modernity

I didn't read your first draft, but I feel like this one reads more like an abstract for a job application than an application for grad school - however, that might be the standard for your field. You also have a lot of items in parentheses, and italics - I'm not sure what your reasoning is for this, but it seems a bit distracting. You also have some awkward sentences, and some items that are generally considered incorrect - such as starting a sentence with "And"... I think you need to keep polishing and editing. Try to make things flow better. Include more about what you want to do in the future and what your interests are as they relate to grad school rather than giving so much detail about your current position.

I agree, contact the department and ask them how you should handle it. Since you applied earlier (apparently before these guidelines were changed) and the deadline still hasn't passed I don't see why this would be a problem. Better to have a slightly awkward conversation with the department than to have your app tossed to the side when you could have fixed it!

Plus transcript costs! It's all so expensive, and money that could be put to use elsewhere. This is a good point.

It's possible that there's still a chance, but I would think they would have contacted by now so you have plenty of time to plan for it.

This is probably a great idea for the lucky ones that get in!

The GRE and LORs. The GRE because it's so expensive, and depends so much on luck (what questions are you getting, how do you feel that day, etc). The LORs because I hate having someone, three someones actually, write letters about me that I'll never get to read that decide a large part of my future. I trust them, and I believe they'll be good...but how can I ever really know?

I regret not doing this... It would have been nice to have the inside scoop! I just was so late in deciding what schools to apply to (late fall instead of summer/early fall), that I was afraid such a late email might have the potential to make me look desperate. (As if grad students really have the time to yap to a prof about some random wannabe grad student).

This was inspired by a conversation that was had in another post. I thought it might be an interesting way to pass the time. Does anyone have misunderstandings about what you do for a living when you first introduce the subject? I've had the following conversations... Unsuspecting Individual: So what do you do for a living? Me: I'm an anthropologist. Response A: Oh...dinosaurs are so cool! Response B: So you like, work in Egypt digging up dead people, right? Response C: Like Indiana Jones/Bones??? Response D: You're a young woman. I meant a real one...aren't their any older gentlemen around in the profession? Most recent response from an old lady: What is an anthropologist? (at least she was honest!!) Me: Well...it's the study of culture really. I study different cultures, and analyze the processes behind their behavior. Old lady: Oh...Like in a hospital with sick people? Me: (realizing the conversation is going nowhere) Something like that. Yes, these were real responses! It's sometimes unbelievable. So what about you?

What's worse is that one of my grad schools has no status update system whatsoever. I submitted my application recently and there is no reply whatsoever - no email, no status page to log into and check, nothing. I just sent my application somewhere out there into the abyss, and have to hope all my information gets there, and is considered. I suppose I may hear from them when I am rejected/accepted...or perhaps after the due date (I submitted early). This is in stark contrast to another school who updated me about all of my received paperwork- the day after the entire school due date, on a Saturday no less ( I hadn't even checked until late today because I thought for sure there would be no information for at least another week or two). If some of these schools can get it together and be that efficient, why can't others?

I feel the same way about all of this. I was rejected last year across the board, and I worry I'll have a similar fate this year. I've changed a lot about my application - more schools, different field, more experience, better recommendations, etc. However, this doesn't mean I'll get in - it is so unpredictable that you can't possibly know for sure. Some days I'm sure I'll get in somewhere, and others I'm convinced I'll be rejected across the board. Then even if I do allow myself to imagine I'll get in somewhere (oh the jinxes this must create), I'll convince myself I have no chance at funding - and will face the prospect of running myself into a load of debt, or giving up the academic dream. It's all quite stressful.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. Hearing others' stories makes me realize I am not the only one out there struggling, and if all of you can make it through so can I. I really appreciate it.

Has anyone had any major life altering events occur while they were in the process of applying/waiting for a response? I know this sounds a little cryptic... but I've recently had some things happen that have certainly increased my stress level. I'm halfway through the app process (half in, half still to go) and I don't know how to feel. It's almost ruining my drive to continue through the app process as I am so distracted, even though I know that I want grad school very badly. If you don't feel like sharing with the entire board, feel free to PM me. I'm just looking for anyone who has/is going through something similar, and how they got through it/are getting through it.

Okay, I suppose I should rephrase my original statement having heard from everyone now. Check the box IF you're worried about your application stats, could use some back up MA programs with fee waivers, and are willing to wade through a decent amount of spam because some programs (like applicants) apparently panic at the last minute and start sending out mass emails to anyone they think will even remotely pause to look at their school. It still is a little comforting to know that schools panic last minute, and start trying to mass market themselves even to long shots (even if this is only their marketing department) just like we do.

I agree with all of this, and would also say a few other things. The main theme I get from your essay is arrogance... you're constantly saying that people had a poor choice of words, they don't understand history, there are rampant misconceptions, etc. You sound angry, and if I was a professor I would be worried that you may not take criticism of your own work very well or would perhaps be too arrogant to be open to any other way of thinking. I highly doubt that this is the feeling you're trying to communicate, and you're likely just trying to sound confident - but that can be a thin line. On a side note I find this topic really interesting. It was interesting to learn how many christian soldiers/persons who moved to the middle east/participated in the crusades parted with their previous misconceptions about the "other" and brought this information back to Europe with them. And when the church's "othering" process started to fall apart when some christians (byzantines among others) began realizing that they got better treatment/understanding from their muslim neighbors than their "christian brethren" (the whole ethnicity/location vs. religious identity bit)... That and how quickly christian/muslim cultures melded during times of peace as a result of necessity.

This is a very good point, especially at a time when I am pressed for extra cash because of these apps, that fee waivers sweeten the deal so much. I'm going to guess, considering some of the schools/programs I've gotten are less than stellar (I was surprised that any were reputable actually- kind of like the mass mailings before UG), that those schools are paying for them in some way. ETS is probably like "Having trouble attracting students?? We'll give you their GRE scores for a small extra fee, and you can tempt them with fee waivers!!" and then... if we apply even if we get a fee waiver, we still have to pay ETS for another score... it's a conspiracy! (Yes... I'm on a conspiracy kick right now).

I agree with this... but I can also see the other side of it. I would say most of us on these boards (partly for the sheer fact we are on them and doing serious research) are very serious applicants. I would also bet that there are people out there that are not very serious about grad school but apply anyway just to "see" if they can get in, or they have a rather obtuse understanding of grad admissions (I know I was pretty clueless). With the economy being as poor as it is, I am sure there are people out there that are like "Well I did really like history in undergrad 10 years ago!" While for some people this may be a sincere epiphany...for others its a mid life crisis,their parents want them to go, or they don't know what else to do. If they have a 2.5 GPA, 800 on the GRE, went to BA's For Sale University, and/or a look at their SOP can tell the adcomm there was no effort in it... I can understand the culling. However, I know some schools have very high cutoffs, and I think it is a bit ridiculous- people can make mistakes and still become excellent in their field.

Make sure you submit for financial aid available for your school - sometimes this needs to be addressed in your SOP (relevant teaching/research experience), sometimes they have extra forms for you to fill out etc. that are due on the same application date. I think most of the "big" fellowship/scholarship deadlines have passed for this year (I missed them too), but there are also probably still a few out there - and definitely check the schools/departments opportunities.

I've had enough stress and lack of sleep to almost find this idea plausible!! That and I just find conspiracy theories fun.

One of mine is definitely going to be late, but I hope not so late as to attract attention - the deadline falls on a Fri and I'm hoping, god's speed to the USPS, that it will be in by Mon or Tues when they will start assembling applications. It's entirely the fault of the school that was supposed to be sending it. I sent them in a month ago (all of my other schools found this to be more than enough time to complete my request). There was some sort of accidental block on my account, and I think someone just pushed it aside on their desk meaning to get back to it, and never did. I even called, and was promised they would look into it, and would call me back if there was a problem that needed to be resolved. They didn't call back, but I also noticed they didn't take the check I'd sent....so I called again to be sure that it was just a delayed deposit on my check... Oh no. They hadn't touched it, at all. They gave me excuses about "just getting it" and "not knowing what happened" none of which really made me feel any better. I'm just hoping they mean it this time when they say they'll send it in.

I can sympathize. I'm playing the "what can I creatively cut out" game with mine as we speak for one that's due on Fri. I don't have my header in yet so that could be part of it. Like I said - there are probably adcomms out there that will never notice, and others who won't care as long as its not 800 words or something like that. I am just trying to play it on the safe side, so thats my advice to others.

One was from Columbia's MPA Environmental something or other... and I was curious as to how they thought that was applicable to what I cited as my interests, so some of these could certainly be equated to spam. On the other hand, some were in my field - one of them being the one that offered the fee waiver. If I'd had more notice, I would have probably applied.

Someone just posted a link earlier today to a commentary by some adcomm members. It basically said "don't go over, we don't want to read anymore than we have to" and that it was somewhat arrogant to go over the amount, when there would be other applicants doing their best to stay under. I would also guess, that there are adcomm members that aren't going to notice. 67 words is quite a bit over though. I think this might be enough to be noticeable by sight, where it would look longer than other applicants who stayed under the limit (in writing my own - i found that with times new roman/12 point/double spaced anything more than 530-ish was going over to a second page which I think looks even worse). I think you're going to be safer if you can find things to cut. You have to decide for yourself really though, whether the extra words are worth risking the annoyance of someone on the adcomm.

So, in the last couple of days I've received emails from schools (some decent ones that I likely would have considered), telling me to apply to their school - one even offered an application fee waiver! I assume these are some of the schools that the GRE put me in contact with as a result of their "check here if you want schools to be able to contact you based on your profile"... but all of these schools so far have had deadlines of Jan 15. Why would you even contact me now? How can I really put together an entire application packet at this point in the process? Why must you taunt me with your fee waivers? Also, while this may be slightly reassuring in some respects, these letters cited my "strong GRE" score... I didn't think my GRE score was all that strong (at least not by the standards of this or other boards - I guess this is another reminder that these boards aren't the end all be all of admissions statistics). All right... end of rant. I'm also posting this though, because I had no idea that if you checked that box that there was the potential to receive application fee waivers as an indirect result. So, to all of you who still have to take the GRE, and are planning for next year - check the box!

I've been gone for a couple days (I needed a break from apps/talk of apps), and came back to this. I think it's just a few bad apples with low post counts, rather than regular posters. I wouldn't worry too much just yet.

Yes!! Exactly. After a million updates about colors being picked for weddings, house buying, the food cravings of pregnancy, babies rolling over for the first time, etc. and continually "liking" and giving words of encouragement to these people, I will be damned if they're not going to be obliged to "like" my getting into grad school if I do so. I also don't know anyone applying right now, but when I did I was happy to see that my friends got through the process successfully. This blog reeks of bitterness to me.