The positives thread

[captiv8ed]

I have seen so much worry about everything here. I have felt so much worry.

So, let's play a game. Let's put all of our positive academic achievements here, and then tell each other how helpful they are for admission!!

Rules:

No negatives! Please don't put anything to weigh down your positives, like "My GPA is great (too bad it is in the wrong field)" or "I don't think that your underwater basket weaving skills are really going to have much of an influence on the political science adcom." This is just about being positive and encouraging. I think we all need reminders of why we are well qualified for what we are doing!

Is anyone interested in playing? I will post my list, but I am not going to until I see that people are interested. Bragging on strengths is really hard, and much more so if you are the only one doing it.

[LaurenA]

I'll bite...mostly because I desperately need a pick-me-up

Reasons programs should want me:

-published--first author on one! multiple papers in prep/review

-LORs--all my writers said they wrote glowing letters (and I have no reason to think they're lying!)

-massive amounts of experience after undergrad--full-time RA position, then M.A. program ranked #2 of its kind

-highly rated teaching experience

-received several research grants

-presented my research both in poster and in talk form

I *really* think this thread could help people prep for interviews--it's so hard to brag on yourself!

EDIT: Wow, that was difficult, and I'm first, ahhh! But I feel better

Edited January 7, 2010 by LaurenA

[LifeIsGood]

I'll do it! I could really use the positive thinking right now.

* Strong finish in my MA in my major field (GPA 3.9).

* Strong LOR from my advisor, a leading scholar in my subfield, who is known to and respected by the adcoms I'm applying to, and who I've been told normally doesn't take on MA students for advising, so he must think I've got something to offer. 2 additional good LORs.

* Solid GRE with unusually strong quantitative score for humanities.

* Excellent previous contacts with potential advisors, including a sit-down with a top scholar at Dream University where he said he'd email the adcom and ask them to flag my app.

* Can show some language achievement by passing MA program's translation test and am able to say that I'm booked for a summer immersion program.

* 1 publication in press, 1 conference presentation.

* Extensive of non-academic professional work that shows self-direction, a daily writing habit, and a history of getting things done and playing well with others.

(Wow. It's hard to hit Post on this. My internal editor against bragging is in overdrive.)

EDIT: Yay, LaurenA! You're in like Flynn.

Bring on the good stuff, people!

Edited January 7, 2010 by LifeIsGood

[captiv8ed]

cpaige, be as vague or specific as you want. It is about feeling good, so I don't want you putting something and then feeling like you said too much or too little

Lauren wins the bravery award!!

First author is absolutley wonderful, and seriously helpful! And you have grants (they love folks who can bring money!) and your MA program is so well ranked. You are in!!

[JohnBom]

Mental note to self: Do not read this thread unless you want to dive even deeper into the ocean of insecurity.

[captiv8ed]

OK, here is mine:

I go to a school that doesn't do grades, but my first two years were 3.93. I think if I did have grades, I would have a 4.0 or very close the last three years. I did an extra year of undergrad to get more focused experience. My evaluations are peppered with words like: Excellent, Exceptional, Phenomenal, Above and beyond the call of duty. I got one very good, but even that one goes on to include words like exceptional and so forth.

My mentor is someone pretty darn famous in my field. And she loves me and wants me to succeed.

Two of my letter writers are well known (as in, have written books) in the field.

I am primary author of a research article that professors have used in undergraduate programs.

I wrote an article that is published in an academic anthology. There are tons of bigwig professors, maybe a grad student or two, and me

I have or will have presented in two poster presentations and one round table.

For one school, all 4 of my letter writers graduated from that school. And one is the school's state rep.

Speaking of which, I did a competitive internship for my state legislature.

I did a research internship for a national academic council in my field. There are board members for that council at 4 of the 7 schools I am applying to.

I have a professional relationship with faculty members at two of the schools I am applying to.

I have contacted professors at 4 of the schools to discuss my research. All were quite enthusiastic about it. One told me it would be a great contribution to the field

I have a really strong statement of purpose with a very compelling (I have been told) life story that ties into my research at three critical junctures.

I was a teaching assistant last quarter.

Phew! That is awful to do. It is hard to write it and not feel like you are being totally pretentious. And to worry that an ad com is going to stumble across it and say, "Wow, this student is so arrogant! We don't want them at our school!!"

[captiv8ed]

Life is good for Life is Good!! It is all really outstanding, but I think your advisor and your sit down meeting is especially helpful!!

Cpaige, Your Russian work is incredibly impressive!! Are you fluent in the language as well? And great job on the GPA!!

Astro, Come on, just post and you will feel better!!

OK Braggarts, be sure to follow up on everyone and give them lots of positive feedback!

[LifeIsGood]

cpaige: Your awards and study abroad are excellent (as are your other stats), and they'll surely set you apart!

Astro: There HAS to be a reason you think you'd do well at the schools you applied to! Believe me, there were plenty of negatives to leave off my list, so don't worry about how you compare. This isn't the full story for any of us. What's on your "pro" list?

Captiv8d: I'm especially impressed by your publication record. And clearly the adcoms will be able to connect you with activities and people they respect. Excellent!

[SNPCracklePop]

Mental note to self: Do not read this thread unless you want to dive even deeper into the ocean of insecurity.

I positively agree (har har har).

I have 3.5 years lab tech experience with next-gen Sequencing, Genotyping, and Gene Expression analyses and another thirteen months as an lab assistant.

Improved from a 2.73 UG GPA to a 3.81 GR GPA.

Excellent LORs.

[LifeIsGood]

I positively agree (har har har).

I have 3.5 years lab tech experience with next-gen Sequencing, Genotyping, and Gene Expression analyses and another thirteen months as an lab assistant.

Improved from a 2.73 UG GPA to a 3.81 GR GPA.

Excellent LORs.

One of my potential advisors told me that he likes to see applicants who started slow and ramped up by the end (like you and me; my GPA in undergrad was horrific). Quote: "I'd rather have you make all of your mistakes BEFORE you get here!" And nice research exerience!

[captiv8ed]

SNP, that sounds like excellent research in cutting edge stuff.

[coyabean]

Welllllll, ok. I'm a good southern girl, though, so I'll have my fingers crossed as I submit this because I don't want to jinx anything.

- Above 90th percentile on Verbal and AW of GRE?

- Awarded Research Fellowship

- Article under review at peer-reviewed journal

- Two Conference Presentations

- A third Conference invite for this semester

- 10 years of relatable professional experience (education administration; it relates to my research questions)

- My main letter writer is a superstar not just in his field but for just about any person of color in academia. I've yet to talk to anyone at any school who does not know him. It's not Skip and them but very close. He promises me that I'll be able to choose among offers. :/

- Wrote grant for NES; it's pending

- Um...I hear good things about my SOP?

** Do you have any idea how long it took me to write this? I had to keep stopping to edit out self-deprecating commentary and qualifiers. Jeez.

[JustChill]

Ok, why not?

Double majors. Departmental honors in both majors.

3.77 overall GPA, 3.93 major 1, 4.0 major 2.

Fulbright grant for study abroad.

Research award for honors thesis, which I also presented at a regional conference.

I was born in a foreign country and lived there for well over a decade before moving to the US, so I have native-level fluency in a language that is directly relevant to my program.

I also have intermediate knowledge of French.

One of my LOR's is from one of the most recognized and respected scholars in the field (I'm partly judging this by the number of grad programs which list her books as required reading).

Pretty good GRE for a non-native English speaker: over 700 verbal, 5.5 AW.

[rainy_day]

All right, I'll chime in here.

GPA: 3.9, Distinction in the Field

3 excellent LORs

Paper accepted for presentation at major national conference this March

I was a teaching assistant and a tutor at my undergrad (Won a tutoring award)

Wrote two senior thesis papers: one for honors that I spent an entire year working on independently and one for my major

The cons: bad GRE score, some unfocused SOPs that I still can't figure out how to fix

*fingers crossed it is enough*

[Caligula]

I don't think I've ever felt more horribly about myself than I did after reading this thread.

[BlueSwedeShoes]

This is an excellent idea! We all need to think more positive thoughts...

-4.0 GPA from a year at an American college, est. top 5% in my class in my home country

-95th percentile on the Verbal GRE (and it's not even my first language!), well above average Quant for social sciences and an average score on the AW (which, again, is good for a non-native speaker!)

-TA for a number of undergraduate and graduate classes.

-I have a MSc (or; will have at the end of this semester ) and solid research experience.

-Kicked that ridiculous TOEFL test to hell and back!

-Three awesome LoR. One is from a relatively large name who happens to know a number of the professors I want to work with personally. That specific recommender also wrote the most glowing thing ever and brought up (valid) positive points about me that even I hadn't thought about!

-Two published papers at large, international, conferences. One more paper under review, two more in the works and hopefully one or two more at the end of this semester.

-Presented said two papers at the conferences. Even got funded to travel across the Atlantic, and won an award for the registration fee at one.

-and I have one poster too! Which I presented as well.

-Good reactions from those I contacted about potential research. Even met one (Mr. huge name in the field) in person, and he straight-up offered me a position if certain research grants panned out (he would take what essentially was his salary and use it to fund my PhD instead!). He also helped me sneak in to a conference I was not registered for and gave me free lunch.

-Recent events in the US is actually further motivating my research. And we're talking highly covered news here that hardly anyone (least of all in my discipline) could miss. In fact, this could be one of my strongest points, it's that relevant!

-My SOP was worked through in minute detail and I had several proofreaders/editors, including two English PhD holders and it was agreed that it is, in fact, good. Which is awesome.

Ok, that's enough. I feel embarrassed enough just typing these things out

[Sparky]

Feedback for others: WOW on the people who have publications.

Me:

I know Latin. (I'm a medievalist. This isn't actually a bonus; it's a basic qualifier).

Great GPA, both from undergrad and MA.

I have been told by 2 of my 5 schools that my writing sample is the most important part of my application. My writing sample,

if you'll pardon my language and arrogance, kicks ass.

Gah. Can't do more right now.

[solairne]

Ok, I'll go!

I have a pretty good, albeit deceptive, GPA. 3.645 at a school where B- is 2.67 and A- is 3.67. On the translated scale it's around a 3.85.

I have very very strong letters of recommendation. A professor I know actually asked me if he could write one for me.

My research interests are 100% identical with two potential advisors at my top choice.

I have a very well done and independent writing sample in the field.

I've attended around 20 conferences over the past 18 months in my field at several universities.

I've audited a few doctoral classes related to my field.

Fluent/native in 2 languages and advanced in a third

Have done presentations in my field

Over a year of teaching experience in undergrad

The only thing I think that could hold me back is that my BA is not in the field I'm applying for, but that has been explained in my SOP that my university doesn't offer a Linguistics BA like so many others, but I do have very strong supporting documents and attendances that demonstrate my capability in the field.

... damn, that felt good!

Edited January 7, 2010 by solairne

[NeuroNerd86]

since according to the free depression diagnostic test I have moderately severe depression, I guess I really need more positive thinking. Here I go

-back in my home country I went to the top university in the nation and I got accepted to one of the top US schools a year after I came here.

- very strong GRE quant score

-massive amount of research experience in related field

- abstracts and posters at conferences and poster sessions

-2nd author publication in a good journal, images I helped generating made it to the journal cover for the issue month

-top prize at the international conference in my field of study - I was competing against

postdocs and grad students whilst being a mere lab technician.

-while I haven't seen them, my LORs should be strong - 2 are from very prominent profs.

-I have overcome some REALLY bad stuff last year and still stayed on track with my work and research.

[socialcomm]

I don't think I've ever felt more horribly about myself than I did after reading this thread.

Same here.... but it's just a small sample of the people applying right?

[LifeIsGood]

Wow! This is great stuff, everyone! I leave for a couple of hours, and look what happens! I can't help but think that, even if we don't get into the schools we want, what company wouldn't want to hire such amazing individuals for any job that requires writing skills, problem-solving, and network building--which is every single job I can think of. But, that's all irrelevant because we rock and we're going to end up at good schools!

[Caligula]

Socialcomm,

Let's hope so!

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

I have a short list of positives (yet I feel very positive!)

-good GPA, with A's in the most relevant classes

-great recommendations (I was told this by someone at a prospective school) and luckily one from an entomologist

-great GRE scores (to the point where I should definitely be in the running for good money)

-as weird as it is to say about oneself, a real appreciation and enthusiasm for science

-3 solid research projects, 2 directed by myself (and 1 ongoing)

-all of these projects have been presented at the end of the internship, but I'm taking my senior thesis to an ESA branch meeting this semester

-going into a truly awesome field (urban ecology) that is becoming the New Big Thing (AFAIK)

-have been told by all my recommenders and others that I already act like a grad student

[Sanssouci]

I don't think I've ever felt more horribly about myself than I did after reading this thread.

The same! Woo!

My positives:

Did a Study Abroad trip to the University in the US I'm applying to

Really good LORs, including one from a faculty within the dept that I met while I was there

Feeling extremely positive about my dissertation

My advisor said my SOP was a perfect example

Accepted into one course in one of the top Universities in my country

So even if I get rejected (which I feel is quite likely), I can apply again next year with a Masters from there!

[soleprovider14]

I believe my strengths are the following:

I am fluent in two foreign languages, have had 6 years of a pertinent language, and will have about 2 years of the main research language (including a summer intensive program in the actual country) upon graduation.

GPA is not outstanding but is above a 3.5 in both cumulative and major, as well as minor GPA is a 3.95.

Recommendations are coming from professors who know me outside of the classroom and should (I don't see why not) be good.

As I am aware that I am not a highly competitive applicant (and I knew so since I began this process) I am not discouraged mainly due to the fact that I am not applying to many top programs (top being the top 25), also, I have a great fit at all of the schools I am applying to which I think is largely overlooked by some who worry about their 3.8 GPA or above 1300 GRE score and publications not being good enough.

I have learned from this process that if all of your credentials are above a certain level (however do not have to be perfect), fit is a much more important aspect of an applicant than anything else.

Good luck everyone.