Finis

The writing sample is complete. Flawed, but complete.

The problem is a familiar one for me. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, as my grandmother would have said. In twenty pages I try to assert a thesis that really is a great topic for a dissertation that could easily be ten times longer. Instead of being able to discuss how other writers have touched on my topic, I can only mention them in a brief paragraph and then move on. And instead of fully developing a point of minutiae, I've opted for indicating a sweeping new interpretation, and hinting that I have an understanding of the details.

I'm banking heavily upon the assurances from several professors that the paper does not have to publication ready. Because my paper is most definitely not.

Now, there just remains tackling my statement of purpose. I swear, I deserve a degree for simply completing the application processes.