iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns

Y'all got some interesting things to say. But I still prefer my answer.

100 days until my final exams. I have all sorts of questions and considerations about finishing up gifts for profs, staying in touch, announcements, party, etc but I’d hate to ruin the moment with trivial questions. Woo. 100!

I am in no position to make the following claim; nevertheless: even if your work is compelling you may not end up where you want.

Have you called them? It could be that they're only bad when viewed online through the web form. I'd call the department assistant and see what he/she says.

I find eating well helps. Bananas are good, I like bananas.

I think getting all my apps in was more stressful than waiting. I've been waiting years for it - what is another 2 months?

I don't think it is particularly important to call out your prof's ethnicity. You could have just said, "he gives it to his buddies who share his ethnicity." You probably have a very valid concern. You're probably in a really terrible position. Yet the way you've worded it all I can read is implicit racism. I also get the sense that English is not your first language... May I ask what your first language is?

Depends. Pascal's wager is a sucker's bet. Oh. rereading... Doomed not "Damned" Hard to say - great writing sample? other parts of the application strong? what did you do in your years off? how many places did you apply? No magic eight ball here.

ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! (details redacted) These few days have been stressful.

It sounds like 1-2% is the highest. I can't imagine they differentiate between 98-100%. It sounds like they're asking: "Is Rose one of the top students (1%) or is Rose average (50%)" Of course the only way to be 100% sure is email the graduate assistant.

Yep! It is done. Nothing we can do now. I do worry a bit about my SOP - it could have been worked over and over again (like a child beauty pageant contestant). So it is not ' "technically" "perfect" ' but it is me. It's a great representation of who I am.

I was more interested in "(cf. Old Norse sæll "happy," "

Different boat same sea. All we can do is adjust our sails and weather the storm.

Oh Gnome! I didn't mean it to be a knock at all - and I certainly didn't take your post as a knock either. Just having some fun is all.

Of course I would have to point out the word silly does not equal the word trival. Hypothetical I would direct you to this link http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=silly While I'm making assumptions I'd sit back and assume a good pat on the back for such clever etymological word play. Perhaps I would contend that there are multiple types of happiness- in my example I'd make the claim that this high school drop out was benefiting society the most that anyone with his particular skills could do - he was staying kind and out of the way. Yet- I would change my mind before saying that because of the elitist tones it takes. Hypothetically I would argue that I meant communal responsibility all along. I'll pull up some quotes out of Buddhist philosophy regarding Anatta - I'd also post a super cool Lion King circle of life GIF. Perhaps I would make an argument about my research interests - I'd argue that the most intelligent majors are working towards happiness for everyone. I would vehemently defend that I meant this from the start. I would probably tie up the argument with a bit about my high school drop out guy. I'd say he isn't a burden. He isn't gaming the system. He isn't causing crime. He stays well read and discusses philosophy at the late night diner. He had a good reason to drop out when he dropped out. Whew! sure glad we didn't have to have that talk. :-D

Hypothetically - I'd contend that Hemingway had a more strict definition of intelligence. Perhaps I'd argue that intelligence is a measure of how well you can solve a problem. Perhaps I'd argue that being unhappy is the worst of problems. Perhaps I'd conclude that if someone has solved the problem of unhappiness : they are intelligent. All hypothetical of course. I'd hate to argue about something this silly on the internet.

I don't see the purpose behind having this sort of conversation with this particular medium of communication. Nevertheless. I'm going to measure smarts by perceived happiness - because being happy is awesome. If you're a smart person you'll figure out a way to be happy. So to hell with vocab, maths, etc. Now this is only anecdotal: the happiest guy I ever met was a high school drop out. He worked various odd jobs - coffee shop, customer service, construction, and more. because the question forces the answer to be a type of major and not advice such as, "Drop-out and don't go to college" I have to search for the major that puts you in a similar position as this guy. Hmmm. No marketable skills. No job security. AHA! I have concluded. The happiest major is a humanties PhD... probably within some sort of Rhetoric sub-field. Lucky me!

I have to agree with Loric. Allow me to qualify my opinion- not an MFA, not an "artist" by any popular means, the only critical theory I have on art is from Aristotle's Poetics. With that said. Aristotle contends that there is more to good art than mimesis. What if the painter also took the picture? would you evaluate it based on the composition of the photography?

Curl up indeed! Life isn't always fair - find any excuse you can to treat yourself. I hope you get accepted and I hope it is everything you could wish for.

Everything's an argument !!!

Chadillac, my interest in Knoxville is that it is a funded (TAship) comprehensive MA that allows for some dabbling in linguistics (specifically sociolinguistics). Does my heart ache for linguistics? certainly not! Still, I think a dollop of linguistics could further inform (down the road) research. I'm not particularly concerned about the quality of faculty at Knoxville, I just wonder... are the students not presenting? are there travel funds? Regarding 4Cs- thank you! I will almost certainly take someone up on an offer - hell - even if it's just someone to talk with about presentations, I'm down. Of course... how tragic would it be if I'm accepted nowhere in March and I'm the try-hard in the corner??? Boo! bad thoughts.

I make a mean savory crepe.

Should I be at all concerned when I don't see any representation from a uni at the major conferences? RSA, 4Cs? For instance, I'm flirting with submitting to knoxville for a funded MA. But I'm not seeing any research in the two large conferences. Does it matter? Should I look elsewhere? Investigate further?

This. I was taking the long way to make the point. But my feelings exactly.