The positives thread

[genotype]

@Profound-g -- right back at ya -- you ARE awesome!

Thanks!

Edited January 25, 2010 by genotype

[cleisthenes]

I implied that I'm banking on the "peripherals" (SOI, LORs, writing sample) to tip the balance in my favor.

Actually, I would consider those the core elements of your application. In most places, GRE scores are the most "peripheral" aspect. GPA is important, but if you're applying for a humanities or social science field, not as important as your writing sample and SOP.

[NineTailedDemonFox]

The positives thread is burying me....

Great GRE Verbal and AWA, Great verbose SOP, Hoping for at least one wordy recommendation letter

and hell, I applied for MS Electrical engineering

[Mumbet]

I have an incredible singing voice.

[genotype]

I have an incredible singing voice.

Nice, love it! I hope you included that in your SOP.

[Mumbet]

Nice, love it! I hope you included that in your SOP.

That actually was my SOP. Nobody better steal it.

[ridgey]

Feeling particularly sorry for myself today, so I'll join in:

- I have a tonne of research experience

- My unusual interests line up uncannily well with particular faculty at two of the schools to which I applied

And that's it! Dunno if that made me feel better or not. If the GRE actually carried any real weight, I'd be more confident.

[katalytik]

Feeling particularly sorry for myself today, so I'll join in:

- I have a tonne of research experience

- My unusual interests line up uncannily well with particular faculty at two of the schools to which I applied

And that's it! Dunno if that made me feel better or not. If the GRE actually carried any real weight, I'd be more confident.

You apply for PhD in public health also? Which subfield?

[red_crayons]

"Can you rewrite your statement for xyz department? It was perfect for abc department - I loved it! - but you'll have a better chance at getting into the xyz pot of money. Can you get it to me by Monday?"

I am buying this professor the most expensive bottle of wine I can find in this town if he gets me in to school here.

[captiv8ed]

I'm sure this brilliance is going to show in the OPs application as well!

The OP sure hopes so

Thanks for recognizing the intent of the thread.

[moralresearcher]

"Can you rewrite your statement for xyz department? It was perfect for abc department - I loved it! - but you'll have a better chance at getting into the xyz pot of money. Can you get it to me by Monday?"

I am buying this professor the most expensive bottle of wine I can find in this town if he gets me in to school here.

Lucky!!!! Way to go!

[vertige]

After seeing my therapist yesterday and ruminating about my impending sense of doom this week and next, I think I should *try* to figure out a way to be positive. I'm applying for the Ph.D. in German Literature with a focus on critical theory and continental philosophy.

-I graduated from an Ivy League with a 3.4; Major GPA of 3.7 in one of the top comparative literature departments in the country; two graduate-level courses in the department

-(Hopefully!) Glowing recommendations from the chair of said department, as well as the director of the critical writing program who was my mentor, and two more recommendations from tenured professors associated with this major department as well as an outside department

-Multiple languages - Russian, German, French, Spanish

-2 Years of A's in German, though I haven't studied it in awhile; secured spot in summer program in Berlin

-(What I consider to be) stellar writing sample; was given an A for this final paper by the chair of the department I majored in, who also wrote my recommendation; Paper explained dense, difficult works of continental philosophy in relation to each other, and used what I learned from my professors in making these arguments seem simple and clear

-Not horrible GRE Verbal, considering I test poorly - it was either 670 or 690, but I've been reassured that as long as it's not dismal, it's unlikely to matter

-Well versed in my field and in the departments/people working in the field

-Year and a half of work experience in disability rights, which I hope to turn into an area of research interest (theories of corporeality, Modernism and the body, disability discourse in deconstruction and postmodern criticism)

-I think I'm cute.

That said, there are myriad (and strong) reasons I shouldn't be accepted, one of which is that my German is not even at the level of 'proficient' required to do basic readings, so this prob makes Adcoms pretty anxious. But, I'm a hard worker. Please cross your fingers!

DANG this is hard to do. My brain just wants to qualify everything and shortchange each one of my positives with multiple negatives! This is definitely a good study in behavior under stress . . . I hope we all learn something from this.

[coffeeandtoast]

I have an undergrad GPA of 4.0 in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in theology with an GPA of 3.9 (see negatives thread as I'm applying to sociology programs!!)

I have a publication in an engineering peer-reviewed journal (probably doesn't matter AT ALL for sociology programs)

I think I may have very good LORs

This was hard. I can only focus on the bad things of my application.

[coffeeandtoast]

are there engineers on this website?

Yes. ChemE here.

[tomorrows verse]

Double Major in History (GPA 3.76) and Political Science (GPA 3.84), Overall GPA 3.82

Departmental honors in History and PoliSci, as well as Nat'l Catholic honors society (I go to Catholic SLAC)

Received a $3,500 grant to do summer research in political history, paper is now under review at a small e-journal

Glowing LORs from fairly well known profs in their fields

[strokeofmidnight]

God, this is uncomfortable. But, I think it will be a good little exercise! I've been feeling very discouraged lately, to the point that I've been bumming out everyone around me.

Good things about Pamphilia:

* 3.9 GPA from a badass undergrad with a top-ranked English program

* 2 LORs from really well-known and well-respected scholars in my subfield; third LOR from a total rockstar in a different (but unrelated) subfield

* Completed an undergrad honors thesis, advised by one of my well-known and well-respected LOR-writers; revised and edited it to the point where even I am happy enough to use it for my writing sample

* My incredibly scary but brilliant undergrad advisor went over and revised my SOP and my 20+ page writing sample multiple times

* Excellent GRE General scores: 800V/710Q/5.5AW

* Excellent GRE Subject score: 710 (96th percentile)

* What I feel is a pretty good SOP and writing sample

* Talked to a prof at one of the programs to which I'm applying who said she feels confident I will get in somewhere!

Yikes. That was scary and hard and made me feel like a jerk.

Am I right in reading that you've been accepted into a program already? Congrats! It looks like that professor was head-on. I hope you're have many other schools to choose from.

My list:

*high 3.9 GPA, both undergrad and grad.

*2 LoR's from well respected faculty in my field. One LoR from a superstar professor overall (other professors sit in on his seminars--terrifying! obviously, no punty graduate student dare to speak)

*decent scores (700 + in Q,V, subject)

*strong and focused SoP

*writing sample that my professors recommended for publication (one of them edits the top journal for my field)

*one of my LoR writer is also professor at my top choice school

*I'm a good fit for 9/10 programs (discovered too late that the last program really isn't up my alley).

[gvletmeintogradschool]

I guess I'll try this (I need a bit of a boost!)

Applying to 2 PhD programs and 2 MAs in Education...

- Respectable undergraduate GPA (from an institution notorious for grade deflation), very high graduate GPA

- Teach for America alum and an additional two years of teaching in a high performing charter school

- Strong LORs from principal, Dean of Students from my undergraduate school, and head of the Ed department from my MA program

- High GRE quantitative score ("okay" verbal score)

- strong SOP with a clear directive of what I wish to study

Not as impressive as the others on this board, but I guess I should celebrate anything that may catch the admission officer's eyes. Fingers crossed! Best of luck to everyone!

[coffeeandtoast]

I'm Hispanic.

[red_crayons]

I'm Hispanic.

I'm glad someone brought this up. I wish I knew how much it matters.

[coffeeandtoast]

I'm glad someone brought this up. I wish I knew how much it matters.

Hehe. This was more tongue-in-cheek than anything else. I honestly don't think it matters much in grad school--maybe it will get you a diversity fellowship if your other stats are good enough, but I'm not counting on this to get me in at all.

[red_crayons]

Hehe. This was more tongue-in-cheek than anything else.

That's the best way to approach it, in my experience.

[far_to_go]

Here goes!

- 4.0 undergrad GPA (History)

- 3.98 GPA for MA (Anthropology)

- 1560 combined GRE, with 5.5 writing.

- Well-defined, specific, and interesting proposal for dissertation research (so I've been told by several POI's- yay)

- Strong SOP. About six friends reviewed it for me; all praised its merits and suggested only minor changes.

- I interview well on the phone and in person.

- Proven ability to do research, both in undergraduate thesis/independent study work and in MA thesis.

Dang! I've got to at least have a shot, right?

[LinguistK]

Probably the best thing I have going for me is that two profs in the department recommended me. One of those will be my adviser if I'm accepted. He really liked me when I took a class with him last quarter, and was happy to recommend me.

I'm hoping this counts for a lot, because while my stats aren't terrible...they're not incredible.

[Leafytea]

Okay, I've been obsessively checking my email for hours, so I might as well re-channel some of that nervous energy!

* 3.88 GPA in undergrad major at Ivy league school, in related major, 4.0 so far (3 semesters) in MA program

* Good GRE percentiles

* Good at learning languages and getting language-learning funding: Chinese, Japanese, Korean and French

* 3 well-respected recommenders, including one department chair of a department I'm applying for and a potential adviser

* Attending my second conference as a paper presenter next weekend

* Teaching experience during MA program

* Spoke to profs at each school I'm applying to in person or by email, to (what seems) positive feedback

* Leader of a proseminar in current MA program

* SOP read and commented on by 2 professors

* Professors in current university told me to apply and *trash talked* the other schools (sort of in a joking way); but also sent colleagues emails on my behalf, asking them to respond to my query letter for a fall pre-interview.

* Have worked with four professors in current university department, and received good marks

My mind says "You have a good shot!" but my cynical side says "You have a lot of competition for very few spots. And you haven't heard anything. Start planning for unemployment."

[gazelle]

are there engineers on this website?

Yep, another chemE here.