ay761
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Posts posted by ay761
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hm... that's a good way to look at it! makes me feel better... thanks
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How bad do you think this is? At my first choice school, I saw that the graduate school required a 500-600 word SOP. I struggled for over a week to shorten it to this length. In the end I was still over the limit: it was 680 words (about a page and a quarter), but I decided to submit it anyway. Very stupidly, I just happened to be re-reading the FAQ section of the department I am applying to and noticed that for my department it says they "recommend a statement between 1-2 pages, but there is no specific limit." I imagine most candidates will maximize this space, turning it into 2 pages, if not more. Even though it still falls within the recommended length, do you think it looks bad that I didn't maximize all my space and expand upon my ideas in a more detailed way? I am very happy with the result of the statement but I definitely could have expanded more (I have a 1500 word version for another school).
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Just a few notes off the top of my head, maybe drop "I feel the skills gained in" and start the sentence with "GW's International Relations Program will..." or "I am confident that GW's"... at the very least change "feel" to "think."
Also one thing that struck me about reading your first paragraph... I am not entirely sure about this but to me it seems strange to be a Rushdie enthusiast and also be unfamiliar with 'Satanic Verses', because most people who haven't even read him have at least heard that book title and know the story behind it, so I might find a different way to phrase that. Also I am not really sure if mentioning you are a white middle class girl is necessary. I would just end that sentence with "yet the satire of Islam was blatantly evident." But in reading that I also have a desire for you to talk more about it... I mean, are you saying it's a bad thing that he is writing a satire of Islam?
The end of the first paragraph, it should be "understanding the Middle East as a whole."
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yeah that's too bad... unless you told her the relationship would be over if you have to move..
anyway, the thing that bothers me the most is hearing, 'it's ok, if you don't get accepted it just means you weren't meant to get a phd and you can move on and find something else to do with your life'.
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If it is stanford, I don't know what program you are applying to but my program (Education) says this on the website: "the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Graduate Admissions Office website differ from the Stanford GSE requirement. The online application notes that applicants need to send hard copies of the transcript to the department. Please do not send hard copies at the time of application."
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I really wouldn't worry about it. Maybe some professors even prefer double-spaced essays and they'll be happy about the refreshing change
I don't know, in the end my essay was a bit over the limit (by between 50-100 words), so I guess I didn't exactly adhere to the guidelines either. But I also put all my effort into it and I think it's quite possibly the best thing I've ever written... so I'm not worried!
If you are really worried though, maybe email a new copy to the admin asst. in your department and say that you would be very grateful if they would kindly replace the essay you submitted with the new one?
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If it makes you feel better one of my recommenders hasn't submitted to over 3 programs that were due this weekend, including my first choice. I can only assume that he has been doing this long enough to know that it's ok.. though it worries me a bit that my other professors scrambled to meet the deadlines. I haven't been able to contact him at all (I'm no longer in school) so there's really nothing else I can do.
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Yeah, that makes sense I guess. Well, thankfully after staying up all night reading articles and books, I managed to work someone else into my statement, albeit more indirectly, so now I at last have two.
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I'm also worried about this. At my first choice school, I devoted about 4 sentences to outlining how my research interests intertwine with those of a particular professor. However, I don't have the space to mention any more professors (limit for essay is 600 words), and even if I did just add in a sentence about someone else it seems like it's maybe not the best idea to go on about how enthusiastic you are about one and then just throw in another name at the end.
Anyway I guess I don't have any advice as I am in the same situation. At my other schools I mention 2, sometimes up to 4, faculty members who I would be interested in working with, but that's because the match (unfortunately) isn't nearly as good as this particular professor, as much as I've tried to find someone like him elsewhere!
Is it bad to be "that applicant who is only interested in one professor?"
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Ok, I think I'll do that. Thanks, it's helpful to have a lit person's take on it
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Sury I still think that's strange -- maybe I'm just not using enough big words!
I find it interesting that the end of this process, as much as I whined about having to create an essay "around" 600 words (it is still slightly over and likely will remain so), this is the SOP I feel most confident about, and I feel least confident about SOPs for schools that require 1500 words. When I look at those essays now I just feel that a lot of it could be removed!
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Um... ha, sorry, I guess I was on Penn state's website... it was telling me that I had to contact the department for more information on deadlines (which is why I posted here asking if someone had the info). Running on too little sleep here. Anyway now I know I have no faculty matches at Upenn, so thanks!
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I just realized that some of the faculty interests of the professors at UPenn are really good matches with my interests, so I am thinking about adding another application on kind of last minute (I know, very irresponsible). But I'm really confused about how the admissions process for this school works. Can I apply now (for the PhD program in comparative education)... is it rolling admissions? Is there an online application?
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This is a bit of an unrelated question, but as it involves Berkeley I figured I would ask here. Perhaps a silly question, but do you think it's ok to refer to 'UC Berkeley' as just 'Berkeley' in the essays (I'm thinking about word count here). That goes for other schools too I guess, like NYU rather than New York University... just wondering what everyone else is doing.
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I know there are conflicting opinions about contacting POIs -- in general, I have opted not to contact any during this application process. However, yesterday I did contact one, exactly one week before applications are due. I was honest in my email, saying that although I normally don't contact professors because I recognize they have a busy schedule, after re-reading his book, ______ , I couldn't control my excitement. I summed up my research interests in a few lines, told him how his book had challenged my understandings of _____ and in what way, causing me to reconsider _____ in my senior thesis, and ended by saying I hope we have a chance to discuss his work in person one day. I didn't ask any questions -- just an email that might possibly make him remember me when he is reviewing a thousand applications. I know that's not the standard format people have been using but I tried to just be myself and be honest about my enthusiasm. Also, I did research on him before I sent this and saw online videos of his presentations, in which he made a lot of jokes and generally seemed very personable and casual, and like the kind of person who would welcome contact. In response to my email I got an automated response saying he was out of office currently and can't respond, which was a bit disappointing but at least I'm not checking my email every 2 minutes hoping for a response.
Anyway, I say go with your gut instinct and consider whatever knowledge you can gather about the professor's personality.
Also, I'm also applying to stanford and for what it's worth, have not contacted any professors, but have talked to a graduate student in the department (that was also just a few days ago), who responded positively saying I seemed very focused, gave me some advice, and said best of luck. That person, however, was a friend of a friend.
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Ah, I guess not times new roman font then? I thought that was the normal font to use, but maybe not! Well mine is now down to 715.... 650 excluding citations, and it is a little over a page. Maybe I can do it after all!
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But what ARE the guidelines.... 500-600 words OR 1-1.5 pages in the suggested format? I don't think it can be both.
haha, maybe I should just email the admissions office... !
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Sury, is 650 words really 1.5 pages for you? 650 words for me is 1.25 pages... now I am wondering if I am formatting something wrong.
Anyway, I have mine down from 990 to 850 words now, which is just very slightly over 1.5 pages. If I can get it down another 50 words -- which for me at least will be 1.5 pages -- I think I am going to submit it as is.
Crucial BBQ thanks for the advice! I suppose I COULD say it in one sentence but for me it's just a matter of confidence... how much detail about your ideas can you cut before you can start to imagine the outside reader losing faith about what you are proposing?
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Hi
I'm also worried about the length requirement (though I'm not applying for literature). Specifically, I find it odd that it says " Unless there are special instructions about the length or format of the essay, it should be 500-600 words (1 to 1 ½ pages) single-space, typed, 12pt. font size."
When I use the formatting they suggest (Time New Roman font), 1.5 pages = about 800 words... which seems like a lot more reasonable space in which to describe my research interests (although currently it is 990...). That may be a little skewed somehow because I have 2 citations, but those still take up space.
Also, it worries me that they specifically instruct applicants to 'summarize what you did as an undergraduate' for the middle part of your essay. Those things are already outlined in my CV very thoroughly and as I have been out of school for over 5 years doing research specifically related to what I want to do in grad school, I didn't really discuss it at all in my SOP. I hope that's ok ... ? I guess I'll find out!
Out of curiosity, how long are your personal history statements? As of now, that is also about 900 words for me...because my personal history is very related to what I want to study.
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I have a question about the new percentiles. According to the ETS website, my math score (149) would have been in the 50th percentile just last month. But now it is in the 39th percentile because I took the exam 2 weeks too late, I guess. Math isn't that important to my program... but still, scoring in the 50th percentile at least would have been nice. I don't really understand how this is fair, considering I will be applying along with people who took the exam before July and might have a lower score but a higher percentile than me. For verbal it makes a difference too, though not as much... the 85th percentile compared to the 80th percentile. Maybe I am missing something here (hence why I did so poorly on the math section!).
So my question is... will people who got the exact same score as me, but took the exam a month or two ago, have a different percentile than me listed on their official score reports... ?!
review my intro
in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity
Posted
I'm no expert but personally I don't think 80% of this information is necessary. You can talk a bit about your research background / courses you took and then move straight into you proposal and future plans. You can do a lot to shorten this. For example, "Moreover, FMS do not offer senior project on that area, nevertheless I came up with my own proposal for two projects in simulation and queuing model and on land use and planning." can just be, "I proposed two research projects in simulation and queuing model(s?) and also on land use and planning."
I would avoid criticizing yourself, e.g. "Evoking that in my narrow-mindedness as a kid, I thought being a doctor whose cures and heals others’ pain is the best impact I would do."
"As a child, I thought being a doctor would allow me to achieve the greatest possible positive impact on humankind." Although personally.. I would just avoid talking about the doctor thing all together and focus on your current passion. I understand you had societal struggles in realizing your dream, but still it might be best not to mention that what you are applying for now is your second choice in life.