cheshirequeen

My father is a professor, and he actually takes it personally when he DOESN'T hear from former mentees, especially people for whom he wrote recommendation letters. Echoing a few posters above and based on what I've heard my father say, I would strongly recommend that you touch base with professional updates at the very least, and another thank you every once in a while. My father loves hearing about the successes that his former students have had!

This has all been very helpful; thanks, everyone!

From the Berkeley website for Financial Aid (http://grad.berkeley.edu/financial/deadlines.shtml) Stipends range from $18,000 to $27,000 per academic year for two years, in addition to departmental support years which add at least two years of support in the form of fellowships and/or research or teaching assistantships.

Ditto the websites recommended above. That's all I really used to study, plus I skimmed through the Norton Anthology of English Lit. It opened up a lot more schools on my list that I could apply to.

Is Baylor out of the question?

I've taken 2 years since graduating from college to teach high school English with Teach For America. I graduated from college early, though, so I'm not really older than most entering PhD candidates who are going straight from undergrad. (Although I do feel more mature.) I'm really glad that I took the time between undergrad and grad school--it helped clarify my thoughts about going, and reaffirmed my commitment. I know now, having been away from academia for 2 years, that this is the right thing for me.

I think it partly depends on how you worded your question. If you asked for top programs, that's one thing; if you asked for recommendations of programs, then I would think that they're giving you program recommendations based on fit and potential to get in.

I'm inclined to think that it would be best to have separate writing samples for comp lit programs and English programs. Remember, ad comms are looking to see what type of research you've already done in the field that you will be studying.

I'll be attending for English! (and looking for female roommates within walking distance--PM me)

Congratulations!!!

I'm currently living in Atlanta as a Teach For America corps member--female in her early 20s. I would imagine that my monthly income is about the same as a grad students--I take home about $1500/month. Fall 09/Spring 10 I lived in Grant Park (which is just southeast of GATech and GA State) in a house I shared with 2 architects through Craigslist for $600/month. It was very central and a 15-minute or less drive to anything in Atlanta, but a quiet neighborhood. Unfortunately, Grant Park is going through gentrification so parts of it are still sketchy. This year I'm living in a house shared with a government employee and a bartender in the Poncey Highlands (sandwiched between Inman Park, L5P, and the Virginia Highlands) for $650/month. Very safe location, and within walking distance of tons of bars, shops, movies, and restaurants. Midtown can be a great place to live although generally more expensive, especially if you're looking for a 1br. I like the area in Midtown close to a shopping complex that has a Trader Joe's, Mellow Mushroom, a movie theater, and a good Indian place. The area's also super close to Piedmont Park, which is one of the best parks in Atlanta. Creative Loafing is a free weekly that posts info about local events, concerts, festivals, etc: http://clatl.com/ The food in Atlanta is the best, too. Buford Highway and Jimmy Carter Boulevard in northeast Atlanta have terrific ethnic restaurants (Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, etc) and ethnic grocery stores that go on for miles and miles. There's a burgeoning street food movement in Atlanta, too, particularly in my neighborhood. Here are my favorite restaurants: Cafe Intermezzo in Buckhead Amazing dessert, coffee, a little fancier, very intimate feeling. http://www.cafeintermezzo.com/ Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft in Buckhead Reasonably priced Thai; delicious entrees; and an actual tuk-tuk on the ground floor! http://www.tuktukatl.com/ Antico Pizza near Georgia Tech in Midtown The best pizza you will EVER eat—I highly recommend the San Gennaro pizza. Get 1 pizza for every 2-3 people, and get the Nutella-stuffed cannoli, too! http://www.anticopizza.it/ Dressed Salads in Midtown Fresh, delicious, gigantic salads with a million choices of toppings. Great lunch spot, and right by the TFA office. I go whenever I have to be at the TFA office late at night to do work. http://www.dressedsalads.com/ Ru Sans in Midtown Crazy cheap sushi and Japanese dishes (fried rice, tempura, etc), plus a lively tradition of sake bomb-ing http://rusans.com/ The Shed at Glenwood in East Atlanta There was a scene in “Blind Side” that was shot here! The food is also really good—the sliders especially. On Wednesday nights, they’re $3 apiece. http://www.theshedatglenwood.com/ Cafe di Sol in the Poncey-Highlands Fantastic brunch, really good sandwiches and cocktails http://www.cafedisol.com/ Planet Bombay in Little Five Points One of the best places for Indian around Midtown, plus the neighborhood they’re in (L5P) is fun to walk around in afterwards to work off all that chicken and naan! http://www.planetbombay.com/Users/Home.aspx Leon’s in Decatur Great for beer-aficionados, plus they have a million different sauces for french fry dipping—love it! http://leonsfullservice.com/ Yeah! Burger in the Virginia-Highlands Cute decor, delicious burgers that don’t feel heavy, and also a million different sauces. http://www.yeahburger.com/

I'm inclined to think that the school with the professors you want most to build a working and personal relationship with would be the best choice. That said, $50K of debt after the first year is very scary. Would you have to take on a part-time job, too?

I think that having a professional page listing your educational and work experiences online that will pop up on search engines under your name is always a good idea. Like above posters have said, it takes very little time to set it up, it looks clean, and you have more room to list things on LinkedIn than a 1-2 page, likely curtailed resume.

I definitely agree with this poster--the supplementary document would be the most appropriate place for this. Reserve your personal statement for positive things about yourself and your skills!

As an update to this post: I called the graduate office and was told by the DGS that I should have gotten my official acceptance email on Friday, and that she would make sure that the email was resent. Thanks for the congratulations, everyone!