LifeIsGood

Oh, I agree entirely. Of course there's no conflict between engaging and informative, and I'm sure the OP could write something that is both. I just thought the OP was saying that the piece was unusual enough that it might give a committee member a reason to question the writer's understanding of academic writing. I'd hesitate to send something easy and entertaining if there's a chance the adcom might read it as unprofessional. But, obviously, I haven't read the piece, so it may walk that line quite nicely. I would just use caution.

In the UNC system, you're only graduated from UNC if you graduate from the Chapel Hill campus. The other campuses (Greensboro, Charlotte, etc.) are completely different schools with different strengths and reputations.

I've heard and read that the SOP is a place to 1) convey information about your knowledge of the field, your research interests, and your fit with the department; 2) show that you're a pleasant, confident person who isn't arrogant or otherwise irritating; and 3) prove your ability to structure information in a concise, logical way. If you're also asked for a writing sample, that's the place for creativity, I think. I'm lucky because I used to be a journalist, so I'm ALL about delivering concise, engaging, and logical at the same time. Good luck!

FYI, in case anyone's interested: The Chronicle Forums have a long-running thread about bicycle commuting. Good info there about how to make it work.

On a similar form, I put in membership in various organizations (mentioning that I was on the board of directors or on such-and-such a committee) and volunteer positions. Just bullets, and only those things I thought relevant. I've been out of school for many years and therefore focused on my professional and personal activities.

I'll be 39 in four days. Happy birthday to me! I'm hoping my age will be more of an asset than a hindrance. My rather unusual professional experiences over the last 15 years might show the admissions committee that I'm ambitious and self-directed. Fingers crossed.

I'd noticed that early decision date as well. Could be the best, or the worst, Valentine's Day in recent memory.

Am I the only one obsessively checking my application status on the school Web sites? As if anything's going to happen before February.

When I was wrangling my LOR writers, I included in every email a check list of where we were in the process, including which schools that had confirmed receipt of the letters. My writers seemed to appreciate it. You could send in an email: "Thanks so much for your assistance with these letters; I know it's a hassle. I've pasted below a copy of the table I'm compiling to help me keep the details straight, in case its useful for you as well to know where we are in the process." School name___Requested (in letter)____Agreed___________Forms sent______________________Date LOR received by school School X______xx/xx/xxxx (in letter)_____xx/xx/xxxx (email)__sent xx/xx/xxxx, resent xx/xx/xxxx

I'm finishing up my MA and applying to PhD programs, so next semester looks like: * Taking a seminar in Atlantic World history * Wrapping up my MA thesis (19th C American history topic) * Studying for comps (Primary field: pre-1865 US; secondary fields: post-1865 US, Atlantic World) * Selling my house * Selling my business Turns out, this list is in order of how much I'm looking forward to doing them--from most to least.

My computer wouldn't let me snap an image, but the two biggest words were "research" and "professional," followed by "teaching." That'll do.

I took the GRE two years ago during the app season for my MA and I'm using those same scores in my apps for PhDs. No schools I've spoken to (all top-tier) care when you take them, except that you need to take them enough in advance so that the scores can be received in time. They don't consider the GREs to be the most important part of your app, so don't fret over them. Since you're confident you can do better on it now, take it now and eat the $80+ for sending the scores later. The problem with sending scores now is that you don't know yet (I assume) exactly what schools you'll want to apply to a year from now. Also, if you don't do as well on the test as you might want, you can always retake during the next year, and then send those scores. True, the report will contain both your first and second scores, but at least they'll include the best set. Even if you wait to take it until next year, you'll still want to take it in the spring so that you can retake if needed. Waiting until 2-3 months before the app deadline precludes giving it a second try. Short version: Take it now and wait to send until next year.

My natural sciences prof dad gave me strict instructions when I started making the rounds of history departments: no suits, no jeans, no obvious makeup. Neat, clean, ironed. I ended up often wearing a royal blue tailored button-down shirt over a white shell tank, black slacks, black shoes. The profs and grad students I met with were all wearing khakis or jeans and sweaters or button-down shirts. I'm coming from a corporate environment, so I appreciated his input that looking like a businessperson would not be an asset. I needed to look like I fit in, not like I was slumming.

Will they answer the question: "Is there a separate line item for receipt of scores from the GRE Subject test, and will it be labeled as such? Or will it be grouped on the same line as the GRE General test?"

Serric, did I see that you got an interview from that program on another thread? Or was that a different program?

I had a question of a similar type for a different school, and so emailed the the administrative person who was listed as the contact for the online application process. I got an answer, and it was pretty fast. Try that?

Come join us over

Oop. My bad. The Yale number given was enrolled, not accepted. So the percentage accepted was something higher than that.

http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/academics/profiles/history.pdf Interesting to see that when I visited this site last year, it said that 384 people applied and 26 were accepted (6.7%) in Fall 2008. For Fall 2009, it changed to 435 applying and 21 being accepted (4.8%). It's trending in a most unpleasant direction.

Longshanks, I'm not applying to any of those in your sig, so I think we're good.

I'm applying for19th century American. I'm only applying to a couple of places, and while I'd like to share which ones, I'd probably blow my cover. If I don't get in, I'll just keep on with my current job, or maybe take my MA and try get a job teaching at an independent school. I've been having the hardest time focusing on anything but the waiting. It doesn't help that this is a busy time for my current job and my kids are about to get out of school for the holidays. Chaos! I'm not going to get anything academic done until early January. This is not good. I have a seminar paper draft that's already late and comps to study for. Best of luck to everyone.

In a meeting with a potential advisor, I raised this question, and he said that it's not a problem. Most of his students are above 30 and his oldest student is in his 60s.

Did you check the psych department Web site? The history one had a specific list of what was required.

Similar situation. I left it out of my SOP, but one of my applications required an explanation of any academic sanctions in a separate essay. I explained what happened and, briefly and unemotionally, why, then then spent the rest of the essay explaining what I'd learned from the experience and how I'd since turned things around.

I've got three kids (4, 6, and 13), and am in my second year of my MA. I'm applying to Ph.D. programs for next year. For us, it works because we own a business. My hours have always been flexible, while he's the one working the crazy hours, but we often work at home instead of at the office. If I get into my top choice, it's a cross-country move, but back to where I grew up, so my parents will be there. We'll rearrange his work so that it can all be done remotely. Another option is the top public uni in our current state, for which we'd move, but just to the other side of the city. In that case, his work will stay the same. If we didn't have such a flexible arrangement and were working 9-5 for other people, I don't think I'd have decided to do it.