Or not. It's simply impossible to know. My point is that grad school is only the beginning of a journey, and an acceptance there is a vote of confidence more than anything else. Not that I disagree with you about the paper trail... And unfortunately, some people end up in an institutional disadvantage that can be extremely hard to overcome. It's not news that grad admissions are a fickle beast, however, and I sure don't envy the adcoms.
  18. I'm sure one ref that you only had briefly is fine. The paths of undergrad studies are manifold, and adcoms are surely aware of this. I had clear choices for two of my refs, but took only one small course for my third one, just a month or so prior to him writing the LOR -- but it worked out. If you have two solid refs that know you well, I wouldn't worry too much if the third one doesn't. IMHO.
  19. 14. How annoying it is to click reply instead of edit, and believing yourself to be editing your first post, you end up double-posting...
  20. 1. Anyone else feel humbled by this whole process? I applied to five (5!) schools, and all of them top 20! So arrogant .. and I feel this even though I was admitted into 1(.5) program(s)! It could so easily have been 0 that it's not even funny. 2. I found it an interesting experience that it was only when I spoke to the DGS of my solid admit that I realized how great a fit that program actually was. Sometimes you get a bit lucky, I guess. I wasn't totally clueless, but it was enlightening to see how aspects of my application package all came together without me really pointing them out or being fully aware. They know, even if we don't. 3. I found thegradcafe when I researched the GRE in Lit test, but soon stopped visiting in order to preserve my ignorance. Ignorance is bliss? In my case -- yes, seeing how my admit came totally out of the blue for me, and thankfully before my (admittedly short) string of rejections (and the one highly equivocal 0.5 which I'm pretty sure won't pan out anyway... not that it matters). 4. Due to a formatting misunderstanding (line-spacing), my writing sample was in some cases 2-3x longer than the various instructions specified. Ops! I wonder if that fact alone landed me in reject piles. 5. The GRE sucks. The GRE in Literature sucks even more. I'm a big fan of the person who filled in nice patterns on the quant answer sheet instead of, well, you know, trying. 6. On the subject of the GRE, according to the ETS it is apparently the case that I'm a lousy (3.5) writer. Just goes to show. 7. How incredibly fortunate I am to have a offer that I feel good about! 8. Bryan Ferry's version of "It's My Party" is so kitschy. Glam out -- Glitz in! Narrative gender preserved! I just discovered this gem the other day. The reason? Another cover: bit.ly/1rUHI8 -- how fantastic isn't that? 9. I quite like this random thingamobob. After a hesitant start, I'm getting into it now! 10. Surely, there should be a reward for everyone who goes through the grad school application process, takes the GREs, and all that? I'm thinking... admittance! Or, at least a coupon or something. It could come with your letter of rejection. "We're sorry that we could not offer you admission: here, take this coupon, and rest assured that it is a courtesy that is only extended to our rejects." 11. Considering 10, it's a wonder that we voluntarily choose to go through this process. 12. I so much admire the perseverence and spirit of some (well, considering 10 and 11 -- all!) persons here. 13. This list now has 13 entries.
  21. I sent thank you e-mails to my LOR writers, and two out of three invited me to coffee/tea, on their expense, after I told them about my admittance in a second set of e-mails (but although I was told I could order anything, I just went with tea...). I really did not feel that I needed to give them gifts or re-imburse them for postage costs (also, 80% of my apps were fully digital in this respect). Actually, doing this would have made me feel very strange.
  22. That just sounds fantastic. I want to work with Sci Fi as well! Maybe some day...
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