Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[silver_lining]

Good luck with your applications -- it is a long, stressful process and this community will be an excellent resource for you in the coming months.  

 

Also, be aware that members of admissions committees from many (most?) programs do frequent this site.  Few post openly while most do not.  Your post includes a lot of personal information and certainly enough to link your application file to your username.  Some users are fine with this, others prefer to maintain their anonymity on this site.  

 

 

Do professors really have that much time (that is if you didn't bluntly state your name, GRE scores, or where you were admitted)? Aside from the more professional ones on this site, I think it is a bit rude to attempt to link applications. Unless, of course, it is apparent that there is a crazy person among us. 

[PoliSwede]

Do professors really have that much time (that is if you didn't bluntly state your name, GRE scores, or where you were admitted)? Aside from the more professional ones on this site, I think it is a bit rude to attempt to link applications. Unless, of course, it is apparent that there is a crazy person among us. 

I believe we had one faculty member last year who stated that he could use the signature blocks (where some users put the programs they applied to) and identify some of the posters. I might be remembering it wrong though.

[RWBG]

I believe we had one faculty member last year who stated that he could use the signature blocks (where some users put the programs they applied to) and identify some of the posters. I might be remembering it wrong though.

I had a faculty member at a visit weekend mention that I was a frequent poster on gradcafe while we were eating lunch.

[PoliSwede]

I had a faculty member at a visit weekend mention that I was a frequent poster on gradcafe while we were eating lunch.

How'd you react?

[silver_lining]

I had a faculty member at a visit weekend mention that I was a frequent poster on gradcafe while we were eating lunch.

That must have been super awkward. I would probably turn down their offer (if I had offers of equal value) after an encounter like that. 

[RWBG]

How'd you react?

I didn't think it was that big a deal. He wasn't being a jerk about it; he just noted that sometimes schools use gradcafe to gather certain kinds of information about offer timing, etc., and it's usually pretty easy to figure out who someone is once you know what schools they were admitted to. We continued having a perfectly lovely lunch. I also had a grad student e-mail me (whom if you're reading this, hello!) saying he'd figured out who I was, and he was a gracious host at the visit weekend. If anything, the whole situation just gave me the sense that they cared about who they were admitting and who entered the program, so I'd say my impressions were net positive, although I didn't end up going there.

 

I also hadn't written anything on this forum that I felt particularly ashamed of, and frankly, if you're posting a bunch of information on a public forum, you shouldn't be all that surprised if someone figures out who you are. Keep the information vague if you don't want to be found out.

[catchermiscount]

And even if faculty members aren't active gradcafe participants, they often ask CERTAIN GRADUATE STUDENTS THAT THEY KNOW ARE FLIBBERTIGIBBETS for any information they may have uncovered on gradcafe.  Of course, I'm not naming names.

[TheGnome]

Damn those flibbertigibbets!

 

Hi guys, not much activity on this forum yet it seems

[BFB]

I believe we had one faculty member last year who stated that he could use the signature blocks (where some users put the programs they applied to) and identify some of the posters. I might be remembering it wrong though.

 

As I recall, after I showed up last year someone else pointed out that signature blocks might contain important clues, and a lot of people immediately deleted their acceptance/rejection info. (As if we don't know how to use the Wayback Machine. Sheesh.)

[cag86]

Hi everyone, 

 

I am a long-time reader of the forum who is thankful for all of the guidance that you have offered.

 

I was curious as to how much peer-reviewed publications generally outweigh mediocre GRE scores (low 160s for Verbal and mid/high 150s for Quantitative). I am trying to figure out whether retaking the exam would significantly increase my chances for admission to reputable schools that have faculty focusing on the same area of research. I scored ten points higher on the PowerPrep practice tests, so I am confident that I could increase my score by at least five points.

 

Thanks in advance for any comments or advice.

 

Good luck to everyone this application season!

Edited September 9, 2013 by cag86

[TheGnome]

I think the best advice anyone can give at this point is to improve every part of your application to the extent that you can. Peer reviewed publications should definitely be a plus, but how big a plus that would be depends on so many factors that it is hard to say. However, if you think you can get better GRE scores, I think you'd do yourself a favor by taking it again. 

[silver_lining]

If a writing sample is optional, should you send one in? Also, when they say "one to two pages" I won't get in trouble if I interpret that as single spaced and not double, correct? 

Edited September 12, 2013 by luckyducky

[cag86]

If a writing sample is optional, should you send one in? Also, when they say "one to two pages" I won't get in trouble if I interpret that as single spaced and not double, correct? 

I would definitely include anything that is optional, Doing otherwise could imply a lack of interest in the program.

 

If they do not specify the line spacing, I think that your interpretation is fair. I would recommend trying to make your case as succinct as possible though. From my understanding, adcoms appreciate brief but cogent SOPs more than their more verbose counterparts (as it shows writing aptitude and saves them time).

 

I would also recommend that you post your question in the "Faculty Perspectives" thread, as they would be able to provide much more insight as to whether or not something would get you "in trouble".

Edited September 12, 2013 by cag86

[timeless90]

Hey guys, a great discussion going on~ 

Looks like GRE has been mentioned quite a few times thus far, but I would still like to throw a question out to the floor myself.

Is the analytic writing portion of the exam really looked down upon by the adcoms, to the point of actually being ignored altogether?

Im looking into top programs, and my stats number wise are

4.1 GPA, 169V, 163Q, and 4.5 writing (78%)

 

just wanted to seek some advice/opinions especially from those familiar with the whole process on how that 4.5 could potentially impact the

overall package

 

Thanks !

[Quigley]

Your V and Q are strong enough to get your file considered at top programs.  The writing portion isn't going to keep you out.  You would be better off spending your time strengthening the rest of your materials versus taking the test again in hopes of bringing AW up (and potentially scoring lower on Q/V).

[TheGnome]

The deadlines are approaching fast folks. Anyone started freaking out yet? God knows I have...

[jazzrap]

Really freaking out

[veritaserum]

A bit, yeah

[steedyue]

The deadlines are approaching fast folks. Anyone started freaking out yet? God knows I have...

Yeah, great pressure.

I really wanna go to Yale because that is where my dream girl is pursuing her Phd...

To me it is getting in and a happy lifetime, or rejected with a lonely and broken heart.

[TheGnome]

Oh wow, good luck. There are quite a number of schools in short driving distance to New Haven though. I am sure there should be other options beside Yale, that would work both for your research interests and your relationship. 

[Orlien]

Good luck with everything. Rejections hurt but they need not stand in your way of a happy life Plus even if you don't get in there are things like Skype and whatnot that make communicating easier.

[doctoralgrad23]

Hi everybody...

 

Last year I got 1 of 5 application. I deferred the offer and  plan to offer 3-4 progams within this cycle.

 

I need funding. That's why i have to choose carefully these programs. I am not a very competetive one.

 

Major: IR

TOEFL: 110

GRE: 310

GPA: 3.65 Master Degree

Paper at ISA 2014

3 Internships, (in total) 12 months

2 year- RA experience

 

Notre Dame, UVa(not sure),GWU, Delaware, UT Austin, Boston College, Penn State, Georgia State, Temple, GMason are on my list.  I lost my courage last year.

 

Any ideas on the list?

Edited November 9, 2013 by doctoralgrad23

[TheGnome]

If I were you I would look at the countless "evaluate my profile" threads on this forum. Keep in mind that there is no set criteria for admissions, and strengths in one part of your application can mitigate the weaknesses in the other parts of your application.

I just want to add one note. GWU and George Mason are pretty bad in terms of funding their students from what I hear. Also given their location, their admissions process is said to be more competitive than their peer institutions. This is particularly valid for GWU. So you might want to take that into account when considering these schools.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Took me a while to realize Boulder doesn't send out recommendation forms until after you've completed the application. I guess that means I have my first due application in the next week or so. Pressure's on, folks!

[silver_lining]

I just submitted 2 of my apps for the same reason. Of course, I found a very minor (hopefully unnoticeable) grammatical error shortly after....