Writing Sample Questions

[newenglandshawn]

I need some advice on my writing sample. I have a paper I will be submitting that is about 20 pages long. Some schools to which I will be apply say that the writing sample should be less than 25 pages, while another says less than 30 pages. Should I add more to the paper to get closer to their maximum cut-off, or should I just submit it as-is?

 

Similarly, a few of the schools say a maximum of 10 or 15 pages. What is the best way to trim the 20-page paper down? Should I just submit the first 10 pages, or try to edit it in an attempt to submit an abridged version?

[seroteamavi]

If you have a person of interest (POI) at the school, it would be best to ask him or her, or certainly the staff in the religion department should be able to give you some guidance. Perhaps the adcom does not look unfavorably upon a larger submission, but then again they made the request. Your best bet is to ask. Do not be shy about making phone calls to your schools of interest. As far as trimming goes, almost anything can be trimmed down. Or, depending on how much time you have, you craft a new paper based on a topic you'd like published or something you'd like to present at an academic gathering.

[awells27]

When I applied to UCLA, I asked the POI if I could email him the original version of the paper, as their limit was, unbelievably, 10 pages.  He actually preferred that.  I would be working with a faculty member that wrote one of your LORs on how to trim down a paper for submission.  As far as the 30 page limit, I would add to the twenty page paper only if you have something totally relevant of the same quality.  Adding for the sake of adding would be unwise.