juliep Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Helloto everybody. I have a huge doubt, I think I took a wrong decision and I wanted to know your opinion. I decided not to add any writing sample to my applications because my main advisor told me that it was better to join nothing than an "average" writing sample. Given my master's thesis was lost (yes... my computer was stolen, my co-worker did not keep it as I was keeping it...my thesis advisor does not keep anything nor my university!!!), that I have been working for 3 years (ouside of academics) and that I have a heavy workload in which I already had to stick time for GRE studying, SOPs and everything related to applications, I decided to skip it. But I have just received this email from Chicago: "We have sent your application file to the Department of Economics at their request, but your application remains incomplete. We have updated your online checklist to show the supporting documents currently received. (...) Until we receive your materials, your application will be reviewed as it stands. Incomplete applications are reviewed but may be at a competitive disadvantage." Do you think it is a serious disadvantage of not sending one (my advisor is better connected at East Cost's universities and maybe underestimated the importance of the wirting sample of Chicago)? Should I quickly write something that will be "average" for sure, or skip it? I know you are not adcoms ;-) but what is your feeling on this question, from any experience you had? Thank you very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfilet Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I am in no position whatsoever to contradict whatever your advisor says, but I would have sent one. I was also not extremely happy with the writing sample I sent (just a working paper I wrote with some colleagues), but I guess the aim is to evaluate how you write academically, and not properly the content (even though I might be wrong). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkingHard Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 It is a shame you cannot explain that situation to the admissions. I contend that having something at par with your competition is good because without it, they have less to compare -- so they look at another candidate and they can say with more certainty what the person is like. I am sure you have some paper you have written, or research proposal with some mediocre data/conclusions; you are underestimating your work I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedxs Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I think they only use it for borderline applicants. All the other top 5 schools do not require/accept writing samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucette Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 When I applied (december 2008), the writing sample was a required part of the Chicago application (and I know for a fact that at least List looked my submission). Judging from their message to you ("incomplete application") and their admissions web page (University of Chicago: Department of Economics)--which mentions the writing sample not once, but twice--it's still required. It's the only school I can think of off the top of my head where a sample is required, which is perhaps why your advisor unintentionally lead you astray. It's probably too late to do anything about it, unless you have an old term paper laying around; I've no idea how forgiving the admissions committee is about late submissions. If you have something worth submitting, it might be worth a try. People in my class submitted a whole range of stuff, from polished senior theses to short term papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeno Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 1 data point: Somebody I know submitted an exposition of a mathematical proof (obscure, irrelevant to econ -- an area called "semialgebraic geometry") and got into Chicago with funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfilet Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 1 data point: Somebody I know submitted an exposition of a mathematical proof (obscure, irrelevant to econ -- an area called "semialgebraic geometry") and got into Chicago with funding. So it maybe does matter :) or there is endogeneity with the rest of the profile... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewhiterabbit Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 As lucette writes above, I believe the writing sample is required: University of Chicago: Department of Economics "A writing sample is required in the application for admission to graduate study in this department." I don't know how much weight they put on it (probably varies depending on the rest of the profile) but I am very doubtful that they'd admit someone at such a competitive school who hadn't submitted anything at all for a required component of the application. An advisor gave me similar advice to yours, that at most places the writing sample is only worth sending if it's outstanding.... but if it's required, it seems obvious. You could always try asking if they'd accept something this late... I doubt it'd work, but it doesn't hurt to try. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliep Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thank you all for your answers! I guess they may still accept something as they ask me to send it as soon as possible, I really don't have anything because I have been 4 years out of school and all I had was in that stupid computer stolen (we let the door of our house wide open for 2 months before anything happened so we can positively blame noone but ourself...). So I am going to try to write something tonight after work and let's hope that WorkingHard is right and that I am underestimating me ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Econ2011 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wait, you did not save your thesis somewhere online, and did not have backups? I just find that ridiculous. I save a copy of my papers everyday either in gmail or separate disk. I hope people learn something from your experience. Having said that, it is a bit weird you don't have any papers to show for despite being interested in econ PhD and out of school for 4 years (does not have to be published!). If I were you, I would send something. They did not put that requirement for nothing (other schools could have done that too!). Good luck though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Yes it is compulsory otherwise your application will remain incomplete.I dunno how much important it is though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedxs Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thank you all for your answers! I guess they may still accept something as they ask me to send it as soon as possible, I really don't have anything because I have been 4 years out of school and all I had was in that stupid computer stolen (we let the door of our house wide open for 2 months before anything happened so we can positively blame noone but ourself...). So I am going to try to write something tonight after work and let's hope that WorkingHard is right and that I am underestimating me ;-) Similar thing happened to me. I ended up retrieving it from my college thesis advisor. For what it's worth, none of the faculty I talked to when I visited Chicago even mentioned my writing sample. Logically, they should be more interested in your current and future research. In any case, I feel that undergrad work is so mediocre compared to grad work that there is no point submitting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliep Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wait, you did not save your thesis somewhere online, and did not have backups? I just find that ridiculous. I save a copy of my papers everyday either in gmail or separate disk. I hope people learn something from your experience. Having said that, it is a bit weird you don't have any papers to show for despite being interested in econ PhD and out of school for 4 years (does not have to be published!). ! Well sorry for being so ridiculous as you say, but it is an accumulation of circonstances that results in this situatin today… I have never been very good at technology, so I saved it in my former emailbox and then forget about it. I also thought that in any case my co-worker would have it (he thought the same apparently…) or my teacher (we have even been awarded a 7k scholarship and she did not keep it…). At that time I did no think of pursuing as a Phd student as this very teacher dispirited me thoroughly, saying I would never succeed, that nobody would ever succeed, that it had become so complicated to get accepted bla bla bla. Anyway I had a huuuuge debt to pay back so all this was very very far away… Meanwhile my laptop was stolen, my emailbox (the one from my university) got destroyed, my ex teacher looks overwhelmed by anything in life, I visited her some month ago and she desperately started opening all her files, everything was so mixed up… And my ex-co-worker, who is actually doing a phd, has nothing. I reckon it is no excuse but yes, it can happen, it’s not “ridiculous”. And as you say if it can be useful for current undergraduates, that’s always something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkingHard Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 That is a pretty terrible situation, least you now know how silly the teacher's comments were to you about success! Regardless of whether or not you get into Chicago because of, or not because of, a good writing sample, still tremendous leverage at other programs and individual leadership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecsrui Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I think you can check the email box which you had used to send your master thesis, those emailbox usually can save your mail with attachment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliep Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes I could… Unfortunately I sent it from my university mail (again I did not really think of keeping it or whatever at that time). But I left my university 4 years ago, therefore it has been deleted, I’m sure of that I’ve already tried it… Yesterday at night I was desperately trying to write something quickly and always thinking it was so poor compared with what I could write with time. But again I should not have skipped it in the first place. At least it gave me a good laugh when I read that samples of more than 20 pages should be sent in a separate envelops or something like that… No risk… But thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest _nanashi Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Call them, and ask them what they want for the writing sample. If they want something research oriented explain circumstances. Not having a writing sample will effect your admissions. Calling Chicago to ask what you can do won't effect you negatively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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