FALL 2015 APPLICATONS

[isilya]

 Hi! You're right : this IS super interesting stuff!  Language processing is not my core interest but I believe it can lead to powerful insight on so many linguistics issues! Could you point me toward some good paper on phrase mental representation?

 

Anything by Inbal Arnon & Neal Snider is great for this kind of stuff! The problem is, no one has any idea about how multiword expressions are represented   I feel like most authors are like, oh, well, it's infeasible for the millions of multiword expressions we've heard in our lives to all be represented, so it must be stored some other way...and then don't specify what way that might be!

[isilya]

By the numbers that's a pretty good looking profile! I wouldn't worry about the GRE scores, 160 should get you past any cut-offs.

 

Where, may I ask, are you looking for funding for the Linguistics Summer Institute? I'd love to go, but I have no idea where to find funding for a summer program.

 

Yeah, that's what I figure. I won't have any problems getting my application read, I'm sure...I'm just worried what they will think of my statement of purpose 

 

The LSA has a bunch of fellowships (the applications for which are supposed to be up already, but I haven't seen them) that cover tuition and living expenses, which would be awesome! I doubt I will go if I don't get funding, because tuition is like $2000, plus housing costs...

[hamedtr65]

Hi 

 

I almost read your comments on these four pages. I feel some how strange with my situation. I'm going to finish my BA in July 2015 and from 3 months up to now i was preparing to Ma entrance exam of state university (exam is on Feb 2015) but i changed my mind and I no more want to continue Translation Studies. 

 

I'm planing to apply but I need an IELTS and GRE. I prefer UK and mostly London because i have a relative there that can support me but unfortunately i cant afford both university and living cost. additionally in MA nearly there is no scholarship. but i will apply to some universities. If it doesn't work maybe finish my MA in Linguistics in my country and try the PhD.

 

wish all best for you 

[AngelinaZ]

Hamedtr65, no offence, but you need to improve your English. It looks like it will be difficult for you do well on the IELTS and the GRE. Maybe it will be better to stay in your country and then get ready for PhD studies abroad. Your English is not bad, but you need to work on it a bit more and time is running out. 

 

However, if you are more interested in living in the UK than studying, maybe you can get a job there. You just have to honest with yourself. 

 

I am definitely not applying to US schools because I don't think I can prepare for the GRE. Also, it is not cheap and they don't offer fee reduction to international test takers. I am already forced to take a language exam (no matter where I go, Europe or China), because I come from a very small country. 

 

Good luck! 

[funchaku]

I know many people who start graduate school with a reasonable, but imperfect, command of English, but their English picks up quickly as they are forced to use it everyday.

Whatever the case, someone's two-paragraph post on a forum isn't going to predict how they will do on the GREs, or how they will fare in an English-speaking graduate program. 

 

That being said, the lack of funding in the MA programs you mentioned, Hamedtr65, is non-trivial. If you are set on going abroad for your MA, I would broaden my search to countries where they do have funded MAs (other parts of Europe, Canada, etc.)

[AngelinaZ]

 

I know many people who start graduate school with a reasonable, but imperfect, command of English, but their English picks up quickly as they are forced to use it everyday.

 

Once he gets in, sure. The problem is, it is almost December. Not much time left for exam preparation. 

 

On the other hand, not only do many schools in Continental Europe offer funded, English-taught MAs, language proficiency requirements there tend to be lower than UK universities. 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by 丽娜李

[jperry4uall]

I know the first three are really good schools for pragmatic studies. I was accepted to two of them, Indiana, and UF for masters to Ph.D program. I will be attending UF starting this fall studying applied Linguistics focusing on Language Documentation and Computational Linguistics. I am currently working on a lexicographical project, which includes (1) a monolingual dictionary in agriculture and environmental sciences, and (2) an online corpus, which I am currently in the process of building, and can be found at kokray.org. The continuation of this project will be my Ph.D research and project. 

 

For UF, I know Mrs Boxer is well know in the pragmatics field, and she is awesome to work with. 

 

Which schools did you apply to last cycle?

 

You may also be interested in these schools

 

Northwestern U

Oklahoma State U

Western Washington U

U of Michigan

U of Colorado

I know that Dr. Boxer is getting close to retirement though, so you may be careful about applying there simply for her work in pragmatics. If she retires before you're able to defend quals then you may be left without an advisor to help guide you. I loved Florida when I did my undergrad there, so if you have any questions about FL-life, then let me know.

[Garyon]

So, I submitted my first bunch ( 4 out of 10)!  

Now back on working on the other 6!!

[isilya]

So, I submitted my first bunch ( 4 out of 10)!  

Now back on working on the other 6!!

Yay, go you!!! I'm at 3/8 and starting to get more into the rhythm of it

[beccamayworth]

Good luck folks!!

[Alichka]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the middle of PhD Applications Try #2.  Last year was unsuccessful in a really disheartening way, so this year I've sort of been quietly plugging away on my own and trying not to think too much about it.  But!  Last year I found these forums to be helpful in soothing my poor nerves as I was waiting for decisions, so I've decided to join and start posting. 

 

Anyway, hi!  Wish me luck!  And best of luck to all of you!

[isilya]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the middle of PhD Applications Try #2.  Last year was unsuccessful in a really disheartening way, so this year I've sort of been quietly plugging away on my own and trying not to think too much about it.  But!  Last year I found these forums to be helpful in soothing my poor nerves as I was waiting for decisions, so I've decided to join and start posting. 

 

Anyway, hi!  Wish me luck!  And best of luck to all of you!

Best of luck this time around!! You can do it!!

[Garyon]

best of luck to you too!!

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

I've only submitted an app to Michigan so far (it was due on December 7). The rest are all due between December 14-January 2.. stressful to a paragraph for each school while at the same time working on two writing samples and a final exam. T_T

[wuglife427]

I'm in the same boat, Chiki--I've submitted to Stanford, and I might be able to get another app due tonight or tomorrow, but then I have 2 others to do before finals are done and then four more over winter break. It's super-stressful, but just know you're not alone in your hell-week(s) misery! And hopefully this relatively short period of high stress will pay off in the end Good luck with everything!!

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

Maybe we shouldn't wish each other good luck

 

But you're very nice, so good luck!

[wuglife427]

Haha it's a delicate balance. We'll see how nice I am come February

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

Haha it's a delicate balance. We'll see how nice I am come February

 

I know I won't be nice to anyone if I don't get in MIT regardless of where else I get into, that's for sure :<

[Alichka]

Is anyone else just sick to death of their Statement(s) of Purpose?  I don't know how many more times I can read over and tweak the same dang two-page essay without going crazy.  I have seriously thought about printing out a copy just for the satisfaction of setting it on fire.

 

This is mostly due to down-to-the-wire insanity

[Garyon]

Is anyone else just sick to death of their Statement(s) of Purpose?  I don't know how many more times I can read over and tweak the same dang two-page essay without going crazy.  I have seriously thought about printing out a copy just for the satisfaction of setting it on fire.

 

This is mostly due to down-to-the-wire insanity

 

I'm there with you!  

Actually, I submitted some of mine applications early ( Cuny and NYU for instance) just to stop me from reading the SOPs all over again! 

Luckily, we are reaching the end of this.

Then, there will be the Wait ...  

[juzaib]

Hi, folks!

 

Nice to meet you!

I'm a Brazilian colleague who is applying just now. I have already applied to CUNY and UPenn. I am also planning to apply to two more schools, but I still have some doubts. Maybe you could help me on this decision! =)

 

My info:

- TOEFL: 105 (but only 22 in the speaking part);

- GRE: V158, Q155, AW 4.0;

- GPAs: B.A. (in Linguistics) 3.63; M.Sc. (in Computer Science) 3.31 [both degrees obtained in Brazil];

- Strong research background (many publications in important conferences and journals);

- Currently a research associate in a top-tier European institute;

- Got two very nice letters of recommendation from research advisors (the third one is from an undergrad professor).

 

So, do you think that UPenn is a real possibility? And what about CUNY?

 

I was also wondering about trying Harvard or Yale, but I guess my GPAs and GRE results are pushing me down. =(

Do you think I should give one of them a try or it will be a waste of time and money? (please be honest!)

 

Good luck to us all!

Edited December 12, 2014 by juzaib

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

I have a grand total of 5 recommendation letters, a 1200 word SOP and 2 writing samples for MIT. I wonder if it's overkill

[wuglife427]

Alichka--yes, I'm so sick of this SoP. I'm stressing out because I considered X University to be one of my top choices, but when I added the "fit" paragraph, it couldn't get it to sound as strong as the others I had written. After writing a few different versions and reading the whole essay entirely too many times, I'm beginning to think this program is just not as good a fit as I thought. I guess it's not the worst thing to realize at this stage (I'm really jazzed about all the programs, so it's not like moving this one down the list means everything is ruined), but it's still not a great feeling since I thought I'd researched so carefully. Also I may have yelled "just BE BETTER" at my computer screen.

 

I have seriously thought about printing out a copy just for the satisfaction of setting it on fire.

 

My suggestion: If you or a friend has a fire pit, make a nice fire, throw the SoP into it, and make s'mores. You may need to wait until it's warmer out, but honestly it's the best. I did that with my AP Physics notes after the exam, and let me tell you, those marshmallows were excellent.

Edited December 13, 2014 by wuglife427

[isilya]

Alichka--yes, I'm so sick of this SoP. I'm stressing out because I considered X University to be one of my top choices, but when I added the "fit" paragraph, it couldn't get it to sound as strong as the others I had written. After writing a few different versions and reading the whole essay entirely too many times, I'm beginning to think this program is just not as good a fit as I thought. I guess it's not the worst thing to realize at this stage (I'm really jazzed about all the programs, so it's not like moving this one down the list means everything is ruined), but it's still not a great feeling since I thought I'd researched so carefully. Also I may have yelled "just BE BETTER" at my computer screen.

My suggestion: If you or a friend has a fire pit, make a nice fire, throw the SoP into it, and make s'mores. You may need to wait until it's warmer out, but honestly it's the best. I did that with my AP Physics notes after the exam, and let me tell you, those marshmallows were excellent.

This is happening to me too! And some of the schools that I thought weren't as great a fit, I had wonderful fit paragraphs and now I'm way more excited about those schools!

[Alichka]

Oh man wuglife, that has definitely happened to me too!  I actually cut out one of the schools that last year was a "dream school," because I couldn't lie about what it was I wanted to do and what kind of linguist I wanted to be.  Such a great school, but we're just not meant to be together.  But this year I've decided it's much more important to be in the right  school than to be in a "good" school.

 

Having said that, it's just such a mind game when you spend time writing an excellent paragraph about how you would be perfect at this one specific school, and it is perfect for you, and you two are meant to be together and nothing else would be more perfect...and then have to turn around and write the same thing about a totally different program!