<p>From what I gather, in order to go to grad schools, I need:</p>
<ul>
<li>GRE scores</li>
<li>Good GPA</li>
<li>Research experience</li>
<li>3 good recommendation letters</li>
</ul>
<p>Anything else I'm missing?</p>
<p>-Strong statement of purpose.
-well articulated research interests that fit with the interests of the department</p>
<p>
[quote]
-well articulated research interests that fit with the interests of the department
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Or at least a well-crafted lie of one. ;)</p>
<ul>
<li>Portfolio (self-study artwork, non-assignment or commercial) or writing samples if required</li>
<li>Transcripts</li>
<li>Patience and some Tequila if get in, if you stressed from waiting or if you get rejected ;)</li>
</ul>
<p>And $$$ to spend on application fees, transcript fees, postage, and fees to send your GRE scores everywhere (and then rush fees to send your GRE scores again, when you find out the day before the deadline that ETS forgot to send them the first time). :-P</p>
<p>If you can email or talk to professors you'd be interested in working with to see if their personality and interests fit with yours and a possible increased admission chance (if they like you).</p>
<p>mollieb,</p>
<p>$$$ ain't no joke. I spent a fortune on all the stupid forms. AND to have ETS rush them later.</p>
<p>Screw you, ETS.</p>
<p>It's a pretty good racket for them, I think. Very convenient, the way they're always forgetting things.</p>
<p>Well, it's even worse when you live in Japan and they screw up. So not only do I have to manage to call them either REALLY early in the morning or REALLY late at night, I also have to sit on hold from Karatsu, Japan for 30 minutes and cry as I consider my next month's phone bill.</p>
<p>Jerks. </p>
<p>Don't EVER apply to grad school from abroad, ugh. I gave up on my PhD in part because of it.</p>
<p>Wow... shoot me now!! <em>tears hair out</em>
jks..</p>
<p>Just a dumb question though, what's a statement of purpose?</p>
<p>It's where you get to explain your background and your research interests, why you're applying to graduate school and what you hope to do there, and maybe make a few excuses as to why your GPA's not a 4.0. ;)</p>