lolopixie

I'm finally happy with my SOPs - well I'm not done with Kansas' yet, but all of the other ones are done. I'm going to be working on the writing sample this weekend. I feel like progress is being made finally. I've had this same thought. One of my friends and I discussed how there is such a mountain to conquer with applications that even when you spend a full weekend working and making a lot of progress, it doesn't even seem to make a dent. I'm ready to have these in the ground, but not to obsess over decisioning time. Makes my anxiety flare just thinking about it ::shudders::

Um, how would a 92nd percentile verbal score prevent you from getting into a program? That makes absolutely no sense. 92nd percentile is far from very average. I'm sorry, but I really can't stand when people put up their stellar scores or background and try to say that it sucks. Get over yourself.

I was done this time last year, but I am not even close now. My focuse so far has been on my SOP and studying to retake the GRE Dec 5th. I've barely touched my writing sample - only one round of edits and bulking up the citations and such since it is an excerpt from my thesis. Still have a lot to do with that. I have completed filling out the actual applications, woot, but that is because I needed to see where I could request LORs online without submitting the app yet. My applications are due b/t Dec 31st and Jan 25th. I hope to have everything done before Christmas. If not, I have 10 days off at Christmas and will be holed up in my apartment and making dashes to the post office to overnight applications out.

I was flat out told last year by several departments that I was rejected due to "non-competitive GRE scores". I have no doubt there were other flaws on my application, but yea...they do matter. And I'm not talking about all top-tier schools either. Take that for what it's worth.

I made some progress on it last night, but it is still far from done. It doesn't sound as jarring anymore. Now I just need to solidify and make some sense out of it!

Jesus, take the wheel!

I'm not sure about the italics in the text box. I would assume they would be aware, but who knows. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION IF YOU ARE NOT FINISHED. I went ahead and opened all of my apps to see which ones would send out the electronic forms without having to submit. Two of the programs would not allow me to do that, so I went and printed off the recommendation forms and gave them to my professors. Honestly, I'm not applying to Texas so I haven't been on their site; however, every other program I'm applying to this year and that I applied to last year with the exception of Ole Miss would not allow you to upload/edit info after submission. Ole Miss you can upload docs afterwards, which is fine because the application is really just the general information form. I would recommend doing paper copies for the schools that don't send out prior to submission so that you don't have to worry about crunching your prof's for time at the end of the semester when their schedule is most hectic.

They blatantly state on the website what they want. I'm talking about Kansas, if anyone was wondering. In 500 words "describe your interests, training, expereince (including teaching), academic abilities, and goals." I'm just having trouble making it sound good with 500 words. I think once I get some strong transitions in, it will sound much better. Right now it is just jump, jump, jump, jump, jump. LOL.

LOL - you're welcome! Except my scores went up 30% on verbal, so I don't think I helped your verbal score.

The real problem is what the school is asking for in these 500 words. If I just had to wing it because they said give me a 500 word SOP, then I feel like I would be able to focus more. I had no problem writing the other 4 - and they are all different, but this one is killing me. I know I'll figure it out...in the meantime I will just spazz and work on my ws.

I wish I didn't have to retake it! Even though I doubled my percentile in the test I took in September as compared to my old one, I am really wanting a higher score. Let's see if I can pull a 6 twice on the writing!

Just wanted some advice on one of my SOPs. I have one program that requires 500 words and they are very specific on what is wanted in this SOP. Since my other SOPs are about 1000 words I clearly need to cut fat, but I'm having a hard time making it seemless. It has a very choppy feel right now. Point1, Point2, Point3....any advice on how to become personable and not sound cold in a 500 word limit?

I would be concerned that the adcom may not be entirely comprised of comp lit professors (or the profs could be comp lit with other languages), which would then make your writing sample a bit of a snag in your application. My understanding is the all writing samples should be in English; however, it may be a good idea to reach out to the direct departments. They are usually very quick to respond to emails if you are in some sort of time zone difference where you wouldn't be able to call.

PS if you purchase a Manhattan GRE book for any of the verbal sections (or any of the math sections - they break their study guides down to books per section), you get online access to 6 practice tests. I bought one on abebooks.com for $18 and it was at my door in 3 days, or you can go down to your friendly Barnes and Nobles and buy one there for about $25.

I've taken the revised GRE already and will be retaking it on December 5th. My advice is to not worry too much about the strange vocabulary because it really isn't on there. I think there was 1 word on the whole test that I didn't recognize in the verbal sections. While vocab review will definitely be beneficial, my advice is to practice the questions and take as many practice tests as you can. I'm currently taking a GRE prep class that has been very beneficial, but I really think it is all the practice and taking a practical look at the test. If you want me to give you some of the pointers on approach to the verbal section, I would be happy to. As for the math portion, I'm an English major...I cannot be of much help. If you are concerned about verbal the set up is: 20 minutes per verbal section each set up as follows: 6 sentence completion questions, 5 reading comprehension questions, 4 sentence equiv questions, and rounded up with 5 more reading comp questions. Practice the reading comp because that will be your life saver with time. Hope that helps a little.

Last year I felt very confused by not having any instructions on a lot of SOPs. Just the give us a SOP that does not exceed 3 pages or something of the like. No inclusion of what was wanted in the SOP. This year, I have found it easier to write those SOPs. I know what I want to talk about and know what I feel is important. I have one that limits me to 500 words and is very explicit in what is wanted in those 500 words. The whole thing sounds choppy and crazy and I just can't figure out how to make it seemless. Still working on that. There really are no "unwritten" rules on the SOPs. It all boils down to opinion, preference, and heresay. If I had the magical formula on how to write an amazing SOP, I would give it to you. My only suggestion is to be specific, honest, personable, and have great lucidity throughout. Make sure it isn't cold and just seems like you've thrown something together. I don't think any of us can be pacified while writing the SOP

Scores are sent relatively quickly and electronically. They go to a designated email at the school (I learned this last year due to calling every school.to make sure they received the scores bc of the difference in my last name on the test). It is just a matter of getting them logged to your file. Send them, allow the couple business days, then if they haven't loaded to your app call the school to verify receipt. Every time I called last year, the school had the score even if it wasn't loaded to the file yet and they got it loaded there in that call.

I think another thing to keep in mind is that it is YOUR statement of purpose. It isn't your professor's, your friend's, the writing center's, just yours. If you feel something is needed in there then it probably is. Yes, critiques from others will definitely help polish, look for voice change, awkward language, etc., but only you can really know what you need to tell the adcoms. Take the advice given, but don't let it rule your SOP.

Every time I have a great day of progress (I'm speaking of a really great day, not just the work that I do on a daily basis), I feel refreshed and on top of things for about 30 seconds. Then I think about everything that has to be done and I feel like it is just not going to happen. Slow and steady, slow and steady.

Agreed.

I think the schools are probably going to be basing scores off of the percentiles this year versus the scores because you won't be able to compare the old and new otherwise. I'm retaking it agian in December because my verbal was just not high enough; however, I shocked myself by swinging a 6 on the writing. Last time I was 4.5. I know the writing doesn't count for much, but it made me feel good about myself

Lol, I don't think it will be that extreme. Since you are applying with only a BA, I would recommend stating the area that you want to pursue, but also throw in another area you are interested in as well. Talk about ideas you are interested in studying, but don't state that you are definitely set in stone on studying these. Be specific, but not too specific. If you back yourself into a corner, you may find it hard to get out; however, being confident in what you are interested in and what you want to explore in your areas will show the research you have done. I have my Master's and have in no way read everything about my area of study. Yes, I've got a lot more under my belt than in undergrad, but there is a big, big sea out there!! You'll figure out how to approach it in your own way and be confident about your SOP once you get a good start to it.

Have no fear about the AW, the schools have your writing sample. That is the real indicator of how you write....and your SOP. I've also heard that the AW is not important. If you didn't write a 5 paragraph essay for dummies, your score goes down. So stupid. I was also told in my GRE prep class that this will be the last "fiscal year" the AW is scored by humans. Whenever the next fiscal year starts, a computer will be grading it. How in the hell will that be possible? No idea! I wouldn't let that bum you out AT ALL!

While your professor poses a valid point, I also think that it may be a little bit of an overstatement. This board was swamped with people getting accepted into PhD programs last year studying Renaissance lit. Hasn't everything that needed to be said about that era already been said? Clearly not. I think if you can cleary prove that you have a new approach to this area of study, or think that something has been overlooked and you can prove that you will be a valuable scholar in that field, then you should not be worried that you want to pursue a field that has been "done to death".

related to academia? i would say yes.