modernity

I'm not in your field so I can only give you some general suggestions. I think overall its a good essay, I think you just need to tweak some of your word usage. So a few notes: I wouldn't use word usage such as "passion" and "deep understanding" - It's understood that you have a passion for it, and that you have/want a deep understanding, otherwise you wouldn't be applying to grad school right? This language is overused in SOP, and its so tempting to use too! You say things like : "I'm very proud" and "The high quality of my work" - maybe this is common to do in your field and I'm not aware, but in my own its preferred we're a little more subtle when we toot our own horns so to speak. Of course you want to talk yourself up, but I think you can (and do do it) elsewhere in the essay without being so blatant. You also explain that it's because of these things that you were invited back, or received an award or the chance to present... this is probably understood as well if you just say you were invited to do these things. They wouldn't invite you back or give you awards if you weren't doing great things, right? So no need to say things like deemed so successful that, or for accomplishments such as those... But overall I think you've got a solid foundation. Just keep editing!

Was your volunteer work or part time work relevant to what you want to do? That will help more than it being an explanation for weak grades. I find myself wanting to ask you... why if you are having difficulty with math, do you want to go into a field with presumably a large amount of quant? I'm thinking an adcomm is going to ask this too. I assume by saying that you're not sending in the latest semester's transcripts that you are factoring your GPA without them? You are also aware that they could see those grades in the future/sometimes admit you conditionally with the requirement that you provide your final grades from your undergrad institution upon completion? I think your chance of getting in relies heavily on how you're going to makeup for a weak transcript - with the relevant work, and volunteer experience. Your GRE Q score may also help- but it depends on how much weight these schools put on the GRE because some give it very little value. I don't think that your background will lock you out, as long as you do well on the other points of your application - and your LORs are stellar.

Judging by the prompt, I would treat it the same as you treated your SOPs. This doesn't sound like it's supposed to be a personal history statement or anything of that nature. If your life experience relates (work or something of that nature)I would include it though.

Yes, marketing yourself... to an audience that you know very little about (even with reading their work, their CVs, the blurbs on the school page). I get the spirit of what you're saying, and that is appreciated... but it's just not that easy for all of us. It's hard for me to chill out, because all I can think about is how I could be using that time to improve my application.

This may in part depend on the field you're in, but I would present something unbiased. I wouldn't want to run the risk of turning off someone on your adcomm. I just think that would be playing it safe.

As you've explained yourself, it doesn't sound nearly as harsh as your original statement. I should also admit that it wasn't just this post that had gotten to me, as I had seen several people that had statements similar to "I'm white! I'm normal! I'm middleclass!!" and this post was more just the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. I get what you're saying - you haven't been through that struggle, and you aren't intending to be involved in serving underrepresented groups, so you don't feel like you deserve anything relative to that. I get that. (I'm not trying to argue really, although I suppose I did get up on my soapbox a little.) If the essay is mandatory though, and I admittedly don't know how much it's going to affect your admission, I just think there are ways to still have something interesting to say. I think diversity statements are as you alluded to, a way for people to explain hard work that would not necessarily come through elsewhere. I also understand that there are a group of people in between there, not underrepresented but also without the aid of mom and dad's bank account, that struggle with items like this in the application process. I just think that if a person is applying to grad school, then they're probably pretty intelligent, and they can think outside the box to still write something worthwhile. I just see the I'm white/I'm normal as a cop out for having to think a little longer/harder on something. As far as the prompt - I'm not applying to Berkeley, I just read the link that was provided and the prompt there. If it's wrong I apologize, although even with the new prompt the vast majority of the points I was making, I feel still apply.

I can agree that I'm not a fan of all the comments made on that essay. I wonder if maybe you're looking at it wrong though, the diversity essay doesn't necessarily have to be about how you suffered. In fact, you might be better off writing something that doesn't talk about how you suffered as I am sure a lot of people are going to give sob stories about their upbringing, or dramatic cross-cultural encounters... which can certainly be good, but after you've read as many as those adcoms get... Here's the prompt: Please include any educational, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree. You've never had any unique educational experience? economic? social experience? no challenge or opportunity posed to you? It doesn't have to be a mind blowing experience, some of the most subtle experiences can be the most profound. If you really think that you're just mr. smith from normalville, usa after thinking through that and "If everyone is a unique little snow flake and we're all diverse people who've faced hardships, what's the point?" , then perhaps look at the essay differently... about how your feelings of normalcy/blending in with the crowd/lack of diversity have affected your life or your approach to things. You might be able to turn that into something unique that the adcom would find interesting/different from other essays they are receiving. The point of diversity essays in my view is not to discount "whites" or say that they don't have their own story to tell (or put them at a disadvantage as I've heard some people say), but rather to say that everyone does, and everyone should have an opportunity to tell it. Unique snowflake? Dramatic background story of adversity that will bring the adcom to tears? No... but unique series of events and experiences that have developed you? sure.

I agree, it is annoying when people post those sorts of stats but at the same time I wonder -if they have to do that to feel good about themselves maybe there are real insecurity issues behind it. Maybe they really do need the hand holding? I also have to say that these forums have been great for the positive/constructive feedback.

Is this something you originally submitted online? If so I am sure they are aware that it changes the font size (I'm sure this happened to many more people than you), and the secretary who prints them out probably resizes it for them to read.

I tried to walk away from this one but it was just too inflammatory for me... Just because you are white does not mean that you do not have an ethnic or cultural identity. This is one of the major issues in the race debate. The "I am white and therefore I am the default and therefore I have no ethnic identity and everyone else (who is not white) does" is false in so many ways. Also, being white doesn't exclude you from hardships (as an example, please see a large percentage of the Appalachian people.) Don't use the I'm a white boy scapegoat.

That sort of behavior is unprofessional, and you're right that there isn't a single thing we can do about it. (Although I would guess there are students out there with a no fear attitude that have given professors an earful for this very thing.) If you agree to make a professional reference for someone you should follow through. The problem is, it is in fact a favor. They don't have to do it, and nothing puts them under obligation to do so. No consequences if they don't follow through. I certainly can't advocate forcing that to become a part of their job description, but I think the whole LOR bit is a little troublesome and can set up serious roadblocks for people who would otherwise be excellent candidates for grad school.

I also started school when I was 17, and I struggled because I was maintaining a very heavy work schedule in addition to school. So my circumstances are a little different, although I am sure my age had something to do with it as well! I acknowledged my poor grades in in my SOP last year. Needless to say (given that I am here again this year) I did not get in anywhere, and looking back on my SOP from last year I think I ruined it by being apologetic/explaining grades. I think if anything, it turned attention to it, that probably would have otherwise been overlooked due to my performance since that initial year. So this year, I will not be addressing it in my SOP. For a few reasons - my explanation is not all that unique (lots of kids had to work through college, struggled to acclimate themselves/mature, etc. this isn't really a traumatic experience like those I've heard where individuals have been physically assaulted or hospitalized for a serious illness), the poor grades are in classes unrelated to my major, my grades since that year are proof in and of themselves of my maturity, and finally I feel like it disturbs an essay which should be highlighting the positives about me. However, I think a few things could change whether or not you should: if a professor of yours tells you to (they know your background, and they may know people on the admissions committees for where you are applying and will therefore know if it's appropriate), if the grades were relative to your major, or if you have a unique explanation for why it happened that goes beyond the bounds "I was just young and immature". As always YMMV.

Grantor - is the institution behind the loan In recognition of - i assume is you - or if it was for something more specific like a piece of work you did.

Ah ok. That's why I said YMMV, because I understood that the first paragraph was crucial to her point but when I read junior year in high school I had a "hmmm" moment. However, I know little to nothing about feminism so I was only commenting from a general view. If that's the standard, then by all means keep it.

I think I would leave out the bit about "junior year of high school"... and just say "a class" instead. It still flows just fine without the high school reference, and you avoid any sort of potential cliche or gray area that comes about when you reference anything pre-college in a grad school app. (YMMV)

You are making a funny, yes?

Congrats! I was wondering if I'm too late to contact some profs (I am still more than a month out... I wasn't going to but not I'm rethinking) and this gives me some confidence.

I'll add the question, how about for US students going to the UK or other European schools? Similar advantages/disadvantages (besides the GRE of course)?

Some schools/disciplines can be strict about the number of LORs they want. I would first check with the schools and make sure that it's okay to submit a 4th letter - (I say this because I find it unusual that they have a hard 3 letter cap- in my experience if they say 3, but they're open to more they will allow you to register up to 5). If they only take the first three, and the most easily accessible are the ones submitted online, then it's not worth the hassle. If the schools allow it, maybe there's an alternative way for them to allow the prof to submit online ? Or perhaps you can ask your LOR if it would be too much trouble for him given the situation to send it in for you through the mail system. If I were you I would try to get more information on the situation from both the school and the LOR writer.

Me too, but living vicariously through everyone else is fun.

As I assume you know, you'll only be able to report your V/Q - as the AW comes much later (in my case a month later and I took it several months ago) - so you would have to use your old AW until they new one was turned in. Some schools don't make their decision for many weeks - others have decisions out within a month (and your new scores may not even be in by then). Definitely contact the programs you're applying to and get their advice, they are the only ones that can tell you for sure.

Yeah last year notifications didn't really start rolling in until Feb/March for most people as I recall. Not that that stops us from checking.

I'm in the same boat right now. I feel very insecure about the writing sample, I didn't have a thesis or anything of that nature to take excerpts out of. I hope its not too important, especially if the SOP is on track with my writing abilities now. I'm going the route of editing the heck out of it and hoping that is sufficient. I've been considering writing a whole new paper even though I also don't really have the resources/time, but I fear because of that, it may not be much better than the original.

To the OP : I don't think that academic programs care so much about law school. I think a lot of students go up against the Law School vs PhD question, particularly when its time to pay back student loans, we have family pressure, or are worried about whether or not we'll ever get a job with that PhD we want so badly. Law School is kind of irrelevant on the academic front - its a very different type of schooling, and they're going to be more interested in the schooling that is relevant to what you want to do now. The only way I can see it causing a flicker of hesitation in them is that law school requires a similar workload/dedication as grad school can - but as long as you prove you can handle a heavy workload/time consuming process elsewhere in your profile I think this won't matter too much. Your grades, recommendations, etc. are very good - and better than many candidates (don't let this forum fool you too much - most of us are the crazies that spend every waking moment obsessing about how to improve our profile and being type A personalities - well at least I am- and are not necessarily an accurate assessment of the general pool of applicants.) To the question of Omission: I always say - be conservative, and I think in this case honesty is the best policy. Sure, there may be little to no chance that your new institution would find out you went to law school but there are ways it could come up through various arenas - including the fact they could accidentally bring it up in conversation with another student or professor at some point over the next 5-7 years. It then becomes a skeleton in your closet, that you will always have to be wary of. If the schools you're applying to said "go ahead and omit it" that's one thing, it's another to just take it upon yourself to do so. Why put yourself at risk to lose your progress on your PhD or at the very least to call your academic honesty into question?

I would include internships - they're work all the same for the most part. I don't see why you wouldn't unless it expressly said in the directions not to include it.