barilicious

I used the little message center inside the application status for Northwestern, and inquired about my transcripts, and they updated it the next day...

I think they had an early decision deadline that was before December 10th, but I could be wrong, as I didn't apply there and don't know much about the program.

I finished the last of my 8 applications the day after Thanksgiving - so like the poster above me - my waiting has begun as well. Still tracking LORs, transcripts, and such - so technically only 5 out of my 8 are complete, but everything is in on my part. The waiting is already killing me though! Good luck to you, and everyone else who is finishing apps and such!

Technically, I don't think writing letters is part of their job. It is not like it helps them get tenured, and once tenured, they definitely don't have to do it if they don't want to. It is assumed and customary for professors to write letters of recommendation, but it is not their job nor a requirement. Having said that, all of my professors have already submitted my recommendations, and I sent them thank you cards and $25 gift cards each. This is probably a little excessive to most, but I am EXTREMELY close with all of my letter writers (like been to their houses, dinner, talk on the phone frequently, and so forth). So the gift was to thank them for the time put in to the letters, but also to thank them for all they have taught me about life and my field of study. I think writing a letter is most definitely necessary and proper etiquette, and personally, I believe a gift is appropriate as well. No one is deserving of a recommendation. They took their time out of their busy lives to write them, and I believe a gift shows how grateful one is - and even that gift could not express how appreciate I am of my professors.

So I'm mostly just posting this to vent, but WTF! I am in love with my SOP - madly, deeply in love with it. However, it is about 950 words (obviously the word count changes given the tailoring to each school). Nonetheless, for all of the schools I'm applying to, this word count is pretty ok, as it is under 3 pages double spaced. SADLY though, Indiana University says that your SOP should only be 300-500 words. WTF! I do not understand whatsoever how one can adequately describe all of the things they are asking for in that small little word amount space. I know I am a verbose writer in general (which I know can be problematic - I don't need a lecture on conciseness, I know that my verbosity is something I need to work on in life), but slashing my SOP basically in half for this school is just really depressing me. Anyone else applying to IU and having to depart with parts of their SOP?? If not, happy applying everyone - I'm looking forward to this forum hopefully picking up a little bit more now that application is definitely in full swing (I got 3 in already YAY!!).

I think your stats are just fine for the programs you are applying to. Obviously, many decisions are based on your SOP, writing sample, LORs, and whether faculty think you are a fit for their program. Nonetheless, your "hard" stats and background seem to make you competitive at these schools. Best of luck!

Thanks so much for being so forthcoming and informative! I'm an anxiety-ridden wreck right now about the whole process, and of course, have that fear that I won't get in anywhere because it truly is competitive, but this thread has definitely helped the process be a little bit smoother. So thanks to you & everyone else who has posted here!

I agree with gracie. The writing sample is suppose to be original research that you have written, often times something already published, meaning even if its not published it should be at publishable quality. Having said that, a lit review is part of my writing sample, but it is only a section. I don't think a literature review alone would suffice, but it may vary from discipline to discipline.

As the above posted stated, it is once per calendar month, not 30 days (and I believe you can take it up to 5 times a year). So yes, you can technically take the test October 31st and November 1st if the test was available on both of those days.

I'm applying to Indiana University, and the Sociology department website states that your LORs will not be sent until after you submit the application. So yes, you have to finish the app, and then your LORs will get the LOR e-mail. This means don't submit your Indiana app last minute, but I'd say at least a month before the due date!

If you don't mind me asking, what were your GRE scores?

Thanks for your reply jacib. You have always been beyond helpful on this forum. Hope your first year of graduate school is treating you well!

Hey all! I keep being paranoid about my works cited page - if it is too long, too short, or what not. My writing sample is about 20 pages, and I thought I had an adequate works cited page until I started over thinking things. So my question to you is, how long is your works cited page? How many sources do you have listed on it? And to put it in perspective, how long is your writing sample all together? Best of luck everyone as app season is definitely in full swing!

Also, the sociology section of this forum seems really dead this app season...

YES! My stress level is off the wall. Somedays almost unbearable. I try not to remain calm and take it one day at a time, but that never works. I'm going crazy!!!

Your verbal score is in the top 10% of people who take the GREs. I'd say that you are just fine.

I'm wrapping up I suppose. I still have to finish my writing sample and polish it up. I have my SOP, but got to tailor it to each school. Other then that I think I just got to start submitting stuff and write the diversity essay for Berkeley! Best of luck!!

From my understanding, only taking one section of the test and exiting the other 2 is rather frowned upon. Part of taking a "comprehensive" standardized test is how can you manage each part in the allotted time, and all of those parts together as a whole time. Someone who is taking the AW and knowing afterwards they still have the verbal and quant sections to push through will be dealing with stress differently than someone who is just taking the AW then exiting the other 2 sections. Their two scores can quite possibly not be fair to compare. It makes sense to me, but your best bet would be to ask each school in which you are interested in applying to about their procedure when assessing your GRE scores and if you can do this. Since you know ETS allows it, you need to find out if the schools that interest you allow it. All of the best!

Same, and I took it in July. Also, my experimental section was identified.

From my understanding, the rule of thumb is at least 2 months before you need the letters. I'm hoping to start getting my applications in November 1st, so I asked each of my recommenders on August 31st. I went to school in DC, but I now live in Ohio. So I e-mailed each of them telling them my intentions, explaining why I think they would be great for writing my letters, and asking them if they would. I also told them that I am coming to DC in a couple weeks and that I would like to meet them in person to go more in to depth about each of my applications. I asked them that when I come meet with them if they would like me to bring anything (CV, transcripts, SOP, writing sample, so forth) in order for them to write a stronger letter. All said yes, and I'm off to meet them shortly! Best of luck! P.S. - I went to a rather small, private university, making me pretty close with all of my professors, so it wasn't hard/awkward for me - I guess some depends on your relationship with the people you are going to ask.

No it does not. Technically you can take it August 31st and September 1st.

I have never read or heard of anyone whose unofficial scores were different than their actual scores. I think the unofficial scores may just be "unofficial" just in case someone at the testing center reports suspicious activity of you or something, and it needs to be investigated. I could be totally off, but that is just how I saw it.

Your verbal score is in the top 10% of people who took the test - I don't think you have anything to worry about!

It starts immediately as you see the two topics.

In the briefest of explanations: stratification is like the hierarchal arrangement of people in society, like non-people of color over people of color, heterosexual over non-normative sexualities, rich over non-rich and so forth. Social movements are just groupings of people who typically come together in order to in act social or political change. Social movements can easily come out of categories of people who are typically on the lesser end of being stratified like the black or LGBT rights movements, but obviously there is the white power movement and such as well. Hope this clears it up simply!