Timshel

Right. I realize that I'm not locked into the idea, but I'm more afraid that if I propose something really specific, and they aren't looking for someone who does that specific thing, then I will be turned down when I could have gotten in with a more general idea. I don't want this specific idea to prevent me from getting in somewhere when we all know that many people change their minds/focus.

I would like to bump this thread because as I have been working on my writing sample, I just had a total light bulb moment about an amazing idea for a dissertation. Like the OP, I have noticed a glaring hole in the scholarship of my particular area of interest. I'm wondering if I should be so specific in my statement of purpose, though. I'm thinking that it could have positive and negative consequences, depending on the department..... Maybe I should keep my really specific ideas to programs that have someone who does stuff that specific? I don't know.... I just feel like I have SUCH a good idea that it's worth sharing, but at the same time, I don't want to limit myself or prevent myself from getting in somewhere in case, for some reason, I decide to change my mind.

Yeah, it's a great fit for me, so I'm going to try, anyway. I'm also applying to Buffalo, too! Two of your other schools I really considered: Southern Illinois and Toronto I thought about Southern Illinois because it's not far from my family, I went there for two years as an undergrad before I met my husband and moved to NC, one of my little brothers is an undergrad there, and my sister-in-law is in Law School there. I ultimately decided against it because its rank is way too low and I'm worried about being able to get a tenure track position out of their program, especially since most of the people they place are in the comp/rhetoric area, which is what they are more known for. As for Toronto, the only big reason I decided against it is because my focus is American lit, and it seemed silly to me to go to another country to study American lit. I don't know.......

My interests are in psychoanalysis, specifically trauma studies and literary testimony, in contemporary lit, especially in relation to collective and cultural trauma in ethnic literature. I wish I could say that more succinctly.

Okay, so the school I was referring to was UC Riverside. The website does not give a prompt, it just states to upload a personal history and a statement of purpose. When I contacted the department, the secretary simply said: The statement of purpose includes why you want to get the degree/why you're applying, etc. The personal history is your personal history. That was all I got..........................

So, one of the schools I am applying to is asking for a Statement of Purpose AND a Personal History. I guess I am little confused as to how "personal" this personal history should be. Can anyone help?

So far, it just looks like Bdon and I are both applying to Cornell. I'm not counting on that one AT ALL. It's one of my "not going to happen" applications that I am going to try for because you never know.....

I promised myself I would not look up anything because it will just make me feel worse. There is nothing I can do about it now, so I need to just move on and focus elsewhere.

So, I know that we had one of these threads earlier (and some have it in our signature), but now that most of us have solidified our choices, where is everyone applying?

My primary area of interest, and the primary reason I am apply to Buffalo, is theory. More specifically, I am interested in psychoanalysis, literary testimony, and trauma studies in contemporary lit.

Well, being that we signed multiple times on the test that we wouldn't reveal anything that was on the test, I don't think that's a good idea.

Thanks so much! And, if you have any other advice about getting into Buffalo, I'll take that, too. lol.

Awesome! Thanks so much! Buffalo is one of my top choices, so I don't want to mess anything up. So you had your LORs just mail theirs each separately? I'm wondering if I could just include them in the envelope with my other materials, but just have them sealed and signed to show I haven't read them, of course. Or, I guess I could just give them an already stamped envelope. I'm just surprised since it seems like this is the only school that is requiring so much be turned in hard copy.

So, I am finally getting around to starting some of my applications, and I am a little confused by SUNY Buffalo's application process. Is it correct that they want everything mailed? Like, everything? As in, I have to send in a giant envelope with my materials AND ask my LORs to mail theirs as well? Is there anyone who applied there, or is planning to apply there, that could explain this to me. It seems a little antiquated and stressful. Grrrrr....

I'm curious: If my scores aren't that great (which is what I'm anticipating), should I even send them to the other schools that don't require it? Only 2 of the 10 schools I am applying to require it (although I stupidly sent the scores to 4 schools), so I'm just wondering if I should even bother sending it to the rest if I have an embarrassingly low score.

I am SO glad I am not the only one that was surprised at how much reading comprehension there was. It.was.terrible. I left a LOT of blanks because I literally could read fast enough, and some of those longer passages had like 12 questions associated with them.

I feel like the Princeton Review has been really helpful for me with things like Chaucer and what not because I am WAY out of my element with that. Like I said, my area is contemporary, ethnic, and theory, which is not exactly represented much on the test. The school I went to for undergrad and grad didn't require any certain time periods or anything, so I have never read most of that stuff. I'm just taking in as much as I can and hoping to crack the 600s.

Is anyone using, or has used, the princeton review to prepare for this test?

Lucky!

Thanks Lyoness. That makes me feel SO much better. Only 2 of my schools require it, so I'm not sweating it. At the same time, I don't want to be embarrassingly low, so I'm definitely studying, but I'm not freaking out as much as I was for the general GRE.

1. 700 seems a bit high. I've been told that anything in the 600s is acceptable. 2. You are definitely better than me because I don't know any of the people you just named in that post. lol Have you read through the Princeton Review for the test? I feel like that has been helping me out A LOT.

You may want to consider taking the subject test, especially where you are applying (although you may want to double check on Cornell because they do require the subject test), because most of the applicants to those will have taken it, so if they are deciding between you and someone else, and that person has a good score on the subject test, then they are going to most likely choose them over you because they have something over you.

See, I feel like I'm stressing out about this when only 2 schools require it. I mean, I know that if I do well, it could help me, but if I don't do as well as I would like, then at least only 2 of the schools REALLY care.

Just a note: A lot, if not most, of the schools I am applying to are taking unofficial transcripts, and then if I get accepted, they will then request the official, which I think is nice and will save me just a little bit of money.

When I took the regular GRE test a few weeks ago at the testing center on campus, I asked the woman about where the test was on campus, and she said that was correct. However, I think I'm going to stop by there (they are in the same building as the writing center where I work) and just re-confirm the building it's going to be in to be on the safe side.