noxrosa

I think I'm still having post-traumatic flashbacks to this mad dash through the city...

Just thought I'd pipe in on the UCSB front--I got in this year and not only did they offer me funding for my whole time there, they also let in an entering class this year that's larger than the last 3 years because they felt they could afford to. So don't write them off....

It's been 7 years since I finished my BA, but I definitely wouldn't call it "time off"--I was pursuing a completely unrelated career which I finally realized wasn't the right one for me. I'm terrified of going back to school at the same time as I'm unbelievably excited--I'm worried that in 7 years I've completely lost the rhythm of reading and writing that carried me through my 16 years of continuous education. I'm terrified that everyone else in my cohort will have "always" known they wanted an English PhD and have been preparing themselves for years, whereas for the past 7 years I was going after different goals. I think that my time in the "real world" will provide me with a lot of insight and perspective that will serve me well, but I worry I don't remember how to be a student! Hopefully after the summer school session I signed up for this summer I'll feel more in the swing of things. Hopefully.

Me neither. I accepted UCSB weeks ago, but it's still been eating at me!

Same for me! I think there's a big 28-32 crowd populating Grad Cafe.

Congratulations--I'm so happy to hear something came through for you!!

Congrats!!

This is second hand information, and not much of it, but I have a couple of friends currently living there, and I understand it has a VERY vibrant arts scene (music, theatre, comedy at least). Since they got that "European city of culture" distinction a few years ago I think they've really revamped a lot of the city.

Still no "secret waitlist" release for me either.... In fact, I already accepted UCSB's offer, so I'm not sure why it matters to me what Vanderbilt says, but I wish they'd say something!

It sucks that it sounds like you're having a bad experience at UCI (and the loss of European language departments is really frightening), but come on, you just can't make this kind of generalization about "West Coast Universities" without raising hackles! My undergraduate degree is from a UC (in Comp Lit), and the most brilliant professors I have ever encountered (and was lucky enough to take classes from) were professors of European history and literature.

I know there are varying opinions on this, but to me it seems your diverse background is a strength, not a weakness! It sounds like you've demonstrated all along (through coursework, essay contests, your second Masters) that literature is something you're excited about, and that, in combination with your SOP and writing sample AdComms would have a hard time doubting you're serious about wanting to pursue this track.

1. Staring at a computer screen 10 hours a day. Sure, I'll need a computer in Grad School, but I'll also need to look at books, and professors, and students. 2. Having to pretend to friends and strangers that I really love my job, because it's a good job, in a hard to break into industry, and I can't risk burning bridges within my field. 3. Having the exact same schedule every single weekday of the year. Hallelujah for the quarter system, where my schedule will change every 3 months!

I'll let schools know as soon as University of Chicago, Vanderbilt and University of Washington can be so polite as to reject me!

Same for me--my materials were late (damn you Royal Mail!), so I'm not surprised I'll be in the final group to hear.

Just got an email saying I'd been accepted to the MA program (I applied to the PhD). Unfunded, but the idea of moving to NYC is awfully nice (but not nice enough to pass up my funded PhD offer elsewhere)!