Welcome to the 2013-2014 Cycle

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I guess this is a little late since the Columbia deadline has already passed, but Dr. Humphreys offers good advice (from his perspective, of course). He doesn't seem to care too much about the "fit" paragraph since that should have been demonstrated throughout the SoP from your research questions. However, this may vary across schools and even within adcoms. 

http://www.columbia.edu/~mh2245/advice.html

 

That's more or less what I was hoping. I'm of course applying only to programs with professors actually doing the kind of work I'm interested in, and I can only hope that my research interests/questions indicate that better than any explicit list I provide (although I still do that, to demonstrate that I'm serious about each specific university). I think that's why I struggle with the fit paragraph so much, anyway. Sometimes it can seem repetitive to say, "Dr. Awesomesauce just so happens to be working in the same general area that I'm strongly interested in." I mean, it's no coincidence I'm applying to Dr. Awesomesauce's university.

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

How's everyone feeling about their applications in general? I don't feel defeated yet, but every application I submit is a letter to the grad school gods to grant me mercy. 

[IRToni]

I'm not exactly feeling like my applications are a disaster, so that's good. I'm also feeling that I did/am doing the best I can, so I'm hopeful and terrified at the same time.The worst thing about not getting in anywhere, to me, would be to disappoint/waste my letter writers, who have overall been great, super on top of things, and extremely helpful in general.

 

My SOP has been read by different people, including three professors, who gave me good critiques. I'm a little worried about not tailoring it too much to all the different programs, as the basic body stays the same for most, and I so far just changed the order around, and added PoIs where it fit. I don't have a fit paragraph, but talk about the schools and professors when I talk about different aspects of my interest, i.e. Aspect 1: Region/country, school resources, professor(s), which seems to be unorthodox, but kind of made my SOP flow better, I felt (hopefully, I'm right).

 

I changed my writing sample relatively last minute, because the one I was originally thinking of using seemed too much of a mess, and too complicated, and hard to read for people without tons of math BG etc.

 

I'm submitting all the material by next Tuesday, I told my LoR writers, and then the waiting can begin...

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I'm fairly confident that I'm finished with my SOPs now. I may submit them all today and let the terrible, awful waiting game begin.

 

Your approach to fit sounds great. Sometimes the fit paragraph can seem a bit disconnected from the rest.

Edited December 4, 2013 by TakeMyCoffeeBlack

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I have officially applied to 8/9 schools. Waiting to get a response on an inquiry to graduate admissions at the last before I submit.

[zudei]

I'm getting a lot of last minute doubts, but the GRE results are officially out and I scored a decent (5.0) score on writing, so that brought my spirits up a bit. I've just made two apps so far (that cost me 250 USD already...) but working on the next bunch for this weekend. It's go time. Good luck everyone! I hope to read a lot of happy news in Feb-March on this forum (and hopefully give some out myself!)

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

I'm getting a lot of last minute doubts, but the GRE results are officially out and I scored a decent (5.0) score on writing, so that brought my spirits up a bit. I've just made two apps so far (that cost me 250 USD already...) but working on the next bunch for this weekend. It's go time. Good luck everyone! I hope to read a lot of happy news in Feb-March on this forum (and hopefully give some out myself!)

 

I lucked out with some fee waivers because of my government fellowship - but last year I took on some $600+ in credit card debt to pay for apps... Fortunately it's a bit less than that this year. 

 

Congrats on the 5.0 - I hope your other scores are just as good! 

 

Yup, I ditto the wish for good luck to all!

[zudei]

I lucked out with some fee waivers because of my government fellowship - but last year I took on some $600+ in credit card debt to pay for apps... Fortunately it's a bit less than that this year. 

 

Congrats on the 5.0 - I hope your other scores are just as good! 

 

Yup, I ditto the wish for good luck to all!

 

Thanks mate, the other scores were not bad, 163 Q and 166 V. Hoped for a 165 Q but I'm going to stop complaining (I find myself becoming increasingly French!) It sucks I can't score a fee waiver, will need to shell out 1000+ USD, but that's the game I guess. Hopefully it will be worth it

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Thanks mate, the other scores were not bad, 163 Q and 166 V. Hoped for a 165 Q but I'm going to stop complaining (I find myself becoming increasingly French!) It sucks I can't score a fee waiver, will need to shell out 1000+ USD, but that's the game I guess. Hopefully it will be worth it

 

Hey, you beat me in both V and Q (by a long shot on Q)! I think your scores will only help you.

[zudei]

Hey, you beat me in both V and Q (by a long shot on Q)! I think your scores will only help you.

 

Haha, I don't think the GRE counts for much in the end, just I wanted a 90th percentile plus on Q for my ego. Also I will "major" in methods so I think a higher score is needed, I presume? In any case, it's time to polish the SOP, the only source of control still left as you aptly pointed out, and then forget about it all for two months (if we can)!

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

Haha, I don't think the GRE counts for much in the end, just I wanted a 90th percentile plus on Q for my ego. Also I will "major" in methods so I think a higher score is needed, I presume? In any case, it's time to polish the SOP, the only source of control still left as you aptly pointed out, and then forget about it all for two months (if we can)!

 

Unless I block gradcafe on my browser, probably not gonna happen..

[zudei]

Unless I block gradcafe on my browser, probably not gonna happen..

 

I am sort of glad I have a shit load of work in December and Jan... Never thought I'd say that!!

[IRToni]

My GRE percentiles were adjusted down for Q and V, kind of annoyed. Instead of 94 Q, 94 V and 96 AW, I now have 93Q, 93 V and 97 AW. I know, I know, overthinking. I'm currently home with a broken foot, but I'm really excited for January when I'll be doing a 40-hour internship, and working on my MA thesis, so I hopefully won't have any time to commisserate and worry. I have been watching lots of trashy tv to get my mind off things, which has been a change for me.

 

What are y'all's strategies to forget some of the stress of applications?

[zudei]

What are y'all's strategies to forget some of the stress of applications?

 

This isn't a helpful one, but being poor enough to worry about other things works marvellously for me Btw, great scores! I wish I had broken the 90th percentile for Q

[BFB]

I guess this is a little late since the Columbia deadline has already passed, but Dr. Humphreys offers good advice (from his perspective, of course). He doesn't seem to care too much about the "fit" paragraph since that should have been demonstrated throughout the SoP from your research questions. However, this may vary across schools and even within adcoms. 

http://www.columbia.edu/~mh2245/advice.html

 

Useful stuff. I'd mostly agree. As far as the "fit paragraph" is concerned, it probably doesn't matter much one way or the other. It can be a little reassuring if you've got your POIs' research interests pegged, it can be a little troubling if you're off the mark, but mostly, no big bad, no big good.

 

The really key part, I think, is what he writes about the statement of purpose. Realize that you're writing for nerds, and nothing excites us like another nerd.

[zudei]

The really key part, I think, is what he writes about the statement of purpose. Realize that you're writing for nerds, and nothing excites us like another nerd.

 

This really reassures me for some reason

[TakeMyCoffeeBlack]

So for the last 5 hours I've had 8 applications submitted (a few for over a week). Why haven't I been accepted anywhere yet?

 

Oh...I have to wait til February/March/April?

[IRToni]

So... I just realized that I had one deadline wrong, and it has now passed. Luckily, it wasn't one of my top choices, and I would probably prefer most of the other schools over it, also because funding is a real issue at this school, but I'm still a little pissed at myself. Learn from my mistakes, guys, doublecheck the deadlines, because they do change. I've had three other schools change their deadlines, luckily all except this one to later, but still.

 

I made a master list in September/October, and haven't really checked since for most schools, since I was not expecting the deadlines to change...

[jazzrap]

So... I just realized that I had one deadline wrong, and it has now passed. Luckily, it wasn't one of my top choices, and I would probably prefer most of the other schools over it, also because funding is a real issue at this school, but I'm still a little pissed at myself. Learn from my mistakes, guys, doublecheck the deadlines, because they do change. I've had three other schools change their deadlines, luckily all except this one to later, but still.

 

I made a master list in September/October, and haven't really checked since for most schools, since I was not expecting the deadlines to change...

Three typos to Columbia, two to UCLA. How does that mistake sound? 

[jazzrap]

Toni I thought you meant UCSD. It scared the heck out of me. 

[IRToni]

Nope, Berkeley... Sorry to scare you! UCSD is 10th, I'm working on this one as well. UCSD also is actually one of my top choices, honestly.

 

Also, typos are part of life. I usually try not to check my apps again after I've submitted them, which isn't possible, because I'm using the same general SOP draft and WS draft...

Edited December 4, 2013 by IRToni

[jazzrap]

Nope, Berkeley... Sorry to scare you! UCSD is 10th, I'm working on this one as well. UCSD also is actually one of my top choices, honestly.

 

Also, typos are part of life. I usually try not to check my apps again after I've submitted them, which isn't possible, because I'm using the same general SOP draft and WS draft...

 

Nope, Berkeley... Sorry to scare you! UCSD is 10th, I'm working on this one as well. UCSD also is actually one of my top choices, honestly.

 

Also, typos are part of life. I usually try not to check my apps again after I've submitted them, which isn't possible, because I'm using the same general SOP draft and WS draft...

 

Hopefully they won't mind missing two apostrophes, Sigh.

 

Concerning UCSD, I am applying to it as an international applicant as well. If you think Berkeley's funding is an issue, then UCSD is much worse.  

[IRToni]

Well, from what I hear from current students and my professors, Berkeley's problem is that they often only give out funding for one year, and then you have to recompete. At UCSD, funding for internationals is problematic, but, I hear, if you get funding, you're in and have funding for the full 5 years (usually). For someone as risk- and debt-averse as I am, this is definitely much better. I'm also applying for external fellowships that could help me make up the difference to in-state tuition, and according to UCSD's website, everyone they admit is fully-funded for in-state tuition at least.

 

Anyway, now it's too late, but in addition to funding, UCSD is also a much better fit in terms of research interests, methodology etc. for me than Berkeley.

[jazzrap]

Well, from what I hear from current students and my professors, Berkeley's problem is that they often only give out funding for one year, and then you have to recompete. At UCSD, funding for internationals is problematic, but, I hear, if you get funding, you're in and have funding for the full 5 years (usually). For someone as risk- and debt-averse as I am, this is definitely much better. I'm also applying for external fellowships that could help me make up the difference to in-state tuition, and according to UCSD's website, everyone they admit is fully-funded for in-state tuition at least.

 

Anyway, now it's too late, but in addition to funding, UCSD is also a much better fit in terms of research interests, methodology etc. for me than Berkeley.

I gotcha. I am mainly concerned with admissions, so naively thinking that even if I have to apply for funding separately in my second year, there must be some ways through which I can cope with it. Good luck on UCSD. Are you applying to the IRPS or just political science?

[silver_lining]

How's everyone feeling about their applications in general? I don't feel defeated yet, but every application I submit is a letter to the grad school gods to grant me mercy. 

 

When I wake up : Feeling pretty confident. "I have a kick-ass SoP with research questions that will make the adcoms think. It will help me stick out from the pack. They will realize that I love research and can work independently. I will get in somewhere."

 

After reading gradcafe and realizing what awesome applicants there are:  "I'll be lucky if I get ANY acceptances. I don't have a BA/MA in Math, Statistics, or Economics. I just re-read the SOP I submitted - What was I thinking when I wrote that?!?"

 

Edited December 4, 2013 by luckyducky