Program Applied To: MS, MA, MJ
Schools Applied To: Columbia University, Syracuse University, University of Maryland, College Park
Schools Admitted To: Syracuse University (informal), University of Maryland, College Park
Schools Rejected From:
Still Waiting: Columbia, Syracuse (formal)
Undergraduate Institution: Bowling Green State University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.3
Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.3
Undergraduate Major: Interpersonal Communication
GRE Quantitative Score (Percentile): 630 (51st)
GRE Verbal Score (Percentile): 620 (89th)
GRE AW Score: 4.1
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): ~ 6 months
Years of Work Experience: 4
Describe Relevant Work Experience: Editor, Parent Newsletter; Student Newspaper Club Volunteer
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I believe that my statements of purpose were very strong. I incorporated past and present experiences into my future goals. As someone who hasn't always taken grades seriously, I used my statements of purpose to define my strengths and minimize my weaknesses.
Strength of LORs (be honest, describe the process, etc): I had letters of recommendation from administrators of a high school that I volunteer with, past professors, and a past supervisor. I waived access to my LORs, but I do trust that my recommendation providers described me in a favorable light.
Other: I had a difficult time finding relevant information on schools outside of their Web sites. I often read that j-school is a pointless waste of time and money, but I believe otherwise. My first choice is the University of Maryland. Syracuse is my second first choice only because it's farther away from a big city than UMD or Columbia are. Columbia is -- you guessed it -- my dream school. Getting in there would be like breaking one of Da Vinci's codes. Hope this helps! If you have any questions regarding my application process, feel free to ask me!