BrandNewName

I think it's a bit odd as well. But if he's waiting until next year then it means he will have finished coursework and comps at Yale English leaving him with a dissertation to complete. He'll then be taking the required courses at UH (many of which, I think, might be considered fulfilled because of his coursework at Yale and beyond). So, really, what you're looking at is someone who is writing a dissertation and a larger creative piece. Yes, his celebrity is definitely a factor, but I doubt seriously that he has funding at any of these schools. What is more, it's not entirely unheard of to get more than one PhD/complete more than one graduate program...the thing that often isn't the case, however, is being able to do so simultaneously. Again, his celebrity and the ability to travel without the slightest consideration of cost factor in and make this an option not available to most others. Don't know him, never met him, but I don't have an issue with doing everything you want to do...I can't say that I wouldn't be trying to juggle the same things if I had an ample supply of cash and a name/smile that allowed me some wiggle room.

I don't know how things work in Norwich, but in London apartments are rented on a weekly basis so finding something quickly isn't normally a problem (though finding something reasonably priced can prove difficult). In the cities I've lived in throughout Europe I've never had a problem finding an apartment on short notice, whether it be room in a shared flate or a place of my own. It's a very general sentiment, but as someone who has moved to a foreign country with no place to live (and where I barely spoke the language), I can tell you that I've never ended up in a crack den...maybe a hostel for a few nights. You should check out couchsurfing and see if there is a current student who would be willing to give you a place to crash for a few days while you find a place; they'd probably even be able to tell you which parts of town to avoid during your search as well. Anyway, good luck!

The other thing to keep in mind is that some (many?) states -- I know this isn't the case in Maryland -- require yearly car inspections. If you buy a junker, have it inspected, and it doesn't pass, you'll have to pay for the repairs necessary to bring it up to standard. And that's a process you'll have to go through every year unless, as I said, New Jersey is like Maryland in that you only have to pass inspection once and otherwise just meet emission requirements every one or two years. It's an additional cost to keep in mind and one that could, eventually, leave you with a car that's unusable. My vote would be public transportation combined with a Zipcar account. In most university towns Zipcar has a reasonable fleet of cars set up that will allow you a vehicle when you need to do some shopping or take a day/weekend trip somewhere. I'm American by birth and had a crap car that I bought for $800 when I was in high school. Luckily I registered it through my mother's address in Maryland, which saved me a great deal because after a while there is no chance that my 88 Oldsmobile would have passed inspection. That said, having a car is a headache and being able to live without one for the past four years in Europe has been one of the things I've been most grateful for. It may seem like an issue of convenience now, but I would try to live without one if at all possible. One more thing, I'm not familiar with the drive from Princeton to New Brunswick, but as someone who has spent many an hour stuck in Jersey traffic, that might be another reason to consider using public transport...

Who got off the waitlist at Harvard? Congrats!

I have been out of undergrad for four years, but submitted my applications with two letters from undergrad professors (a thesis adviser and a wonderful professor-turned-friend from my undergrad institution working in a similar field) and one letter from my most recent adviser/boss. I didn't have much choice in the matter as the number of professors in German academic departments is much smaller than in the States, but there was another option I considered here. Well-known academic who knew my writing, but didn't necessarily know me that well. When it came down to it, I decided that I wanted letters from the two people who knew my writing and research skills the best. For the third, I went for someone who I knew liked me personally and was acquainted with the specific field I was interested in/knew people in those programs. I had only taken one class and produced one paper with him though; not much, but we have kept up via email and Facebook since graduation. Of my 10 applications, 4 were successful. Among them was a program that specifically stated that two of the three letters had to be from the most recent institution. Broke that rule without explanation and they still let me in. If the letters are good and from academics, I don't think they'll care too much. In short, pick the person from undergrad and the person from your MA who know your work the best (most likely your thesis advisers). For the third letter, pick a professor who knows and believes in your ability, yes, but also someone who genuinely knows and likes you.

I got this email today as well. If nothing else, it was jarring to see an email from a school so late in the game. I also talked to two fellow admits at a recruitment weekend who actually got in to NYU American Studies this year -- they do exist! Apparently there were interviews and they were intense 15-minute meetings with 6-8 professors one after the other. I believe the words 'exhausting,' 'overwhelming,' and 'completely ridiculous' were the words they used to describe it. Probably not pertinent information for this round of applicants, but if anyone in future seasons is reading these posts at least they'll know that they should be keeping an eye out for an interview invite and, if it doesn't come by mid-/late-March, it's a no-go for NYU. I wish I had known that earlier... I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for those still waiting to hear about waitlist spots -- I'm pulling for you CPetersen!

Congrats -- I'm glad to hear Penn worked out!

I'd second wg-gesucht.de as well as studenten-wg.de -- it's the only way I've ever looked for apartments in Germany (and I've been in five apartment in the five years I've been here). It's the way to go. And, having looked into relocating to Gottingen for a job, I can tell you that there are some really reasonably (if not cheaply) priced shared apartments (WGs) right in the heart of town, which is the main Uni district. Good luck!

I don't think it's a scam, I just think it's ridiculous that you have to throw down nearly 25K in order to 'attend' the 'school.' Frankly, and I don't intend to criticize your intellectual capacity, it seems like a lot of people who are well-off paying a single administrator to network them with the biggest names in academia. Sure, you attend lecture series and write a dissertation (if you're motivated to do so and are paid up), but really what you've paid for is the privilege of connecting with those superstars. I've watched the clips and spoken with professors who have been guests at the EGS -- I don't think it's a scam -- but I also don't think the thing that is most disconcerting about it is its 'unUS' nature.

I really don't think it matters. For most SoPs, no more than two pages. You can play around with margins, spacing, etc...they're not going to count the words in the document. Most schools that asked for 1000 words got 1200-1300 from me and I don't think it hurt me in the long run.

I've heard that it's not impossible to find things in July and August, but that it's definitely more competitive. Most landlords require two to three months notice, so if someone is vacating a place in August, then May and June are the best times to look. I would make sure that at least one of you is there in July at some point so you can find something for August. I found a place using a realtor and intend to bring in a roommate at a later point in time; just make it clear that someone else will be added to the lease at a later date, it shouldn't be a problem. My realtors have said that they will handle that process. From my own experience this past weekend (I rented a small two bedroom place and they've agreed that I can find a roommate), the only requirement to rent is good credit and references for anyone who is going to be on the lease. Also, be sure one of you has adequate funds in an American bank account. When signing a lease you'll be expected to put the security deposit down (normally 1.5 or 2 months rent); I was also required to pay the first month's rent up front to the realtor along with a $25 application fee. I have kept an American account while living abroad, but didn't have any checks -- had to get counter checks at the bank.

I just spent a long weekend in New Haven and have made the decision to accept Yale's offer. The thing I was most surprised by was the fact that I really enjoyed New Haven. It's a very walkable city, there seem to be a number of really nice cafes and bars, some cool bookstores, parks, and campus is beautiful. I also managed to find an apartment for myself using SeaburyHill Realtors. They were fantastic -- I arrive Friday morning and I had signed a lease before dinner on Monday evening. I'll be in East Rock and it seems to be the best location according to current students.

I am resurrecting the New Haven thread in the hopes of connecting with another GC member who is attending Yale in Fall 2011. Basically I'll be in New Haven this weekend for a recruitment weekend and plan to spend a couple of days checking out two or three bedroom apartments in East Rock and Westville (maybe a few in the Wooster Square area). I'd like to find a roommate, preferably another graduate student who would want to share a place with me beginning in July or August. I'm willing to put my name on the lease so even if someone wants to try it out on a six-month trial basis, I'm open to that. The thing is, this weekend will be my last visit to New Haven until late-July/mid-August and I'm worried I won't find a place or a roommate if I wait that long to look. So, if you are planning to make the move to New Haven and are thinking of living off-campus, send me a message -- I don't care what field anyone is in, in fact, it might be nice to live with someone outside of my cultural studies/theory bubble. We can work out the details -- as for me, I think I'm pretty easy going and relatively serious about my studies (I'm not opposed to a night at the bar though). That said, come September my two-year old beagle will be joining us in the apartment from overseas. She doesn't bark, in fact, she's pretty friggin' adorable and friendly, but she's a dog -- so if you're not a dog person, it probably won't work. Anyway, if anyone is out there in the GC world and thinks this could be a viable option, I'd love to hear from you. Best, outofredink

I've been considering this as well, in fact, I may even post in the city guide after this asking if anyone else is considering an off-campus option with a roommate. My only hesitation was that a person from the boards can find out so much about you by going back through your posts...but hey, maybe that gets all of the academic worries/doubts out of the way and you can just move forward with being roomies.

That's a good point, definitely not looking to share a place with an undergraduate. I'm hoping to find something in the coming weeks and then network with other admitted students I'll meet at the recruitment weekend, see if any of them want to take the second bedroom in my as-yet-unsecured apartment of the future... I hope it works out, another little pile of pre-grad school stress to add to the mound.