Graduate School

I am in the process of applying for graduate school (specifically a master's in public policy) for the Fall of 2009. I will be using this here blog to keep track of what I have to do, when I have to do it, and how it went. It is July 14 and I am submitting all my applications by the earliest deadline which is December 1. That is 140 days from now.

Stats:
UG GPA: 3.69
Major GPA: 3.91
Upper Division: 3.89
GRE: 690V/730Q, 4.5 AW
Recommenders: No one you've ever heard of.
Resume: Pretty awesome, but also kind of lacking
SOP: It will kick ass
Other: We'll see what comes up.
Costs: INSANE! So far $140 on the GRE.
Schools to which I am applying: I am keeping it a secret but #1 is in California, #2 is in Pennsylvania, #3 is in Wisconsin, #4 is in Oregon, and #5 is in Massachusetts, and #6 is in Maryland.

So far I have identified people I would like to work with at schools #1, #2, and #5. I am planning to rework my resume today (I have been applying for jobs, so it needs to be tailored for schools). I am meeting with one potential recommender for lunch (we're friends). I am contacting a professor at my school who went to school #2 who I hope will be willing to sit down with me and tell me all about policy programs and the school. I have a rough draft of my statement of purpose (SOP). I also work with someone that went to school #2 so I am going to chat her up some.

Applications don't become available until September so I am kind of spinning my wheels, but I am trying to get done what I can.