NathanH

Writing Sample:I started my writing sample really really early. I wrote a 40 page paper for a class where the professor really liked me and set no upper limit for the final paper. And then the next semester I revised that paper for a philosophy of religion class and got that prof to write a letter for me. But still, this paper does not even look like the WS I finally submitted. One year before graduation, I started my thesis writing class and do another semester of research about the topic and leave the paper behind at which point I completely restructured the paper with new arguments. Finally, I spent another two semesters just revising my paper and my prof keep giving me feedback. At the end, I have probably revised the paper 10-12 times, and it has nothing in common with the first paper.... GPA: I don't have a great cumulative GPA (3.75ish) but I doubt the adcom will make a big deal about it unless it is under 3.5 or 3.3. However, major GPA plays a huge role in admission. I saw in all program that GPA is more important than GRE in evaluating your potential as a Ph.D candidate. Moreover, in some programs I saw that they even take major GPA over your WS. According to the statistics I gathered, a major GPA over 3.8 will be good and 3.9+ will be an advantage. GRE: I took my GRE in sophomore year when it was 1600 instead of 340. Math was ridiculously easy back then. I spent one month preparing for it and got 1550/1600 as a result. Again, according to the statistics that I gathered, verbal in the 90th percentile will be perfect for most programs. I took it in sophomore year because I did not want it to interfere with my WS so that you can dedicate as much time to philosophy as possible. Don't depress just because you get a low score in Quant section, nobody cares unless it is below 60th percentile (unless you go for logic, phil of mathematics, etc.) Letter writing: talk to them as early as possible, and leave the impression that you really count on them to writing the letter. Don't suddenly ask them out of the blue. Give them your CV, PS, and WS, GPA, GRE so that you can have materials to support their claims about your academic excellence. Don't ask for profs who don't appreciate your work or profs that don't know much about philosophy. PS or SoP: Be professional and succinct. It is nothing like undergrad PS. Look at the programs' strengths before you ramble on your passions about subjects that they do not care about. Competition now is pretty crazy. Some of my professors did not get into any program the first three years they applied (during the 1990-2000 period, and it is worse now). It will be good to have some alternatives like law school or getting a job first.