Fall 2014 applicants??

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

I'm not entirely certain, but I found this paper on "Kisses of Death" in the application process. It's for psychology applicants, but I reckon that many of the "kisses" are true across disciplines. 

 

http://psychology.unl.edu/psichi/Graduate_School_Application_Kisses_of_Death.pdf

This is great. Thanks

[hj2012]

The sole thing that is killing me right now is wondering about the "worrisome warning sign" of my quantitative score.  I somehow could not manage any better than an extremely (and I mean, extremely) pathetic score.  I feel it might infer that my brain is partially broken.  I want to cry.

 

Ah!!! Take deep breaths! Honestly, I've heard over and over again that English programs don't care much about the quantitative scores, especially if your other scores are above average. Keep your head up!

[Fiz]

Paytonlauren! This is the email for the guy who has been answering all my questions. Now he is only an assistant so Im not sure how much power he has for the type of thing u need but its worth a shot. Pmallon@ucsd.edu

If not, I mean straight up tell the director. Say ur internet went out or some story and u clicked the wrong file. Think of anything. Someone posted that kiss of death article, if they see the wrong school, you can bet thats the kiss of death for sure and u just wasted ur money. But try ur best. If all else fails, be honest and maybe the director is nice enough to help.

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Guys, is there a list of academic journals (Comp. Lit) that accept papers from grad students? 

[ComeBackZinc]

Because of the standard practice of blind review, most journals will accept articles from anyone provided the survive the review process.

[Imaginary]

Any thoughts on the rhetoric coming from programs where you've applied (emails from directors, etc) or the lack thereof? I realize they don't necessarily REALLY mean anything..

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Are SOPs written in the same format as the WS? You know, double space, 12 font?

[Creffecreve]

^I believe most schools ask for sops to be single spaced, although some require double spaced.

 

I am so tired of this process. I get contradictory advice/feedback from person to person and from the same person from one day to another, on pretty much every aspect of the application process, including my sop and writing sample. I'm done. Argh. I don't care if my writing sample is horrible anymore, I can't look at it again.

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Same here. I can't get myself to revise my writing sample. I hate it. And reading what people post about the kisses of death makes me certain that there is no chance for me to get through such a complicated process. I wonder how people get acceptances.

[champagne]

I just talked to one of my professors about my SOP, and he told me that he was afraid I might come off as a little naive. I generally think of myself as one of the most cynical people I know.

 

 

WHAT DOES GRADUATE SCHOOL DO TO THESE PEOPLE?

[Creffecreve]

I'm just going to put in all my applications tomorrow and be done. For all the arbitrariness of the process, I cannot believe that fiddling around with syntax and obsessing over minor details is helpful at this point. If my ws is good, as some say it is, then it's good. If it's not that great, as one person said, then there's nothing to be done at this point, you know? Let's just hope the people who do say it's good have it right!

[Creffecreve]

Another questions about word limits: if a program says it wants 300-500 words for the sop, would having 600 words be too much?

[jaymarais]

Another questions about word limits: if a program says it wants 300-500 words for the sop, would having 600 words be too much?

 

I wondered about this too, but I ended up paying more attention to the page numbers. Some schools say things like 1-2 pages single spaced, 400-500 words. So I figured it was okay to be a bit over 500, as long as I wasn't over 2 pages. 

 

As long as you're in the general range, I would think you'd be fine! That's what I'm assuming, anyway.

[despejado]

Paytonlauren! This is the email for the guy who has been answering all my questions. Now he is only an assistant so Im not sure how much power he has for the type of thing u need but its worth a shot. Pmallon@ucsd.edu

If not, I mean straight up tell the director. Say ur internet went out or some story and u clicked the wrong file. Think of anything. Someone posted that kiss of death article, if they see the wrong school, you can bet thats the kiss of death for sure and u just wasted ur money. But try ur best. If all else fails, be honest and maybe the director is nice enough to help.

 

Can't tell you how much I appreciate that Fiz. I've heard stories of people accidentally doing the same thing and getting in, so I'm trying not to worry too much. I just shot him an email though, and hopefully he'll be of some help. You're a lifesaver!

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

Is MasterCard a credit card? Sorry if this sounds so ignorant, but we're not used to online payment here. The school website says only credit cards are permitted, so I thought I should ask before it's too late. 

[Creffecreve]

mastercard should work, I think. I also think both credit and debit cards should work, even if only credit is specified.

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

thanks

[Fiz]

Can't tell you how much I appreciate that Fiz. I've heard stories of people accidentally doing the same thing and getting in, so I'm trying not to worry too much. I just shot him an email though, and hopefully he'll be of some help. You're a lifesaver!

Good luck to ya! Hope it works out and u can sneak it by.

[Creffecreve]

So, Cornell's website says their writing sample should be 3,000 to 7,500 words (12-30 pages). But 30 pages is way closer to 10,000 words than 7,500. Which one is it? I really want to send in 30 pages!

[viviandarkbloom]

They're hardly going to count the words. I'm sending 30 pages, which as you say is considerably more than 7,500 words. I think if they were that pernickety about length they would be more specific (like NYU, which says 10-12 pages, and not to send more than 12).

[Imaginary]

When schools don't require a personal statement separate from the SOP, should you include information that would have gone in the ps in the SOP- for instance, reasons for applying to graduate school, disadvantages, etc?

[ComeBackZinc]

I would advise against it. Again, an SOP is a professional document. It's purpose is to demonstrate a) that you know what it means to have an academic career, that you have at least a preliminary plan for what yours would be, and c) that the department you are applying to is a place where you could pursue that plan in a way that is mutually beneficial.

[aGiRlCalLeDApPlE]

For those of you who're submitting a cluster and/or a diversity statement, how long should it be?  

[purpleperson]

Another questions about word limits: if a program says it wants 300-500 words for the sop, would having 600 words be too much?

 

Oh my god, i submitted 650 and 750 word SOPs for so many schools that ask for 500.  I don't have time for their bullshit.  

 

In other thoughts, I got a piece of mail from U of Oregon today that for some crazy reason got me thinking "Oh my god, they were so impressed with my application (submitted two weeks or so ago) that they give me an ultra-early admittance," but then I read the correspondence that was all "We are pleased to have received your materials.  This is official notification that we have, in fact, received your submission.  You should be aware that you have been entered into our system as an English Ph.D. applicant for the fall of 2014.  You will be offered admission if our committee finds your application suitable for our program."  --- all kinds of wording that at first glance, one is thinking.....wow they admitted me, but is really just...stuff.

[purpleperson]

For those of you who're submitting a cluster and/or a diversity statement, how long should it be?  

 

Mine were each one page single-spaced.