LJK

It also depends in the sciences. TAs tend to be department funding while RAs tend to be grant funding, and fellowships tend to be University level funding. I don't think a professor would not offer a student a position because they prefer a fellowship but only have a TA line available. If the professor is accepting 2 students and has one RA line and one TA line the student who said that they had a preference for the RA over the TA might get it. All in all, I don't think its really that big of a question: funding is funding and professors know that. If you prefer RA and they are able to offer it to you while another school is only able to offer TA that might help them get you, and they want that information. I know I will weigh having the ability to work full-time in the lab and have the chance to be in on more publications pretty heavily in my decision making process if I am lucky enough to have a choice come spring.

I know at my current school in the physics department they have teaching fellowships where the PhD students teach in area elementary schools to give them a high quality basis in math and science. (I guess most elementary school teachers are humanities majors or something?) Or I could see a teaching fellowship as being the primary instructor of a class while the assistant position is being the primary instructor's help. I would look around the department website to see if you can figure out what some of the funding options are. You can certainly check no preference but if you are most interested in research the university fellowship or RA position is probably preferable. If you are more interested in teaching (your aim is a small liberal arts college or some such mainly teaching job) then going for the teaching fellowship or TA position would probably be best. If you have a preference, let them know. (This can also come across in your SOP where you put future aims.)

I agree with nessa, the thing you should work on this year preparing for next year's application season is getting more research experience. If you can get a job as a full-time research assistant that would be great, or you could volunteer in a lab. A master's isn't necessarily a bad choice but it depends on the type of program. Some masters degrees are all classwork and that would not be very helpful. Some masters degrees are research-based and that would be helpful, but those are tend to be 2 year programs, putting off starting the PhD even further. If you know you are interested in Cog. Neuroscience but don't know exactly what you are most interested in within Cog. Neuro. the research masters can help you get research experience and allow you to explore your interests a bit further before you commit to a sub-topic for your PhD. If you are looking for masters programs with Cog. Neuro. I would think that you are more likely to find MA/MS programs with ERP or eye-tracking than with fMRI or MEG, just because they are less expensive and top/well funded school usually only offer the PhD it seems. I believe that NYU has a master's program however and they have full access to all the fancy equipment. If you do know what you want to do, research professors you may want to work with and see if their labs are hiring this year. I don't think it would be unreasonable for you to email them and inquire if they think they will be needing a research assistant this coming year or if they will not, if they know of any labs that will be hiring and can give you cog. neuro. experience (maybe outside your sub-field of interest). Oh! And getting paid to get research experience is always better than paying, so that might also weigh into your decision on how to go about getting more research experience. I believe the NYU masters in notoriously unfunded (they often offer MA slots to PhD hopefuls that didn't make the cut).

When emailing the professor you could mention that you somehow had not been aware of this particular program, but that it fits your interests very well, and that you are glad/excited/relieved that you became aware of it before the application deadline. That way if asked, the professor knows that you are serious- you would have emailed earlier if you had been aware of the program/program fit. It would also be an explanation for why any application materials (such as GRE scores) are a tiny bit late, without them thinking you are lazy or don't really care. I would definitely email just so you don't rush apply spending lots of time on figuring out the logistics to find out that the professor wasn't accepting students and it was a waste of time and money.

In psychology, I am applying to a lab more than a department so I am not quoting anything from the department website in my SOPs, but one of my POI's lab pages lists a number of ongoing projects and I specifically quoted one of the main questions for one of those projects that I am particularly interested in. I think it is fine to quote as long as you are explaining the quote and its relevance to you specifically. I would use the advice that I was given in my high school English classes: use quotes where absolutely necessary and choose essential 'nuggets' rather than long winded quotes that include more than is needed. This is especially important for the SOP since space is limited and it is the main place in your application where the adcomm gets to hear from you about you. Too many of their words won't tell them anything about you it will tell them about them.

You might want to look at Lehigh University. I know that Ziad Munson does political sociology/sociology of religion. They only have a MA program at Lehigh but if you are looking for a safety, going for the masters then re-applying to top programs for the phd after gaining more experience can be a good option.

Do you have the option of sending in 4 recommendations for this particular school? Or any of them really, since you will have 4 letter writers anyway. If its an option, let the school decide whether to read the 4th recommendation or not. Actually telling her that she is your third ranked academic recommendation would be tough. Are the other two academic recommendations from another school? You could play it as wanting their recommendation letters as well as the non-academic one that was recommended to be included as the 3 since she is able to verbally put in a good word for you.

Earning a PhD is about becoming an expert in your field and conducting interesting, valuable research. As a first year graduate student, my guess is that you don't know everything there is to know about the things you are interested in, I certainly don't as a second year. Get your current research project done faster if it is mainly based on your speed (I know collaborative projects or projects that require certain resources can be out of your control for speed of progress). You can also be using the extra time to get in on additional research projects beyond your main focus and/or reading up on the literature in your area. What do you want to do with your degree? What kind of job do you want? What skills or knowledge will help you obtain that position? If you start now you can have 4 or 5 years worth of experience in a specialized skill that will make you stand out from other applicants. I want to go into academia, so my extra time after my main responsibilities is used to read deeper into my main areas of interest and to work on research projects beyond the basic first year project - Master's project - dissertation project sequence. As I design future research, a better grounding in the literature will allow me to identify unique and interesting problems that haven't been addressed as well as utilize techniques from diverse sources. Getting A's isn't the main focus of what school is about at the graduate level - its about developing yourself into the kind of expert you want to be. If there is a class that is a requirement that isn't really relevant to your goals, its ok and possibly even better to get a B if that means you spent more time on things that matter for your development (even if these are things that aren't required like working on spare projects). You need to identify what kind of expert that is then motivate yourself to work towards that goal, even if sleeping in is much more tempting some days (and believe me, it is for me many days). It took me a while to figure this out, I think most people have to work through the switch from undergrad where it is all about grades and requirements to graduate school where its about research and self-directed work.

I think this is much better. I don't know that you need to make it person-centered (on the table in front of me) as that sounds a bit static and momentary when I think a broader feel would be better since you transition into the year-long viewpoint quickly. The first sentence has a bit of a confusion of 'and's and commas that you might want to streamline, but overall I think that this is setting a better tone of genuine interest and dedication. (Sorry to make suggestions on a what you have submitted in the past... I always like to pretend things I have submitted are 'perfect' and not worry about them.)

fossil_n, I think your openings are adequate though not very grabbing. What is the most interesting thing you have worked on? Is there something you can describe in a little bit of detail that illustrates what you have worked on/how you have worked on it? For the interests paragraph, what do you find most interesting in your field? Could you lead with a description of this most interesting thing that through detail and tone shows how excited you are about it? If I were interested in studying cultural anthropology with a focus on basket weaving: Experience: Weaving is one of the most intricate and contradictorily simple practices routinely performed across human cultures. From basic weaving of two coconut tree leaves together to form a disposable bowl in Samoa, to the complex patterns of Navajo rug weaving that are passed down within families, the act and principles behind weaving are essentially the same: there are warp and weave threads that are intertwined to form surface area out of long thin strips. I have had the opportunity to work on a project investigating basket weaving origins across the world.... Interest: Viewing a collection of Zulu handwoven baskets comprised of a multitude of colors, shapes and sizes, if you didn't know that they were created by the same tradition, or even by the same individual, you might be tempted to think that there are an array of traditions represented in the collection rather than just one. Where does this focus on individuality come from? Was this variety traditionally a part of Zulu basket weaving or is it a result of the international demand for the baskets as decorative pieces in Western homes? In many Zulu women's lives, basket weaving and the premise of each one being unique as a marketing technique is a daily concern. ...blah blah ramifications, intellectual sounding interests... I'm trying to paint a picture of interests/experiences here rather than just tossing out the keywords - it shows I know something about the subject, didn't just pick up the keywords from the department website and shows that I have given my interests thought. Even if you have, keyword don't convey that. At the same time if you do this later in your SOP that is probably fine, but in my previous post when I was talking about 'hooking' with interests, painting the picture is the way to do that.

I don't think it will matter. If it's blank they probably assume that you are applying elsewhere. If they are thinking about accepting you and want to know they will ask. I don't know how it works in other disciplines, but interview happen before offers in Psychology, giving the professors a chance to ask in conversation as the other posters have described. If they want you, they won't not accept you because they don't know where else you are applying.

You have 'narrow' interests with African politics, but from outside your field this being narrow seems strange since Africa consists of so many countries and cultures etc. that I would thing that that is actually a very diverse specialization. If possible, I would try to find something to relate to the position. Maybe the methodology that will be used in this position has been used to analyze a situation is Somalia or Ghana. Or maybe a similar situation is cropping up in the Republic of the Congo as is happening in the area that the professor you would be working for specializes in. Maybe that isn't exactly what you mean by African Politics (again, not in your field) but if you could draw any parallels between your interests and ways that the position would help you/them beyond just having a worker bee, that would be ideal.

history_PhD I'm more on par with you. I have 4 submitted, 4 needing editing and a final comb through, and 2 more to do the fit paragraphs on. And one of the programs I already submitted to needs a second app for a special program but that isn't due until January so I'm not worrying about it right now. I had no idea how much of my life this process would eat! It probably didn't help that I got addicted to checking this website for new posts....

I think the reason I consider Dr. to be more formal than Professor is because of the role it is highlighting. Dr. refers to the person's education and research qualifications while professor is more student focused and is about teaching more that research - at least those are my associations. Dr. says expert, while professor implies teacher. Also, professors at community colleges often have Master's degrees rather than Doctorates. The titles are basically equivalent, with both being equally respectful, I think it is a tone thing more than anything else.

If you are replying to an email where they signed with their first name, I would think it would be clear why you decided to use it. I guess that staying formal would be 'safer' but I don't think it would annoy a professor to be called by their first name by a potential mentee/colleague. (And in my case, if it really bothered them, I doubt that I would be interested in working with someone who insists on that level of formality and implied distance...)

I am an MS student in a different department at the same school I did my undergrad at. My senior thesis advisor continues to sign his emails Dr. {first name} even though I've been a graduate student for over a year. Therefore I do not drop the Dr. with him (though I use his last name cuz it is really strange to combine Dr. with a first name...). When I sent an email to all my recommenders I actually addressed it "Dear Recommenders," so that it wasn't "Dear {First Name}, {First Name}, and {Dr. XXX}." As a graduate student and as an applicant I have mostly (perhaps exclusively, I haven't really been keeping track) been on a first name basis with professors but I wanted to toss that bit of etiquette out there, that it is the professor's prerogative to move from formal to informal, not the applicant's.

I am using Dr. XXX though Professor XXX would also be acceptable. It is the most formal title and therefore most appropriate for the formal application I believe. Mr. and Mrs. (or Ms.) are incorrect titles for people who have doctorates. Even on things as removed from academia as family wedding invitations they would be addressed something like: Dr. and Mr(s). XXX (presuming they share a last name). In email, I start with Dr. XXX but when a professor signs their response with their first name I will use that in any further less formal exchanges. Hope that helps!

Your question has come up before but is hidden inside another topic: Look about half way down. It really depends on what kind of MA program you are applying to. I'm currently in a psychology MS program where research is the main focus. Other schools and other disciplines focus exclusively on coursework. Learn about your target programs and express how that program is perfect for you based on that programs focus and strengths.

Wisconsin at Madison (Top 10) puts up their GPA/GRE statistics: http://glial.psych.wisc.edu/index.php/psychgradprospective/183 But on this board, the most common theme amongst psychology (and other disciplines as well) hopefuls is 'fit'. The departments want high statistics but more importantly they want engaged students who are excited about the research they are doing-these are the people who finish and get good jobs. In order to get these students, they need there to be a clear research interest fit between a professor and the student. A good GPA from a top university will not hurt your application, but without knowing what your research interests are, which professor(s) at Stanford you are interested in working with, etc. no one can really tell you about chances. When describing this process to family and friends who haven't gone through it, I compare it to applying for jobs (which in a way it is not just a metaphor). In Psychology you are looking to work in a lab. The lab(s) you are interested in a particular school may have only one opening this year, or maybe competing with other labs to have even one slot. If you are a generically stellar applicant statistically but are applying for a job as a mechanic when you are clearly more qualified to be an accountant, people are going to distrust your resolve to have a career as a mechanic. If they put the time in to train you are you going to take off because you didn't really like it? The same goes with psych labs, great statistics get you noticed but if you are interested in attention but applying to work with someone who works on language, why would they choose you over someone who clearly is interested in language? My understanding is the most important thing is fit and being able to effectively demonstrate that fit to your POIs.

Since it depends on the school and it is likely that your deadlines are staggered, if you gave the professors those deadlines they are either going to do them all at once or just do the first deadlines first I would think. Rather than constantly check all 11, why not just check the school with the first deadline or the first 2 or 3 schools? Once you see one has been submitted, you can then check all the schools to see if there are any missing.

Just an FYI, as I see you are from 'over the atlantic': it is extremely common in the US to drive over the speed limit. Its basically an unwritten rule that slight speeding is ok. My dad heard it from a cop that he had been instructed to never pull someone over for going less than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. In fact, sometimes going the speed limit is dangerous if everyone around you is going considerably faster. So your quote is not quite as clear a demonstration of your meaning as you would think, since speed limits are to be fudged but we Americans can definitely understand that you mean a hard line - perhaps an allusion to blood alcohol concentration while driving is a better analogy for Americans. And to s58: I agree with Balderdash: if there is an official limit, I would stay inside it.

I think that Strangefox is right, ask the professor. But my take on 'statement of interest' with only 100 words is that they probably just want to know what your research interests are in terms of what you want to be doing in graduate school, not about your past experience or future plans beyond the degree.

I'm not in poli sci, but I know that in science writing, and probably in most academic writing, the only way to know if something should be included is to try it. Sometimes that means working hard on adding in a section then having it cut out. That is just part of the process. You can't know whether you want something in there until you see how it works in there. Its frustrating but you learned about something related to your topic and expanded your knowledge (thats part of what its about right?) even if it doesn't feel like you made concrete progress on your project. I have a similar relationship with my advisor, mostly corresponding via email with the occasional face to face meeting. One way to check that the professor is reading your progress reports is to ask a question at the end. What do you think about adding XXX that I have been explaining? Is there anything missing from this set of activities I have been doing lately? You can check that they are reading with a carefully worded question and have more concrete feedback on where they want you to be going. Having these sorts of exchanges over email means that if you get really confused about what they want, you can put quotes of what they have told you in the past together and explain your confusion at the seemingly contradictory advise so that it is clear to them what you mean and they can then more easily relate what they mean in terms of their former advise. I would be up front about your feeling that things are progressing too slowly. Ask your professor if you should be starting to write up your first chapter or if not, what needs to be done before you get started. Having such conversations by email allows you to have a concrete record of what your advisor's suggestions have been if your professor isn't someone who keeps track of such things and also if you ever need to account for slow progress or anything like that to your department.

I am opening with my research interests: setting them up then progressively getting more specific. I have heard this put forth as a way of avoiding creating a 'hook' or really opening the essay at all, just starting sort of in the middle. I don't view it that way: my research interests should be a hook for professors who want students with those interests. If they are looking for someone like me, they should be grabbed by this first paragraph that says hey, I want to research things along the lines of what you research. It may be less grabbing for the random profs on the adcomm but presumably they know the professors I want to work with, are familiar with their work and will also think 'hey, this woman has a good fit in our program.' One exercise I did while writing this essay (and I often use for other writing) is to make a retroactive outline. Forget what it is you want to get across, what you mean to convey. Look at your own writing as a reader. If all you have seen is the first sentence, what do you know about the author? Two sentences in? The first paragraph in? etc. If you take this sort of critical eye, you can see what message you are actually conveying with your statement. Then compare what is actually there to what it is you want to get across. Do they line up? Are your pieces in a sensible order so that things build? Does each new sentence and paragraph introduce new and essential information? My concern with you feeling that your paragraph is 'trite' is that maybe it isn't really conveying anything that isn't or can't be conveyed else where. I let my passion come across as I talk about my interests, past work and future plans. I think it is part of the whole 'show don't tell' mantra that gets brought up on this site regularly.

I would try your hardest to reduce your length to the 2 pages then if you feel you absolutely can't eliminate anything else, either go down to 11 or make the margins a little slimmer. I also used the header space to label my statement and the footer to hold references and contact information (so its easily available should my POIs have any questions about me after reading my statement). I would also suggest printing the statement out after doing any space adding modifications to make sure it looks reasonable. Also, Times New Roman is a much thinner than the standard Word font and there are likely to be other fonts that look professional and even thinner. If your font is not a 'standard' font definitely make your document a pdf before sending it in. Good luck! I thankfully don't have any space/word limits that small.