writing sample seems like shit

[adroitdancer]

I turned in my application just now and I feel like my writing sample is shit lol. Does anyone feel like this as a result of reading and rereading it a thousand times??? For me the effect is amplified because it is written in a foreign language.

Edited December 31, 2017 by adroitdancer
security

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

At some point you need to stop reading them. Usually, sometime after hitting submit.

Honestly, I try not to read them too much once I've decided they're done because I'll feel the exact same and I don't need that extra anxiety in my life.

[fuzzylogician]

For the love of all that is holy, don't look at your materials after you've submitted them. It's only going to give you grief. 

For what it's worth, I know almost no one who is not mortified by their own old writing. 

[unicornsarereal]

Yeah, I submitted my masters dissertation that I did well on and was super proud of. I've had some major cringe sessions since i started research for another topic within the same period—which is interesting, i think!

[waltzforzizi]

I did something that others may view as big no-no and would like some feedback. Long story short, my POI at the school I applied to took a liking to me, like A HUGE liking for me. They were offering me this and that, but this was before I told them about my GPA and mental illness struggle haha. Anyway, my card wasn't working online to pay the app fee, I live abroad and these things happened, so I hastily uploaded everything and had to ask around to find a card that worked. 

I realized I did not upload the proper personal history paper. I emailed the graduate affairs guy, but receive no response. I emailed my POI and they suggested to send the PDFS. Based on the response I receive from my POI and the admissions affairs guy should I worry at all?

Every school has different guidelines and I asked if I was overstepping my boundaries as a potential candidate. Everything was received well. I don't know though... 

[jrockford27]

Well, it's like I've said a great many times on this forum: if you were a fully finished scholar, capable of drafting impeccable academic manuscripts, then you wouldn't need to be in grad school.  They likely don't care too much about how graceful your prose is, they care whether you demonstrated that you are capable of forming interesting and original ideas.  This is probably especially true of applicants whose first language isn't English.

I've personally taken @GreenEyedTrombonist's advice to the extreme.  I applied to grad school in 2012 and I haven't laid eyes on my writing sample, or any of my materials, since then.

Your committee will help you become a good writer.  I'm in my fifth year now and I still seem to catch a bit of hell from my advisor for technical issues every time I get feedback on a draft  For now, what's important is demonstrating you have potential.

 

@waltzforzizi, I'm sure the POI will make sure your documents get to the right place if they went through the trouble of asking you for them.  Try to imagine the faculty at the programs you're applying to as people not so different from yourself (after all, that's what they are, a more experienced version of you).  Would you cut yourself some slack in this situation?  If the answer is yes, you probably don't have that much to worry about.

Edited January 3, 2018 by jrockford27

[Dogfish Head]

I just really like the title of this post. I also relate to it. I am sure it will all work out! 

[FreakyFoucault]

I mentioned this in a different thread, but I'd strongly recommend shredding your physical WS rough drafts, if you have any still lying around. You must be careful, however, to do this without actually looking at the contents thereof because if you find an error, you're going to wonder, "Oh shit, did this sneak through to my final version? Ermahgerd, is it too late to email adcomms a revised kerpy???" 

Other things you can do with old WS drafts:

1) tape them into a hat (it's cold here in the Midwest, after all);

2) make an old-school fortune teller with which you can prognosticate your admission chances; 

3) construct a paper airplane to show your engineering friends that their jobs aren't really that hard;

4) use for kindling (see first point); or, finally,

5) fold an individual piece in half more than 103 times and break the Universe, at which point, you needn't worry any more about adcomm decisions... (https://sploid.gizmodo.com/if-you-fold-a-paper-in-half-103-times-it-will-be-as-thi-1607632639) 

Did I miss any? 

[mk-8]

1 hour ago, FreakyFoucault said:

I mentioned this in a different thread, but I'd strongly recommend shredding your physical WS rough drafts, if you have any still lying around. You must be careful, however, to do this without actually looking at the contents thereof because if you find an error, you're going to wonder, "Oh shit, did this sneak through to my final version? Ermahgerd, is it too late to email adcomms a revised kerpy???" 

Other things you can do with old WS drafts:

1) tape them into a hat (it's cold here in the Midwest, after all);

2) make an old-school fortune teller with which you can prognosticate your admission chances; 

3) construct a paper airplane to show your engineering friends that their jobs aren't really that hard;

4) use for kindling (see first point); or, finally,

5) fold an individual piece in half more than 103 times and break the Universe, at which point, you needn't worry any more about adcomm decisions... (https://sploid.gizmodo.com/if-you-fold-a-paper-in-half-103-times-it-will-be-as-thi-1607632639) 

Did I miss any? 

Old WS drafts also make for great litter box lining, you know, since they're basically shit anyway.

[FreakyFoucault]

2 minutes ago, mk-8 said:

since they're basically shit anyway.

LOL I'm dying!

[mk-8]

3 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said:

LOL I'm dying!

Only trying to add to the great humor you brought!

[FreakyFoucault]

1 minute ago, mk-8 said:

Only trying to add to the great humor you brought!