URM 2010-2011 Application Cycle Forum

[dkt4]

big congrats

[unc0mm0n1]

Alright, cycle is over it turned out kind of weird... but I got into Harvard off the waitlist today . Surprisingly the only other T14 schools I got into were Cornell and Michigan, waitlisted everywhere else, although I didn't apply to S or Y... I guess URM cycles really are very unpredictable

Congrats!

[chiach1]

Congrats to everyone on a great cycle!! This thread will help those of us applying next cycle tremendously.

I hope someone who applied this cycle can help me with an issue I have.

I would like to start writing and revising my personal statement, diversity statement and Why Essay's starting this summer (June) so when September rolls around everything will be set. My questions are
1) Do the Essay questions change yearly?
2) when the application closes are the Essay questions still up?
3) And if essay questions are no longer posted on the school's sites could someone please post them?

Thanks

[spacepenguin]

Congrats to everyone on a great cycle!! This thread will help those of us applying next cycle tremendously.

I hope someone who applied this cycle can help me with an issue I have.

I would like to start writing and revising my personal statement, diversity statement and Why Essay's starting this summer (June) so when September rolls around everything will be set. My questions are
1) Do the Essay questions change yearly?
2) when the application closes are the Essay questions still up?
3) And if essay questions are no longer posted on the school's sites could someone please post them?

Thanks

1. Essay questions are generally the same (I used two different PS for all of my applications, and I only used two because I wasn't entirely happy with my first one after a while)

2. If you write a Why X and a diversity statement, you'll satisfy most schools' optional essay requirements. If you're applying to Yale, write a 250 word essay of your choice.

3. The only school that I know of that has specific essay requirements are NYU; and those are for named scholarships only.

One recommendation: Send a diversity statement to every school, even those that don't specifically ask for one.

[BlakcMajikc]

2. If you write a Why X and a diversity statement, you'll satisfy most schools' optional essay requirements. If you're applying to Yale, write a 250 word essay of your choice.

If my memory serves me right, Northwestern and Michigan have a what career and why x combo essay. but im too lazy to open the applications up again.

[saito816]

Congrats to everyone on a great cycle!! This thread will help those of us applying next cycle tremendously.

I hope someone who applied this cycle can help me with an issue I have.

I would like to start writing and revising my personal statement, diversity statement and Why Essay's starting this summer (June) so when September rolls around everything will be set. My questions are
1) Do the Essay questions change yearly?
2) when the application closes are the Essay questions still up?
3) And if essay questions are no longer posted on the school's sites could someone please post them?

Thanks

One thing that wasn't clear enough for me after until after this cycle is the importance of a "Why X School" essay at certain schools even if it's not a requirement like at Michigan and Penn namely Duke and Virginia. I applied at D using the priority track without a Why Duke essay, and I think it led to me getting priority reserved, and Virginia it seems important to write one if you are out of state or you make your odds of ending up on their endless waitlist even greater.

[subtle]

Congrats to everyone on a great cycle!! This thread will help those of us applying next cycle tremendously.

I hope someone who applied this cycle can help me with an issue I have.

I would like to start writing and revising my personal statement, diversity statement and Why Essay's starting this summer (June) so when September rolls around everything will be set. My questions are
1) Do the Essay questions change yearly?
2) when the application closes are the Essay questions still up?
3) And if essay questions are no longer posted on the school's sites could someone please post them?

Thanks

One thing that wasn't clear enough for me after until after this cycle is the importance of a "Why X School" essay at certain schools even if it's not a requirement like at Michigan and Penn namely Duke and Virginia. I applied at D using the priority track without a Why Duke essay, and I think it led to me getting priority reserved, and Virginia it seems important to write one if you are out of state or you make your odds of ending up on their endless waitlist even greater.

I don't know how true the wisdom is about Why X. I didn't write a single Why essay and had a fairly successful cycle. I wonder if the advice about writing Why X isn't a bit of mixed up correlation and causation.

[unc0mm0n1]

Congrats to everyone on a great cycle!! This thread will help those of us applying next cycle tremendously.

I hope someone who applied this cycle can help me with an issue I have.

I would like to start writing and revising my personal statement, diversity statement and Why Essay's starting this summer (June) so when September rolls around everything will be set. My questions are
1) Do the Essay questions change yearly?
2) when the application closes are the Essay questions still up?
3) And if essay questions are no longer posted on the school's sites could someone please post them?

Thanks

One thing that wasn't clear enough for me after until after this cycle is the importance of a "Why X School" essay at certain schools even if it's not a requirement like at Michigan and Penn namely Duke and Virginia. I applied at D using the priority track without a Why Duke essay, and I think it led to me getting priority reserved, and Virginia it seems important to write one if you are out of state or you make your odds of ending up on their endless waitlist even greater.

I wrote a why duke for priority track and didn't get in even though I got into about 6 higher ranked law schools. Including Virginia out of state (TBF, I also wrote a why Virginia).

[yngblkgifted]

I wrote a why duke for priority track and didn't get in even though I got into about 6 higher ranked law schools. Including Virginia out of state (TBF, I also wrote a why Virginia).

To be fair, Duke is just weird. I wrote a why essay for Duke UniversiTTTy as well and I was waitlisted even though I was accepted to 5 higher ranked schools (2 of which were full rides). My stats also weren't good enough for YP. Of the 5 higer ranked schools I only wrote 1 why essay. who knows?

[yngblkgifted]

^^^^ apparently black and white Avatars are in style ITT.

[unc0mm0n1]

^^^^ apparently black and white Avatars are in style ITT.

You know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chiach1]

Thanks alot for the replies guys.
1 more question though,
So is it wise to submit a DS in addition to school specific essay for schools that ask of them? Or are 3 essays (PS,DS Why essay) overkill and only 2 is necessary?

Thanks in advance

[dkt4]

Thanks alot for the replies guys.
1 more question though,
So is it wise to submit a DS in addition to school specific essay for schools that ask of them? Or are 3 essays (PS,DS Why essay) overkill and only 2 is necessary?

Thanks in advance

imo, its overkill.

if it makes you feel like your app will be more successful, do it. there's no harm in doing it, but i think that a PS is stronger if its a stand-alone essay for various reasons.

[yngblkgifted]

Thanks alot for the replies guys.
1 more question though,
So is it wise to submit a DS in addition to school specific essay for schools that ask of them? Or are 3 essays (PS,DS Why essay) overkill and only 2 is necessary?

Thanks in advance

imo, its overkill.

if it makes you feel like your app will be more successful, do it. there's no harm in doing it, but i think that a PS is stronger if its a stand-alone essay for various reasons.

I don't think it is over-kill at all and like dkt4 said, there is no harm in doing it. The school that I am attending this fall got three statements from me.

[unc0mm0n1]

Thanks alot for the replies guys.
1 more question though,
So is it wise to submit a DS in addition to school specific essay for schools that ask of them? Or are 3 essays (PS,DS Why essay) overkill and only 2 is necessary?

Thanks in advance

imo, its overkill.

if it makes you feel like your app will be more successful, do it. there's no harm in doing it, but i think that a PS is stronger if its a stand-alone essay for various reasons.

I don't think it is over-kill at all and like dkt4 said, there is no harm in doing it. The school that I am attending this fall got three statements from me.

Once again I agree with Biggie.

[chiach1]

thanks guys really appreciate it.

[dkt4]

I don't think it is over-kill at all and like dkt4 said, there is no harm in doing it. The school that I am attending this fall got three statements from me.

yeah i can't say there's a definite downside to doing it really...i just thought that having to weave it all into one essay made me write a better PS. i'm sure that would change based on individual circumstances/topics.

[blacklawboss]

Just received a full scholarship to St. Johns, do I use it to bargain at Cardozo or Fordham? Or is it too weak of a piece to bring to the table?

[BlakcMajikc]

Some of the best advice given to me was to consider the ps, ds, and why x essays as the interview. you may be able to combine them based on the topics, but no matter what you want to reader to walk away with a great picture of why they should admit you into your program or more importantly, why they cant reject you. a combination of who you are, what you bring to the table, and why you will succeed at their institution (and in life) is the best formula in the essays.

[BlakcMajikc]

Just received a full scholarship to St. Johns, do I use it to bargain at Cardozo or Fordham? Or is it too weak of a piece to bring to the table?

what are you being offered from Cardozo and Fordham? (sorry, but too lazy to scroll back)
definitely bring it to the table, but the current $ Cardozo and Fordham are offering (or lack there of) will dictate how you present it.

[Sh@keNb@ke]

Hey all. I'm getting ready to apply in the fall and just finished up my PS and DS and was wondering if someone would like to give it a read? I think they're somewhat interesting stories so let me know if you can mark it up! Thanks!

[yngblkgifted]

Hey all. I'm getting ready to apply in the fall and just finished up my PS and DS and was wondering if someone would like to give it a read? I think they're somewhat interesting stories so let me know if you can mark it up! Thanks!

Dude, it's May...shouldn't you be studying for the LSAT or something? Unless you are doing both you overachiever!

You can send them my way if you want.

[Top14dreams]

Congrats again to all the awesome acceptances in this thread!

In at NYU off the waitlist

To future applicants there is hope for getting off a waitlist!!!

[Thirteen]

Congrats again to all the awesome acceptances in this thread!

In at NYU off the waitlist

To future applicants there is hope for getting off a waitlist!!!

Congrats!!!

[BlakcMajikc]

Congrats again to all the awesome acceptances in this thread!

In at NYU off the waitlist

To future applicants there is hope for getting off a waitlist!!!

Congrats!!!

Awesome!