Tweedledumb

Looks like Maryland's a no-go for me since they apparently notified their top 20, but congrats to all who got good news from them! Proflorax -- thank you for introducing me to the program way back when () but now I am sad that I can't join you and your awesome cohort

I haven't either

I had similar interests before applying and ended up applying to three (other than Berkeley) that might interest you, though they are not in California: Case Western Reserve University has a program within their English department called Writing History and Theory (WHiT), Old Dominion University has a program within their English department called Rhetoric and Textual Studies, and Drew University has a History and Culture program that is quite interdisciplinary. I think these are all on the map BowTies provided, but you might look over them since they aren't as well known. I did apply to UC Davis for their emphasis in Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition Studies but they don't have a large rhetoric focus within the department. (These are all PhD programs.) I know this isn't terribly helpful since you'd like to find California programs, but there just aren't that many in general, let alone in CA.

Same boat. Inevitable drowning to occur in the near future.

I got my first acceptance tonight -- Southern Illinois -- and I'm just insanely happy to have an offer. I had pretty much given up hope, and even though it's not my top choice, it's still a choice and I'm happy to have it. Don't give up just yet everyone who hasn't heard good news; your offer can still come!

Works for me -- I just checked.

Indeed, I am. Good luck to you though!

I just got mine too -- oh well!

Thanks, Zinc! I knew it was a long shot, so I'm feeling okay.

I got my rejection about an hour ago

I upvoted it. There was no reason for a downvote.

That would be nice. But who knows how these things really work? I'm sorry about your rejection though!

I haven't heard anything and I'm an "L." My friend hasn't heard either and she's a "J."

I have some French background too Katia. I have the Rosetta Stone for that as well.

Can I join the Latin party? I've got the Rosetta Stone discs and Lingua Latina workbooks, but I'm really rusty...

Looks like one of the acceptances won't be attending though, so that might be kinda good? Maybe? I don't know, I'm grasping at anything these days lol

I also didn't fill out the other schools I applied to because I couldn't see a reason to tell them. And I said no to the funding question bc I really can't afford it and won't consider paying for it, but I thought both questions were somehow a trap. Im paranoid. I know.

This is just a question to get my mind off the UT-Austin acceptances, but did anyone fill out that box on your applications that asked what other programs you were applying to? Or the one that asked if you could afford graduate study without a fellowship/assistantship? Just curious how everyone else answered; the questions made me feel weird. Edit: grammar

Thank you! It's extremely unlikely for me to be accepted at this point, but I'm a wuss and won't email the DGS and ask. As of right now I prefer delayed heartbreak, but that might change in the near future

I'm in UC-Davis limbo. There have been acceptances, rejections, and waitlists but I'm just over here, you know, waiting. It's fun.

The MAs were for the Rhet/Comp program so you might have overlooked them if you weren't searching for Austin specifically. I usually keep 'English' in my search bar on the results board but I switch it up with 'Rhetoric' occasionally

Sort of off topic, but I've also heard that acceptance with no funding in a PhD program is more a "pity" invite than anything. A "We'll take your money, but we're not super excited to have you in our program" kind of offer. Are you saying that actually is the case? Regarding the actual topic, an unfunded in MA seems very different from an unfunded PhD. There's just very little point in an unfunded PhD, and many would say the same about the MA, but the MA can offer a bridge to a PhD so funding might not be the decision-maker for some people. I think an unfunded MA offer is a vote of confidence from the program, but they just don't have the resources to offer funding for one reason or another. I would say the offer makes you a great candidate, but the process is arbitrary and won't guarantee you a spot in a program this year. So there's my $.02

Cheers to that!

Bumping this topic to ask--is it odd that UT Austin has notified some of their Master's applicants but not their PhDs? I thought programs usually did PhDs first and then decided on MAs... Not that this really matters, I'm just playing the "What if" game like everyone else around here.

I'm sure conferences and publications can be important, but like Kamisha said, an excellent writing sample and good "fit" with the program is key. The arbitrariness of this process sucks, but your undergrad/MA school's "prestige" does seem to matter.