<p>All the universities I looked into require an essay sample. Who reads them? If I write one on Parthenon frieze, do they have an ancient art prof to read it? Because otherwise how do they know the factual accuracy of a very technical discussion? I’ve also been hinted at that the prof of the particular field you apply as must consent to working with you in order for your acceptance. So, I’m assuming the prof in the particular field of your interest does read your essay… or does it depend on schools?</p>
<p>The adcom will divide up the pile of applications so each professor has an equal load. There is no way to tell who will read any given application. </p>
<p>However - don’t worry that what you write might somehow be un-intelligible to a random professor in the field. The point of the writing sample is to show that you can engage with primary sources in your field as well as current scholarship and produce a coherent argument in suppport of your thesis. While it is nice to add something to the scholarship, that is not the expectation for an application essay (at least in humanities fields). </p>
<p>And honestly, it would be an extremely rare undergrad who could write something so unusual about such a well studied artifact that any random professor in the field would find it difficult to understand or evaluate. If you are using an unusual or new (for the field) methodology, your argument justifying that methodology will likely be more important than the actual results. </p>
<p>If you get past the first screen, your essay may then be read by other comittee members.</p>
<p>The business of advisors varies by school. Obviously a very small school like Brown will have less flexibility than a Michigan. If you are planning to apply to a school based on the presence of a particular professor, you should definitely write him or her and ask about the possibilities. Departments vary in the timing and process of creating an advising comittee, so it can help to know in advance if the professor you’re interested in might be planning leave (or other activities) during the timeframe when you’ll be forming your diss. committee.</p>
<p>If you have a professor who is telling you to confirm that a given school or professor is accepting students then you most definitely MUST make contact. I’ve found that what a professors thinks is a clear and direct order often seems like no more than a gentle hint to an undergrad.</p>