[Expired GRE Scores?]

Anyone know about policies regarding expired test scores? ETS says scores over 5 years old are considered invalid and "expired," but they're still showing up on my score reports.

I took the test 5 years ago to get into my MA program and they weren't terribly impressive scores - just under 600. I'd rather not have those hanging out for all to see on my reports sent to schools at which I'm applying for the PhD (I mean, presumably, I did better on the test I just took... even though I still can't identify rime royal for the life of me).

Has anyone run into this? Any advice? I'm not seeing much of anything on the ETS site. Thanks!!

[How Personal in the SOP]

As I trudge through draft #34,509,856 of my personal statement here, I can't help but add to this thread somewhat tangentially.

While my initial drafts were "warm" and had a personal thread through them (not "I love literature!" but explaining specific gateway or lightbulb moments that led me to my subject area/wanting to teach), I'm staring at my latest draft and realizing it's concise, content-based, sharp, and... cold. Somewhere along the way, I took out all that "personal" stuff, and touched on only specific MA coursework in my subject area and teaching achievements. And I kinda like it. It says everything I wanted it to say and emphasizes my area of interest and professional work over all else.

I realize there is no real "right" and "wrong" way to approach a personal statement, but... is the "cold" SOP really the kiss of death? Aren't we selling ourselves to the ad comms on a professional level (i.e. cover letter to a potential employer sort of thing)?

[Oct. 15th Lit Subject Test - scores are ready!]

That's not bad! I figure as long as my score isn't embarrassingly low (40% or something), it doesn't really have much bearing for most ad coms.

Side note - I just took the November exam today. Anyone else take it too? I had been dreading it after reading everyone's comments on how horrifying the October test was. But I found this one to be pretty standard stuff. I did notice it was heavy on analysis - lots of passages and relatively few quickie ID questions - although I got through the whole exam and had time to revisit some questions. So I imagine this one was easier than the last one?

[Writing Sample Topics?]

Hi all-

Forgive if this is a repeat post, but I'm wondering the subjects for everyone's writing samples, if anyone doesn't mind sharing!

My subject area is a combo historical period (20th century British) and theory. So I'm trying to narrow my writing sample to something that best suits this area. I have an essay on Woolf's novelsand Helene Cixous's ecriture feminine, and another on Joyce's Ulysses and Lacanian thought. What I'm realizing is that these are dated - my theory component is smack in the middle of the 1960s/70s. Should I choose something else entirely? And what are you all writing about? Are you in modern territory, or do you find you're delving into criticism that's already happened? Am I just neurotically wondering if I'm 50 years behind the field??

[Irish Lit?]

I'm doing Irish Lit, too! I've heard UConn is decent, but I too am clamoring for advice on other places. I'd like to keep my focus on Irish Lit (esp. Joyce), since I'd like to stay distinct from the very vague "20th century British" as primary area of interest.

[just took the GRE today]

I just took it today too! And equally as stumped by the score ranges. I kinda think 100 points do make a difference... But I'm very curious how those ranges translate to the new scoring system.

As for the quantitative, by all means make the ETS-issed math review packet your best friend. It's there on ETS's GRE site. As long as you know how to do basic functions (equations, inequalities, area/perimeter/etc. of shapes, data interpretation and percentages, blah blah) you should be ok. I'm not a math person at all and should have studied far harder than I did. I gave up reading through that ETS math review when I got to standard deviation. Guess what the first question was on my quantitative section today? Wahhh!

[UNH]

Throwing this out to you all, although I'm hoping it's not a waste of a topic thread (sorry! I don't know how else to get this out there...).

I saw a poster on the stats page mention that UNH only accepted 2 PhDs this year. I haven't heard yet either way... but I assume I'd know by now if I were one of those elite two. If you're out there, UNH acceptee, can I ask your field and how you found out? Many many thanks!

[Reapplying]

I'm brand new to GradCafe (though I've done some anonymous lurking... although I'm not a sketchball I promise) and had a frustratingly bad app season this year.

I'd love some advice as well, particularly on my SOP. (I've got a MA already, which I'm worrying is killing my chances since it's hard to talk convincingly about it as it's from a slightly unconventional program, Middlebury's Bread Loaf School).

Could I jump on the wagon here and get some advice as well? Thanks all!!