tskinner

I would just inform people that there are PLENTY of people on this board, myself included, who are willing to edit/look over your SOP/PS for free.

Sending 4-5 won't impress them, it'll annoy them. If you're really worried about saying "no" to a professor, then just have some write for some schools and others write for other schools. However, remember, this is a good problem to have.

There's no way doing research could hurt you, so why would you not? Sure you may not have a finished product or results to talk about, but you can still say in your SOP something along the lines of:

Given that info, it may be worth your time to take a course. Go ahead and take the next practice test and see where that lands. If you're within 50 points of your goal, I recommend getting this book: http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GMAT-800-Advanced-Students/dp/1419553429/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282581369&sr=8-1 It's only the hardest questions to really help bump up your score.

The answer to the question, "When should I ask my professors to write letters?" is ALWAYS: TODAY! Professors get extremely busy, and the more notice they have, the happier they will be. If you're worried about them "forgetting," I have put together this 5-step plan to send reminders to them that are disguised as "updates" so you're not pestering them: TODAY: I'm thinking of applying to grad school. Will you write me a letter? I want to research x, y, and z. My goals are a, b, and c. I'm looking at applying to l, m, n, o, p, and q, but at not sure yet (or if you are sure, let them know). I haven't taken the GRE yet (or if you have, let them know how you did), but when I do, I'll give you an update. Of course you don't need to write it now, but I just wanted to give you a heads up before the semester gets busy. A month later: I just took the GRE and got perfect 800s on both sections. I will be applying to schools a-g. I'll input you into their system today and send you a list of all their deadlines. (You then go into your applications and input their information and e-mail addresses. The application then e-mails them a link to fill out the form EXCEPT FOR UCLA, WHO ARE IDIOTS, BECAUSE THEY WANT PAPER LETTERS, AND WHEN ONE OF YOUR REVIEWERS MOVED TO TAIWAN, IT GETS COMPLICATED! /rant) The day after 2: Here are a list of the deadlines. Did you get notifications from all the schools? Perhaps a month or so later: Here is my current draft of my Statement of Purpose. Though I would appreciate feedback if you had the time, I expect you are too busy with research and LOR writing, so I just wanted to send it to you to get a better idea of my plans and state of mind when you write my letters. A week before your last deadline: Hi Professor! I just wanted to let you know that I've submitted all my application information, and I wanted to thank you for all your support in the process and I'll keep you updated on the results. In case you need them, here are the deadlines again. If the professors is going to put it off and forget about it, they're going to do it whether or not you ask them now, or a week before the deadline. Better do it now.

It depends at what level you're scoring right now and where you want to be. Is it worth it for thirty-fifty more points, not really. What are you getting on your practice tests?

This is what always bugs me: the cost of score reports. The marginal cost to THEM to send your score is less than a penny (how ever much it takes to pay someone for the second it takes to check a box), because they send these schools CDs of scores of THOUSANDS of students at once. It's not like they send a letter for every student who takes the test. This is where they make their most money, eaisly.

Interesting. I've NEVER seen this in all the programs I researched. Perhaps it depends on the discipline.

I'm super jealous that antonyms and analogies will be gone. I took the GMAT when I thought I was going to go to Business School and aced the verbal section...then got a 600 on the GRE. The verbal section of the old/current GRE only tests if you know these random words that, if you used, would alienate your audience anyway.

Yeah... I always caution people against picking a program for a certain scholar. There are so many things that can affect this that it really doesn't make much sense. For example, they may say they want to take a student, but then they get some huge research grant and are not able to. Or they get a HUGE outside offer and leave the program a year after you get there. Or their research path changes. Or, more likely (rather inevitable), your research path changes. I stress overall atmospheric and departmental fit over whether or not there is one person you want to work for with. Also, I still never felt comfortable asking if they're taking students, because then I felt like it would be presumptuous of me to assume that if they're taking students that they're going to want me. I'd really like some actual professors' advice on this.

OP: I got the same advice from MANY people (professors or otherwise), and I never felt comfortable doing it. To me, it would have been way too contrived, and I think the professors would have seen right through the lame attempt to curry favor. First , they're way to busy to be responding to you, and second, the chance that they're even on the adcomm is pretty low. Unless you have a legitimate question that the grad coordinator cannot answer for you, don't bother.

Do not worry about the AW scores. Most programs, as I understand it, do not even look at it. They have much better measurements of your writing to look at...like your writing. With those verbal scores, you guys are fine. It's when they see low verbals, low AWs, and AMAZING writing samples/SOP that they get nervous that someone hired a ghost writer.

Most (if not all) universities will not let you apply to two programs. I've never seen one that does. And I think that even if they did, the departments would hold it against you. At the end of the day, they'll have a few dozen applicants that are largely identical, and it's just a crap shoot at that point whether or not they choose you. If they see you're not sure you want to do political science, why should they invest tens of thousands of dollars in your education?

At most schools (I don't know of any that have a different policy, actually) you're just not allowed to. If you will be applying to both kinds of programs, do not hint at it anywhere in you applications!

I would highly recommend going through applications as they become available and as soon as possible. Just go through the tedious task of inputting all the personal information, classes, grades, etc. This way you'll have this all done before classes start for this coming semester/before midterms, finals, papers, homework, reading, socializing, binge drinking, etc. This was a big help for me, because then I just made a little Excel with a check list for each application listing the requirements (e.g. SOP word count limits, is a personal statement necessary). Then after you're done with your SOP and Personal Statements, it's an upload and submit!

Definitely take Calculus II. Integrals are integral to any mathematics education. However, I would also highly urge Calculus III, unless you only plan at looking at two dimensional research topics (I don't mean two dimensional like boring, I mean like only two variables). Multivariate Calculus is really impressive to have on your transcript is is HIGHLY recommended.

Hello Sommersprossen! First of all, let me congratulate you on making the decision on becoming a political scientist! I hope that you will soon become as disenchanted as the rest of us! What was your GPA scale as an undergrad? I've never seen anyone have above a 4.0, since there are no AP classes in college (well, they're all AP classes, technically). If you're looking to go into IR (great choice, BTW), you're really going to need to get that math score up. I'm not sure what level you're shooting for, but for a top-10, you need at least above a 700 to even be really considered. Then you'll need around a 750 to be considered seriously. I would recommend getting these two books: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141955221X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0BJ0Y54JSQ5SR6A3Y0E5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607144972/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0BJ0Y54JSQ5SR6A3Y0E5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 I used something similar to the second one when I took the GMAT (when I thought I wanted to go into business), and it was perfect. Note that if you wait another year, they're COMPLETELY changing the GRE, so you may want to look into what those changes are going to be before you make that decision. http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/know Good luck! What areas are you thinking of researching and what programs are you looking at applying to?

Yeah... 510 is a little low. 600 or above would be a lot better, but it usually won't be a deal breaker in CS programs, but since you have a pretty low undergrad GPA, it probably would be a good idea to study for that to... If you're REALLY struggling, they're completely changing the test for next admissions cycle if you wait another year.

If this is true. Great work! Don't worry about your writing score. You could get a zero and no program would care (they'll have a writing sample to use anyway). What programs are you applying to? As for "how many" people ace it, I have no clue? Check this out: http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1088256&forum_id=3&PHPSESSID=1c52b46c6cc69ef81a2e43017b150558

I would definitely retake it. You will be needing to as near as (if not exactly) 800 Quant as you can if you're looking at Computer Science. A perfect score isn't even the 99th percentile so many people ace it, so to be realistic, you should look at really hitting it again. I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Kaplan-GRE-Exam-Advanced-Math/dp/1607144972/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281996391&sr=1-3

I took them both. The GRE one may have slightly harder questions, but there is no real difference between the two (except that the GMAT helpfully highlights passages when questions are asked whereas the GRE does not.

NEVER trust scores from GRE practice test books. These companies have a STRONG incentive to make you think you're a complete GRE idiot. If they design tests that people do poorly on (but not too poorly, because they do have a counter incentive to be accurate to inspire trust and brand power), then you'll be encouraged to buy more of their products to get more help. OR! If they're lucky, you'll shell out the three grand for a prep course! The PowerPrep software was EXTREMELY accurate in predicting my own scores. Trust that.

If you are really struggling beyond help, you may think about taking a year off (maybe taking some community college math courses) and waiting until next August to retake the GRE. They're completely changing the format (no more analogies or antonyms!).

Ha ha! I used an abstract for a lit review I did on the effect of Missile Defense Systems on the chance of war as my "writing sample" for UCSD's application. It's one of two schools I got into. Take that for what you will. (USCD is a great place to go if you're into conflict (resolution).)