resDQ

I realized that a word was missing in one of my statements and that was before the deadline, but I don't think that they accept revisions especially after the deadline simply because they initiate the process of preparing all the files for the committee and it may be somewhat unfair to all other applicants if they were to allow you to revise it again.

Finally the 15th is over and I can't change anything anymore. Feels great.

FYI, if the secure PDF things pops up on you again, you can strip it easily and for free (I had to do this for transcript purposes, too). Just google strip PDF security or look:
http://www.wikihow.com/Unlock-a-Secure-PDF-File
Hope it helps someone and good luck everyone!

I doubt a typo in your writing sample would be the deciding factor in any application, so don't sweat it.

Sent a copy of my SOP to a friend who is applying to PhD programs this year and found a glaring typo in a statement to a school where I was accepted (). In retrospect, these aren't the kinds of things that destroy your chances of admission.

Hi, all. I'm joining the waiting... despite warnings, I am still diving into the pool of gradcafe and will more than likely drive myself mad.
I just got word from my final letter writer that all my letters have now been submitted. I had to submit all my applications back in October because I am currently out of the States and in a country where I was not sure how easily I could access my applications. So now to wait... best of luck to all of you as you wrap up your applications.

In my experience, most academics have things pile up and are often forced to pump things out at the last minute. One of my advisors just submitted a few letters for applications that were due on December 1 because he fell behind with the end of term, admin, etc.  I never received any emails from the schools saying my application was incomplete. FWIW, I asked one school and they said they only needed two LORs for an application to be deemed "complete"/packaged for review and that they would add the third one when it arrives. You still have a few days, so I wouldn't worry too much as long as you have verified at some point that s/he will write your letter.

All of the programs I applied to require that applicants send official scores as soon as they've completed the test, but they will begin reviewing one's application with the unofficial scores if the official ones have not arrived yet. I have never heard of a situation in which a school did not require official GRE scores until after admission, though this is common with transcripts.

Just spent a small fortune sending out GRE scores.

GWU has been flying out their shortlist in early February the last few years.

I'm in the final drafts/revisions stages with one application submitted already, one due in Monday, then the 9th and the 15th before a huge gap until January 2 for the last one. But I need all the time I can get. I do not recommend starting a new job just a few weeks before submitting!

With all my apps submitted and all my LORs in, it's finally out of my hands. Good luck to everyone else waiting for results!

I was stressed out already. Doesn't change my status.

Columbia, Princeton, and MIT have the option though Columbia recognizes it as a revised version and they keep both.

If you really think those are the most important aspects of a Ph.D. application you are in for a world of hurt.

I am uncertain. I thought about thanking them before the results, so rather soonish as a gesture that I value their help irregardless of the outcome. On the other hand, this may come across as weird. I will probably wait until Ive got a response and then thank them with a small gift or whatever also irregardless of the outcome.

All of my letter writers are professors in the political science department at my current undergraduate institution, so I still see them and speak with them all the time. I've already thanked them in person, so I don't think that I'll send formal thanks (I'm thinking handwritten cards, maybe?) until I've accepted an offer. I also plan to seek their advice if it so happens that I receive multiple offers this cycle, so I think it would be weird to send formal thanks before the process is totally over.

Does anyone hate actually submitting the applications? I mean, I have been working on these for months now and every thing is up to my own personal standards...but the process of actually pressing submit is horrible.

The thing is that the writing sample isn't the article I am trying to get published, but I see your point. I am probably much too nervous about all this and am also constantly reevaluating the writing sample I submitted as well as the SOPs that I can't change anymore. :/
Anyway, for the universities where I can still swap out documents I just added the article under "Working papers" with a link to my Google Drive and mentioned it in the SOP.

Just submitted my first app! Going to feel great once everything gets in!

I just submitted the first of my ten applications! I feel like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel...
Now back to work on finishing my senior thesis... There truly has been no rest for the wicked this semester.

In regard to your third query, my understanding is that schools ask this question in order to keep tabs on who their main competitors are. I don't see a problem with answering honestly, though I do think that it would be more appropriate for schools to ask this question in a post-application survey than on the application which they know students will be stressing over.
 

It's not uncommon to work (either in government or the private sector) for a number of years before applying into a PhD program. I wouldn't say it hurts you - my cohort is balanced between people who came straight through, people who took time off, or people who took some combination of time off and did an MA in a related, or unrelated field. The first thing i would encourage you to do is reconnect with your professors, particularly if you had a thesis advisor who directly oversaw your work. If your letters are average, there are things you can do now, while a year out, to strengthen them. It wouldn't hurt for one to come from someone you've worked for as well who can speak to  your personality, and traits that make you suited to a career within academia. Your GPA is okay, but your GRE helps. If your AW score is a 5-6 I would say your raw statistics line up well with the average. Research experience is useful, as is programming knowledge but it's not essential. 
What I would direct your focus to is less a matter of "studying up" and more so reflecting on the profession, and where you think you can and want to make a contribution. This needs to be clear in your statement, as well as your writing sample. You need to show that, not only do you know what political science research is, but that you have a clear research agenda coming in. If you wrote a senior thesis, a portion of that would be fine as a writing sample but it might be worthwhile to edit it, and beef it up a little. Showing that you have a sense of what graduate school entails is really important, as well as what studying political science as an academic means. You're transitioning from internalizing information to producing it. Most people I know who were out a few years before applying went back to the top journals in their subfield and read up on current work. If you can login through a university (your undergrad login should still work on any campus eduroam network) then you won't have any issue getting access to those for free.
When it comes to rankings, I wouldn't hesitate to aim higher than you currently intent to. Top programs still tend to place the best at LACs and state schools - though it will be important to focus on teaching opportunitie, which are not equivalent across programs. Here researching programs that have people working on things you are interested in will be very important, as will be a few feeler emails to potential POIs. Some of the programs you mentioned might be convenient in terms of location, but there may not be any faculty there who work on the topics you want to cover. A portion of your statement should cover who you intend to work with and what about the program you like. It's about showing them that you're the person they're looking for, and that their program is the one that's best for you.
Hope this helps.

Yes they all should even if instructions are not 100% clear. 

I would say wait until Monday or at least Saturday due to Thanksgiving...That is what I am doing anyways.