SpinningGold

Worries: I'm afraid I'll tank my interviews and that I was too ambitious with my school selections. I was rejected from my top choice and now I'm afraid I'll fare the same with the other schools I haven't heard back from (even though I know they send out interview notifications in January). 
Excitement: I have 3 interviews! There is still a good chance I'll get into grad school at a good institution. 
 

Worries: I'm afraid I'll tank my interviews and that I was too ambitious with my school selections. I was rejected from my top choice and now I'm afraid I'll fare the same with the other schools I haven't heard back from (even though I know they send out interview notifications in January). 
Excitement: I have 3 interviews! There is still a good chance I'll get into grad school at a good institution. 
 

It took me almost 9 years to graduate with my bachelors. I took time off, transferred from a junior college to a really good research university where I didn't do very well due to extenuating circumstances  (2.99/4.0 GPA,  overall GPA of 3.4/4.0). I had a few years of undergrad research under my belt and was hired as a tech after I graduated, and applied to a 2-year postbac program to become more competitive for grad school. I applied this cycle and have 3 interviews at good institutions. You might think it looks messy right now, but there are many paths to what you want! You can PM me if you have any questions  

It took me almost 9 years to graduate with my bachelors. I took time off, transferred from a junior college to a really good research university where I didn't do very well due to extenuating circumstances  (2.99/4.0 GPA,  overall GPA of 3.4/4.0). I had a few years of undergrad research under my belt and was hired as a tech after I graduated, and applied to a 2-year postbac program to become more competitive for grad school. I applied this cycle and have 3 interviews at good institutions. You might think it looks messy right now, but there are many paths to what you want! You can PM me if you have any questions  

1. Start the process as early as possible. Seriously. It's never too early to start.

2. Spend time researching the programs you are considering applying to - read their website, as well as potential advisors' websites. Read about the location, the weather, the current funding situation. Ask your professors about each school.

3. Don't apply to "safety schools", there is no such thing. Also don't apply to schools in locations you absolutely don't see yourself living in. Don't make choices that will make you unhappy before you even start.

4. Write an early SOP draft and put it aside for at least a few weeks. You may find while writing the draft that you struggle to define your interests. Spend some time thinking about that; it can be a real soul-searching process and you should not apply before you've gone through it and are confident in your chosen field(s).

5. Think ahead. One of the papers you write for a class this year will likely turn into your writing sample next year; get good feedback and revise accordingly. One or more of the professors you are taking classes with this year will be recommenders next year. Go to office hours, make yourself known to them. Seek feedback from them on your work, maybe even on papers for other classes if they are interested.

6. Use the summer wisely. A small RAship or an independent study could go a long way towards getting you some much needed research experience, maybe also a LOR and/or a writing sample. Not to mention how much it'll help you to better define your interests for your SOP.

7. Find out if it's customary to contact potential advisors ahead of time in your field. If so, do it a few weeks before or a few weeks after the new term starts. Don't wait, this can affect your choice where to apply.

8. Don't stress overmuch about grades. For one, there's little you can do to change the ones you already have. Further, the "intangible" parts of the application are so much more important.

9. Revise, revise, and revise some more. Let professors and friends read your SOP for content and for style. Let someone read your writing sample as well. Go through multiple versions, take your time. These things are hard to write.

10. Be on top of things, part 1. I suggest a chart with the following info for each school: (a) deadline, (b ) app fee, (c ) link to app website, (d) username, password for website, (e) requirements (how many transcripts, GRE/subject GRE score, TOEFL score, LORs, SOP prompt, writing sample length, other - diversity statement, personal statement, letter of intent, etc.), (f) potential advisors, links to websites

11. Be on top of things, part 2. Have a time line: deadlines for each school, when to order transcripts (how many), when to send out application packets, when to contact recommenders, when to send reminders. If you're international, look up American holidays around when you expect to send your app so you're not surprised by the (lack of) operating times of the post office and the schools.

12. Be on top of things, part 3. Get in touch with your recommenders early. Prepare a packet for each of them with your transcript, a paper you wrote for their class, a draft of your SOP, a list of the schools you're applying to with their deadline. Ask them if/when they would like you to send them reminders. Consider having a backup plan for flaky recommenders - in particular ones that will be away and will be hard to track down if they disappear.

Alright y'all this recipe yields 9 dozen chocolate chip cookies cookies. It's best made while drinking wine with your best friend, SO, or family. I swear, they just taste better that way.
Cream together: 1lb unsalted butter (NOT MARGARINE), 16oz DARK brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups sugar
Add: 2 tbsp. vanilla, 3 eggs
Beat this mixture for 3 minutes.
Mix in: 6 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 2/2 tsp. salt.
Finally, fold in 24oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 2 cups of nuts if you're a psycho and like nuts in your cookies..
Alternatively, you can use the base recipe to make white chocolate macadamia nut cookies by folding in 24oz of white chocolate chips and 2 cups of macadamia nuts.
Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. My non-official word is that they bake best at 13 minutes.
I recommend scooping your dough out with a small ice cream scoop, maybe a 1 1/2inches in diameter!
Good luck!