"Another big factor is luck (as in the timing of your application relative to openings that interest you). I really lucked out in that sense. My adviser happened to be looking for two grad students when I was applying."
Brilliant. Yeah, I guess you really "lucked out" with that other "big factor" LMFAO...like luck had anything to do with it.
Now I see why you were so defensive of academic inbreeding in the other thread when you're an academic inbred lovechild yourself!
Listen up kids: you too can get in to grad school str8 out of UG if you get some "luck" going for yourself with an influential prof in your dept. BUT, it will be in the same dept. @the same school, so everyone from your labmates, classmates, other profs and everyone on the future SC's you apply to will think you finagled in through some shady backdoor...even if you didn't. But hey... nothing beats that "look at you" moment when you end up TA'ing your former UG classmates who are still in the UG program and trying to get into grad school.