cunninlynguist

I'm glad I sent my score reports last month -- nice and simple that way.

In the letter itself, your referee should provide some context (i.e. how that person knows you and in what capacity they supervised you). There is no need for them to delve into their personal or academic details -- the letter is, as ktel said, about you. And I really doubt that an admissions committee would sit around and calculate how many publications each letter writer has and rank them accordingly. That would be hilarious.

V: 590 = 159 (84%) Q: 650 = 151 (59%)

I just submitted all of mine. It's a bit weird to officially apply in October, but there's no need to put it off if you know everything's as perfect as possible. And now the waiting begins. Oh god.

Well, I'll try to frame my answer with more tact... Ultimately, your GPAs will preclude you from admission to the elite programs. Why wouldn't admissions committees have serious reservations about accepting a student who has done poorly at both levels? There's no evidence you could provide -- from your academic history -- that you're prepared to complete a PhD. I see you're an international student, so I would also advise you to not regard the GRE as a compensatory factor in the sense you might be hoping. Here, it's simply a general 3-hour test that lends itself well to preparation and memorization. It's not in the same ballpark as the tests you've taken in the past that determine your eligibility to attend a certain institution. Your work experience seems valuable, though. If you cast a (much) wider net in terms of programs, you might be able to emphasize that angle and downplay your GPAs. I'm not in public policy, and only know the basics of the programs, so I won't misdirect you and offer advice on where to apply specifically.

Another thing that factors into the acceptability of an e-mail request, IMO: prior e-mail correspondence with that professor while you were a student of theirs. If you were, hypothetically, someone who showed up to class and did exceptionally well without communicating on a semi-frequent basis (either in person at the end of class or through office hours, or via e-mail whenever you had a question or concern), then it might be a little weird to get an e-mail from that student out of nowhere. However, if you had established a line of communication, it's basically just continuing a conversation you've had with the professor months before.

I would say, given your projected composite score (which is very, very likely not to warrant concern), that you will make it past the first cut-off point. After that, the admissions committee will give your transcript a more discerning look, and see how well you've performed in relevant coursework that proves you're competent with quantitative concepts. I actually think you're in far better shape than many others in this situation would be. And BTW, I encountered the same problem with the GRE -- never enjoyed geometry in 9th grade and sure as hell couldn't polish up my skills for the test, especially because I took mine during finals week!

Well, your verbal score is fantastic and as a result, your composite score is roughly 1330 (based on the middle of both ranges). That's certainly not "flunking." It depends on where you're applying and what methodology you employ. Are you qualitative or quantitative? If the latter -- and your program choices reflect it -- then an underwhelming Q score could be a major obstacle. Perhaps you'll just need to widen your net and include some lower-ranked programs without completely abandoning higher-ranked ones.

The wealth disparity in this country is inexcusable and certainly corporations are accountable for widening the gap -- as are many banks and legislators in the pockets of special interest groups. I support some elements, and participants, of the movement, but would not label it as wholly productive or necessary. We embraced capitalism and the free market system that allows corporations to become bloated with funds and inextricably connected to the government. As a democracy, we failed to pressure our political officials on the important economic issues. I will make a point somewhat tangential to this argument but one that clearly underlies it: the divisiveness of the two parties. Our hyper-partisan nature is hurting the U.S. in many, many ways. It's unfathomable, that in this age of expression and diversity, our political institutions are split with no hope of reconciliation on any major issue. A lot of people call themselves "independents," but independents in legislatures -- at all levels -- are not proportionately represented. The OWS movement is an interesting one. I find their lack of demands refreshing and pragmatic; however, a fair number of protesters appear uninformed and enjoy being part of something more than advocating for actual institutional changes. Eventually we may all need to admit times are not as they once were. The population has grown, and some professions and career paths aren't as feasible (and have simply gotten squeezed out, if you're not supremely trained). It sucks that many of us don't come from money and take out loans for advanced schooling, but that's our reality. And like long_time_lurker, I don't think it's fair to disrupt how a city functions, particularly for many people who are trying to go to work and get through these difficult economic times.

Similar to last year's MEM 2011 thread, anyone applying to Master of Environmental Management or Environmental Policy programs is welcome to share their info and thoughts regarding the application process. Program Applied To: MA in Environmental Studies, MS in Natural Resources & Environment, MEM Schools Applied To: Brown University CES (MA), Duke University Nicholas School (MEM), University of Michigan SNRE (MS), Yale University FES (MEM) Schools Accepted To: Undergraduate Institution: UMass Undergraduate GPA: 3.41, 3.82 last 3 semesters Undergraduate Major: Political Science GRE Quantitative Score: 650 (59%) GRE Verbal Score: 590 (84%) GRE AW Score: 5.0 (84%) Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 0.5 Years of Work Experience: 1 Describe Relevant Work Experience: Internship with NGO focused on biodiversity and wildlife protection, internship with environmental writing website, internship at law office. Worked on a farm for the past few months. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Likely the best component of my application. My numbers are solid enough to make any cutoffs but unlikely to affect much beyond that, so it was crucial to compose the strongest SOP possible. Brown also requires a 10-page writing sample -- I polished and revised it quite a bit, with assistance from two GradCafe members! Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): 1 from political science professor who I had for two courses (1 seminar and 1 upper-level), 1 from public policy professor (former mayor of city and currently the highest position in the state's conservation department), 1 from internship supervisor (wildlife biologist). Tried to find a complementary balance between the three. Best of luck to everyone!

Thanks for the first-hand insight, Chuck. You reinforced the value of work experience very well. In my case, I am willing to gain some experience in the next few years if this round of applications does not yield a good result. I trust the admissions committees to make worthwhile choices for their program and for me. If I'm deemed too inexperienced, and my goals too vague, then it would absolutely be to my benefit to delay the degree and ground myself in substantial experience the next time I apply.

If you can swing it, without sacrificing quality, I think it would be a shrewd and appreciated gesture to admissions committees. 500-600 words is still sufficient to cover virtually everything... as long as your words retain power and focus, and it sounds like you're confident about that. I'd go with your instinct and submit the shorter, superior version.

Don't give up -- when exactly did you send the original e-mail? If it's been over a week or so, go right ahead and re-send your inquiry. It sounds as if he'd be willing to write a LOR for you, so I wouldn't regard his lack of response as a lack of interest. He's probably just been swamped with other things.

Many online applications will not allow more than 3 letter writers. Literally -- you cannot input more information beyond those 3 (or 2, or whatever the requirement is). That said, while some departments do explicitly say not to submit more letters, you could potentially contact an admissions person and ask if their actual policy is different, and if 4 LORs are permissible.

Feel the same way -- I'm ahead of schedule but it's actually a bit disconcerting. I've been working on application stuff for months now and feel very happy about how everything turned out (and nothing needs further revision). Still, it seems early. I'm giving my LOR writers a couple more weeks and then I'll officially submit the applications. Don't get too consumed by minutia at this point. If you've been putting in genuine effort and have already carefully proofread your SOPs, there's no need to feel like you're cutting the process short. In his book, Donald Asher said that once you feel your SOP is perfect, leave it alone and submit it.

$412.00, with everything included, to 4 schools. I'm only applying to places I know I'd absolutely be thrilled to attend, however -- there were a few on the bubble but liking a program isn't the same as being ecstatic about it.

My understanding is that, years back, the AW essays were sent along with the score report. Now, however, the only thing schools see is the score report -- nothing else.

Other people have posed similar questions, but I would absolutely regard it as a legitimate portion of the test and, as a result, treat it worthy of effort. Even if you question its validity as an indicator of writing and analytical skills, it's still a component of the test. Nobody really likes it, and a lot of departments state that it is not a major consideration. However, some programs and institutions require a minimum score on all 3 sections. It would be a shame if you missed out on a fellowship or even admission because you didn't participate in a simple 5-paragraph essay exercise. All you need to do is achieve a 3.5 or 4.0 to be safe; just read a couple of sample essays beforehand and it won't be a problem. I would also be curious if anyone has done it and if there were any consequences. The AW section is not demanding of time -- and, frankly, brainpower. Worst-case scenario: can you imagine being rejected from your #1 school because your missing AW score drew negative attention? That would suck.

Our Fall 2012 application link will be posted in mid-October. (http://www.snre.umic...dents/apply_now) It does seem a little weird.

I've been able to start on my Yale and Duke applications, but like you, I'm annoyed at Brown's delay. The SNRE department at Michigan won't be opening their application until mid-October, which seems awfully late for a large public institution and a large program. It's not a big deal -- though it's nice to get things started and fill out the boring information early.

E-mail again; a phone call may annoy him. You can assume he simply never received it and state "I don't know if you received my prior e-mail, but..." If there's no response after a couple of weeks and you still feel that he may write you a LOR, you could consider calling. For now, it's still relatively early and very possible that there was an issue with the e-mail or he was occupied with all the fun of a new semester and school year.

I'm providing mine with a single PDF that includes: Statement of Purpose, a list of schools and deadlines (and any additional information you want them to be aware of -- you can explain your GPA, GRE, etc.), and a full resume.

I asked him yesterday if he'd be able to simply add some identifying information after his name/signature on the document itself. That would certainly help, so we'll see what happens from this point. The letter itself is great and clearly communicates how he is able to appraise my skills and suitability for graduate study. It just looks a little weird -- and bland!

Actually, I just looked on Yale's application and they have fields for Organization and Position/Title. I'm hoping the other applications provide similar instructions! In that case, do you think it's a big deal? Before the adcomm reads the letter, they'd likely see the basic information first and learn who the person is that way.

My third letter writer is Commissioner of a pretty significant state department, but doesn't want to include any letterhead so as to not implicate any state affairs. He let me view the LOR itself, and it's pretty bare. Just the letter itself with his signature and name at the bottom -- no mention of his position or his department. Is that acceptable? Do admissions committees generally look up references if their name isn't immediately known in the academic community? The content of the letter probably takes precedence anyway, right? Any insight would be much appreciated -- thanks!