smellybug

Your background makes you ideal for a comp lit program. And your area of study is really interesting. I think most top 10-15 programs will be able to accommodate you. (Top 30 is really pretty encompassing: there are very few comp. lit. programs, so top 30 doesn't mean what it does for, say, English.) A lot of smaller programs only work in French, German, and Spanish, so I would just look at what universities offer your languages. If they do, I think you'll be able to argue for a good fit. I work in a language that isn't widely studied, so I sought programs that had specialists in this language. And when I reached out to the professors, they were excited; they don't get many people approaching them about this particular language. Off the top of my head, other than the obvious Ivies, Berkeley and Michigan have solid Arabic programs. Rather than looking at the comp lit people, you might want to check out who you’d want to work with in Arabic at a particular university, whether or not they’re affiliated with comp lit. My advice would be to do your research and reach out to people.

Great questions. I have a prof. who is fond of saying that if there is anything, literally ANYTHING, that you could imagine yourself doing outside of academia, do it. It's just that bad. You will have people who tell you things like this. I've had multiple people tell me I should get a Master's in Library Science instead, or a doctorate in Education. Because it's close enough, right? And the job market is quite a bit better, especially for an Ed.D. But the truth is, I think it is important to be realistic about the state of the job market while remaining realistic about all of the other options out there. In other words, I realize that finding a job might be easier, but I would not be as happy as a librarian or as an administrator as I would a professor/researcher. Period. I have worked in a couple different fields in my life and I am only now realizing the importance of aiming high. Yes, I could make a lot of things work, but I'm not just seeking a paycheck. I'm looking for a certain quality of life. (To which, people often say, teaching will not afford me. To which, I say, I guess you have never worked retail. Or management. Or food service.) It's not about chasing your dreams at any cost (in which case I would have sunk all my money in an MFA with the hope of becoming a famous writer) but rather chasing the career that affords you the lifestyle you're best suited to. I'm not talking about money, obviously. But I see my professors who are constantly thinking and learning in their day-to-day lives--constantly enriching themselves while preparing for the work day--and changing the lives of young people who are excited about literature, and then spend their summers traveling, planning classes, and writing, and I want to do that. I want to live a life of learning. I realize that I may have trouble actually getting to that place, and I do have other options. But, for the next five years or six years at least, I have a job that involves learning languages, reading texts, teaching literature, and discussing my ideas. It doesn't pay well and it is finite, but I have very, very rarely heard someone say that they regretted getting a doctorate. Actually, I can't think of anyone. Even if they are not teaching, people with PhDs often say that those were the most difficult, fulfilling years of their life. You learn a lot about yourself by writing a dissertation, and that's no small thing. It seems that people who regret this decision--and they usually end up dropping out--are people often ill prepared for the realities of academic life. It's really goddamned hard. But not in the way getting a 4.0 in undergrad is hard. It's hard because in order to make it worthwhile you have to be really self-motivated and love (really, really love, like almost pathologically) writing and reading. In my experience as a Master's student, you have to be a little crazy. Sometimes you have to like dead authors more than your live friends. And you have to be unable to sleep because that one sentence is just a little off. You have to wake up in the morning excited to get back to that paper you're writing. Otherwise, it's just not going to work. There is only one other person going on to a PhD at my university, I think, because people lose the fire. Or they get burnt out. I had a couple friends decide not to apply to PhD programs after beginning the thesis. They just couldn't imagine doing this for another five years. Me, I feel like I only scratched the surface with my thesis and I am eager to continue. I also had a friend drop out of a PhD program because he didn't want to teach. I get that. If you know you don't want to teach, your options are really limited. That's not to say it's not worth doing the PhD, but it helps that teaching is, for me, a really big draw. I think the Master's is a good test for whether or not you want to devote your life to this somewhat insane endeavor. I decided that I wanted to pursue the PhD after I wrote my first seminar paper. It was the most satisfying, fulfilling experience I never knew a person could love. And then when I taught Freshman comp the next year it really sealed the deal. I really felt at home. I am good at a lot of things, but I think I have the proper temperament to be a good researcher and teacher. AND I'm good at it. We don't always love all the things we're good at. Anyway, that's my story. I'm really interested to see what other people have to say here.

I hear that. I've actually been better about obsessively checking to see how everyone's doing. And then datatape blows my mind with an amazingly appropriate gif and reminds me why I obsessively check. I'm going to try to be of service where possible but I need to, like, actually finish my Master's thesis. And move across the country. When it starts to get hairy around October next year I'll probably pop in with a pep talk or two. Good luck, y'all.

I don't think that's anyone's intention. It's not about you. Overall, we're comparing ourselves now to our younger selves, who most certainly did not know as much about life. And obviously we weren't as sure about our life goals because we're at this point now. If you've got it at worked out, and plenty of twenty-somethings do, good for you. The assumption that we're trying to counter is that there's no upside to taking time away from school. That's not to say that those who go a traditional route are less capable. Again, it's not about you.

Sure, pal. There's plenty of bug to go around.

One thing that’s worth mentioning, and something that I think comes up indirectly or directly in all of the old timers' posts: Life is not a straight shot from point A to point B. Or, at least in my opinion, life is a windy, confusing set of divergent paths, and each turn of the way highlights something new about the traveler. If I had married my first love or gotten a PhD in what I was interested in at 18, oh, man. Good thing I took some years to figure it out. Life should not be about the pot of (tenured) gold at the end of the (academic) rainbow. Those of us "non-traditional" applicants have taken time out from the straight and narrow to hold unique jobs, travel, start families, maybe fuck up a bit, change life paths several times, and all of this has brought us back to academia with a fierce determination to make it a life. This is not the only life we have led, so, as BlueSiren rightly points out, we have a unique appreciation for it, even knowing the difficulty inherent in starting a PhD later in life. When the POI at my top university told me that my "non-traditional" status made me attractive to the admissions committee, I was a bit thrown off. I have never thought of myself as older or academically disadvantaged, but I am. And, like BlueSiren, my status made me interesting. In each of the interviews I did, the more I talked about my past in and out of academia, the more fascinated the interviewer became. I don't know if this will translate to the job market, but if it doesn't, there are, for me, other options. Obviously, I would prefer to have all the intellectual acumen, life experience, and emotional maturity I have now at 30 in the body of a 24-year-old. Certainly that would make this all easier. But since that's not an option, I have what I have now. And maybe this is a little too fluffy for some, but I think it's most important to develop as a human being. A career pales in comparison to that.

If you do summer immersion, I think so. Obviously you're super smart and dedicated and that's mostly what it'll take. I got there in French in three years but I only did brief stays in France. Don't underestimate how much you can do in a few months immersed in the language.

They'll be able to count backwards to determine age if you began your undergrad when you were 18, that is... It's not vitriol (and sorry if it seemed snarky--I sat for the spirit suck that is the qualifying exam yesterday) but a serious question: assuming you entered the academic world later in life, how on earth would they know your age? So much speculation. The youngsters among us will have a tough time. The older folks will, too. Maybe it'll be a strike against me that I'm slightly older, but even if I weren't older I'd be worried. I think we're all pretty prepared for what we're getting into here. Plus those magic beans that I put under my pillow every night have failed to change my DOB like the gypsy said they would, so I'm low on options here.

Are the interviewers going to ask to see my driver's license? Or birth certificate? And then interview me differently? No, they'll have no idea how old I am. I don't look any different than my peers. What they will see is a wealth of maturity and experience that my peers may not necessarily have.

...except the funded PhD students...

My dog Bear knows some people who know some people, but keep it on the DL.

Go blue!

To anyone still waiting: Michigan's comp lit dept. has had very few concrete answers. If you still haven't heard anything from them there's definitely a chance that you'll get a call soon.

Just officially accepted Michigan after the coolest visit ever. That place is better than cake.

Totally accidentally down voted this instead of doing the opposite... Congrats!

Congrats! That's an excellent program and I know a lot of great grad cafe folks are going to be there. What a wonderful decision to be in the position to make.

I think you'll be fine. It's a lovely campus. Not much going on in Evanston, but there's a shuttle or something from Chicago to campus. When I visited in November I was told that most grad students live in Chicago.

!!! Yay!

I have an MA in English from a largely unknown state school, 4.0 graduate GPA, and great verbal/writing GRE scores. But, I think more importantly, my interests match with the program's strengths and my sample and SOP were tight. There's an ongoing debate about how much the GRE scores really matter here: If you're applying in comp lit and want more information about what my application was like, you can totally PM me.

The only answer: It depends. A slightly more helpful suggestion: I would talk to profs and current students via email or phone. Ask if they keep track of placement rates and what they are. Also ask where they place people and how long it takes. I'd also acclimate yourself to the idea that job-finding will not be "easy" no matter where you go. Good luck!

Guys, I'm really sorry, but I'm part of the problem. I am 99% sure I am accepting Michigan's offer but am not visiting until next week and want to wait to make sure. There is always the possibility that Ann Arbor will be unbearable and my POIs evil robots. This was the soonest (after they took me off the waitlist) that I could affordably get there, so I'm late giving them an answer. I'm sure they're just waiting for all of us to notify before they convert your waitlist status. Again, sorry. ETA: I'm comp lit.

Oh, that last letter template was for the department secretary, not the DGS. And I do agree about writing separate emails to each POI. I was just lazy.

Sure, it's possible, especially when the two programs are so closely connected. It might be harder to move from biological science to a PhD in the humanities (although even that is do-able), but sounds like your MA will help prepare you for a PhD in rhetoric/comp well enough.

My letter to a university I really liked, for what it's worth: Dear Professors X, X, and X, I have just sent a letter to the department notifying them that I will be unable to attend X in the fall, but wanted to let you all know personally. It has been a very tough decision-making process, but I am currently deciding between two schools (X and X) that have both offered me five-year funding packages with first year fellowships. I have decided, too, that it will be best for me to attend a university that offers X language and literature courses. I really enjoyed meeting everyone last month, and I appreciate all the time and energy you have put into communicating with me. Thank you so much for your kind words and hospitality. I regret that we will not be able to work more closely together but hope to see you at conferences, etc. in the future. All the best (and thanks again), And to the DGS: Dear Ms. X, I regret to inform you that I have decided to attend a PhD program at a different university. It has been a tough decision-making process, but I am currently deciding between two schools that have both offered me five-year funding packages. It was a pleasure meeting everyone last month and I very much appreciate your hospitality. Thank you for your consideration, and I wish you the best of luck with your incoming class! Sincerely,

Just declined Indiana. Also declined fully-funded offers from Santa Cruz, Buffalo, and UConn earlier this week. Hope this makes somebody happy...