sample writing

[the_pesh_mode]

I am applying to grad. school in California. CSU Chico, Humboldt, and other places. I have already talked to their graduate coordinators. They told me not to send something too long, but not too short? They never really gave me a concrete number. How long was your sample? Thanks.

Comments

[either_or]

15-20.

[tisiphone]

I had two different samples, because one program wanted something that was 20-30 pages (!!) and another wanted something that was 5-10. Rather than chopping a chunk out of a longer piece I chose something that was shorter, but well-written; for the longer piece I selected one of my capstone seminar essays, about the formation of a digital proletariat. If they say something "not too long but not too short" I'd aim for 7-15 pages, personally.

[mintyfreshsocks]

I think this is going to depend on your field; for mine, probably 15-20 pages is the *longest* sample most undergrads would send. A sample that was mid-range in length would be 7-12 pages; short would be under 7.