day_manderly

I've been using OCR'ed PDFs and text-to-speech while simultaneously reading, so I get visual and audible reinforcement. It's much faster, but it's still mentally taxing; it requires a fair amount of concentration.
Yesterday I burned through 350+ pages of reading. Wave of the future.  

This may depend on our differences in fields etc but I think generally, CVs are going to be read less carefully than other parts, like your personal statement or the letters of reference. This means that, to me, it's really important to spend a bit of time really maximizing your ability to communicate information clearly and concisely, but I wouldn't spend additional time choosing between minute differences in wording.
This is in contrast to most non-academic CV advice you see online, since for typical non-academic job applications, the only thing the company gets is your cover letter and your CV. For many grad school apps, the CV is mostly redundant---much of the information is already covered in other aspects. Some schools (in my field anyways) don't even want a CV, instead, they have several forms to fill out that convey similar information (e.g. list of publications etc.)
I don't think a footer is a must. Mine has a header with my name and the page number, but no footer. I definitely agree that section ordering is important. My CV currently shows: Education, Research, Publications, Awards, Students supervised, Teaching/Outreach, Service/Leadership.
On that note, considering the audience of your CV is really important. Different versions of my CV have different emphasis (e.g. the CV I wrote for the volunteer teaching position at a non-profit emphasized the teaching and service parts instead of research). For grad school applications, transcripts are almost always included, so no need to indicate coursework on your CV.
Finally, I don't think there is really one single "proper CV architecture". You can pretty much do whatever you want as long as it's readable and does its job of conveying important information. One of my friends likes design and makes very visually stunning CVs. They got compliments on it from their admissions committee (but I don't think it's really a factor in getting in). It's also fine and safe to just copy the standard academic CV format that seems to be on everyone's website (at least in my field). I think both ways can be right. Making a unique CV can help you stand out, as long as you still make sure the critical info is communicated. Making a boring CV means you risk blending in with everyone else, but you know that it's a format that works (and with the standardization, people know where to look to find things). I prefer mine to be somewhere in between---not as visually creative as my friends but enough tweaks to personalize mine vs the standard.
 

I agree with @Quickmick that reviewing papers is likely the best way to find departments and professors that could be a good fit. Beyond that, and this may be obvious, but I'd look at literacy education programs to supplement whatever you find in special education departments. Also, just from my experience as a doctoral student, there seems to be more cross-departmental collaboration in education schools, so you may be able to gain research experience to cover the topic by working with multiple individuals in tangentially related areas. Similarly, when it comes to your dissertation, you may not find one specific professor that aligns perfectly with your topic, but you could still create a committee from across disciplines or areas to get a more complete perspective on the topic.
Also, don't get discouraged - I had similar issues finding programs when I was applying, but after narrowing my prospects I contacted a few departments and found professors that were willing to help me pursue my specific interests. 

I think what you have to do is go to the Results page and search POLS. Info on GPAs can sometimes be found there. Also, I found this information out there in the open for UPenn, maybe other universities also post it.

Just a plug - Penn's application is free!  They also gave me the most financial aid.
But yeah, most apps cost around $65.  HGSE is the most expensive at 80 I think.

Hello,

If anyone has yet to contact you, I would like to take you on this offer! Let us message each other to work out details and potentially trade emails. 

I mean, it would be great if you could find a university that had 5-10 faculty members you want to work with, it's just likely impossible. At this point, one PI per university is enough, since you are mainly trying to gauge fit and learn additional information. Down the road, when deciding where you ultimately want to go, it is helpful to have more than one professor you would like to work with, though, depending on the tenure status of your primary PI, but that should not be a central concern before you apply.

First of all, read about imposter syndrome, because you definitely have it.
Then - nobody gets admitted for not being good enough.
Now, the most important advice: CELEBRATE. Go to a bar with your friends / family / special someone / yourself. Make it a memorable night. You need a mark in you mind that something has changed, that you are your own hero, that nothing will ever be the same. Get happy. Go for a picnic. Spend a week preparing for it, and then give yourself a big night.
Then, get over it. You deserve it. You have worked for it, hard. If you feel you did not spend enough hours working on it hard - whatever, it's not about time, it's about the results.
Do not defer, by all means (even if it somehow becomes possible). Go for it. Panic is normal - I was all panicky too when I moved. Things that help:
* travelling there often (at least thrice), checking the place out, making friends;
 * watching movies about great universities;
* sports. You need another accomplishment to make it roll - sign up for a 5k run or something like that;
* go travel somewhere new and exciting.
Be ready for a month of organizing work when you are in grad school, it's ok. Just make yourself busy, join one club or another. In a month into grad school it will be all right, regardless of how you feel now!
I would advise against reaching out to nameless community from your school - better ask people who you make friends with / like. Nameless community gives all sorts of feedback, and it's impossible to get prepared.

First of all, read about imposter syndrome, because you definitely have it.
Then - nobody gets admitted for not being good enough.
Now, the most important advice: CELEBRATE. Go to a bar with your friends / family / special someone / yourself. Make it a memorable night. You need a mark in you mind that something has changed, that you are your own hero, that nothing will ever be the same. Get happy. Go for a picnic. Spend a week preparing for it, and then give yourself a big night.
Then, get over it. You deserve it. You have worked for it, hard. If you feel you did not spend enough hours working on it hard - whatever, it's not about time, it's about the results.
Do not defer, by all means (even if it somehow becomes possible). Go for it. Panic is normal - I was all panicky too when I moved. Things that help:
* travelling there often (at least thrice), checking the place out, making friends;
 * watching movies about great universities;
* sports. You need another accomplishment to make it roll - sign up for a 5k run or something like that;
* go travel somewhere new and exciting.
Be ready for a month of organizing work when you are in grad school, it's ok. Just make yourself busy, join one club or another. In a month into grad school it will be all right, regardless of how you feel now!
I would advise against reaching out to nameless community from your school - better ask people who you make friends with / like. Nameless community gives all sorts of feedback, and it's impossible to get prepared.

As some one who moved across the Atlantic for grad schol, I get what you're going through 100%, and it is survivable. First of all know that you do deserve this opportunity and you're just as bright and promising as everyone else there. If you're worried you're going to struggle, that's ok, it happens. One of my friends gave me a great piece of advice (and she goes to Harvard, so I hope she knows what she's taking about!): "Once they've accepted you, they want you pass and graduate. They will help give you all the tools you need to succeed. It doens't look good for them to have graduate student failing out, so they wouldn't have accepted you if they didn't 100% feel you were qualified." 
As for homesickness, I didn't expect to get it really, at all, so I didn't talk to anyone about it. I wanted my parents to think I was "staying strong" and didn't want to upset them. But fuck that. I agree with sjoh197 completely- talk to your family about this, and talk about it once you've gone too. Set up weekly standing dates to skype and stay in close contact, it really does feel better. Write your grandma old fashioned letters if she's not on technology. My great Aunt still sends me cards like she did when I was in the states and it makes my day. Maybe start planning when they can come visit you, and then you'll have something to look forward to! Try to start planning this with your friends as well. 
No matter what you do you'll still probably feel homesick, and that's ok. Once and while its fine to just wallow in that. But remember you don't want to let them down. Your family is extremely proud of you, I'm sure. Whats helped me get through sometimes is thinking about how my mom didn't finish grad school, but has worked a damn hard job for the past 23 years instead, on top of being a mom. Everyone has their struggles. Your mom successfully raised an awesome grad student, now go be that awesome student! This is not to put more pressure on you, but even if you feel like an failure your family knows you're not, and they'll love you no matter what. 
Having a routine also helps me, as does getting excersise and fresh air. Even just a walk around the park can change your mood. Definitely join a club, a society or a sport. Feel out if any of your aquaintences or fellow grads are thinking about joining any. Having some one you know there can make it a lot easier and you can bond over this! Making new friends is also a LOT of simply putting yourself out there and akwardly saying "Hi I'm throwaway19, i'm from anywhere, where are you from?" Its totally painful, but gets less so the more you do it. Complimenting someone is also a great convo starter. Most people are willing to at least make polite small talk- and then you have an aqauintance to talk to if you run into them later-, even if you don't become life long friends, but you can make friends this way!
I know its terrifying and painful, but like you said, you've been gearing up to this for a while, I don't think you should let cold feel and these feelings stop you. They are very normal. And definitly talk to your friends and family, and maybe a professional, that's nothing to be ashamed of and they can really help people. Before you go, look into this service at your new university, so you have no excuses. And you don't have to think of this as leaving home forever. 4 hours its too bad. The semesters fly by and you'll be home for Christmas before you know it. xxx

Moving on to a new phase in your life is always hard. Some people take it in stride... and some people don't.
So lets tackle this one point at a time. 
This is something that should be tackled on its own regardless of the causes. Go to your doctor. Ask for help managing your anxiety. Also read up online about ways to reduce anxiety at home. For example, getting enough sleep, going to bed and eating around the same times each day, staying hydrated, not watching anxiety inducing tv and movies, listening to peaceful music before bed... etc. 
This is just the classic impostor syndrome. If you look through the old threads... there are tons of people with impostor syndrome. It's a thing. You have great creds, and were selected for a reason. You are obviously good enough, or you wouldn't have gotten in to 6 fully funded programs. Shit, I still don't have funding info, and only got accepted to 1 place. 
This goes back to the general anxiety. So my first question is... have you actually talked to your mom and grandma about these fears? Have you sat down and told them you don't want them to be sad, and that you are really going to miss them? My mother was actually a professor at my undergrad. We would get coffee at least 3 times a week. And see each other on weekends and holidays. Now I live in a different state. I only get to see her around christmas-time. But you know what, we still talk on the phone 3-4 times a week usually. And facebook message funny things. And text each other the weird things we see throughout the week. I still feel like my Mom is my bestfriend. Our communication is just a little different now. 
If you are really actually close to your mom... you will find a way to remain close, even with the distance. Same with your grandma. If she's not already tech savvy... teach her before you leave. Teach her how to facetime, and how to text. Set up a time of week where you guys can typically talk. Make a schedule. 
 
This is something that only you can change. You will have to make an effort to attend functions, and meet people. Whether its through school activities, or groups like meet-up where you find people who share a hobby and then go out and do it with them. 
Also... maybe getting a pet would help. But that is a huge responsibility that is not to taken lightly obviously. 
Also... one of the quotes that I try to live by at this point in my life is that "I would rather look back on my life and regret some of the things that I've done, than look back and regret all of the things I could have done, but didn't"
New stuff is scary and hard. But that is part of living and growing and a person. Do you really want to not grow as an individual, and then spend your later years wishing you had lived a different life? Things don't always work out, and everyone will have regrets, but I would rather mine not be over things that I had the power to change, but was too scared to. 

Are you me? You sound like me. Also was published many times as an undergrad, went to school an hour away from home, got the NSF, blah blah blah but never went far away from home. I cried every time I thought about moving because I was so close to my friends/family and especially professors. Even the thought of never seeing some of them again would sometimes send me into a panic attack. As an undergrad I kept to myself because I didn't make friends easily, and really didn't have friends until senior year. It took me 4 damn years to meet people, and the thought of losing it just wasn't bearable.
But alas, 15 days ago the day came when I hopped in my car and drove 14 hours away with all of my stuff. I thought the trip was going to miserable - that I'd cry so hard I wouldn't be able to see the road through my tears, and that I'd spend the first few days in my new apartment just wishing desperately to go home. After all, that's how it was when I went from high school to undergrad. 
And you know what? I'm still waiting for the homesickness to set in. I haven't really made any great friends but I really love the grad students I work with. 
TLDR - I hyped myself up preparing to move to the point where I was considerably depressed beforehand. But it will not be nearly as bad as you think.

This probably depends on what you want to do after the program. If you want to work at an international organization, I would suggest you consider Harvard and then UPenn. Harvard's brand and network (and probably UPENN) would help you a lot in terms of job hunting. Although this would not be in your choice, personally, Columbia's program (TC or SIPA) would be the best if you want to go to international organization. They have strong connections with international organizations and consulting companies which work for international organizations and governments. Vandy's placement is not so great. Very few students get a job related to international educational development. And their network is very weak.
 
In terms of the curriculum, at Vandy, you will gain good quantitative analysis/research skills, which are not focused on international education so may not be interesting but will expand your job options (there are many jobs in the US education sector which require quantitative skills). However, they are weak in content. There are few region-specific courses or topic-specific courses (e.g., human rights, child labor, conflicts, gender, etc.). If you are more interested in content, you may get disappointed with Vandy.
 
In terms of diversity within Vandy's program, according to my friends, one half of the students are Americans and the other half international students, most of whom are Chinese students without any working experience. This won't give you a chance to expand your job options around the world. I guess the student body is more diverse at Harvard and UPenn.  I often hear that students of color feel uncomfortable at Vandy. I'm not sure what kind of experience they had but a lot of students and most of the faculty members are White.

Hello. I am planning to do theoretical work in the domain of Higher Ed research. Does anybody know whether Peabody, Vanderbilt has any notable professors who work in the field of higher ed, theoretical dimension, specifically?

There are quite a few questions you can ask your professor(s) as well as anyone working at the school to address those goals.  Here are a few resources I pulled off of Google, for your convenience:
https://quantumfrontiers.com/2014/05/25/top-10-questions-for-your-potential-phd-advisergroup/
https://me.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/advice_paper_web.pdf
http://education.seattlepi.com/good-questions-ask-potential-phd-adviser-3094.html
Keep in mind that professors are great sources, but overworked and not altogether unbiased. School staff (admissions, student affairs) and current students can also be good resources for you.