gellert

No worries! Looks like someone already fixed it. And yeppp, same here. Totally irrational, but there you have it.

For one of the programs, it's up to the committee and not my alma mater. For another, it's up to the committee but the POI has final say. A third is my alma mater with the POI having final say. The one I'm most concerned with is the first, since I know it's the adcomm who decides, not the POI. All the POI can do is their best to push me through to acceptance. So ... fingers crossed. Thanks for the advice, fuzzy and Cpsych!

To be frank, you will not get in with your current stats, so it's not worth applying this year (to MA or to Ph.D./Psy.D. programs). I recommend, as others have said, getting a position somewhere as a research assistant, even if only volunteering while getting the experience necessary for a full-time paid job (these jobs themselves are very competitive). Take some classes at a local community college and do well in them to prove you have the capacity to do coursework. If you can find graduate courses to take, do them. I also suggest getting clinical experience, such as volunteering in a hospital, working as a MHC, or becoming a CNA. But most importantly: why waste the time, money, and stress in applying if you aren't certain it's what you want to do? Taking time off will give you the chance to decide for sure.

Say you have a good rapport with your POI(s) at a university, and the POI vouches for you to the adcomm and tries to get you in. If they are not themselves on the admissions committee, how much difference does this make? Certainly it would bring one's application to the attention of the adcomm, but could it be the difference between getting in and not?

I am not in your field, but having spent some time in Iowa City, I can definitely say it's a magnificent place. It's got a strong art culture, especially given the Iowa Writer's Workshop. It's quite a liberal town with good wine bars and food. I've not been to Blacksburg, however. Beyond my experiences with location, I think you should try visiting each place and get a sense for how you feel about the locations as well as the departments. Fit is important, as others have noted. It's better to be happy and successful at a lower-ranked program than anxious and restrained by unhappiness at a higher-ranked one. Though of course, both could be perfectly lovely places, and it's simply a matter of flipping a coin. If you flip a coin and want to flip again -- well, there's your decision, right there.

lol yes. Or checking app status page to make sure everything is in.

Will you read draft 8 of my SOP?

Oh no! I submitted an app yesterday and it says my GRE scores haven't been received. But the ETS site says they were sent out Nov 17th. Is this just a matter of the system not being updated yet since I submitted my application so recently? Or should I be worried and call?

Same! I have a lone deadline between now and Dec 15, but I've pretty much finished that application, so I'm feeling pretty nice right about now.

Yep. Stanford's app says none of my official transcripts have been received, though I know they must have been. I know they were sent to the dept so they won't show up as received on my GS app anyway, but I still get nervous.

Too late already, but I was wondering about the comm's thoughts on LORs from profs that are notoriously hardcore/harsh. I have a rather infamously blunt professor who agreed to write me a "strong positive" LOR. I'm certain that LOR discusses my weaknesses as candidly as my strengths, simply due to who the writer is. In a world bursting with hyperbolically positive LORs, I wonder if this will end up hurting me. But at the same time, anyone who reads this person's letter will know who wrote it and what this person is like. I had a good relationship with them which I'm sure will come across, but I wonder if it'll be sore thumb-y in a BAD way amidst my other two, more traditional LORs (which obv haven't read, but expect are standard this-person-is-perfect-for-ALL-OF-THE-THINGS LOR material). For background: applying in neuroscience and psych. They tend to be more about the hyperbolic letters than the honest ones, but here's hoping. I'm too proud of my work with this prof and it was too significant to the construction of my career to replace it with the letter of someone who'd give a great letter but without the significant relationship. Even so.... Thoughts?

Verbatim: "to not be accepted just isn't a possibility xx" and "They would be crazy not to take you. I'm in awe of your accomplishments and I'm sure others will see it too." Heard this all before.

Decided not to apply to Columbia last-minute, here. Based off of good old fashioned future decision scenarios.

"Do you think my GPA is high enough to get into [highly ranked school]? Will you read my diversity statement?" *when schools make you list the courses and grades, a la MIT and Harvard* "...fuck. I forgot I got a B/C/whatever in that class. Now I'm NEVER going to get in!"

I recommend no gifts. Cards (handmade or store-bought) are perfectly appropriate, however, and more personal than an email.

I have the same problem. D: Noticed TWO errors in my NSF application. One typo and one fragment sentence. This is what you get from turning off the spelling/grammar notifs on Word because they always catch technical terms. x.x

I'll take a look if you like, as well.

"I haven't started my statement of purpose yet because I'm worried it won't be perfect."

"I don't know why you're so nervous; of course you'll get in everywhere! You have the most amazing CV I've ever seen! Stop being such a downer." (yeah. they said that in fall 2012 cycle, too and guess how many funded Ph.D. programs I was accepted to.)

Damn, it's only been one day since I turned in my app and I already feel like I'm playing the waiting game full-swing.

Just submitted! Whew. Of course, now the wait begins....

Graduate research statement finally through with all revisions! One set of revisions left on the personal statement, I think. How is everyone else doing (esp Nov 7 deadline folks)?

It's also notable that Harvard doesn't offer terminal masters degrees, so this title is confusing me. Are you asking if Harvard is a good fit for you, or for some alternative program suggestions? For other programs, there's the one at U of Chicago which is one-year iirc.

Mine does, too. :| Here's hoping they print stuff out to review it...?