thepriorwalter

Here's the insane spreadsheet I came up with, incorporating as many suggestions as possible. It would definitely give us a lot to pore over. (I haven't filled it out yet because it feels the opposite of anonymous! But I will be first if it stagnates for a little while, just to take the pressure off.) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LpH5dOHh39c2UyyCJbviQRvXCXvy__QPZjs4bG9ZDp0/edit#gid=0

I just got a call from the DGS, so I'm sure he's making his calls now and you will hear soon! Nominated for two fellowships. As presented, it is a first-year fellowship upwards of $20,000 with no teaching responsibilities. After that, the department would fund me at around $16,000 per year with a 1-1 teaching load (I'm coming in with an MA, so he said 4-5 years). He also said the university will cover $250 toward visiting their open house.

What about a gdoc? Not because the results board doesn't provide a space but because it would allow for better standardization of information? For instance, a column asking whether you were in touch with POIs during the application process. On that point in particular it would be interesting to me to see if a trend emerged (and could help future applicants gauge whether or not it's necessary to contact POIs there, if they are receiving mixed opinions on this from their own advisers, as I did). Other things: did you mention POIs by name in your SOP, self-categorization of undergrad/MA institution (ivy, public ivy, tier 2, etc), and so on. I can create it if anyone thinks it's a good idea and not just overkill. Any other columns people would be interested in are also welcome (beyond the standard GPA, test scores, publications, conferences, and highest degree).

At (a non-english humanities department at) Yale, what they have done in the past is select candidates they are sure they will accept and then interview competitively between candidates who are more on the cusp. Perhaps Chicago, who has never interviewed before (been there, done that, have the rejection letter to prove it), is doing something like that. Of course, I don't know. It's one possibility among many. But there is precedent!

I will definitely be sending some questions--probably soon. I'm eager! I can't help it. Thanks for the offer!

I'm the Ohio State acceptance.

Florida's SOP the year I applied (I am in the Fall 2013 cohort) was 500 words.

Are you only looking at dedicated rhet/comp programs? I think you might be able to broaden your application base for funded MAs if you take a look at English departments that have rhet/comp faculty, if that's something you're willing to consider.

I'm applying to my first (of seven) tonight, and I feel ill. Still poking at my SOP. But I am getting to the point in refining it (over and over) where I can read it and feel like it presents me as a focused candidate with clear research interests and goals. If the application season goes poorly, maybe I can convince myself I just wasn't a good fit... As Lilo, in Disney's classic Lilo and Stitch, would say, "Leave me alone to die."

Saw it mentioned earlier in the thread -- I'm at Florida, if anyone has any questions.

I'm trying very hard to keep my list of schools to 10. I am currently in a program that I like a lot, but the funding could be better, so I'm only applying to places that have two of the following criteria: better funding, better placement, and/or a standout POI in my area of specialization. This left me with about 17 programs I was interested in, but 17 is just not feasible on my current budget, so I had to find ways to narrow my list. There was a fairly complex process that went into narrowing the list, but among the criteria I used to make these cuts (never to add a school) was proximity to a team in a sport I care about. I will defend this decision to anyone. (And, yes, I have been asked to defend the decision. ) Final list looks something like: Penn, UC Irvine, WUSTL, Pitt, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, Alberta, UBC, and Illinois State.

Evgeni Malkin, serving as the representative of the intersection between my personal and professional interests.

Ahhhh, a hockey fan?? Yes, Malkin! Well spotted.

Ziggyfinish, thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry for the lack of context. I had read a similar thread on here where all the advice came back to situating it in a time period, and I wanted to see if someone would suggest it was appropriate to situate via theory. The idea of intersections is good too. Thank you. I hope that you find a way to situate your project--it sounds like a challenge but it also sounds like you have a really clear idea of what you want to study, which is a good chunk of the battle. Part of leaving would be for better funding--funding is low here, so I am hoping to have a better offer somewhere else and/or use it to leverage it for more money from my department. I've limited applications to: (1) better funding, (2) better placement, and (3) two professors I would really like to work with. Wyatt's Torch, thanks for the reply. I did consider transfer opportunities, but none of the programs I am interested in will allow it (in fact, a few top programs don't even give you credit for your master's). Certainly not a dumb question--if I hadn't explored the possibility already, I would've heeded the suggestion. Thank you.

A little background: I am currently enrolled in a PhD program, though I am applying to other programs during the Fall 2015 application cycle as a candidate coming in with my MA. I wouldn't be unhappy to stay in my program, but I am at my undergraduate institution (it's very strong in my area of specialization, which is why I ended up choosing it over other offers the first time around), and I think it would be prudent to see if I can get the PhD somewhere else. The problem: my area of specialization is niche, and I'm having a hard time contextualizing it in the SOP so that it sounds like I'm a scholar with other, better established interests who also works in this area. I'm aware this is something I would have to "sell" to some departments, but I don't want to omit it entirely--I don't have a coherent statement of purpose without it, and it IS what I want to pursue, so I don't want that to be a surprise in the future. It's not a case where I could really frame it as, say, primarily in a project in 19th-century British literature. Anyone dealt or dealing with a situation like this have tips? Or suggestions? Thanks so much.

The College of Public Health is located in the southern portion of UF's main campus, south of the student union but north of the hospital. I'm not sure if that's at all helpful. Something more specific about the location that I can answer?

Anyone else attending UF in the fall? Starting to get excited? I feel like there's so much to do before the move.

If anyone is headed to the University of Florida and has any questions, I am willing to answer them.

As someone who just quit TFA, allow me to tell your their application process is 100% objective. If you know the formula before going into the interview, you're in. If you don't, who knows. It was also the worst experience I've ever had. Consider it an excellent use of time that you didn't get in.

So I've made my final decision, but I'm still waiting on the department to give me their increased funding offer in writing. I want to be able to register for courses!

I would contact Sid Dobrin directly, if you can. He's been very helpful and forthcoming and provided me with most of the funding information I have now. The standard MA package this year: $9,700/year for two years with a 2-1 teaching load, in additoon to health care and a tuition waiver. They're also doing away with the freestanding MA, so MA applicants who finish on time/in good standing may continue on to the PhD. They accepted 6 MA students. I was also told summer funding, though not a guarantee, has always been available to everyone who asked for it. There is also a one-time/year amount for travel to conferences in which you are presenting. This amount has fluctuated between $400 and $700 the last few years. The call I got today offered me a fellowship of $4,000/year for up to three years, in addition to the standard package. Hope this was helpful!

I did get a call today from the department saying they had been able to secure more funding and would be adding to my package, if I chose to attend UF. Perhaps they are still notifying, then?

It's really weird that they said they were still notifying? Admitted students weekend was this past weekend... Certainly, I didn't hear they were done notifying, but that seemed like a pretty good sign to me. I'm a little distressed at the mixed messages they seem to give people over the phone.

I'm definitely interested in Reading the YA Romance and Post-Colonial Theory, though many seem very interesting (I'm probably getting too excited, too early). Another question, though I'm not sure if you'll be able to answer it. Do you know what MA students teach? Is it discussion sections of a larger lecture? Or at least two of the same comp class? This is a question I wish I had thought to ask. And I should be at the welcome weekend.

This is, perhaps, going to sound strange, but can you tell me how course registration went? I'm looking at the course offerings for fall and I'm already excited. Wanted to know when registration happens and what the chances are that I'll actually be able to enroll in courses I'm excited about.