wombats

I'm applying to English programs that have an emphasis on critical literary theory and rhetoric/visual rhetoric studies. Loric, I suppose it IS a matter of personal opinion, but I suppose that is why I'm asking for help. I've had it evaluated by other people already, who have said good things about it. I'm quite confident in my ability to wield the English language. I just want someone, who isn't familiar with my work already, to have a look at it with a critical eye. Any help is much appreciated >.<

I'd love a good critical eye for my statement of purpose. . . I'll return the favor! It's only two pages and I promise it's not AWFUL, I just really want some input from accepted graduate students and students who are confident that they know what schools are looking for. Thanks

I talked with my POI today and he said that the graduate school is the one who determines the fellowships, not the department, so he couldn't really comment on it other than it was very prestigious and competitive. He said they very occasionally nominate people for fellowship, but that it's usually the recruitment office that . . . recruits people for it. So it's weird, I don't know about hesheit1 but my scores on the GRE aren't stellar. But why would they have contacted me? It's not like they don't have my scores in front of them. I think I may be in the same boat as Queen of Kale. I'm a woman and I was also president of our Allies (Gay/straight alliance) at my college campus, plus my MA is in applied Linguistics and not English. Plus, my letter discussed how much the school embraced diversity so. . . Violet, this is exactly my line of thinking. Even if I don't get the fellowship, I feel like it might be a good sign of at least admission into the department. Plus, since I've told my main POI, maybe he will tell the adcomm that I was at least eligible for nomination? We shall see. Keep me updated hesheit1. I won't be able to contact the recruitment office until tomorrow, but I'll post once I've discussed with them.

BUMP. I've received a similar letter. Anybody know what it means for us?

Ha! If only we could include headshots. But seriously. Thank you so much loric. This is precisely what I needed to hear. Luckily it's what I've been preparing for so the advice isn't totally out of left field. You've made me feel a little more confident in my SOP I can't pull of erudite if my life depended on it. (kidding, but only slightly?)

I feel like there is a serious lack of discussion regarding English Statement of Purposes. Any advice? How much "flair" do you put into it? Should you try to impress them with your language skills? Or sounds purely academic? I have no idea what they're looking for.

Wow. Thank you, this is really great advice. I talk to my POIs on Monday and Tuesday, I'll be upfront and honest with them.

I've been told by my advisor to avoid american studies programs, because the job market doesn't treat them too kindly. Is this not true? Thanks so much! I'd never looked into UC. It's a little late in the game for me to apply, and especially to re-take the test, but if I don't get accepted this time around, I will definitely add it to me list. Much, much appreciated!

Lack of confidence stems from GRE scores 156V/142Q 3.5 AW. I'm a terrible test taker, and yes, I studied a lot for it. Also stems from the fact I will only have one LoR from my graduate program, I had so many different professors that none of them got to know me well enough to write me a letter. So I'm relying on two great letters from my undergrad. Also: My MA is in applied linguistics and I'm afraid a PhD program will see that and think I'm unprepared. Is it worth it to take two more years to establish myself as an academic? And a little more debt? I'm not too far in the hole, because I got a TA for my MA degree. Any thoughts/self esteem boosters are welcome.

So, I'm entering into a field with relatively little scholarship as of now. Visual Rhetoric and Comics. So far I am applying to University of Arkansas, where I have similar interests with professors (PhD), University of Florida, that has the only Visual Rhetoric and Comics track in the US, and I recently decided to apply to Portland State as a so called "backup" only because the only offer an MA in English. I'd really love to work with a professor there, and it might actually be a better fit because the school has close ties with the Dark Horse publication company, the 3rd largest comic publisher in the country. So I'm mostly applying to PSU because I want to work under Dr. Kirtley, but part of me wonders if that isn't what I should be shooting for. I have an MA in Applied Linguistics, but decided that it isn't really the field I want to pursue. Is it worth going into debt over Portland if I don't get into and PhD programs? I have self confidence issues.

If I don't get into a PhD program I'll use my MA to go back overseas and teach English and try again in a few years.

Our plan B is definitely overseas. We're Two adults and a toddler who spent a year in Korea. If Husband doesn't get a PhD with a stipend, its back to east asia that we go!