fuzzylogician

I'm moving from overseas, so I have to buy everything new (/used). My calculations are based mostly on my experience moving to Germany a couple of years ago and on prices on craigslist and the ikea site. And on having a really good mattress, because I have to sleep well(!!). That's not including the flight over and stay my first week in the states (another 1000$) and a new laptop I have to buy. Ugh. But I just realize it costs money to move, so I've been saving for a while, and my super-cool advisor gave me an increase on my stipend since I've been accepted to grad school to contribute to my move--out of his own research funds. So hopefully I can manage once I get there and have enough money to last me throughout the year.

My experience has been that the first few months will be full of large expenses, exactly for the reasons you listed. Last time I moved, I only bought essentials in the beginning and tried to postpone buying everything else I could, but in the end you're talking about basic things you need for every day life and there's no avoiding it. However, after you've moved you can find out about markets/second hand stores where you can save some money. I saved up before I moved (doing it again right now, planning on at least 1000$ worth of expenses in the first couple of weeks. sigh.) I also have a habit of having every visitor I get bring me something(s). Don't be ashamed to ask - most people are happy to help and it's a great way to get your old stuff from back home. So basically I think you have to buy the absolute essentials, then try to budget later on based on how much you've spent. The beginning is the hardest, it gets easier after you get to know your surroundings and can start planning your budget.

Ask yourself this question: would you apply to school X if you knew that advisor Y wasn't taking on new students? If the answer is 'no', then definitely ask. You could end up saving yourself the time and effort (and $$) applying to a school where you won't have an advisor. There are threads about how to make contact that you can search for, and I haven't done this myself, but I suppose you should introduce yourself and your work, ask about availability and any other questions you might have, and show interest in the professor's work. Most academics like to talk about their work, so if you ask good questions it could lead to a conversation, and the prof just might remember you come decisions day .

While it's obviously better to visit before applying, it's by all means not necessary. Many internationals apply from abroad without visiting and do just fine. I bet many Americans can't afford to visit schools either. In some fields its customary to make contact with potential advisors before you apply. In others it's really not. You need to find out what the norm is in your field. In any case, I'd make initial contact via email. You can ask any questions you might have right then, so I don't really see why you'd need to talk on the phone this early in the game. If a potential advisor reads you email and is interested in more details, that might be a good time to ask for a phone interview (or an informal conversation) and make a good impression (:. Anyway, I think you're likelier to be interviewed after your complete application has been reviewed, not during the summer. In that case, a potential advisor who has read your app will contact you for an interview, not the other way around. Re visiting: The schools that accepted me payed for me to come over for a visit (transatlantic flight and all), so I was able to visit even though the trip was far too expensive for me to pay on my own. Maybe that could be an option for you as well. I probably would have made the same decision had I not visited, but I am certainly more confident in my choice having done so.

agree w/other posts. Don't submit too early, mainly because you might want to add new ideas/information closer to the deadline, as you get more familiar with the application process. Also don't expect to get an earlier decision if you do decide to submit early. I've heard it speculated that some admissions officers like to get an early start by occasionally sifting through the new apps for anything that stands out. It's easier to shine when there are less apps in the pile to distract the readers. However, other committees might only convene some time after the deadline and go through all the apps together, and then you could be waaay towards the bottom of the pile. You can never know. My advice is to submit enough time in advance so you're not stressed towards the deadline. If you beat the inevitable deluge of submissions right before the deadline you'll find a more attentive staff at most schools, who will be likelier to help you (=let you know your app is complete) and you'll have time to correct any mistakes or resend any materials that have gone missing. Do it for your peace of mind, not in order to get an early decision.

agree with above comments and add: try to refer to work that's current and not what the professor did 30 years ago in their dissertation. That way you're likelier to grab their attention.

Honestly, I think the AWA is the least important score of the three. I wouldn't think the AWA score could compensate for a lower verbal score, but on the other hand I don't think your verbal score is all that low. You're international, and I hear our scores get looked at differently than those of native speakers. A 1250 is quite alright, but if you think it's not high enough for ivy league schools, then don't count on the writing score to save you.

Great idea! I'll add: Grants.

that's cool!

It's not rude but some might take it as nagging. You should wait a reasonable amount of time before following up on an email. If more than ~10 days have passed, forward your email again in case the prof lost the original version. Don't forget that profs may be out of the office during the semester break so it could take them a while to get back to you. I would only contact a secretary to ask if the prof was in and if I had their correct email address.

Be sure to get as much organized in advance as possible, and you should be just fine. # Ask for LoRs early and make sure your writers respond to emails(!). If you can, give your writers an info package with everything they need to have in order to write your letter before you leave. If not, at least meet up with them to make sure they remember who you are and are committed to writing your letter. # Order transcripts in advance - right now, if you can. # Consider doing campus tours and perhaps meeting potential advisers before you leave. It'd be cheaper and will give you an idea of which places you like better. # Look up the next available GRE dates in cities near where you'll live in Hungary. Get an estimate of how long you'd have to wait for a date. # Be prepared to spend It's inconvenient applying from abroad, but it won't be what keeps you out of grad school. Go to Hungary and have fun. Good luck!

Maybe this will help: http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~evans/advice/prospective.html

Well, I also read Asher's book and heard it said that you should start with an anecdote to "grab the reader's attention". I wrote several drafts that started off that way. In the end, though, those drafts were criticized by most who read them and I took the anecdotes out. Once I found a good opener (for me, that was the hardest part of writing the SoP!), I ended up liking it better - for two reasons: first, it gave my statement a professional feel; second, it saved me space. Instead of telling a story about my childhood or how I first discovered my field, I could devote 2 more sentences to my current and future research. My opener ended up being a one-sentence summary of my research interests, which led nicely to the "this is what I want to do", and "how I've prepared myself to do it" sections.

Your chances will increase if you apply to a lot of schools, preferably schools that you are both a good fit for. Also - if you apply to schools in large cities, that way you can live together and both be at a reasonable distance from your school. No one can tell you what your chances really are. Try searching for "the two body problem" - your problem is a known one and has been discussed thoroughly both here and on applyingtograd on LJ (among other places). Good luck!

It probably depends. The closer to the deadline you take the exam, the likelier it is that problems will arise (simply b/c you you'll have less time for troubleshooting). Personally, I didn't have a single problem with ETS and I sent out TOEFL and GRE scores to 8 schools. I've heard of scores going missing, either because ETS didn't send them or because the school misplaced them, so it does happen, but I don't think you can say it *usually* happens. Most schools will allow you to fax them over a copy of the score report you get in the mail until the official one arrives, so a late score report shouldn't really be a serious problem. Anyway, it's advisable to follow up with the school on everything, not just the GRE scores. Transcripts, LoRs and other materials can go missing too.

You have to answer the question in order to move onto the next one. If it's one of the first 10 or so, it's worth your time to sit down and work out the answer. The earlier the question appears, the greater the impact it'll have on your grade. If you absolutely don't know and the question appears towards the end of the question set, then it won't do you much harm to just guess and move on to the next question. Consult the books for question solving strategies.

Those scores are probably on the low side. I'm from a different field, but if I recognize the schools' names correctly then you are applying to some of the most prestigious IR programs in the US. If so, then I think you need to do both - work more on your other application materials and retake the GRE. I'm not saying you absolutely cannot get in with those scores, but they aren't helping you much either.

I've moved 7 times in the last two years (nr #8 coming up in less than 2 months) so you might say I have some experience with this. Here is what I've found: I did a double major in undergrad; first thing I did when I started my MA was get rid of all of the notes from my other major, except for some files of papers I got high grades on, for nostalgia's sake more than anything. The only exceptions were the notes from math and stats courses I took, which I thought might come in handy. They did. I also got rid of stacks of articles I had left from my linguistics major. I managed to get myself electronic copies of (almost) all of them and ditched the hard copies. I kept all of my books, but left most of them at my parents' house instead of lugging around them with me every time I moved. I kept all of my linguistics course notes from undergrad and am keeping my MA course notes as well, regardless of subfield. So far I've only had chance to use notes from my specific subfield, but I sleep better knowing I have a reference, in case I need it. Finally, I am keeping every assignment and exercise set I've ever solved, you never know when they might come in handy. Hope this helps.

Most schools probably have some kind of initial screening but it'll change from school to school. Some might have some GPA or GRE score cutoff and throw out every app that doesn't make the cut; others might have a secretary or junior faculty member sift through the rejected pile to pick out anyone who stands out and move them back to the review pile. Some might distribute the files to 2-3 faculty members for an initial read, then the entire committee will convene and read only those files that made it through the initial stage. And then some school will admit every 17th file, or only candidates whose name contains a "g", or whatever. Basically the same as everyone else. Internationals might have a harder time getting past GPA cutoffs if they come from unknown schools in obscure countries, because of how their scores are translated into the American grade system. If the school you apply to doesn't know your school and trust its grading system, it might compute your GPA to a lower one in US standards. You'll never know, though, because no one will tell you how they computed your GPA.. On the other hand, internationals might get by with lower (verbal) GRE scores in certain fields, because schools take into account that the test is harder for non-native speakers than it is for native speakers. Usually the GPA and GRE scores are mentioned as initial screening criteria. Also, having an incomplete application could get a person disqualified at this stage (except if they are missing a rec, those often arrive late due to no fault of the student--and schools know that). This board is full of advice on how to "go all the way". There's no one winning formula. The common wisdom is: once you have scores that'll get you past the initial cutoff (you need to find out if they exist in your field and what they are), concentrate on your essays. Those are your main means of influencing the admissions committee. Write a killer SOP (=spend months writing and re-writing it, until you can't see it anymore. Let as many people as possible read it - profs, friends, internet strangers. Make sure it answers each school's prompt and is geared toward that specific program), and give the best writing sample you can produce. That's where you show you have the passion and ability to conduct research in your chosen field. More obviously: make sure the entire app arrives at the grad school on time. Read the school's website carefully to make sure you've addressed all the requirements. Revisit occasionally to make sure nothing has been added or changed (like the deadline). Contact potential advisers at each school, if that's customary in your field. Good luck.

A question for those in the Cambridge area: I've found an apartment near Porter Square, but it's completely unfurnished. Where can I buy cheap furniture that'll be delivered to me within days (or better yet: on the spot) in the area? I have the apt starting September and the semester begins a week after that, so everything needs to be done in a hurry. I don't have a car, but I was thinking of renting something for the day I go shopping. I'll also have my bf with me for hauling and building . Thx.

It doesn't matter whether or not all schools require a writing sample. What matters is: do the schools you want to apply to require one? Usually, that will be stated clearly on the dept website where the application requirements are listed; usually it'll also tell you what they expect to receive, in terms of both length and content. If no writing sample req is listed but you're still concerned - contact the admissions office and ask. In any case, the basic guideline is - the writing sample should showcase your ability to conduct research. It should be well written and show you are capable of original thought, reasoning, etc.

Your scores are good enough to probably get you past any initial cutoff a school might have, but GRE scores alone don't get you admitted to a school. Your other credentials do - your research experience, your SOP, your recommendations, your writing sample. That's what you should be concentrating your efforts on.

I've always heard it's better to get your degree in the country you want to work in. If you plan to work in the US, getting a degree there will help you network better than you could from afar (even though Cambridge is a great place with high name recognition). Both of your offers are great, but considering what I just wrote and the fact you have already started making arrangements to go to Columbia, I'd stick with that. Personally, I don't believe in regretting choices I did not make - who's to say the other choice, glamorous as it would seem from afar, would have been any better than the one I made? That's my $0.02.

Also: Donald Asher's Graduate Admissions Essays includes 100 SOPs of successful applicants in various fields, as wells as comments and suggestions on how to write your own essay. I found the book, coupled with the great advice I got on livejournal, very helpful.

Got interviewed on June 17 around noon, got my passport back on June 19 at 8am -- less than 2 days in all. The website said it'll take up to a week, so that's better than advertised.