jrockford27

Some standard SOP advice for MA students is to show that you are both critically engaged and teachable. It isn't as important to map out a proposed project as it is to tell a compelling story about you and your academic interests. Most adcomms recognize and maybe even expect your area of interest or project to change. 
You might think of what makes you unique as an applicant and why you're interested in southern lit, and then tell a story through your SOP that highlights your academic and maybe even personal engagement with that kind of literature. What theoretical approaches have you used to help understand that field, and how does your writing sample show these interests, etc.
For example, for my SOP, I started by talking about a lecture that I saw by a famous academic, and how it impacted how I conducted my research from then on. I followed this up with a short discussion of how the classes I've taken and the mentorship I've received from professors has influenced my writing, and then went on to detail the theorists and literary periods that were important to me, and what questions I was interested in answering. I then showed how my writing sample commented on this discussion, and showed what I had gotten from those influences. I was telling a story about my development as an academic, and how I might use that development to make original contributions to the field. Basically, I am critically engaged and teachable, is the story.

Teaching something like freshman comp right off the bat on your own isn't terribly unusual in PhD programs (especially at very large, public universities).  The dept. will probably give you a week long workshop of some kind to get you ready, but frankly, you learn to teach by teaching and the best way to do it is to give you a bit of prep then turn you loose.  No amount of training workshops can simulate the contingencies of a real classroom anyway.  While it may seem odd to learn this sort of thing on the job, I can't imagine a training program that would really make you "ready" to step into your own classroom.  After all, every classroom is different and poses unique challenges.
In my program we're fortunate enough to get fellowships our first year, and then begin teaching the second year.  Our TAships are a 1/1 with summer teaching offered third and fourth and occasionally fifth year as demand/enrollments dictate.  I honestly can't imagine doing more than a 1/1 as a grad student, but I'm sure folks find a way to make it work.  Here you start off doing freshman comp, then you TA for a large lecture in your specialty, before then being turned loose to make your own Intro-to type courses in your later years.  Summer classes offer opportunities to teach self-designed required and elective major courses.

Teaching something like freshman comp right off the bat on your own isn't terribly unusual in PhD programs (especially at very large, public universities).  The dept. will probably give you a week long workshop of some kind to get you ready, but frankly, you learn to teach by teaching and the best way to do it is to give you a bit of prep then turn you loose.  No amount of training workshops can simulate the contingencies of a real classroom anyway.  While it may seem odd to learn this sort of thing on the job, I can't imagine a training program that would really make you "ready" to step into your own classroom.  After all, every classroom is different and poses unique challenges.
In my program we're fortunate enough to get fellowships our first year, and then begin teaching the second year.  Our TAships are a 1/1 with summer teaching offered third and fourth and occasionally fifth year as demand/enrollments dictate.  I honestly can't imagine doing more than a 1/1 as a grad student, but I'm sure folks find a way to make it work.  Here you start off doing freshman comp, then you TA for a large lecture in your specialty, before then being turned loose to make your own Intro-to type courses in your later years.  Summer classes offer opportunities to teach self-designed required and elective major courses.

I've been a lurker this application season, but just wanted to share that I've officially accepted University of Pittsburgh's offer (I'm an early modernist, for anyone who is interested)! I've seen a few fellow future-Pittsburghers on the forum and I sincerely cannot wait to work with you all! 
Congrats to everyone -- you all totally and completely rock.

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

A 2/2 as a grad student sounds crazy.  I have a hard time getting around to my own work on a 1/1.  Proceed with caution.  Ultimately, placement should be the tiebreaker though.

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

This is WAY off base stateside. Most leases start in August, but the best places tend to start disappearing in February. Hell, the big rental company in my college town had a line outside for their new building back in November when they first opened the rentals for it for next year. If you don't have a place lucked down by the end of the school year you are going to be hurting for options in a "college town".
These are the things you ask people in the program. Many places will have a buddy or group of students who will help in the process. I just randomly started FB messenging one of the current students who friended me when I first accepted, and she helped me (and has gone on to become one of my best friends and a mentor).

This was probably the most stressful aspect of "the summer before" for me, trying to rent a place I thought I could afford, sight unseen.  It is not easy, and will always entail some anxiety and uncertainty.  I'll try to wrack my brain for advice..
1.  Don't always believe the hype on Yelp etc. about landlords/rental management companies.  My unscientific opinion is that usually the only people who are inclined to review their landlord are terribly aggrieved and disgruntled outliers.  You're unlikely to find a rental company you can afford on a stipend that has better than 2 stars, and tales of roaches and other vermin and collapsing ceilings, mold, and trespassing employees will abound!  This will only serve to stress you out.  Frankly, I rent from one of those 2 star companies with a litany of horror stories on their yelp page, and while it hasn't been perfect, it's been fine.  Ditto other grads I know who rent from allegedly "shady" rental companies (if Yelp is to be believed).  On the money we make, nothing is going to be perfect, so don't get lured in by the horror stories, it will stifle your search.
2.  If you're so-inclined you could ask a current grad student if they'd be willing to check out a place for you, or at least vouch for it.  See who is on your department's Grad Student Organization (or equivalent group) board - these people are usually inclined to be helpful.  Bear in mind these are also people who have probably been in this situation and understand how stressful it is.  Always ask a current graduate student or two about the neighborhoods - how convenient they are to campus, how affordable and practical they are on a stipend, and anything else that matters to you.  Oftentimes GSOs have Facebook groups where available rooms, or people switching apartments let others in the program know.  Which brings me to my next advice...
3.  Consider renting a room/attic or a sublet your first year.  At the very least, if you end up in a bad situation it shouldn't cost you as much as renting a place on your own.  My guess is that other programs, like mine, have a few "houses" that are generally rented by multiple students in the program.  I personally lucked into renting a very nice attic apartment from an older couple my first year.
4.  You may need to live further from campus than you originally dreamed.  Housing near campuses is usually high demand and expensive (catering to faculty, administration, full time employees) or low quality undergrad oriented housing.  Look for things that are close to public transit or bike lanes.  That said, do not be lured out to the sticks by cheap rents, you'll hate yourself for it later.
That's what I can think of now.
 
 

This was probably the most stressful aspect of "the summer before" for me, trying to rent a place I thought I could afford, sight unseen.  It is not easy, and will always entail some anxiety and uncertainty.  I'll try to wrack my brain for advice..
1.  Don't always believe the hype on Yelp etc. about landlords/rental management companies.  My unscientific opinion is that usually the only people who are inclined to review their landlord are terribly aggrieved and disgruntled outliers.  You're unlikely to find a rental company you can afford on a stipend that has better than 2 stars, and tales of roaches and other vermin and collapsing ceilings, mold, and trespassing employees will abound!  This will only serve to stress you out.  Frankly, I rent from one of those 2 star companies with a litany of horror stories on their yelp page, and while it hasn't been perfect, it's been fine.  Ditto other grads I know who rent from allegedly "shady" rental companies (if Yelp is to be believed).  On the money we make, nothing is going to be perfect, so don't get lured in by the horror stories, it will stifle your search.
2.  If you're so-inclined you could ask a current grad student if they'd be willing to check out a place for you, or at least vouch for it.  See who is on your department's Grad Student Organization (or equivalent group) board - these people are usually inclined to be helpful.  Bear in mind these are also people who have probably been in this situation and understand how stressful it is.  Always ask a current graduate student or two about the neighborhoods - how convenient they are to campus, how affordable and practical they are on a stipend, and anything else that matters to you.  Oftentimes GSOs have Facebook groups where available rooms, or people switching apartments let others in the program know.  Which brings me to my next advice...
3.  Consider renting a room/attic or a sublet your first year.  At the very least, if you end up in a bad situation it shouldn't cost you as much as renting a place on your own.  My guess is that other programs, like mine, have a few "houses" that are generally rented by multiple students in the program.  I personally lucked into renting a very nice attic apartment from an older couple my first year.
4.  You may need to live further from campus than you originally dreamed.  Housing near campuses is usually high demand and expensive (catering to faculty, administration, full time employees) or low quality undergrad oriented housing.  Look for things that are close to public transit or bike lanes.  That said, do not be lured out to the sticks by cheap rents, you'll hate yourself for it later.
That's what I can think of now.
 
 

This was probably the most stressful aspect of "the summer before" for me, trying to rent a place I thought I could afford, sight unseen.  It is not easy, and will always entail some anxiety and uncertainty.  I'll try to wrack my brain for advice..
1.  Don't always believe the hype on Yelp etc. about landlords/rental management companies.  My unscientific opinion is that usually the only people who are inclined to review their landlord are terribly aggrieved and disgruntled outliers.  You're unlikely to find a rental company you can afford on a stipend that has better than 2 stars, and tales of roaches and other vermin and collapsing ceilings, mold, and trespassing employees will abound!  This will only serve to stress you out.  Frankly, I rent from one of those 2 star companies with a litany of horror stories on their yelp page, and while it hasn't been perfect, it's been fine.  Ditto other grads I know who rent from allegedly "shady" rental companies (if Yelp is to be believed).  On the money we make, nothing is going to be perfect, so don't get lured in by the horror stories, it will stifle your search.
2.  If you're so-inclined you could ask a current grad student if they'd be willing to check out a place for you, or at least vouch for it.  See who is on your department's Grad Student Organization (or equivalent group) board - these people are usually inclined to be helpful.  Bear in mind these are also people who have probably been in this situation and understand how stressful it is.  Always ask a current graduate student or two about the neighborhoods - how convenient they are to campus, how affordable and practical they are on a stipend, and anything else that matters to you.  Oftentimes GSOs have Facebook groups where available rooms, or people switching apartments let others in the program know.  Which brings me to my next advice...
3.  Consider renting a room/attic or a sublet your first year.  At the very least, if you end up in a bad situation it shouldn't cost you as much as renting a place on your own.  My guess is that other programs, like mine, have a few "houses" that are generally rented by multiple students in the program.  I personally lucked into renting a very nice attic apartment from an older couple my first year.
4.  You may need to live further from campus than you originally dreamed.  Housing near campuses is usually high demand and expensive (catering to faculty, administration, full time employees) or low quality undergrad oriented housing.  Look for things that are close to public transit or bike lanes.  That said, do not be lured out to the sticks by cheap rents, you'll hate yourself for it later.
That's what I can think of now.
 
 

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

I just turned down CU-Boulder and Iowa, as I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the fall of 2017. I am sad I had to turn these amazing programs down, but I hope that someone else is able to join them!

As a current Oxford DPhil, I would caution against the flippancy of the above advice.  Both U of Chicago and Oxford will indeed open tonnes of opportunities for you as a scholar, but these opportunities will likely be very different.  Would you prefer an academic career in the US?  Choose U of Chicago.  Do you plan on staying in Britain?  Oxford.  
'Following your dream' is probably not the most sensible thing to do here, as you are choosing between two very different programmes.  Would you benefit from course breadth and structure, or are you comfortable in your knowledge and eager to begin your dissertation?  I would recommend looking very closely at what types of academic experiences these programmes offer, as, at the end of the day, that is what matters.  
Final thought: choosing U of Chicago is absolutely not demonstrating a 'lack of guts'!  One of the MSt students here is heading to U of Chicago next year for her PhD--her supervisor recommended this move because it is 'better than Harvard'.  All in all, you've got great options   Feel free to PM me if you have any questions

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

No. I did my MA at Bama and ended up at Ohio State. One of my peers in the program made the leap to Yale. The lower ranking of the program wasn't an impediment to either of our PhD applications. 
If you do anything with Af-Am and/or 20C lit, having T. Harris on your side is a major plus. (So long as you can keep up with her demands, which are high.) One of her mentees at Alabama just landed a TT at the University of Florida (yes, you read that correctly). 

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

Relax.  Don't buy in to the culture of not only claiming a 70 hour work week, but masochistically wearing it as a badge of honor.  Settle into habits of work and mind that allow you to accomplish what you want to get done.  Measure your work by its quality, not the amount of time you can claim you spent on it.  Set realistic goals.  Take on manageable levels of department of service while learning when to say "no".    Stay connected to people around you.  Attend talks that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Cultivate hobbies that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Read books that have nothing to do with your dissertation.  Remember that a PhD is just one part of the life that you're living and that other things are also part of your life.  Don't let your PhD become your entire life.  Recognize that the system is designed in such a way as to make you feel perpetually behind and that the people who don't feel behind or under pressure are probably posturing.  Remember that you're not an impostor, you were accepted to your program because they believe in your potential.  Exercise.  Drink plenty of water.  Eat nutritious food.  Sleep when it's time.
Most of all, if your program offers you good health insurance or a counseling center - avail yourself of therapy when you need it - or perhaps before you need it.
 

I once had a member of the faculty at my school tell me that they're suspicious of freshly minted PhDs with too many publications.  It's hard to believe, they argue, that a PhD student with voluminous record of peer reviewed and edited publications could possibly producing quality content across the board.
Also, ditto what Bumblebea said.
It's also worthwhile to consider that one reason people at brand-name PhD programs are able to publish a lot more because they typically teach a lot less.  Right now, I project I'll finish my diss in about 25 months - but if I get a non-teaching fellowship, I'd bet I can crank it out in more like 18.  Teaching load really matters that much.  While some schools fall over themselves for the brand, other potential employers may value someone who has designed and taught a number of classes and can hit the ground running as an instructor.  

On the one hand, a subjective peer survey has some merit, in the sense that people aren't hired based on hard math, they're hired based on perception.
On the other hand, English departments are often sprawling huge entities, often among the largest programs in a university.  Often times English departments bundle together comp-rhet/literature/film/etc. under a single umbrella.  A school may be very highly regarded in one and less so in the other, and people in the concentration area who make hiring decisions will recognize that, but it may not necessarily appear in the rankings.
And on still a third hand, as someone above astutely pointed out, high ranking and name recognition often correlate with strong placement, but not always.  Placements may also often have less to do with how well known your department is than how well known your adviser is.  So while I'm sure it probably feels good to be rated highly, those of us attending programs in the dirty thirties don't need to get too down on ourselves.

On the one hand, a subjective peer survey has some merit, in the sense that people aren't hired based on hard math, they're hired based on perception.
On the other hand, English departments are often sprawling huge entities, often among the largest programs in a university.  Often times English departments bundle together comp-rhet/literature/film/etc. under a single umbrella.  A school may be very highly regarded in one and less so in the other, and people in the concentration area who make hiring decisions will recognize that, but it may not necessarily appear in the rankings.
And on still a third hand, as someone above astutely pointed out, high ranking and name recognition often correlate with strong placement, but not always.  Placements may also often have less to do with how well known your department is than how well known your adviser is.  So while I'm sure it probably feels good to be rated highly, those of us attending programs in the dirty thirties don't need to get too down on ourselves.

On the one hand, a subjective peer survey has some merit, in the sense that people aren't hired based on hard math, they're hired based on perception.
On the other hand, English departments are often sprawling huge entities, often among the largest programs in a university.  Often times English departments bundle together comp-rhet/literature/film/etc. under a single umbrella.  A school may be very highly regarded in one and less so in the other, and people in the concentration area who make hiring decisions will recognize that, but it may not necessarily appear in the rankings.
And on still a third hand, as someone above astutely pointed out, high ranking and name recognition often correlate with strong placement, but not always.  Placements may also often have less to do with how well known your department is than how well known your adviser is.  So while I'm sure it probably feels good to be rated highly, those of us attending programs in the dirty thirties don't need to get too down on ourselves.

I got shut out my first time around (7 or 8 apps).  It doesn't mean your work isn't good or valuable, it just means it wasn't what a few particular adcoms were looking for this year.   Take a break, cultivate your other interests for awhile, and get a new set of eyes on your materials in a couple of months.  it worked for me!

I was shut out completely the first year I applied.  I took a couple of months to brush myself off, poured myself into other interesting things, took a night job as a karaoke host at a neighborhood bar. It really hurts, it was absolutely devastating, but it's important to remember that a rejection is not reflective of your worth as a scholar or as a person.  Oftentimes it's as capricious as who happens to be on the adcom that year.  If the committee assignments in the department had been meted out differently, you might be in at your dream school.  Instead a person who dislikes your subfield was on the adcom and you find yourself out.  It really can be that simple.  
When it got back around to June, I started looking at the app process from different angles.  Consulted with my letter writers.  Looked at other schools I hadn't even previously thought of because I wasn't perhaps looking at my work in the right way.  I found two programs that I hadn't even really considered before because I wasn't looking at programs for the right reasons that turned out to be dream schools.  I got into one, where I'm at now, and was waitlisted at the other, and had a couple of other admittances to boot.  
The point is, it's difficult, but don't let a year of rejections discourage you from your ultimate goal.  Take another year to cultivate yourself and your interests, and also take a couple of months not thinking about application B.S., which will give you a fresh set of eyes when you start the process again come May or June.