ErnestPWorrell

I just got back from SXSW. The trip has me seriously reconsidering moving back to Austin. Rent is going way up all over campus and, although I'm okay taking out a small amount of loans to live on, I'm worried that my steipend might only cover my rent (this appears to be the case for the 2 students I saw during my trip.) That's way more debt than I want to take on. At this point, I'm leaning towards declining any offer I may receive off the waitlist. Ugh/barf/puke.

I did not know that. Thanks! As for TA'ing, I think it all depends on the professor you work for. It's a 20 hour appointment, but some professors only really require half that while others a little more. (I'm g-chatting about this with a friend/student right this second, so bare with me.)

I feel you. Dude, I enjoy getting dressed up but I hate business casual. Most semi-formal wear is 1% interesting and 3% flattering. Anyway, Austin's hip but not dressy. I recommend keeping it simple. A pair of well-fitting cropped, slim fitting black pants (BDG's black jeans pass for slacks) and a classic white button up? Très chic!

This is what I've heard from both students and faculty: Fellowships are few and far between. Typically, students TA for their first 4 semesters, with two 25 student weekly discussion sections. After students earn an MA, they work two jobs for the department: (1) teaching a freshman comp class and (2) tutoring students at an undergrad writing center. After a few years of teaching comp, some student teach literature classes. I'm not totally sure how that works. As I've said elsewhere, several students work an additional job TA'ing or tutoring in another department for extra money.

This might prove helpful insofar it provides a few good ideas: www.refinery29.com/interview-outfits

Pro-tip 2: khakis don't do anyone justice.

Werk!

Insanely drunk. SPRING BREAK 2013 WOOOOOOT!!!!!

What if Girl Who Wears Glasses and Fishbucket are the same person?

from the title of this post, i was really hoping for a jerry-seinfeld-1990s-standup style comedy bit about eloit. very, very disappointed.

This wait list is making me feel fat.

Take it out on the student! She don't respect nothing!

Ugh, guys. Today I'm not feeling good about this. Ugh. I'M ON ROLLER-COASTER OF EMOTIONS! I AM AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER-COASTER!

if you were in the miss america pageant, getting wait listed would totally be your talent. you would win, just like you're going to win the wait list game.

This is helpful. Thanks!

I dunno about the MFA folks. English students get $27k/year for a 20-hour TA gig, with a good chuck of that money going towards tuition. The leftovers show up on 9 monthly paychecks.

Can you share with us what did that made the difference in your application? Also, did you feel the need to address your "gap year" in application materials?

Personally, if I get in, I'm going to go. I figure I can take out small loans to live on, if need be, and pay those back down the road. That really doesn't bother me. And I like teaching a lot, so the higher-than-average teaching load doesn't bother me. Anyways, I'm almost guaranteed to make more money with my MA (working in the appropriate field, of course) than I will with an English PhD in academia. But I would be miserable. So there's that. In the words of Jay-Z, "What's 50 grand to a mothafucka like me, can you please remind me?"

I know a couple of UT-Austin English PhD students who live, at least in part, off loans even though they're "fully funded." I also know that at least some UT-Austin PhD students seek additional (on top of their English department job) employment through the university in order to make ends meet (tutoring, TA'ing for other departments, etc.) But that's not to say that everyone lives off loans or that everyone works multiple jobs. I can say that the UT-Austin PhD students I spoke to told me that they felt as though both loans and familial financial support are hush-hush topics among the people in their program. I can't comment to how the Austin situation compares to other English programs.

Congrats! My two cents: Lexington is a super cheap place to live, but you do need a car. They have great GWS and Social theory folks (or so I hear.)

Girl, you smart. Thanks for this.

Sympathy ulcer!

That was supposed to be an up vote but I'm stupid and sloppy and sorry.

Yes. Or, at least, that's what I'm supposed to be doing.

Amen