have2thinkboutit

All of the above, really... especially, the 'reading fiction' part because I remember how much I missed when studying for my Masters... As for a 1500 move - mine will be a wee bit longer. I'll be leaving my work in SE Asia in August to get a chance to see my family in Europe for a while before moving to the US. But it's all good! I'm so excited and grateful and excited and grateful (kinda alternating there) that I'll happily downsize to a 20kg piece of luggage again. And since it cannot be said often enough - CONGRATULATIONS to everybody! I'm not a very regular poster here, but I've been following many threads on an obsessively regular basis (think "oh, it's been at least 20 minutes since I last checked on any gradcafe updates...") and am have really shared everybody's ups and downs and am so happy for everybody who got in. This process can be so harsh and doing it more than once - wow... so I think whatever else the summer holds - take some time to relax, to connect with those who may live much further away, read a couple of goooood books and just relish the time before this exciting new chapter

Daisy!!!! That's great news! I read your other thread and really felt for you (and anyone else in that situation) - to hear that you now got an acceptance is brilliant! CONGRATS!

I think BiochemMom has raised an important point - why would you apply to a school that you now feel does not fit your interests? It sounds a bit like that is the case, which seems odd to me. Apart from that I would suggest the following: If you can, go visit the school so that you can get a feeling for the department to determine if you are comfortable with the way they work. If you feel like you do not connect with your POI or have the impressions that the way things are done are just not a good personal fit for you it may be worth reapplying - because it is important that you are happy with the place as you are likely to spend at least 5 years working with the people there. So the fit is really important. But overall I'd say: Congratulations for getting accepted! I hope the school works and works out for you.

I agree with you. I did do a Masters (out of my own pocket but that was luckily just before fees in the UK started increasing) and without the Masters I would not be were I am now. Yes, one can read a lot and further their knowledge but it is very different to approach a subject in "isolation" or to be able to work on it with a group of people. Also, the practical training I received during my programm has been really important for me. Because of the Masters I am now working as lecturer at a University. And without my working experience as well as my Masters I would probably not be as successful in my applications as I feel I am. I am not saying that alternative experience in less important! It is just as crucial in your applications and can really help people find the right track for them! But I would be careful to call a Masters a gamble or discount its value when it comes to Graduate applications.

First of all, I am a lecturer at a university and whenever students ask me to write them a reference letter I also ask for them to bring me their transcript so that I can see all their grades. I don't do this to be unfair - I actually do this to help the student, because it guides me in pointing out things that are excellent and helps me to show the positive development of the student. Background information like that (as well as a CV) is very important so the letter can be written in the most personal way. So I suggest you provide as much relevant information about yourself as possible to the professor writing you the letter so s/he can show that s/he really knows you. As for your question, yes, it does matter who is writing the letter. I will only write letters for students I know and who I would like to recommend. If there is no personal basis (like if I have never taught that student or s/he sat in a class of 50 and never said a single word or wrote papers that were below average) how can I write something that suits their interest/cause/personality? You are definitely better off asking a professor who you have had classes with and with whom you have good rapport. A neutral or distant letter from a well known professor probably won't give you as many points as a positive letter from another professor who shows that s/he knows and supports you.

When I wrote thank you notes to my letter writers the whole thanks-so-much-for-everything-you-have-done section was rather similar, but I made sure that every letter was still personalized. For me this was easy at I have a very good personal connection with my writers so I got a little something for them that matched their personality and simply wrote a line or two about that. They were all very happy with that. Overall, I don't think you'd have to worry much about them comparing the notes. I think a heartfelt thank you is appreciated and even though the wording might be similar it doesn't take away from it that your other writers would receive a similar letter. They all know that they are one out of three and I'm sure they also know that you are grateful to each and every one of them. I hope that helps

An afterthought - I know that in some disciplines there are two or even more intakes. So while you may be a wee bit too late for Autumn 2015 there may be several deadlines in spring that would allow you to start in early 2016.

Andrestoga is right - it's not a good idea to look for a university that matches your deadline but a program that fits your interests and needs. I'm from a different field but I suppose Electrical Engineering offers a wide variety of topics. Which of them would you be interested in researching? For which of them have you already gained relevant experience? Who are the people in that area you'd like to work with? I could go on and one... Picking a PhD program is not like grabbing a coffee on the go. You gotta figure out your wants and needs first, look at the different programs out there and then narrow it down to a managable number. As a side note - have you already prepared all your documents (SoP, writing sample, references..) and done the tests (GRE, possibly the TOEFL)? I found the application process very time consuming so unless you're not simply trying to add on to other applications you have already submitted, it may be a good idea to sit down, figure it all out and get ready to submit amazing applications for the next cycle.

Hey grad-wannabe, I'm glad you applied because it is very possible to make this switch! I know it because I have done it. I also have a BA in English (focus on literature, culture and creative writing) and while I loved every minute of my studies I realized that in the long run Anthropology would be a much more suitable "home" for the research interests I was pursuing. So I applied for an MA in Anthropology and it worked out really well (I got my BA in Scotland and my MA in England - the UK is very forgiving when it comes to switching disciplines as long as the switch makes sense!). I spoke to the course coordinator at the time and told him how I would be able to make up for the lack in theoretical knowledge and how my former studies would contribute to the discipline and he was happy about that. He later on told me that he also changed from English to Anthropology and I have met several academics who have done the switch as well. So I think that there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to be successful in studying Communication or Information Studies. GOOD LUCK!!

Nice one, RPCV! Sounds like it went really well and that you managed to make and get a great first impression! As for questions - I asked mainly about research related things. Do people collaborate well etc.

I think informal just means that they are not looking to micro-analyze your research proposal with you but that they want to meet you and match a face/personality with the application they get. By saying it's informal they may want to take away some pressure - not working though... but I get the approach.

I'm not sure. From what I have heard it is okay to do so but I didn't because it felt weird to me at this stage. Personally, I think it's good to have an offer before sussing out such details. I was focusing more on academic things and opportunities.

Hey RPCV Cameroon, I just finished an interview and thought I'd share some thoughts with you - it comes down to 3 things all of which have been mentioned before I think. Number one - know your own interests and goals and know exactly how and why the school you are applying to fits you. Number two - be yourself! Judging by the picture and your posts you are energetic, positive and ready to do this so let them know that (or all the other things that make you YOU). And number three - have some questions ready to ask them. The answers I got gave me a pretty good insight into the school and I am now even more excited about their program and am hoping/praying/cursing/willing/asking for them to accept me.. haha! So these are my two cent... GOOD LUCK

That's actually a good idea! But who would you ask that question? Perhaps while speaking with the adcom?

They do invite people living abroad as well, but they may only (if at all) fund parts of your trip.

Hi. Just because you might wonder why nobody is answering - you are right. It is likely that nobody else here has applied to Tokyo University. This forum is very much about the US American grad school admission system which is rather different to those of many other countries out there. While I have seen some posts on other countries they were mainly about European places. I do think that the amazing info you can find here is useful even in an international context. Just don't be surprised if there is nobody here who can give many details about Tokyo University. As for me - I used to live in Japan for a few years so I am happy to answer questions about daily life, but unfortunately I cannot help you with regards to Japanese universities. I hope you'll find some person to speak to about that though! Good luck!

I totally understand you! I'm in the same position - flying from Asia to the US is a wee bit too expensive so I opted for the Skype interview as well. The university said that I would be at no disadvantage because of this and I'm choosing to believe them However, I am with you and do think that spending 2 days with the people does allow to leave a deeper impression - perhaps not always positive though. Anyway, GOOD LUCK to you!

You said yourself that your applications still need some serious work; you are spending money on applying for a position you already know you wont be able to accept; you have the chance to spend the time until you Masters to do things that will strengthen your application; by the deadline next year you will already be involved in a course that will (presumably) enhance your knowledge/skills and you can write about it from experience; you can work on rapport with potential LoR writers... would you like me to continue? I don't see any advantages in applying now to be honest... why do you think it's a good idea? PS: Also, even though you may only start in October (unusual - I am fully UK educated and my BA as well as my MA started in September - same for my friends in other schools) you still have a couple of months to leave a great first impression and give your letter writers something to say about you. I don't know about your field but my MA program was very small so students and faculty had formed a strong professional bond rather quickly. A lot quicker than during my BA where there were more than 100 students.

I agree with newnation - I also finished all my SoPs by stating how the program would benefit from having me

It may be easier to simply contact your LOR writers yourself. I just chatted with mine to remind them and that worked a lot better as they'd inform me of their progress as well.

I think this last draft shows a big improvement to the previous ones. You provide a lot more detail which makes your background and objectives much clearer. I see two things that I am not particularly fond of (but please bear in mind that these could be quite subjective!): 1: "From a young age, I have always been interested in how and why things happened in the world, as well as why governments and people would act as they did. With the help of my father a former history teacher, I turned to history to get answers." I think this is rather generic and doesn't say anything about you that makes me feel like I get to know you or that makes you stand out. Perhaps, your can show (don't tell) a particular incident that got you hooked on history. And if not - then don't worry about it! You said your statement should only be 500 words long, so I think you could easily skip this part. I would also suggest to already say what exactly (Cold War period) you are interested in. 2. "Although I originally pursued secondary education, I made the decision to pursue a PhD in history when I became disillusioned with strict curricular demands and the life of a high school teacher. I realized that I wanted to research and present my ideas, contributing to the scholarship, and to cultivate a love for history among students by teaching with the freedom and passion I found lacking in secondary education." I have never taught in secondary school but have been working as lecturer for a few years now and I can tell you one thing - there is also a strict curriculum to follow, there is also tons of administrative work and there are also many demands that I would imagine being the same in a school environment. So I find your reasoning risky - if I was looking over your application I would be worried that you will become disillusioned with grad school and the eventual teaching load of the profession as well and such a worry would not work in your favour. Perhaps, use your teaching experience to your advantage and show how it has given you a more realistic picture of what working in education is like and how you feel you could improve yourself to be better within this environment. Other than that, I like the content of your statement. Obviously, do make sure that it's tailored to each school and proofread, proofread, proofread... I hope things will work well for you! Good luck!

Hi there. I am no expert in this but I do think there are a few points for you to consider: 1) I'm not sure what the word limit is for you, but this SoP feels rather long. While I enjoy the writing style I think it could be a lot more concise. Particularly the first two paragraphs could be shortened as there are some elements about your personal history that you keep repeating throughout. 2) Speaking about your personal history - I understand that it is a great motivator for you and it sounds like you really do have some interesting experiences to share, but I feel that there may be a bit too much of it in your writing. Personally, I would like to hear more about your research interests and related academic/professional experience. I also think that you should state your precise research interests much earlier, preferably in the first paragraph. I felt like you didn't "get to the point" for a long time - and perhaps I wouldn't have perceived the motivational part as rather lengthy if I had known what exactly it was referring to in the first place. Other than that I think you have some good material here! I enjoyed reading it and am quite intrigued by your background. Good luck!

I am also discussing methodologies in my SoP, but similar to what others have already said, it is an important aspect of my research topic and also one of the reasons why I am applying to the particular universities I am applying to. So I would advise you to at least think about how different approaches benefit your research and how each of your schools can teach you how to use them in the best way possible. It might turn out to be an important aspect for your field.

I just took the test today and can't put into words how happy I am to be done with it... I have to say that I wasn't really nervous, mainly, because I got so tired of looking at the book that I was just kind of over the whole thing. And it worked out alright, I think. As for doing the quant. section - I just had a list of what I considered to be the most important rules/formulas and looked at that throughout the day (kind of like I was revising my vocab) and used it as a reference when practicing. Also, there were certain things that I just didn't remember at all (school was like 9657867 years ago) and had a hard time figuring out for myself so I just skipped them. Obviously, these were only two or three small points but I figured I better get confident about the basics than to spend the majority of my time on details and then feel shaky overall. I'm not sure if this is good advise to give, but feeling secure with the fundamentals made me more relaxed in the test. Perhaps this helps you a little bit. You still have three weeks to go! Definitely enough time to practice and revise! GOOD LUCK to you! Go get your girl!