Last fall, I applied to a Literature MA program. Unfortunately, I did not receive an offer of admittance. I was told that I was one of the last candidates cut and that I had been a favorite of at least one member of the admission committee. Taking that with a grain of salt, I feel fairly confident in saying that my materials (LoRs, SOP, CV, and Writing Sample) all reflected positively on me. I want to apply to the same school again this year, but I am not exactly sure how to go about it.
Most of my materials are the same. Because I am 30 years old and a few years removed from college, I am not forging new relationships with new professors and attaining different LoRs is not likely. While my CV has not changed, I have completely redone my SoP. My question concerns the Writing Sample.
Last year, I submitted an original argument and analysis of a major work by the major American author that I wish to study. Nothing fancy, just solid literary analysis, good quote-work, interesting conclusions--very meat and potatoes. While I have edited and tweaked that writing sample, it is not markedly different from last year. Do I submit the same writing sample this year as I have a sneaking suspicion it was the strongest part of my application last year?
My other option is for me to revamp one of my older papers--one that is a far cry from meat and potatoes lit crit: I use psychoanalysis (NOT currently a particularly popular mode of critical inquiry) to analyze the television show Battlestar Galactica (2004) (NOT the most standard of texts). While I daresay that I do a good job offering a compelling argument that hinges on a clear understanding of my theoretical framework and excellent textual evidence, I'm not sure that this Writing Sample would do me any favors. While it shows evidence of my elasticity as a scholar, it doesn't directly speak to my desired field of study.
Should I show the admissions board something new, different, and flashy? Or should I stick with a refined version of the Writing Sample that they've already seen? If I wasn't _so_ close last year, it would be easy to decide to go in a different direction. How should I handle this situation?
Question
positivitize
Hello,
Last fall, I applied to a Literature MA program. Unfortunately, I did not receive an offer of admittance. I was told that I was one of the last candidates cut and that I had been a favorite of at least one member of the admission committee. Taking that with a grain of salt, I feel fairly confident in saying that my materials (LoRs, SOP, CV, and Writing Sample) all reflected positively on me. I want to apply to the same school again this year, but I am not exactly sure how to go about it.
Most of my materials are the same. Because I am 30 years old and a few years removed from college, I am not forging new relationships with new professors and attaining different LoRs is not likely. While my CV has not changed, I have completely redone my SoP. My question concerns the Writing Sample.
Last year, I submitted an original argument and analysis of a major work by the major American author that I wish to study. Nothing fancy, just solid literary analysis, good quote-work, interesting conclusions--very meat and potatoes. While I have edited and tweaked that writing sample, it is not markedly different from last year. Do I submit the same writing sample this year as I have a sneaking suspicion it was the strongest part of my application last year?
My other option is for me to revamp one of my older papers--one that is a far cry from meat and potatoes lit crit: I use psychoanalysis (NOT currently a particularly popular mode of critical inquiry) to analyze the television show Battlestar Galactica (2004) (NOT the most standard of texts). While I daresay that I do a good job offering a compelling argument that hinges on a clear understanding of my theoretical framework and excellent textual evidence, I'm not sure that this Writing Sample would do me any favors. While it shows evidence of my elasticity as a scholar, it doesn't directly speak to my desired field of study.
Should I show the admissions board something new, different, and flashy? Or should I stick with a refined version of the Writing Sample that they've already seen? If I wasn't _so_ close last year, it would be easy to decide to go in a different direction. How should I handle this situation?
Thanks in advance!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
9 answers to this question
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now