Safferz Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Hello, my fellow Dec. 1st-ers. Finally fell asleep at 3am, dog woke me up at 5, then back to sleep until 8. Been working all morning on app organization/details and my major writing sample revision for USC and UCLA (my top choice). But it needs to be worked on throughout the day, so I'm now switching over the the "easier" AmStud apps where the writing sample is closer to being ready. Still customizing and cutting SOPs. What are y'all doing when they don't give a length for SOP or they say "there's no limit, but the average is 2-3pp"? Do you think it'd be okay to go to 3.5? Hope all your apps are coming together. Timshel, are you still alive after last night's marathon?? If they say there's no limit, then 3.5 is fine. I find that with applications that don't specify length on the department website, there's usually something about it on the graduate school's website or the application itself. 1000 words seems to be the most common length, so I'd stick to that. I've had to put my Berkeley (History!) application aside for the day, since I have an exam at 5pm. I went to bed at 5am with not much actual writing done for the personal history statement, but I have an intro and I've mostly worked out how I'll craft my narrative, which is always the most difficult part. I'll be home by 9pm, and frantically writing right up until the deadline (3am for me).
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 If they say there's no limit, then 3.5 is fine. I find that with applications that don't specify length on the department website, there's usually something about it on the graduate school's website or the application itself. 1000 words seems to be the most common length, so I'd stick to that. I've had to put my Berkeley (History!) application aside for the day, since I have an exam at 5pm. I went to bed at 5am with not much actual writing done for the personal history statement, but I have an intro and I've mostly worked out how I'll craft my narrative, which is always the most difficult part. I'll be home by 9pm, and frantically writing right up until the deadline (3am for me). Wait, 3am? How is your deadline 3am?
wintergirl Posted December 1, 2011 Author Posted December 1, 2011 Still alive and still working. I haven't slept yet. There is no way I can sleep until I get these done. I am revising my writing sample now. You must have a brains of steel. I bow to your fortitude. : ) 1000 words seems to be the most common length, so I'd stick to that. I've had to put my Berkeley (History!) application aside for the day, since I have an exam at 5pm. Yeah, getting it down to 1000 words is what's been giving me trouble all week. Ouch, an exam. Good luck! I'm skipping class this morning and hiding at home to get 'er done.
wintergirl Posted December 1, 2011 Author Posted December 1, 2011 Oh, great! USC's grad school server is still down. Excuse me while I laugh my fucking head off when I can't apply to two of my programs today.
Safferz Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Wait, 3am? How is your deadline 3am? I'm in Toronto... Berkeley's Dec.1st deadline is 11:59 pm PST, which is 2:59 am EST (Dec.2nd).
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I'm in Toronto... Berkeley's Dec.1st deadline is 11:59 pm PST, which is 2:59 am EST (Dec.2nd). Did they say on their website that it had to be in by 11:59, or are you just assuming the end of the day? The reason I ask is that I am so paranoid that the two schools I am applying to today have time requirements that won't find out about until I try to submit my application after it is over.
Safferz Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Did they say on their website that it had to be in by 11:59, or are you just assuming the end of the day? The reason I ask is that I am so paranoid that the two schools I am applying to today have time requirements that won't find out about until I try to submit my application after it is over. When you log in to the Berkeley application, it has a countdown at the top: "Your application must be submitted in X days and X hours." I was under the impression it was due when it hit December 1st when I started working on my statement yesterday, but I logged in and saw that I had one day and X amount of hours (I thought I only had the 7-8 hours or so to get it done). Right now it's telling me that I have 13 hours and 15 minutes left to submit for my December 1st deadline. Schools are different though -- I've seen others on here that want applications in at 4 or 5pm, when their offices close. Don't worry yourself with checking now, just hammer it out and get your apps in as soon as possible. Good luck.
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 When you log in to the Berkeley application, it has a countdown at the top: "Your application must be submitted in X days and X hours." I was under the impression it was due when it hit December 1st when I started working on my statement yesterday, but I logged in and saw that I had one day and X amount of hours (I thought I only had the 7-8 hours or so to get it done). Right now it's telling me that I have 13 hours and 15 minutes left to submit for my December 1st deadline. Schools are different though -- I've seen others on here that want applications in at 4 or 5pm, when their offices close. Don't worry yourself with checking now, just hammer it out and get your apps in as soon as possible. Good luck. The counter is kind of weird.......Both of my schools just say "due by December 1st." I am just going to get it in as soon as I can.
fredngeorge Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I also am freaking out because I stayed up absolutely as late as I could last night, dragged myself out of bed early to continue working, and still didn't quite finish. I'm at work all day, too, (until 5:30pm) so I'm just hoping there's no 5pm deadline for my two schools that are due today. Maybe during lunch I can accomplish something? The other problem, though, is that I don't want my boss to find out I'm applying to programs right now..... this is supposed to be a "permanent" position, so while I've never thought of it that way, I can't really afford for them to realize that....
fredngeorge Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Oh, great! USC's grad school server is still down. Excuse me while I laugh my fucking head off when I can't apply to two of my programs today. Also not a fan of this....
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Am I the only one on here applying to Emory and Minnesota? Woo Hoo! No competition! Tybalt 1
Grunty DaGnome Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Yup, it's all you, Timshel. You have our full support!
and...and...and... Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Am I the only one on here applying to Emory and Minnesota? Woo Hoo! No competition! Nope! I just sent in my Minnesota application!
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Nope! I just sent in my Minnesota application! Ugh. I'm jealous. I'm hoping to submit mine soon.
truckbasket Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Oh, great! USC's grad school server is still down. Excuse me while I laugh my fucking head off when I can't apply to two of my programs today. Also not a fan of this.... This happened last year with USC -- In fact it happened with a number of programs. They're aware of it, so it shouldn't be an issue -- I'd just contact them if it doesn't look like you'll have access by the end of the day.
perrykm2 Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I just submitted my app for Emory. No one told me it was going to feel so good, even if I have a lot of doubt about the quality of my submission.
fredngeorge Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Oh, great! USC's grad school server is still down. Excuse me while I laugh my fucking head off when I can't apply to two of my programs today. Just in case you're checking Grad Cafe more than the university website (I know I have been...), the website is now back up and running! Best of luck to you!
Timshel Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I just submitted my app for Emory. No one told me it was going to feel so good, even if I have a lot of doubt about the quality of my submission. I will be submitting mine shortly. It seems as though we are applying to a few of the same schools.
wintergirl Posted December 1, 2011 Author Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) Just in case you're checking Grad Cafe more than the university website (I know I have been...), the website is now back up and running! Best of luck to you! Thanks! I'm on their ApplyYourself right now. And WTF is this surprise 1000 word question: "8. Research Experience: Describe your pertinent research experience, training and publications. For your Research Experience, please describe in your own words the overall goals, your role in the research project, whether you worked independently or as part of a group and the overall results that you obtained. For publications, please provide the complete reference information that would be included in a scientific journal such as Science, Nature or Cell." 1000 words about research? How different from a SOP?? Ugh, feel like I'm never going to finish these. I haven't submitted one yet, too many balls in the air. ETA: Actually, the USC grad school site is still down, but the Apply Yourself has stayed functional for me this whole time. I just can't get to the dept websites to check information. Thank god I'm anal and have everything printed out... And now it's working. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! Edited December 1, 2011 by bespeckled
rawera Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I just skipped those. As an English BA you probably won't have research or anything like that, remember hard science uses the same app. Unless you did some kind of directed research project with grant monies or something, it probably doesn't pertain to you.
fredngeorge Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 Thanks! I'm on their ApplyYourself right now. And WTF is this surprise 1000 word question: "8. Research Experience: Describe your pertinent research experience, training and publications. For your Research Experience, please describe in your own words the overall goals, your role in the research project, whether you worked independently or as part of a group and the overall results that you obtained. For publications, please provide the complete reference information that would be included in a scientific journal such as Science, Nature or Cell." 1000 words about research? How different from a SOP?? I also actually ignored this question, as rawera also suggests. I think, since the application form is used for all departments, there are some spaces that are less applicable to some programs than to others (This particular one strikes me as something that would be very important for someone in the sciences, in the humanities not so much.). I noticed there wasn't an asterisk by this question (which would signify that it's required), so I skipped it.
Timshel Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 Just submitted my Minnesota application! Now it's on to hurry and get Emory's in by the end of the day! and...and...and... and Grunty DaGnome 2
perrykm2 Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 I will be submitting mine shortly. It seems as though we are applying to a few of the same schools. Yes. Emory, Penn State, and Buffalo. Good luck to us.
0000000000AAA Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 Two down. Thirteen to go. Grunty DaGnome 1
Grunty DaGnome Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 I have sent 2 and 2 more are finished, but I'm thinking of tweeking the SOP again this weekend. Should I?
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