igetstuffdunn

Hey there I'm currently finishing up my MA at UVa (just that thesis to finish) so I thought I'd chime in here. Almost everyone in my cohort has taken out substantial loans (unless their parents are helping out) but similarly most of us have positions with the university either as RAs or at the Writing Center. The cost of living in Charlottesville is totally doable, especially with roommates, and as I'm from southern California the rent seems astronomically cheap. I know people who have used the loans just for tuition and made it work just working but I've used some loans for cost of living too. As for the program, the MA students are totally integrated in with the PhDs doing their coursework to the point that most professors don't even know who is in which program. The faculty have been great, super supportive of research ideas, really generous with their time and recommendations, always willing to give advice to help get you into a PhD. I personally know people from my MA cohort who have gotten into Ivy PhD schools this application round and in all likelyhood I'm heading back to a great school on the west coast for my own PhD. I 100% credit my success this round on the academic focus that I've gotten at UVA and the way the program pushes you to get involved in conferences and publication opportunities. The other grad students are generally pretty welcoming and wonderful too. I've loved most of my seminars. It also helps we have a library system with amazing special collections and librarians who are willing to purchase all kinds of materials for you. Having said that, Charlottesville itself is not my favorite place in the world. I'm from a very liberal area and moving here has been an eye-opener. It's a small town and while there's some decent food there isn't really much to do. It's also a place where you'll run into people you know everywhere, whether you want to or not. Don't believe anyone that tells you it isn't the South, it absolutely is and that shows in the undergraduate population as well. But hey, for the two years of amazing academic progress I've gotten, I would say it's been worth it.

I KNEW someone would mention Kerouac on this as well. He always elicits either love or hate in my experience. I'm on the love side of things on this one. I'd spend spend my whole literary career studying the Beats if I could.

Oh my GOD this. I came on this thread to list this one. Just...just an awful experience.

Wait until I tell my girlfriend the internet thinks we're a "power couple". That's just the best compliment I think I've ever gotten. Thanks for boosting my ego

I have reached my "quota of positive votes for the day" but consider yourself upvoted all the same.

I'm the VP of Marketing at a small green energy financing company (random I know). Basically I'm doing tons of web design, brochures, etc. It isn't the most thrilling job in the world, but I figure if you have to work for a finance company, at least this one is helping to better the world a little. Funny enough I never had any graphic design training, it is just something I fell into doing when I started working at a PR firm in San Francisco after undergrad. My girlfriend went to art school for Animation and works for a company converting movies to 3D for theaters (she worked on Thor 2 and Star Trek and stuff) so she is a better illustrator than I am and super helpful whenever I get stuck on a project. I'm always interested in seeing what people do with their undergraduate degrees as well, since life takes us all in strange directions sometimes. A MILLION congrats on your Nova acceptance btw. So so excited for you how are you going to fill your time between now and the Fall without dying of excitement?

Absolutely willing to offer my talents here. My job is 90% graphic design and I can't think of two GCers more deserving of a sweet academic superhero comic. Fighting for truth, justice and amazing writing samples.

So glad you didn't keep your mouth shut! You're truly amazing, thank you. It sounds like you've put it all on the line to achieve your dream, and your story really is so inspiring. It gives me so much hope for the future. I can't say how thankful I am for all the kind words from everyone. I'm counting my blessings to have all of you to encourage me, a wonderful significant other and some good programs at which to work my butt off and try again after a kicking ass at an MA. It means so much to come here and have everyone be so positive. It is great when family and friends are supportive, but unless they've gone through the process they don't really quite understand. All of you do, and that makes a world of difference. I've hit my own rough spots (4 undergraduate universities in 4 years, illness, financial hardship) but I know that I'm lucky to be where I am and that if I do work hard, anything is possible in the future. Thank you so so much for the shoulder to cry on. I'm more inspired than ever to put my head down, get to work and really visualize what I want and how to get there. I know I'm good enough, I just have to do a better job of showing schools that. If I'm completely honest, I know I need to hone my skills a little and an MA program (even if I have to take on a little debt) is probably the best place to do that. I won't give up. I promise. I have a note I wrote my father when I was 7 that told him I wanted to be a professor just like him (he teaches at UCSD) and I refuse to let 7-year old me down. Thank you for helping me refocus - I'm going to take this rejection as a reason to work even harder. Time to prove them all wrong. A little retail therapy at lunch didn't hurt either. <3 you all, truly. Don't know what I'd do without the awesome people here.

Yeah, this is my second application season, I know that life goes on but it's really encouraging to hear your story. I really appreciate the kind words. I know it isn't the only school that I'd be happy at, and I'm fortunate to have gotten into a few decent semi-funded MA programs. I need to focus on doing well at one of those instead of wallowing in misery. That campus just really really felt like home but I got a little fixated on the school. I've always been a little untraditional. I guess there's nothing wrong with enjoying the ride and putting in the extra time, but I really needed to have that reminder. Congratulations on your acceptance. It sounds incredibly well-deserved. I'm sure that having to work that much harder to continue on has made you a stronger an applicant and more confident in your goals. Hopefully I'll be there someday too.

Honestly have kept a stiff upper lip about the 8 rejections before this one, but nothing hurts more than the UW one. That is my dream school and Seattle is my dream town. I felt robbed when I had to leave their undergraduate program to move back to CA and I've been desperately trying to get back ever since. Ugh, just totally hate this feeling. Don't know how to cope at this point. Any suggestions?

I've got the same question, so anyone that has any advice would be welcome.

I've actually lost a ton of weight during the application process. I find that being meticulous and a little anal about my nutrient and calorie counts helps distract me from the stress of applications (especially during the waiting process). The gym is a really great place to work off some stress, just get into the cardio and space out with some music. Plus the endorphins make it a little easier to feel positive. While I was working on applications the gym was the only break I let myself take, so it started feeling like a reward rather than a pain. Always better when there's something good on the gym TV too. That being said, I've only changed my eating and working out habits for the last few months, and I'm sort of a big girl, so the weight really WANTS to come off me right now. Every time I think about ice cream it just reminds me of the 2 hours I'd have to spend at the gym for it. Not worth it. But being sore and exhausted also means I'm not worrying about UW or Iowa too much. I also love trying to get out of the gym and going hiking with my dogs. No reception in the wilderness means no checking email on my phone, spending more time with the girlfriend and when we get back even the dogs are tired. Then again I'm lucking I'm in San Diego, CA so the weather permits hiking and trips to dog beach.

My end goal is to get a PhD and teach at a university (like most people on this forum) but I went to 3 undergraduate universities because I had to transfer to be closer to home for financial reasons, so my undergraduate career isn't as strong as other PhD applicants. I'm taking the MA as a chance to show I can be a great grad student and to learn more about my field (post-1945 American). I'm lucky that transferring and working means I dont have any undergraduate debt though my partner went to art school and she does. So I'm going to try not to stress about money until I hear from all the schools but I'm all about avoiding debt if I can.

Yo. I'm an MA applicant too. Just heard good news from UVA today. Applied to some funded and some unfunded programs. Just trying to decide how much (if any!) debt is worth it. We shall see when the rest of the schools get back to me.

Thanks for the news! Definitely waiting on pins and needles to hear about their MA program... in the meantime I leave it to House of Cards to distract me from all the emails, calls and letters that I'm not getting.