Yanaka

@WildeThing UC LA and Berkeley ask for the POIs, plus Duke and Princeton. Now I'm not really sure about NYU and Columbia or Cornell, I haven't explicitly asked yet (although for some reason I think Columbia does).

Was just going to copy/paste the info from the website. Woosh. Good luck!

I just checked Harvard's Complit FAQ and didn't get the impression that there were two writing samples... But if that's really the case: yikes! Well apart from UC Berkeley and UCLA wanting Personal Statements/Backgrounds, I don't really know of any particulars. So far, every university I am applying to wants the SoP to mention POIs and how their works are linked with the candidate's project. I like this thread, though! Will be following closely.

That's a really funny story about which you'll be able to laugh once you're not stressed anymore I think some schools accept LORs after the deadline, but you need to either do some digging on their website or ask the Grad office.

My mother is very understanding and says she's as anxious about the results as I am. I also have a friend, whom I met because she bought my GRE practice books (funny), who's applying to PhD programs as well. ... Well trust me, I still feel VERY lonely! Although being on this forum helps a bit with the loneliness. But it doesn't help with realizing how bad my SoP's are

Thanks @kekology4! Yes, a professor told me Duke was "the Harvard of the South". I think it's great that they're situated in a "problematic" state and have inclusive and diverse departments and interests. They seem to have a pretty rich and dynamic WGS department!

@kekology4 good to know! At this stage of my project I am more interested in the political dimension of literature and in the first surges of feminism in "popular" novels from the 19/20th centuries so not really going to specialize in GS for now. That's probably why UC Berkeley is my dream school! What do you guys think of Duke?

Hey @engphiledu! I tried sending you a pm with the attachment, but couldn't figure out how to do so. Thanks in advance for your help (I'll delete the post as soon as you've opened the document) EDIT: I don't feel comfortable having it out there in the wild actually, I'll look into attachments and pm's and send it that way!

Man, I thought about gifts but then I thought it would be inappropriate over here!

True, @rising_star. I am trying to use them as examples of how the school's academic orientation speaks to my choice... But now I'm confused, I don't know how to describe how a school fits...

Thank you @positivitze! I'm working on my next SoP's -- and a little frustrated my top choice had the earliest deadline -- so your input is interesting. I'm also considering not mentioning any names and being more oriented on the course catalog, but I know it also depends on what the school wants to actually read in an SoP... I am not against taking a look at your SoPs, thanks! I'll pm you

Hi @positivitize, may I ask: what kind of changes have you made to your SoP? More faculty-oriented? Good luck for your new applications. Your last piece sounds awesome, and I'm sure being original will help!

Hey there, I'm new to the process and I have absolutely no knowledge in your field, so my advice will be general, possibly partly wrong and probably not what you were looking for. Here are my two cents: I'd retake the GRE, even though it is difficult, long, incredibly stressful and exhausting. Were you waiting on opinions to retake it? Because I feel that it's too late now, for many schools... I think the main problem here is that your English is a little too weak to conduct research, but then again I don't know you at all and my English can have its awkwardnesses too so I'm not judging. I would say your verbal is OK especially considering you are a non-native speaker with still a few issues, but your AWA is really low. I think under 3.0 is really "frowned" upon, because your English is not the only component that matters. What matters is if you are able to pull off critical thinking and thought organizing, which is very relevant to your future capacities for research... Have you taken the TOEFL yet? You can look for fully funded masters online, there are a few. Again, those are just scores and I am very unfamiliar with Geography so I will only speak to your linguistic difficulties. And I felt bad for the lack of response

@DBear Yeah I think schools that require hardcopies at this stage of the process are not that many. UCLA, on the other hand, asked me for official transcripts and the translations to be sent to them...

You can check the GRE FAQ for more answers, but no, if you retake the test you take the whole thing again. But you can choose which ones you end up sending, as in from your first try or from the second one.

Ugh... I also have the TOEFL on top of everything else, but you're spending much more than I am even though we're applying to the same amount of grad schools. TOEFL was $200 here, though, and I paid 70€ for Magoosh prep for the GRE. But postages are about 5€ (with tracking, too), so nothing compared to your $60!

Your AW is low, and I'm not sure how much attention they give that particular score. However, you have exceptional GPAs and you have a few publications, which could "compensate" for the AW... but nobody knows how it all comes down in the end, so... congrats on your TOEFL!

Sorry I meant to ask where you are now. My profs don't have offices, we decided together when and where to meet so I could assist them. Anyway-- i was suggesting you send him yet another email and maybe he will answer if you suggest you meet and do the stuff together?

From what I gathered from an other post of his, he would be moving in a furnished apartment (but not clear who furnished the apartment). I'm guessing he wants to know what happens if it's something the department provided, and if the department wants to hold the deposit although only 1 person broke the object (could I be more elusive? haha).

Advice I received from a prof at Princeton is: those teachers are fine, but get a tenured prof to endorse their letter.

Where are you from? Suggest you two get together so you can help him out with the submissions. He might be intimidated and procrastinating taking care of ya.

Have you checked funding? (Sorry I'm using you, I just thought I'd ask before I get the chance to look it up myself) From what you're saying it seems to be the perfect fit!

Okay. I'll be fine if that happens, I'd just melt a little haha. I'm browsing courses and I have the feeling like I'm scrolling through a Film Studies program...

I'm reiterating but-- I think the best option is to ask the Grad offices. When I was on the phone with the Advisor from UC Berkeley, she told me to mention POIs when she explained to me what were the differences between SoP/PS. But I'm sure not all school ask for that criteria to be met in their applicants' SoPs, and I'm rather pro-emailing grad offices anyway, just to say hello and make sure of a few things (since I'm not familiar with the US educational system, I always have a few questions to ask them). There are a few schools that I'm applying to that have courses and programs that fit my project, but I'm not always sure about their faculty (can't read their whole bibliographies). So not systematically having to be that specific might save me and offer good surprises, I don't know!

I'd say having more than 1 bus stop will be more than helpful later on. I think that is a safe +. (you're going to hang out at different places and catching the 1 bus line you need will more than probably be a huge pain) The downside of option B is multiple roommates: although you have a private bathroom (that sounds awesome), it's win or lose there: you might be A-okay or might discover you are easily overwhelmed with all the people around you. That being said, living with 2-3 people is typically more fun and less tense than being 1 on 1, at least from my pov as having just the one roommate, and from friends' and acquaintances' experiences as well. Money-wise, the house being totally furnished is also a very smart +. I think with option A not being furnished, you might rather easily spend up to the $350/400 diff... you also have multiple stores, which probably signifies more competitive prices. Overall, option B also seems to be situated in a more "alive" area. Yes, I'd say option B with the possibility that you hate living with more than 1 roommate! But then again, with option A you might hate living with the 1 person. If you're not from the US and if this will be a whole new experience, then I think option B seems to be very promising socially speaking. You'll have more friends more quickly, will have someone to rely on at various times. And I'm sure it'll be a blast.