Is Anyone Going to Read Your Writing Sample At All?

[villina]

I was wondering, how important writing sample in your packet of documents at all. It looks like everyone is busy with GRE-preparation, learning words, seeking for good recommendations, and so forth. It looks like writing sample should be, if required, just to accomplish the number of documents, and that no one going to read it. Or, if someone is going, it is not something decisive - only another chance of being rejected, but never the chance to overwhelm relatively poor GRE-score -) Is there any scientifically acknowledged situations, when writing played a great - well, in fact, any - role?

[tip3r]

I am an engineering student and I don't know about any "scientifically acknowledged" situation, however, I know that frequently when a faculty takes interest in your case it is usually from your resume (or having contacted him). When he wants to look at your application in detail to make a decision he will begin looking at your recommendation letters and statement of purpose more closely. At this stage I guess he would look at a sample writing as well if you provided one. I doubt that it would have a huge effect (unless your sample writing is an impressive journal paper or something) unless your writing is really bad in which case it may have a negative effect.

[Taylor12]

According to one of the members on the admissions committe in my department (sociology) the letters of recommendation are read first, followed by the statement of purpose. So yes, the statement of purpose is counted more highly then students think.

[fuzzylogician]

The writing sample is one of the more important components of the application, certainly more than the GRE and GPA scores. Those might keep you out if you don't meet minimum standards, but it's the SOP, LORs and WS that will get you in. My writing sample was read by adcom members. Some even gave me specific comments when I visited their campus. It's the most direct way to gage the quality of a student's work. You don't need to have a journal paper to show potential, its enough that you argue a sustained and well defended position, even if the scope of the argument is quite limited, and that you show strong language skills. I'd recommend you assume your WS *is* going to be looked at and change your attitude towards this requirement, or else you might be doing yourself a disservice.,

[radiowires]

If your field is anything like mine they WILL look at your writing sample, in some cases very carefully. To give you an idea of what I mean, I had a professor ask me a question about one particular word from a 100+ page grammatical sketch I submitted when we were e-mailing about something related. Several other professors remembered the details of my writing sample quite clearly and gave me advice on languages I might find interesting based on its contents.

Each piece of the application is important--if they weren't going to look at it, they wouldn't ask for it. Just because you're doing science doesn't mean there's no writing involved--science thrives on published literature, and you have to be able to convey ideas clearly to be able to publish and thereby contribute to the field.

[TakeruK]

Each piece of the application is important--if they weren't going to look at it, they wouldn't ask for it. Just because you're doing science doesn't mean there's no writing involved--science thrives on published literature, and you have to be able to convey ideas clearly to be able to publish and thereby contribute to the field.

I agree -- I feel like our (science) education program doesn't really formally teach us how to write -- we are just expected to pick it up / absorb it. I guess that is how it's done at most schools and it seems to work, but for some of us, especially if English isn't our first language, or if we don't come from an academic background, it's a lot of trial and error!

In the sciences, a writing sample is rarely requested. In fact, a beginning graduate student isn't expected to have learned how to write at the level of journal articles yet, that's something that is developed during graduate school. A beginning graduate student in the sciences usually would have written short term papers at the end of their 4th year courses, perhaps an undergrad thesis, and maybe a few abstracts for conferences. But the first two categories are academic styles which is different than a journal article, in my opinion.

[fuzzylogician]

I agree -- I feel like our (science) education program doesn't really formally teach us how to write -- we are just expected to pick it up / absorb it. I guess that is how it's done at most schools and it seems to work, but for some of us, especially if English isn't our first language, or if we don't come from an academic background, it's a lot of trial and error!

In the sciences, a writing sample is rarely requested. In fact, a beginning graduate student isn't expected to have learned how to write at the level of journal articles yet, that's something that is developed during graduate school. A beginning graduate student in the sciences usually would have written short term papers at the end of their 4th year courses, perhaps an undergrad thesis, and maybe a few abstracts for conferences. But the first two categories are academic styles which is different than a journal article, in my opinion.

Fair enough, but (1) I believe the OP is in a writing-heavy field and might be expected to be able to submit a serious paper, an (2) more generally, it's better to work hard on something that will be given less attention than submit a weak writing sample that adcoms will read as a major part of the app. If you're short on time and need to decide what to invest less time in, ask your question that way. But don't have a mindset that assumes something is unimportant.

Even in the Life/Exact Sciences, I assume that there are standards for what is expected of graduating undergrads. It may be different from what is expected from Social Sciences or Humanities students (though don't think they're given any more guidance on writing than other students - we're all expected to "learn on the go"). But whatever these standards are, it's important to submit a sample to meets at least these minimum requirements - some basic formatting, some standard essay structure, and also contents that are appropriate. Again, it doesn't need to be extraordinarily brilliant and already published, and not everyone is a natural writer. But if you're going to do Science, you're going to have to learn to communicate it to your community and that includes understanding the standards for communication in your field.

[sfh09]

The OP is in the social sciences, anyway.

OP--if they didn't care about the writing sample, they wouldn't be asking for it. I think everyone gets so caught up with the GRE and recommendations because both are pretty intimidating but that doesn't mean that the writing sample shouldn't be given quite a lot of focus. In my field (English lit), the writing sample and personal statements seem to be the deciding factors, and I would think that the fields you have indicated are closer to that. The writing sample is a chance to show that you can sustain and argument, which is important in your field. If you don't have a lot of time, just submit your best undergrad paper. I definitely wouldn't assume they're not going to read it, though.

[TakeruK]

I did see that OP is in the social sciences / writing intensive field. I was just replying to radiowires' post about writing in science! Sorry for any confusion!

[villina]

I actually heard from one PhD student in molecular biology, that the major part of the whole application is Personal Statement, but if writing samples in some fields are equally important, I hope it will galvanize me a little -) On the other hand, one often hears that universities use 'cut off's' by GRE scores. Probably the chance, that an applicant will have an impressive writing combined with an average GRE-score, is negligible...

Can anyone share an experience when his or her magnificent writing turned out to be more important, than average GRE? Or, when his or her average writing actually closed the door, despite the crushingly high GRE-scores? I was under the impression that in the latter case the first and only thing to blame is an unsuccesfull Personal Statement.

[sfh09]

I really think it depends on the field (but maybe that's just because I've spent the last few months reading the English board on here). I don't have any specifics myself, but there's a large contingency of people on that board that claim GREs can keep you out if they're too low but not get you in if your writing is poor or even average. I would think that your fields would require skills more similar to mine than molecular biology.

I just think that assuming any part of your application won't be considered or isn't important is a huge error. Everything you send them should aim to impress.

[laura_b]

I know mine will be read, but I'm applying to a Creative Writing MFA program.

[moody]

I agree with fuzzylogician (what else is new?)...  For applicants with reasonable grades and GREs, the two most important components of the application package in linguistics (and I would assume at least some other programs in the social sciences / humanities) are probably the letters and the writing sample.  The SOP is also important, but the writing sample gives evidence of the actual analytical skills that you already possess and is typically quite a good measure of your ability to think critically and creatively, even if it is preliminary and/or not as in depth as might be expected of a graduate student (assuming you're applying straight from UG).  

 

Edit:  "Can anyone share an experience when his or her magnificent writing turned out to be more important, than average GRE? Or, when his or her average writing actually closed the door, despite the crushingly high GRE-scores? I was under the impression that in the latter case the first and only thing to blame is an unsuccesfull Personal Statement."

 

This is routinely true in the admissions decisions of our department.  We regularly admit people with at least one GRE score in the 45th-50th percentile range if they have strong writing samples.  And we reject people with boring / fundamentally flawed / uninsightful writing samples even if they have GREs in the 160s... but I think that this may well be very department / field specific.  That said, the best-qualified candidates typically have great GREs to accompany their strong writing samples.

Edited December 29, 2012 by moody

[Conscia Fati]

I think they definitely read samples in the humanities. I saw a professor from Ivy League University X at a party who complimented me on the writing sample I submitted (he was one of my POIs). Even though I was rejected from University X, he obviously had read my writing sample and went out of his way to tell me how much he liked it. I am relatively certain that I got into the programs I did *because* of my writing sample.

[viggosloof28]

I think for anyone in the humanities, the personal statement/SOP is the most important part of your application, hands-down.  After that, though, I think the LORs and writing sample come in tied for second (with slight preference perhaps given to one or the other depending on the specific program, most likely).

[Bearcat1]

I have heard that if your GPA/GRE scores are too low to make funding cutoffs, then nothing will be read beyond that. But if adcoms are going to look at anything, they will at least read a portion of your writing sample. I spoke to three POIs after submitting apps (but before deadlines) who had already read my MA thesis in its entirety. 

[PhDreams]

I have heard that if your GPA/GRE scores are too low to make funding cutoffs, then nothing will be read beyond that. But if adcoms are going to look at anything, they will at least read a portion of your writing sample. I spoke to three POIs after submitting apps (but before deadlines) who had already read my MA thesis in its entirety. 

 

OMG

 

wowwwwwww.... in its entirety?! I had no clue. My writing sample was so weak... The rest of my app is pretty solid. Now I'm worried.

[Bearcat1]

OMG

wowwwwwww.... in its entirety?! I had no clue. My writing sample was so weak... The rest of my app is pretty solid. Now I'm worried.

Don't be worried!!! I turned in my applications almost a month before the deadlines, and these are also people I've had contact with since before I started my thesis, when it was still in the planning stages. So it may be unusual, and if the rest of your application is strong you have nothing to worry about.

[PhDreams]

Don't be worried!!! I turned in my applications almost a month before the deadlines, and these are also people I've had contact with since before I started my thesis, when it was still in the planning stages. So it may be unusual, and if the rest of your application is strong you have nothing to worry about.

 

Thanks for the encouragement! It's so nervewracking thinking about how your app is going to be judged. We actually have no idea what's more important that what. Is the SOP the most important thing? Can a high GRE trump a lousy writing sample? Truth is...we really don't know. There is no blanket answer. School X might love high GPA's and School Y might put SOP/fit first. It's scary and there's nothing that we can do but wait. Sigh.....

[Bearcat1]

Thanks for the encouragement! It's so nervewracking thinking about how your app is going to be judged. We actually have no idea what's more important that what. Is the SOP the most important thing? Can a high GRE trump a lousy writing sample? Truth is...we really don't know. There is no blanket answer. School X might love high GPA's and School Y might put SOP/fit first. It's scary and there's nothing that we can do but wait. Sigh.....

It is, and just because they read my thesis doesn't mean any of them liked it. And the thought of POIs and/or adcoms reading it makes me ill to think about.

[PhDreams]

It is, and just because they read my thesis doesn't mean any of them liked it. And the thought of POIs and/or adcoms reading it makes me ill to think about.

 

I sorta feel like that about all of my writing. Ugh.....

[hopeful80]

I can only speak for my own programs, but I'm applying to Communications/Writing ones so I would say yes, someone definitely reads them lol (multiple people, I'm sure.)

 

I also agree with what someone said in this thread earlier - they wouldn't ask for one if they didn't plan on reading it ... even if it's just quickly glancing through. Programs that don't include English/Writing, however, will probably also be more lenient (given you don't butcher the thing entirely.)

 

I agree with fuzzylogician (what else is new?)...  For applicants with reasonable grades and GREs, the two most important components of the application package in linguistics (and I would assume at least some other programs in the social sciences / humanities) are probably the letters and the writing sample.  The SOP is also important, but the writing sample gives evidence of the actual analytical skills that you already possess and is typically quite a good measure of your ability to think critically and creatively, even if it is preliminary and/or not as in depth as might be expected of a graduate student (assuming you're applying straight from UG).  

 

Edit:  "Can anyone share an experience when his or her magnificent writing turned out to be more important, than average GRE? Or, when his or her average writing actually closed the door, despite the crushingly high GRE-scores? I was under the impression that in the latter case the first and only thing to blame is an unsuccesfull Personal Statement."

 

This is routinely true in the admissions decisions of our department.  We regularly admit people with at least one GRE score in the 45th-50th percentile range if they have strong writing samples.  And we reject people with boring / fundamentally flawed / uninsightful writing samples even if they have GREs in the 160s... but I think that this may well be very department / field specific.  That said, the best-qualified candidates typically have great GREs to accompany their strong writing samples.

 

This really gives me a lot of hope I had lower GRE scores (in those percentiles ) but a high AWAg (5.5), strong samples, and what I believe to be also a strong personal statement. A girl can dream!

Edited January 14, 2013 by hopeful80

[uromastyx]

That writing sample can make or break you. Revise, revise, revise.

[Itsalongshot]

One thing you can do is just to ask. I met with professors at each of the schools I applied to and asked them what were the most important things in the application for them. One said the writing sample was crucial and indicated that she'd read the whole thing. Another said other items were more important and said as far as the writing sample went, he'd just look at the first couple pages and then glance at the footnotes and bibliography.

[guinevere29]

Seeing that you are in Anthropology and Slavic Studies, I would wager to guess that if you are a serious contender for admissions into a program, your writing sample will be taken into careful consideration. I could see a school rejecting someone based on substantially low GRE scores/GPA and not reading their writing sample, but I couldn't see a school accepting someone without reading their writing sample. When I spoke with members of my school's faculty after I was accepted, I was actually amazed by how much they knew and remembered about my writing sample and personal statement! They definitely read it and gave it careful consideration.