circlewave

*email refreshing intensifies*

1st decision went up from UNC Chapel Hill...yikes

To what degree is ecotheory/environmental humanities present in the Dept.? I know SFTS was a strong emphasis, but my conversations with the department about my own work (I'm into posthuman aesthetics, which means I touch on both eco stuff and technoculture) suggested that there were ongoing efforts to bring more environmental stuff to the table; is that true?

Of course I know which of my programs are ranked slightly higher, or place marginally better than others, but realistically, it's going to be hard to find a job no matter where I attend, and all of my programs are roughly in the same 'tier' (if such a thing exists). I'm primarily concerned with my fit in the program - this extends not just to matching my interests with the department, but also how well I get on with the other students, whether I have things in common with them besides English, etc. In a lot of ways, I'm looking at this Ph.D as a job, so it's important to me that the workplace culture fits my style, and I have coworkers I'll be able to enjoy my time with, rather than being competitive and cynical, or mean, or even just bored with. Naturally, I'm also concerned with whether the program is in a place I could see myself spending the rest of my 20's. Realistically, this is a time in life when people start to do 'real life' stuff - long-term relationships, getting married, etc. I have no immediate plans for any of that, but I'll probably feel pretty different at 28, and that kind of thing could be difficult to manage, say, in a college town primarily populated by undergrads. Add that to the fact that I'm very much used to city life, and being surrounded by a lot of stuff to do, and location becomes a pretty big factor. Of course, as much as I like pro sports and nightlife, I also really like outdoor stuff and inexpensive living. Here I might have said one thing, then the other, and then punted on the whole question, but I feel optimistic I would be happy in just about anywhere...save for a subdivision surrounded by stripmalls.

Silent as the grave, they've been.

So what sort of work/study is everyone hoping to do? I'm mostly a literary/critical theory guy, with a focus on ecology and aesthetics.

Nope. It ain't over till it's over, as they say. If you weren't under consideration or otherwise in the running, they'd have already rejected you. Fretting over "Implied Rejections" or whatever seems like the best possible way for a person to make themselves miserable, tbh. If I get antsy about things, I try to close the laptop and take a walk.

I received an email from the Director of Grad Admissions. I'm looking forward to visiting...will have to see if I can get some of the expenses defrayed. A flight from Pittsburgh on short-ish notice is more than a little $$$$

Thank you guys! And thank you for the link, Wyatt!

Hi folks, Long time lurker, extremely infrequent poster. I was fortunate enough to receive my first acceptance this weekend from PSU, and I recalled that a little bit ago, somebody posted a really great, long list of important questions to ask when visiting programs (eg. Whether funding covers the summer, how current grad students like the program, resources, libraries, etc.). I have been trying to find it, but haven't had much success. Does anyone remember where that was, or could someone possibly repost it? Congrats to the other admits, and good luck to those who are still waiting!

I'm a senior at GWU, and I've shifted my aspirations a lot. Originally, I had a deep interest in English and Literary Theory, but I've grown somewhat disenchanted with the idea of an academic career. I've always had a really strong interest in politics, but I'm starting to see Poli Comm as a unity of my interests which were scattered across a few disciplines. My interest in English has more or less waned to the political end of things (Marxist theory, rhetoric of politics and media), and Political Philosophy was always my biggest area of interest. I'd like to take the degree into political advocacy or media strategy of some sort. What concerns me is the fact that I'll be graduating with a dual liberal arts degree and no relevant internships/jobs. I helped found/led a student organization for a year, spent a semester abroad, did English research, and am doing two majors, so between all that, I simply never found the time. I'm concerned that this lack of experience, combined with the fact that my degrees are from a fairly different field, could prove to be a kiss of death, admissions wise. I'm set on applying, but am I facing an uphill battle?