Milo_10011

When I earned my MA in journalism, it required effort, but not an obscene amount of it. Monty Python used to have the sketch that had two characters exchanging declarations of the hardships they'd faced, culminating in something like, "I used to have to get up before I went to bed, eat poison, pay my boss to let me work," etc. Where do the earners of MA's in English place their efforts? Specifically: 1. Time commitment. How much time each day was spent fulfilling requirements for the degree? Example (from journalism): From my recollection, an absolute minimum of about 30 hours a week was needed. That covered assignments, reading, research, classes, and so forth. Some days were go-go-go for 10 hours at a stretch, then there would be a day where things could be shifted around. It was even possible to scrounge up a 3-day weekend every so often. In short: it required a lot of continuous effort, but I was, by no means, weeping uncontrollably because it was just impossible to keep up. 2. Intellectual effort. The journalism MA required some concentration. But I'd been a journalist at that point for several years. The "new" things (e.g., learning to write a research paper in the proper format) were pretty easy to pick up because it wasn't a complete unknown, more like a dialect. After the first couple of weeks, it was like a second language that I only occasionally needed to pause and whip out the phrase book for. 3. How possible is it to manage a part-time job while doing an MA? 4. I have to obtain the MA to go after the PhD. I already have an MA. How does that help? Or hinder? Many thanks for any answers.

I'm planning on applying for a PhD in English (I'm still unsure about concentration: maybe creative writing, maybe American literature) in about a year (there are loose ends I have to close off in my life before I undertake it). I have a good GPA (3.675) from an MA that I was taking in polisci. I have a similar GPA for an MA prior to that (I have to dig up the paperwork to get the exact figure). I live in New York, so I have a lot of resources to exploit. I want to add items that will help round out my application. Any advice?

wtncftts, "Now, if the situation is just that you continued to express interest after they initially rejected you, and for some reason the school/program had an open spot and you were the next in line, that's not so unusual, I suppose. But the OP seems to have gone through a formal process of rejection appeal, which is odd." I hadn't even thought of the scenario you introduce, but the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that you seem to have pegged it square on the head. When I wrote "appeal" I didn't mean in any formal sense. There were no forms or anything, just a "Thanks anyway, and I hope ________ University will reconsider my application next semester." (I try not to write long posts because the details get out of hand and sometimes I make defective word choices in a mad dash for brevity.) What probably happened was just another instance of "Well, we came up very short this year. A lot more of the people we offered a spot to than we expected went with another program. How many on the waiting list? After we get their answers, lets take the best of the rejects." Best of the rejects. I would have preferred the come-from-behind-feel-good-story-of-the-decade, winning out against incredible odds, but as long as I get to go to graduate school. Any seat in the lifeboat will do.

I was initially rejected from my college. I appealed the rejection successfully and was accepted. I've told a few friends, and they all give me a look and (almost) call me a liar right to my face. Is getting a rejection turned into an acceptance THAT unusual?

How regrettable for Mal83 that the world will be ending today, even though it's already tomorrow in New Zealand. (Personally, I knew the world wasn't ending. I still have student loans to pay.)

Although I'm not in a grad program yet (decision letter should arrive any day now ...) I am looking forward to grad school, regardless of whether the program is good, bad, or meh. I've been out of work for over two years. Although I can cover the gap in employment by claiming (truthfully) that I was a consultant/temp/freelancer and kept busy in my field, I simply cannot survive in this job market. My industry took a massive hit (thank you Internet and all the pajama-clad thieves who "aggregate" content) and will not be coming back (expect a LOT more of that as the Internet's ability to apply slave wages to every field of human endeavor becomes more and more widespread. Eventually, all that will be left is prostitutes, fork-lift drivers, and security guards). I'm going to get the degree, yes. But I'm also going (if I get in) because I can't survive in this economy. I have to start a new career path. Grad school will give me the perfect resume patch and allow me to reposition myself for a new career. (I really don't think teaching can be outsourced. Perhaps it can, but at that point, I think unemployment will be around 60% and the looters will be burning the cities to the ground.)

You should read "The Giving Tree." It's a story by Shel Silverstein about a tree who gives and gives of itself and is used and used by a boy. About once every three years, I run into a story in the news about how a university "accidentally" sent acceptance letters to undergrads who had actually been rejected. Some of those students, nearly hysterical, explain that they've already withdrawn applications from other universities or turned down offers of admission from those universities. The comment from the university? Invariably is something like, "We genuinely understand their frustration, but our hands are tied." Translation: "Look, basic decency dictates that we eat this mistake. It was our fault, and we're going to make room for these kids. But, hey, what are they gonna do? Sue us? If they had any clout, they'd have been accepted via the Good Old Boy Network. Let 'em go to community college." The notion that any of these places cares, one way or the other, about you personally, is risible. They don't care if you live or die, are thrilled or miserable. If you don't show up on Sept. 1 (or whenever) do you think the university will spontaneously combust? Of course not. It'll be a "hmm" and a few clicks of a mouse and some notes in a file and then the department will re-apportion the money they would have given you or re-notify the wait list applicants. They'll say every flattering thing they can to get you to sign the loan paperwork, and after that, it's basically, "Look, we aren't here for you. The professors have research they need to do. Get back to your slave-wage teaching assignments, you." Send them a letter explaining that your initial decision was predicated on certain factors beyond your control (e.g., the economy hasn't recovered sufficiently). Let them know that you accept that withdrawing at this late date, and after accepting, is enormously inconvenient, and then throw in a phrase like, "However, I feel now that were I to carry through with attendance at your university, the stress it would introduce into my life would poison the quality of my work."

I, too, have been through roommates from hell/neighbors from hell. Switching off the electricity is good, but in our overly litigious society, I would be hesitant, if for no other reason than how easy it is to be arrested (albeit not convicted). A lot of things that the more rational among us would simply dismiss as nonsense, CANNOT be dismissed by the police. So if Stoner 2 goes to the police the next day and says, "Dude, our neighbor totally shut our power off and then threatened us," you could end up having to go to court. And the court, surprise, will not be sympathetic to you. "You," you will be told, "should have handled it differently." I say this from the perspective of someone who has had all manner of wonderful, funny, sexy, neurotic, and flat-out stark-raving-crazy roommates. Most of them, I think back on with great fondness and affection. From all my experience, I've come to the following conclusions (and here I ramble): Living on-campus is the ultimate crap-shoot. But, for the first semester of grad school, it can be a life saver while you figure out the nuances of the off-campus housing search. The dining commons may feel repulsive, but (just like in the musical Avenue Q) I missed the meal plan my first few years out. If you go back on-campus, try to look at the benefits (someone else will do the cooking, hallelujah). Living off-campus is also a crap-shoot, but there are a lot of things you can control much more than you'd think. Using the off-campus housing office, find someone who has a house to rent as close as possible to campus. Why a house, and why close to campus? Houses simply are better. Why? A house minimizes certain stresses. I lived in an apartment with only three other neighbors. The front and back door to the building were on spring arms that slammed the doors shut. My downstairs neighbor would be in and out about 15 times each morning, and then 15 times each evening. He also played a lot of bass-heavy music on a speaker. The pulsation was what came through, not the music. Just thump-thump-thump. In a house, as it's your housemate, you can force a resolution. Close to campus? It doesn't have to be right next door. Even five or six blocks away can put you far enough away to escape most of the down-side of campus hooliganism. But don't be like a friend of mine who found a beautiful place on a lake (a mere 20 miles from campus) at a great price. Sure, it was fantastically serene. But during the winter, that 20 miles took an hour and a half to drive because a good stretch of it was down roads the township didn't plow until three days later. In the good weather, because of all the lights, it still took something like 45 minutes. Do you really want to constantly be panicked because of the thought of what will happen if your car doesn't work for four days? It sounds high school, but make a list. My list? House must have washer/dryer, dishwasher, a basement or attic for storage. I want at least three roommates, but no more than five. A patio or balcony is not required. Off-street parking? Preferred. If you'll be in a cold climate, what about snow shoveling? Most landlords will stick the tenants with that. You are required to shovel within 24 hours of snowfall's end or some such. Yard work? Check all these things with the landlord. Whatever your preferences are, don't try to settle. Where I live right now, the neighborhood had one coin-op laundromat. It closed six months ago. I have no idea where people are doing their laundry, but wherever it is, it's miles away. You don't want to be one of those people who really wanted a washer/dryer but then "settled" because there was a coin-op two streets over. When you find the place to move, ask the landlord (if it's a vacant house), if you can be in charge of the tenant search. This means you will be responsible for the entirety of the rent. If it's a good house, in a safe neighborhood, close to supermarkets, campus, and some night life, this will not be a problem. You will find tenants. I did this once. There was a very satisfying realization to choosing who would be moving in. I made good choices. By the time you get to grad school, people are not going to be "offended" by detailed lists of what you're looking for in housemates. (If they are, it's almost universally an indicator that the offended party has some or all of the behaviors you are trying to avoid.) If you're moving in with other people already there, be active each time a new tenant comes along. In theory, the people who've been there the longest will be leaving the soonest. Don't get saddled with "their" choices if you don't like them. Don't be totally unreasonable about it, but stick up for yourself. And now I'm going to bed, to dream about finally getting my letter of rejection/acceptance. Last night I dreamed I was choking. In the dream, I tried to pull whatever I was choking on out of my mouth. As I pulled, I realized (in the dream) that I was tugging on my own insides. Somehow, I am convinced it's a metaphor for my waiting for the decision from my college.

Yesterday's mail (as closely as I can recall): bill, magazine, flyer, political donation request, veterinarian reminder card, NO ADMISSION DECISION, another bill. ...

When I finally reach my breaking point, I'm gonna just walk in there and ask. The school I'm trying for is 15 minutes away. And I'm gonna hold my breath until they. Let. Me. In!!!!!!!!!1!

I'm gonna jump on that for one split second. The GRE DOES have a statistically significant connection to graduate school. (wait for it). Apparently the GRE does have a barely statistical relevance to predicting whether a student will success in the first year of graduate school. But only for that first year. I don't remember where on the Internet I read that, but it was a reputable place (not Pajama12Blog or something like that). My suspicion is that the GRE's major utility is a negative one. That is, doing well is no indicator that you can cut it in grad school. However, doing badly is a pretty good indicator that you will do badly in grad school. Obviously, this would not always be the case, but I think the GRE's biggest use is similar to how companies won't look at resumes from people who only have high school degrees because they figure there's a significantly higher likelihood of the person not being able to conform to a corporate/business environment.

Another thing to consider ... If the schools are going to be that anal about a GPA, do you really want to go there? I'm not trying to sound "sour grapes" here, but really, if I wanted arbitrary heartlessness and officiousness masquerading as professionalism, I could continue working for a corporation.

Wow. Tom Petty was right. The waiting IS the hardest part.

Basically, just wondering, how long did you have to wait for the answer? My department's final day for submissions was April 30. I'm just wondering when I should go insane ...

I'm trying for admission to a U.S. polisci program. It's a two-year program for the M.A. However, for the Ph.D., I am very strongly considering attending a Canadian university. My hope is to go directly from the M.A. to the Ph.D., pausing just long enough to have the huge moving sale before arriving at the border with everything I own crammed into a very small moving van. 1. I am certainly not the first person to do this, can anyone offer a first-person experience about THEIR experience? 2. If I were interested in pursuing Canadian citizenship after grad school, how difficult is it? Is dual-citizenship (American/Canadian) something that can be done? 3. From my initial research, the most likely school I would be trying for would be the University of Toronto. Can anyone offer some first-hand experience on UT? Thanks all.