Kursty

Am I forgetting something, but weren't you also accepted into CUNY and were seriously considering going there? What happened?

A friend who goes to UChicago for a terminal masters (unfunded) in International Relations but does work in the History, PoliSci, and Sociology says that the no one--not the administration, not the profs, not the proper PhD students--take the MAPH kids seriously. They're basically considered cash cows helping pay the huge salaries. Not to say that you can't do good work there, or 'go places' with it, but for how much it costs, it's probably cheaper to just drop out work for a year, move to a foreign country, master the language, really work on your Writing Sample and SOP, and maybe take a few extra grad courses at a local university. Jus' sayin'.

Congrats on getting bumped. I think someone else also was a Masters applicant; so maybe they were interviewing Master applicants who they considered worthy of PhD status Anyway, an hour after posting the previous post, I got a very basic email from the Department letting me know I've been accepted with full scholarship. So the results should be tricking in now. Good luck everyone. They didn't mention any planned open house...though I hardly need an excuse to visit NYC.

Any one got any updates? How'd the interviews go? I emailed Prof. Lombardi, the deputy director, about my status and when they'll be notifying candidates, last Tuesday evening (after 5). He replied the same night with a quick "very soon!" It's been a week and I still haven't heard anything or seen any activity on the results board.....

I am a native Russki, but I emigrated when I was 6, so my Russian is not very good. For a long time, I actually tried to erase most of my Russianess; I was embarrassed to be a 'primative' Russki, an immigrant. So though I can speak Russian fluently, I can hardly read or write it. In fact, I have yet to read any of the 'classics' in the original. Pretty pathetic, considering I've been flaunting my Russian as my foreign language, and plan to work on Russian lit! I have finally started to really learn the language, and have been making great improvements over the past year.To improve my reading I've been trying to read one of those pulp, post-Soviet detective novels that is all the rage in Russia. It's something about a woman named "Lampa," a conservatory-trained musician that used to work in a detective agency and play the "YMAHA" (NOT to be confused with YAMAHA!) in a rock band, who is trying to solve murder of a prominent and very wealthy academic behest of the deceased's daughter for 10,000 USD, while also taking care of two of her friends' children and their pets in a elegant "datcha" just outside of Moscow, and being courted by various "bizznessmen." She also seems to be having a fledgling movie career! The dusk jacket calls it an "ironic detective novel" It's by a woman who in her author photo is holding three identical bulldogs in her arms (in her earlier books she only held 2 bulldogs). And they say Russia isn't postmodern! What in Russian lit are you planning to focus on? And did you read "White Nights"?

Hey i'm into Russian Lit too. "First Love" by Turg is amazing. You'll enjoy it, especially if you're a boy (Oedipus themes!). Re Dos: Have you read his short story "White Nights"? What a gorgeous, breathless work. Frankly, makes everything else he wrote seem like 'pulp.' You should also see Viscontti's cinematic adaptation of the story, by the same title, with Marcello Mastroianni as the hopeless romantic hero! Indescribable. Speaking of Dos and his legacy,have you read Summer in Baden-Baden by Tsypkin? A must. Do you read the Russians in the original or translations? I'm reading Sebald's Emigrants, Zizek's Looking Awry, The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross, and some russian detective that makes no sense(maybe my russian needs improving.)

Congrats Doll on the Interview. Maybe they're only interested in taking on a few students this year, and you and the other 4 students are the finalists! Don't be nervous; phone conversations are always a bit awkward and indirect. I'm sure you'll do fine. Who is your interviewer? And you said it's scheduled for first week of March? I am actually a hold-over from last year's cycle (long story) so I am very nervous that I haven't had heard anything back from them yet. Good luck on your interview, Doll, and keep us CUNY-wannabes posted about any insights. -V.

Saw that someone had an e-mail interview with the CompLit Dept. Good to see signs of life. Anyone who participated in the interview care to share their experiences? How "Generic emaily" was it, as the original submitter (on the Results page) described it. Did they give any indication of when they will be making their decision, or even the # of applicants? I feel like I'm in the dark here.

The April 15 is the no-funding deadline, yes, which means accepted students are completely self-funded. Feb1st is for everyone who wants to be considered for any scholarships,fellowships, etc-i.e. most applicants. I feel they should have notified the group by now regarding whether they were accepted and whether they will receive funding. It's very frustrating, especially since it seems not a lot of people have applied to it (i.e. it's notg getting a lot of talk on these boards.).

So no comp lits are interested in CUNY, "the Harvard of the proletariats"?

Has anyone heard back from CUNY's Comp.Lit Department? I saw that the English Department has started sending out results last week, so when's the CompLit decisions arriving? I know the official application deadline was Feb1 (English's was Jan1st), but I'm getting nervous... Anyone got any inside information?

Re CUNY: I believe they're strong in gender theories-Sedgwick was there until her unexpected death last year-and PoCo. Also after your 1st year you can take outside courses in places like NYU, Columbia, Princeton, Rutgers, and the New School via the New York University Consortium. Pretty much all New York area universities participate in this Consortium, but CUNY is significantly cheaper (don't know their funding situation at the english dept.).

I did my English undergrad in University of Toronto and I would never go there for my Ph.D. Generally, it seems a good place to work after you've got your degree from an Ivy in the States, but not study. It's huge, it's underfunded, poorly managed, and stale in its scholarship. Granted, much of this is based on my subjective experience as an undergrad and a Research Assistant for a Stanford-graduate tenure track prof, but just take a peek at their website as a sign of the state it's in: their ridiculously antiquated, budget website was supposed to be redesigned by end of last summer...then end of September....now it just says 'coming soon.' What does it tell you, if they can't even spend a few hundred dollars on updating their website? Maybe I am just being a bit bitter and harsh, but considering they are supposed to be the preeminent English Dept. in Canada in the preeminent University of Canada we should expect a little bit of professionalism on their part! That said, there are some really great encouraging profs, and they are particularly strong in 18th C. Now to actually answer your questions. The MA program is a cash-cow. There is absolutely no funding (which is not common in Canada; many other MA programs in UofT get funding, including the Centre for Comp.Lit.), they accept a large pool, and you don't even need to submit a writing sample. Most Canadians usually do the MA-only program first because it easier to get in , and there is enough gov. assistance to compensate for UofT's cheapness. Plus, most English MAers in UofT come from shitty Canadian universities and have no option but to 'prove their worth' (i.e. PAY) if they have any professional aspirations what's so ever. The Direct-Entry Ph.D. is basically copying the standard American practice, where you are accepted in the Ph.D. stream and complete your MA in the first two years. And of course there's funding. The only difference in the application is that you have to submit a writing sample (which for you, being an American, is to be expected anyway). Also, I believe you can explicitly state that you want to be considered for the MA program, if you did not qualify for direct-entry Ph.D. Or maybe it's the other way around: official application to the MA program, with a request for Ph.D. consideration. Either way, I pretty sure there is a way to apply to one but be considered for both. If after all this, you still want to go: GOOD LUCK!

Hey, any Canadians here ever received, or know someone who has, the Canadian Fulbright, the Fulbright that Canadian grad students are eligible for? I am scheduled to start a CompLit PhD at CUNY (NYC) in 2010 (I deferred for a year), and am planning to apply for the Canadian Fulbright. Does any one have any advice for how to make a successful application? Preliminarily, my suggested project is a comparative study of the Russian immigrant experience in America and Canada, which fits in with my larger PhD study of Russian postmodernism in relation to American postmodernism. I think this fits in well with the whole "American/Canadian relations" because often the differences between being a Russian immigrants in Canada and in America are ignored or normalized (i.e. "Canada's like America, anyway") I'm also a Russian immigrant myself who has been living in Toronto, Canada since 93 (like many fellow immigrants, I also lived in Israel for a few years), so there is an added personal dimension. What do you guys think are my chances? More specifically, I'd like to know if there is any advantage for applying as an "Independent Researcher" with connection with an American institution vs. a "Formally enrolled" grad student? Any insights people can offer about the Fulbright process would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

seriously, does no attend this program?

Hey D, thanks for the reply. I am well aware of the culture of and politics at the New School. That doesn't detract me, though I am turned-off by the hipster flacks that school and atmosphere attracts (maybe I just don't want to admit that I'm a hipster flack myself). What attracts me to the school is the caliber of profs it gathers, some of them even international superstars (Julia Kristeva has been a visiting prof there for a few years now), and the school's active involvement within the larger intellectual community of NYC. More specifically, I am not sure I want to actually do a PhD in Literature, and the their MA in Liberal Studies program seems like a good way too keep my options open. If I do want to go on to a PhD the MA would give me a sold grounding in literary and critical theory, and if I want to work outside of the academy, New School appears to offer a lot of potential contacts and opportunities to do that (i.e. New Yorker writers as instructors, credited internships, etc etc). Basically, if $$$ was not an issue this would be an ideal program for me. The problem, though, is I can't determine how much substance there is to the program. My impression is that most of the student body just has wads of cash to blow and are going to it for the 'experience,' a luxury I cannot afford.

Hey. I was wondering if anyone had more insights on how the taxation of funding/fellowships works for international students. I am a Canadian citizen and CUNY is offering me 18K part of which covers tuition, leaving me with a stipend of approximately 12K. Will I be taxed on of it? I also heard that Canadians are taxed doubly --by the US gov't and the Canadian gov't. Anyone have more info/experience. thanks.

fields&charts: If you live in Chicago, why not just take some grad courses at UChicago or Northwestern as a none-degree student. You'd can still get a grade for it and it will be a hell lot cheaper. If they don't allow none-degree students, take some upper undergrad courses, often they are cross-listed anyway. Heck, you can prob just email a prof and see if you can audit his or her course; you probably won't even have to pay (who actually "officially" audits a course?). If you do all they work, the prof will prob write you a recommendation (you can probably even ask them to mention in LoR what mark you WOULD have gotten if you were officially enrolled).Plus, you can probably spin it as 'taking initiative' and 'being committed' in SoP And if you, for some reason, tank, no one's the wiser. Just because you have a chance to rub shoulders with big shots doesn't mean those shoulders will rub. Y'know.

Hi im a 13+ years resident of Toronto and got my BA from UofT. Been living downtown for 3 years (before that lived @ home in North York). Quick points: 1. While Toronto is a big city, its peripheral regions are underdeveloped and estranged from the heart of Toronto. SO stay away from the 'suburbs' ie North York, Etobicoke. They usually tend to be very car-centric especially North York and expensive since most are home owners there. Basically You don't want to live anywhere north of Young and Eglington (20-25 subway ride to UofT, not 45), West of High Park (even that's pushing it a bit), and East of... 1.5 STAY AWAY FROM THE EAST END. While the Beaches, Leslieville and Danforth areas are nice they tend to be a bit more family-oriented (ie $$$) and are disconnected from the urban nightlife. And despite being a quick ride on the subway, it really tire you out when you have to do it every day. Plus, no-one from the Westend will go to the East End, unless its a super special occasion; it's just the way it is. Also, you have to pass through some crummy areas to get there, so be aware. I mean, if you are more of the settled-down type maybe living with a partner who just wants to go to school and hang out in your neighborhood these east-end areas are certainly nice; but if you are still in your 20/early 30s who wants to soak up the citylife, well, go west young (wo)man, go west. Cabbigetown and the adjesent gay village (Church Street) are nice too and are much closer to Yonge St, the dividing line b/w West and East. OH! And despite what someone said, Roncesville (between High Park and Dundas West subway stations) is not 20mins from UofT. Sure if you live right next to the subway, yes. But most likely, you would be living 10-20mins from the subway and be tempted to take the streetcar which is always late. And its a total bitch to get from there by foot. Lastly, while having a lot of Eastern European charm, you should be aware the neighborhood basically shuts-down after 9pm. 2. Though the subways are pretty fast, buses and streetcars are totally another matter. If you live in the downtown core (Annex, Chinatown/Kensington Market, Queen West, Little Italy) its not really an issue because everything is walking distance, but if you are thinking "oh its not that far, i can just hop on the bus every day" dont! Also fare is 2.75 per ticket! 3. Dont live in grad house. While its in a relatively convenient area between College Street and Bloor Annex its a monstrosity of a building and its immediate surroundings are kind bland. Plus if your partner will be working in the city it will be embarrassing for him/her to invite his/her professional friends to what is essentially a glorified dorm. 4. You can relatively easily find a 2 bedroom + living room for around 1500-1800, and certainly a 1 bedroom + den for around 1000. Check Viewit.ca, Craigslist, and NowToronto classifieds and Thestar classifieds. UofT's housing database tends to have a lot of crap listed on it and isnt regularly updated. Keep an eye out for regions like College & Dovercourt (30min walk to UofT), around Dupont station just north of Bloor is blossoming, Dundas Street. If you're single I recommend sharing a Victorian house with a few roommates. Its pretty common for young professionals and other grad students to live like that so you'll be living in a mature environment; check Craigslist for potential roommates, you'll find plenty. For around 750-850 you can get a nice sized room in a very nice house shared with 3-4 other housemates that will have a nice proper kitchen and living room, a nice shared backyard, maybe even basement for storage. And you can get this in pretty posh and coveted neighborhoods like Little Italy, the Annex, Queen West. Anyway these are just some of my opinions. As others have said, Toronto is great vibrant city and don't be scared about the infestations. I've never seen a rat yet. PS: Despite liquor sale being controlled by the government (ie the LCBO stores), you can basically smoke grass on the street without a care, in case anyone is wondering.

I really doubt the Liberal Studies credits would count towards my PhD, even if its @ CUNY. Plus, it would be way cheaper for me to take extra courses at Uof Toronto, and these courses would seem more legitimate, I think.

anyone?

So whats the deal with this MA program? the New School for Social Research seems like they do a lot of great stuff and their profs are are superstars, but whats the deal with the Liberal Arts Ma program. Is it just a cash-cow, like that Humanities MA program in Chicago. Does it have any prestige, be it academic or professional? I know that the NSSR offers some funding for their MAs, but I think its rarely more than 50% tuition (and its a high one, isnt it?) but the Liberal Arts stream seems like the most crack-pot. The thing is, if $$$ is not an issue, it does seem like a really exiting program that one could really leverage for a future in research/cultural institution/publishing and prob. PhD considering the caliber of the Profs and the closeness one may have with them. Any gossip would be great.

Hey everyone, Today I spoke with the director of CUNY's compLit on the phone, who personally emailed me the day before saying he'd like to chat with me ASAP. He basically said that he really liked my application but that its unfortunate that I did not apply earlier because he would have loved to give me a full fellowship package. Now they are all gone. He said that he would love me to go to CUNY but the best he can probably do is offer me a TAship which would cover my tuition but not much else. He also said he cannot promise a 'bump' to full fellowship in the 2nd year. He did say that if I reapply next year for 2010 I would be 'favored' and would not have to go through the entire application process. He was concerned what I would do with a year off but less as an academic director and more as a paternal figure as if though not getting into grad school is the end of the world (or so it seemed to me). He really made it seem liked this was a 'missed opportunity' (ie if only I applied a bit earlier). He did seem to really like me, was surprised i didn't get accepted anywhere (i didnt apply anywhere else, see below) and said that I belong @ CUNY when I mentioned that I was considering New School for Social Research MA in Liberal Arts. I am thanking of deferring till next year in the hopes of receiving a better package but have some concerns and was hoping you guys and gals can offer me some advice: 1. Could the director 'forget' about me or change his interest in me the next year? Could CUNY just say that their funding is limited because of the economy? In that case I feel like I would have just wasted a year. Has anyone have experience in negotiating this kind of situation or rekindling the committee