timeline for application process?

[eaw0929]

I'm applying to grad programs in English for fall 2009, so the majority of my applications are due in December/January

Comments

[saunders]

I think about.com has some "applying to graduate school" timetables, but personally, it will largely depend on your situation. If you are still in school, I suggest you get as much done over the summer as possible. That said, getting as much done early as you can is always a good idea

[eaw0929]

My only concern -- and it may be a crazy paranoid one -- is that my application file will somehow be "lost" if I send it all in early, like October. This is unlikely, I'm sure?

The reason I'm trying to get things done early is that I am out of undergrad, 5 years out in fact, and I my current job is high school English teacher. So I was hoping to have a lot of my application work done early so there is very little to be done once the insanity of teaching starts in late August.

I've already done my general GRE, actually, and now I'm mostly concerned about my subject GRE.

Thank you for your advice.

[brittdreams]

Some of your application materials will inevitably get lost either way. My reason for not submitting in October is that something could change between then and Jan 1. For me, it's usually my interests that are evolving (and my writing style) so a personal statement from November is closer to what I want than one from August. But go with what works for you. No timeline is ideal for everyone.

[circumfession]

Seconding virtually everything that Saunders suggested. I think I followed nearly the exact schedule. The one difference might be that I started studying for my Lit GRE's in May. I took a practice test...and scored...ummm...around a 400, so I obviously had my work cut out for me. I scheduled my GRE for late July, so:

Writing Sample: May-August, then revising again August-November (I worked on that sucker until the very end)
GRE: May-July
Lit GRE: May-October. (I took mine twice...didn't receive the score from the first try until the day of my second test, just after I got out of the testing room)
SoP: August-December
Recommenders: I also put together a super-organized folder, and send it to them (in email form) around October. I contacted all of my professors to ask for recommendations as early as 2-3 years ago, at the end of my class.
Transcripts: started requesting them in early November...and my schools still managed to lose them several times.

[crazypumpkin]

It really depends on what you are good at, what you know you can get done easily and how you work. I knew I needed a lot of time to study (again) for the GRE and that it would take me forever to write my SOP, so I gave myself a lot of time to do both. I'm reasonably good at asking people for things and gathering documents, so I didn't worry about that taking too long. Overall, I'd say plan on being done earlier than you think you need to, because you never know what will come up.

When in doubt contact admissions

[joony]

You should find out if any of the schools you are applying to have rolling admissions. If the school has a rolling admissions policy you may want to submit your applications earlier than October.

[qaffangyrl]

I kind of rushed and I took a huge gamble in that I only applied to one (very competitive) program. Shockingly it worked out for me. I start grad school at UT Austin in about six weeks! WOOHOO

[empty_branch]

12 weeks? Are they for real? I could never remember something I learned 12 weeks ago. I guess it's different for everyone though.

[lamath]

Do your GREs over the summer. They do take some intensive studying, especially the vocabulary memorization part (and I guess the math if it's a weak point for you.) I e-mailed my recommenders late summer/early fall, and submitted my applications at the end of October. I would honestly recommend doing the SOP over the summer too, after the GREs. I didn't do my SOP until October, when I should have been studying for my midterms, so it was a bit of a time crunch balancing my courseload and also continuously editing/revising my SOPs for each school. There's no harm in submitting early if your application is complete (i.e. you're happy with everything you've submitted).

[eaw0929]

Thankfully, I've already done my general GREs and I'm pleased with my scores. The subject GRE is what I'm worrying about now.