Soleil ت

I'm completely on your side. Also, I love your signature. Alea iacta est is exactly how I feel during the application season.
 
Hi OP, I'm very sorry to hear of your predicament. Grad school has that nasty tendency to fill people with doubt and frustration, myself included. I'm wondering what your intention is regarding schooling after you finish your year of leveling. You mention the school being far away but that it is designed to be like a flexible distance learning program. Are you able to complete the remainder of your schooling without the commute, or will there still be courses or work that needs to be completed on-site?
 
Along the same vein as what 1Q84 was saying, grad school in the humanities is hard to do without funding. Depending on how you're paying for your schooling (out of your salary, with student loans, etc), this can be very troublesome. It is often strongly encouraged to not pursue education in the humanities without funding; HOWEVER, each student has a different situation. Are there fellowships or grants available through the department? Ultimately, the worth of attending grad school out-of-pocket is contingent upon whether it's worth it to you and what you wish to accomplish. The job market post-graduation is tough for us cursed with a passion in the humanities, but it's not impossible.
 
What struck me quite a bit about your post is that you said it took you six years to decide to apply to grad school. I don't know you or your situation, so I can only say what I feel I would tell myself in a comparable situation: I feel that, IF you're willing to pay the cost of tuition and willing to make the commute for one more semester, you owe it to yourself and to your past six years to try it out.
 
Are there other students in the program with whom you could discuss your concerns? I'm not wholly familiar with the degree program, so somebody who has gone through the leveling program and/or who is completing the MFA might give you a better perspective on what you should do.
 
No matter what you decide, I wish you the best of luck and also the peace to be content with your decision!

Hi klader,
 
I'm very happy to read about your passion for such a wonderful language. I was exactly where you are now -- passionate about the language and doing everything I possibly could to get better. I had the upper hand only because I had already completed AP French in high school before majoring in French in my undergrad. I'd like to add my two cents if you're open to it.
 
You have a hand up on me because I didn't even start thinking about grad school until I was a senior and it was too late to apply. I ended up taking a year off from school (which was depressing) before applying to grad schools. I'm not even remotely interested in French literature; rather, I am a linguistics enthusiast, and there are only four-five programs for me, so my options are more limited than yours are.
 
First and foremost, I never studied abroad in France or in any francophone country. My abilities to speak and use the French language came solely from my dedication to improving myself with podcasts, music, movies and lots of studying. It sounds like this is very much like what you're doing, so I encourage you whole-heartedly to continue doing that. (Edit: I also STRONGLY recommend finding a penpal. I had a couple, and that was one of the most important parts of my development, not having studied abroad.)
 
Speaking in French was always the worst area for me as well -- not because my accent needed work but because I had anxiety about making a single mistake, and it severely hindered my ability to communicate in French. In fact, the two times I did visit France, I bottled up and resorted often to English (the first time moreso than my second time, but it did happen). I'm not proud of that, but it just happened.
 
Anyway, I applied to all of the French Linguistics programs available at the time (for Fall 2013 admission): U Florida, UT Austin, Indiana U and UC Davis. Long story short, I was accepted to three of the four (UT Austin rejected me, but from my experience, it's the most competitive), even without having studied abroad or even done immersion programs like you've done in Montréal.
 
The good news is you don't really need to know what you want to do with yourself upon entering grad school; the understanding is, however, that you'll have a better idea of yourself and your interests coming out of it. It is rather peculiar that you don't necessarily want to teach French, as that's usually what people strive to do when completing a graduate degree in French. However, I'm sure you have your reasons. I will say that there is at least one student in my program who is doing exactly as you wish to do -- studying French just for the sake of getting better at the language. You don't necessarily have to want to pursue a career in it, but it makes more sense to the admission committee if you do.
 
Regarding your speaking ability, when I entered the MA program, I was right around a B2 in proficiency (although my speaking I would place somewhere around B1, like you). Recently, I reassessed myself, and I'm easily at least a C1. Pursuing higher education in French WILL make you more proficient. Truthfully, I'm no longer committed to French podcasts, music and movies as resources for improvement like I once was; just being in French lectures, having to express myself in French and writing research papers in French are what have made me better. I'm also significantly more confident in my ability to speak the language, even (if not especially) with natives. My accent has improved just by being around natives; I get complimented on it frequently.
 
The bad news is that when you come to grad school for French, you become hyper-aware that the job market is shit (excuse my "French" -- hehe). While I was always committed to the idea of being a professor of French, I'm significantly less committed now that I'm almost done with my MA. I'm revisiting the other life-long dream of going to med school because I'm starting to realize that a degree in a foreign language is a life of hardship. However, as you expressed that you're not necessarily interested in teaching French (what is it you'd like to do?), you might not be faced with this problem.
 
Lastly, please don't go anywhere that does not promise full funding. The fact that I'm funded and get paid a salary for working as a TA makes it justifiable; I would never pay out of pocket for it.
 
On the topic of teaching, I do teach beginning French courses every semester, so if you're interested, PM me and I'd be more than happy to help you or to be a French speaking partner, or whatever it is you'd like to do. I don't meet many French majors, so you've got me all happy and filled with the need to assist.
 
Je vous souhaite de la chance!

Hi everybody!
 
I promised to myself to let students who live outside the US know about the way Wisconsin Madison treated me last year.  Here's the story:
 
I applied to the Genetics program. My BS GPA is >3.7 and my MS GPA is >3.8. GRE scores: 93 for both the verbal and the quantitative sections and 54 for the AW. TOEFL: 106.
 
According to UWM's website, it says (or at least it used to say) that if we have GPA>3.5 and a percentile >90 on at least two sections, then we'll most likely get an interview.
 
Soooo as most of you will soon realize, the week before Christmas is one of the most stressful ones because some schools send invitations as early as that. On gradcafe I saw that some people got invitations to UWM during that week so I wouldn't stop refreshing my inbox. But nothing... So a few days later, I was almost sure that I got rejected. However, I wanted to be 100% sure, so I called the university. I was told that applicants who live outside of the US (internationals or Americans) still hadn't been reviewed and that we'd know around mid-January. But still nothing mid-January... So I asked them again and I was told that it was going to be late January. Then guess what? Late January I was told that it was going to be beginning of February. 
 
I sent an email beginning of February and here's the reply:
 
Hi X,
 
Thank you for your patience. We complete reviews, interviews, and admissions for applicants within the U.S. borders first. We then review external applicants. Frequently, this first phase fills the slots available. I will email you when a decision is made.
 
Thank you for your interest in our program.
 
X
This is honestly the most outrageous thing ever. Those who live outside the "US borders" basically don't stand a chance. However, we pay the same application fees (+the fees to send the GRE scores, TOEFL scores, and transcripts) as everybody else. We had to deal with the application procedure like everybody else and we had the same deadline. However, we are considered as second-class applicants. And it's not like they warned us... Basically, I consider it to be theft. They stole my money and wasted my time. They didn't plan to review these applications in the first place. We are directly thrown away or in best case scenario, they keep our applications in case they have some miraculous slots available.
So if you live outside the US, DO NOT apply to this school. You are just going to waste your money and time. As to those of you who live in the US, think about it: do you want to go to a school that has such an unfair admission procedure? 
I wish I was warned about this by previous applicants and it was important for me to let you guys know about it. A school shouldn't be allowed to get away such unfair policies. 
Anyway, if some of you need advice for your applications, don't hesitate to send me a message. I am happy to help. 
Good luck to all of you! 
 
 

...When you get rejected from one of your "safety schools" 

... When your LOR writer texts you around 10pm one night to let you know she sent off your LOR -- and then accidentally texts you again at 3 am, with a dirty text meant for her husband, who's out of town.

Teehee.

This thread is fantastic, really made me grin.

I want to hear more of this story

Shut up, seriously.

I am looking bad?
 
I'm not the one talking down on someone for making certain choices in their lives when they are looking for support. The guy just wanted support and then you got some freaking English Lit people come in here and basically tell him he's an idiot for doing what he is doing. 
 
$30K really isn't that much money. If someone had been working for 6 years that would mean $5K a year one would need to save, that is peanuts. 

MFA's average cost is like 30K. Which isn't that much money considering the OP has been out of school for 6 years.
 
Secondly, I find it kind of ironic that someone that is applying to Ph.D. programs in English Lit is being judgmental towards someone's choices considering that degree is probably one of the least convertible degrees you can do. 

A venting board! Let's just say grad school is like Hyrule. I've got my bomb bag, and I can carry 20 bombs comfortably. The problem is that I've passed all the easy temples, and now I need a bag with a bigger capacity in order to beat these new ones... but I can't find the vendor. So, I'm just runnin' around, chillin' with Epona, and I'm kind of hoping I bump into a new NPC I've never noticed before who will toss me a 30-slot bomb bag.
 
30-slot bomb bag, where r u thx.
 
I'm in a really weird mood.

Hmm... Probably that I was accepted, considering my GRE scores. Also, that I never heard back from the school whose application deadline was January 1st.

As my father was fond of saying, the fair is where you get a corn dog and go to check out the livestock. If you're not there, don't expect fair!

OP, here's one of my more memorable confrontations:
 
Student comes into my lab where I'm working (distant cousin of the Saudi royal family), "I must have regrade!"
Me, "If I have to regrade one question, I regrade them all.  You will leave with 2 points less than when you entered."
Student (Striking a partial pose), "I know karate."
Me, (picking up a wrench I used to attach regulators to gas cylinders in the chem lab), "I know Crescent wrench." (( In perfect hindsight, I'd never say or do this now. ))
Student leaves.  A few minutes later, loud voice from down the hall (another TA's lab),"I must have regrade!"
 
It takes two to tango.  Withering into the truth of age, I'd do many things differently today.

The generation that is freshman and sophomores in college now spent most of their school careers in full-on "no child left behind" mode. They weren't taught critical thinking. They were taught to memorize facts and pass tests. They were also taught that everyone gets a trophy and you should never say anything critical because that's bullying.

The irony of that string of uncapitalized text speak in a thread about grading writing assignments just strikes me as hilarious.

To them every day is a bad lecture day, don't worry yourself over it.

I've already submitted my application to the Continuum! The location would be really convenient, so fingers crossed.

I was surprised that I got into...anywhere.  

Background story:

I only have a 3.2, and a guidance counselor told me not to bother applying anywhere.  She said I wouldn't get in anywhere decent.  I went ahead and applied anyway.  And I guess all the undergraduate research paid off.  I think my grades were offset by the fact I was in ROTC for the first half of college... it was tricky to juggle a math-heavy major while in the program (I'm not a math whiz).
 
And here I am, 12 months after she told me not to bother applying, getting ready to go to Hopkins, the top school in my field so glad I didn't listen!

Seriously, it's clear from all your responses that you have no intention of genuinely soliciting advice. We've all said the same thing, and you dismiss it out of hand and call us 'moralistic'. What you really need to do is create another profile and then post a response to yourself, because that's the only way you're going to get any validation for what you've clearly already decided.

It's unethical because you're being dishonest and manipulative. You do not plan to tell the UK school your intentions-- in your initial post, you say that you intend to keep the faculty in the dark until the end when you withdraw. That is dishonest; the UK school would be under the impression that you were using their funds to attend their program, not someone else's. There is no universe in which that is ethical; purposefully withholding information from someone is dishonesty-- it's that simple. And academic dishonesty can get you suspended from your program and seriously cripple your future career prospects.
 
You say that the funding is external. Where exactly is it coming from? If it requires you to enroll for three years at the UK program, then obviously it's linked somehow to that program and not truly external. If you can't legally transfer the funding to the other European school by contacting the funding agency and filing the appropriate paperwork, then that's a pretty clear sign that you aren't able to use that funding there, and you shouldn't try to do so anyway via this underhanded, secretive scheme of yours. It doesn't matter if the funding is coming from the UK school or the UK government or a private agency that requires you to study at a UK school... if a requirement for the funding is to enroll at the UK school for three years, the implication is that the funding is for work done at that UK school, not somewhere else.
 
On top of all of this, it is unethical to take up two admission spots when you are just one person. It's like someone taking up two seats on a bus/train while there are other people standing. There are tons of applicants out there on waiting lists for both of your schools, and by accepting both offers you are unfairly preventing someone else from attending a graduate program. If you're selfish enough, that won't matter to you... but it is still unethical.
 
The only way to do this right is to tell both schools upfront exactly what you plan to do. You need to tell the UK school that you plan to use their money to study somewhere else and then ditch them once enough time has elapsed to prevent the funding from being taken away from you. Then you need to tell the other school that you plan to simultaneously enroll in a different institution just to use their funding. Both schools need to know that you will be officially accepting two offers at the same time. There can be no lying... contrary to what you think, academic honesty does require full disclosure, and both schools need to hear the full story with all of the details. There's a very good chance that neither school will be impressed with this plan, and you should be prepared for one or both of them to tell you "no" and rescind your offer if you attempt it behind their backs. Just because one teacher at the European school is okay with the idea doesn't mean that the school as a whole will be. You need to talk to everyone involved-- your advisor, the head of graduate studies, and higher-ups in the graduate school itself at both institutions. They all need to be okay with it.
 
If you do try this without telling anyone your intentions, prepare to make a lot of enemies. It is inevitable that people will find out what you did-- don't think that they won't. Even if you manage to keep everyone in the dark until you withdraw from the UK school (which is unlikely), they're going to know that something's up when you withdraw. It would be incredibly easy for them to look you up and see that you had been enrolled in another institution all along. So it's not a matter of *if* they find out, but when. And when they do, you'll need to be prepared for some really unfavorable consequences. People within a given field communicate extensively, and word will get around. The guy at the UK school may not be a specialist in your specific subfield, but that doesn't matter at all. I study behavioral entomology, but if I pissed off a professor who specializes in something else (ecology, systematics, IPM... it doesn't matter), you can bet that that professor would tell the others and the news would spread like wildfire. The same would happen in your situation, and this would be damaging to your entire career. Not only would the people at the UK school contact the people at the European institution (who might be so displeased at your dishonesty that they suspend you from their program entirely), but they'll also contact their colleagues at other schools to warn them about you. Good luck finding a job after graduation with so many people in your field harboring a very unfavorable opinion of you! Even if you can manage to apply to a job with someone who has not heard about your past, that employer could very well call up your old PhD advisor for information about you (this happens very often)-- and then that employer would get the news and probably reject your application then and there. Ask yourself... what would you think if you were that employer? Here's a job candidate who has a track record of being dishonest and underhanded-- would you want him working in your organization? Would you feel that you are able to trust him? Absolutely not.
 
I'm not trying to scold you or anything. I'm trying to advise you to not do something that could damage your entire career as well as unfairly prevent another deserving applicant from getting into one of these programs. Just because you know someone else who did something similar does not make it right. If that person did it underhandedly too, then it's unethical for all of the same reasons that I described here. If he did it openly, though, then that should be a clear sign to you that the only way that this arrangement can work is if you are honest and fully disclose your entire plan to both schools.
 
When academics work simultaneously at two institutions, it's because they've arranged to do so openly and legally. There is a huge difference between an open collaboration with another university or serving as an adjunct faculty member at a different institution and the type of secretive, dishonest scheme you're thinking about. The former two arrangements do not keep anyone in the dark; both institutions know the details of the arrangement, and the people participating in that arrangement have gone through all of the official channels and done all of the right paperwork to set it up. You would not be doing that. You would be lying (by omission) and hoping that you don't get caught.
 
My advice is to go to the European school if you have powerful, personal reasons to be in that country. Defer your admission for a year if you need time to secure truly independent funding via legal and ethical means. Forget about the UK school and their funding-- it's only for people going to that school. Just suck it up and accept that you can't have your cake and eat someone else's cake too. Pick one program and stick to it, for your own sake.

A haiku to summarize the thread:

Don't don't don't don't don't,

Don't don't don't don't don't don't don't,

You might get sued, don't

Well good news is you already sound like a politician. 

One thing that often works for me is deciding to write something bad.  As bad as possible.  That way you get something out, it's so stupid it's kind of funny, and then you feel better about taking the next step.  And you can un-bad it a little bit at a time.  Before you know it, you've got something pretty decent.
 
I had to use this approach a lot when writing SOPs.  Sometimes I got so anxious about applications that I would do it in all caps: DEAR FANCY UNIVERSITY, I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO YOU BECAUSE YOUR PROGRAM IS SO, SO PRETTY.  I WRITE PLAYS ABOUT BAD THINGS, AND I DON'T TAKE UP MUCH SPACE.  PLEASE CONSIDER ME.  LOVE, TEETHWAX.

It sounds like you're struggling with the classic dilemma that many grad students face, myself included!  There are many things you should consider, in my opinion.  First of all, I wouldn't solely trust the reviews of Calgary you find on the internet.  With universities -- and especially graduate programs -- it's a unique and personal experience.  Even at the best universities, there will be stellar and terrible departments.  I think that, when attempting to make your decision, you should take your funding and departmental opportunities into consideration first.  To me, that says Calgary.
 
Now what are the hard facts between Vancouver and Calgary?  What's the difference in cost of living?  What's public transportation look like?  What's the crime look like?  Do they have resources for your favorite activities?  What's the weather like?  It's your job to arrange questions like these in order of most to least importance.  What's more important to you: living in a beautiful city where you may be hard-pressed for cash, or living in a smaller, less exciting city where you'll have extra money (taking into consideration the potential difference in cost of living and your funding offer)? 
 
I too applied to UBC.  I think it's really a wonderful school.  My concern for you is that you'll be dissatisfied with the direction of your department.  You know it well, as you're already finishing your Master's there.  Take your gut instinct into consideration here.  It sounds to me like you're leaning toward Calgary but are afraid of how it looks.  I've been where you are, and I know how hard and frightening it can be.  My advice is to consider what I've said above... and if you really need somebody to tell you where they think you should go, I'll tell you: I think you should go to Calgary.
 
Best of luck!

"But how are you going to survive without authentic Mexican food?"
 
Oh right.  On second thought, I should probably decline all incoming offers from the midwest.