no_foam_cappuccino

NEVER TAKE THE GRE SUBJECT TEST IN LITERATURE MORE THAN ONCE. I don't care how bad you think you did. My score was embarrassingly low -- lower than the 20th percentile -- and I got into one of my top choice programs. I honestly just see it as a hurdle you have to jump, and if your score isn't impressive, then find a way to compensate. Instead of retaking it, use that money to apply to a couple extra schools. Taking it more than once is just not worth the money and the emotion.

After a great open house yesterday, I decided this morning to accept Brandeis University's PhD offer! Can't wait to head back up to Boston :-)

I know...I feel dumb saying this, but I honestly don't even know if high numbers or low numbers are better on that list. I've even tried reading the methodology page. My only evidence leading me to think low numbers are better is that Harvard's rankings are low.

All I know for sure is that wherever I go, I'll be the queer theorist of the cohort, so I'm probably not going to pull a cliche and wear my rainbow sweater. Or should I...?

Yes! We should keep in touch; I'm interested in where you end up going.

If only we could trade respective situations with Tufts and Oregon. Tufts was my top choice, but I was rejected flat out! Grrrr...

Well I am a city girl [sic], so the extracurricular options are not really gonna ring my bell. I'm still not going to dismiss it, so thanks for your perspective! BUT, if you have questions about the Medford/ Somerville area, I lived there for two years, so I'm happy to fill you in! There's a good possibility I'll end up back there next year, so I've been thinking about it a lot :-) Um, congrats again about Tufts! It's in my top three, and I'm pretty sure I've been rejected. To work with Lee Edelman....ahhhh....

So I know Brandeis is in a great place, since I got my MA there. Can you tell me why you say the same about Oregon? I've heard Eugene described as a "rural student ghetto," so I'm interested to hear a counterpoint!

I got into Oregon! And now have a really hard decision to make between Brandeis and Oregon. Unless someone has some super helpful distinction to contribute to make this decision less difficult...?

I was just accepted to Oregon via a very nice phone call from the DGS. There's a lot that sounds great, but I'm a little concerned about the funding. Since I'm not a trained Comp instructor, my first year funding is much lower than in later years. Does anyone have an idea how livable 11,500 is in Eugene?

I just have a problem with someone saying "I don't get this. Someone explain it to me." That's not really how knowledge circulation works, especially for people pursuing advanced degrees.

I was accepted to the same school that granted my MA, and my admission is probably owed 95% to my experiences at that school, and their recognition of my fit.

Are you talking about that portal that takes you to this screen where there's a box that says "Your admissions decision will be found here when it is available?" Because that's what I've been checking, and there's no change! Maybe I should contact the department?

So I got an email from Tufts saying it would post a decision "shortly." That was three days ago. I've heard a lot of people getting acceptances and wait listed...should I take this as a rejection? Be honest with me, I can take it!

Do some programs just never formally reject applicants? I'm starting to worry that I'm going to have to make a decision about accepting an offer based on an implication that I'm rejected from somewhere else...

PMing you.

I'll be there!

Well I applied to Tufts and I didn't get that email...so, better news for you perhaps? It was really nice! I was surprised :-)

ImWantHazPhD: So you're one of the lucky Tufts people! I've been wondering where they were on these forums. Congratulations! That looks like such a great department. Can I ask you, do you have an MA already? I hear they're more reluctant to accept people with MAs into the program because they offer a MA/PhD.

I agree. I'm not one of those people who say "the GRE tests nothing but how well you take the GRE," since I think getting a GRE score shows competence at comprehension and logic. But those are a completely different set of skills than are needed while you're taking classes and writing seminar papers. Taking the GRE is like walking into a random classroom, listening for five minutes, and somehow getting something out of it. But, at least in my experience, your course of study in grad school is supposed to be planned out and streamlined toward a specific professional goal. It's not that I think the GRE should be done away with, but maybe there could be a more relevant method of evaluation?

AH! What a horrifying weekend this will be for me...

I was thinking the same thing when reading this thread. Since when does being under 25 mean we're sleepy little things? I'll have worked at Starbucks for a full year before starting a PhD program, and you better believe I won't be able to shake my 4:30am internal alarm.

Thanks so much. That makes a lot of sense to me. Also, congratulations on getting into UT Austin!

I've been accepted to one school so far and am thinking about it obsessively. Is there a risk of looking overeager in pursuing information about the program immediately (i.e. taking up the head of PhD acceptance on her offer to talk over the phone)? Or would it be better to wait until the rest of my responses trickle in first?

I had a professor who told us that the first time you read it, pretend like you're in a hotel room, forgot a book and are desperate for reading material. Then you find this book called Ulysses in the nightstand. So that's what I did. I like this strategy because it releases you from the intense associations that come with reading ~~**ULYSSES**~~. Also I recommend flipping around. If you're curious about "Penelope," then skip to the end and read it. There's no reason you shouldn't indulge a little; that's all the indulgence you'll get out of the book your first read, after all. The second time I read it I read the Bloomsday Reader along with it. This allowed for a guided, more methodical approach, since I already had an exploratory one.