rising_star

I actually lived in Salamanca. And, as far as pronunciation, it's my hard 'j' that makes it stand out.

Just so you know, wherever you go you'll likely have that reaction and others will have that reaction to your accent. As in, many people from Mexico and Guatemala have told me that I speak Spanish funny because I distinctly speak with a Castilian accent. I found the accent in Sevilla a bit abrasive when I lived in Spain but you get used to it. If you don't, doing fieldwork could be *very* difficult.

See this is why I only asked one professor for advice on my statement. I didn't want any conflicting advice! Beyond her, I got my mom and sister to proofread my statements and, for one program, my roommate (we're in the same field and even subfield). FWIW, they all liked it.

I did what you did Minnesotan. I can't even read my old personal statements but I will say that I referenced wanting to be part of the university community by cheering for their football team to win the conference championship...

*fingers crossed* I certainly hope not. My applications basically include no biographical information in an effort to pitch my research project, discuss my current two projects (both funded), and get the fit part in without exceeding the prescribed length. *sigh* I may be doomed...

Oh, I already know I'm going to adopt. It'll likely be a dog from a kill animal shelter so I can save a life. I currently foster dogs, though I'm dog-less at the moment and it's making me lonely. I may get a new foster dog soon though. *fingers crossed*

I can't sort out how to do it. I'll message bgk and see if he can.

That's exactly what I've been thinking. I just need to know where/when I'm moving so I can adopt a lovely dog and move with him/her.

Just to add grifter, I'm not in English but I have had a good time doing my MA. I got to learn research methods, read and discuss theory critically, engage with other graduate students, etc. I think all of that will be very beneficial if/when I go on to a PhD. Sure it may take more time, but you can try to get a trajectory. Like I want to study nonprofits so my master's thesis is on a local nonprofit and I want my dissertation to be on some nongovernmental organizations doing work internationally. So in that sense, my MA isn't wasting any time. I'm getting to do a lot of the background reading I would need for the dissertation plus I get to engage with it and get feedback from others. This may be different in English but my department really encourages students to use graduate seminars to work towards their own projects. So the final papers are a bit flexible in topic because they want you to write something that you can use for your thesis/dissertation or a potential publication. Just more for you to think about.

no clue... do you think the life sciences need their own listing like physical science and applied science already have?

I like your coping strategies. Personally I just browse the craigslist of a couple of cities. Mostly I'm avoiding even doing that because I'm worried about jinxing things (note: I don't have high hopes/expectations of getting in ANYWHERE). Luckily I didn't apply anywhere with an outrageous cost of living. If I do get in with funding, I can actually live by myself for once, get some dogs, and live the life I've always dreamed of.

I mean, the problem is that we need a committee to meet while the sciences folks just need one guy/gal with a grant to get admitted.

Or just get humanities/social science adcomms to meet sooner?

I think it can (or at least *should*) make it more difficult to get a good TT job. I mean, why hire someone who has only ever led 1-hr preceptorials when you can hire someone who has designed and delivered their own course?

Oh I'm definitely a college town girl. Princeton is not a college town though. As for Stanford cost of living, remember that you'd be living in/near Palo Alto and not so much San Francisco. So just slightly cheaper.

from what I hear sociology has some issues. Personally, I don't like UGA because of its disconnect with the town. I also dislike the drought and the water shortage we're facing. I dislike the racial issues still evident in this town and undergraduate ignorance of the fact that there is poverty in Athens (hello, there is public housing in view from an expensive as hell student learning center!). but other than that, yea it's fine. rumor has it that houses here aren't moving. prices range from like $80K for a condo in some areas ($125K for the nicer condos) to $400K+ for houses with acreage located in the surrounding counties.

I'm not even checking that results page. I know nothing is out yet in my field and won't be until the first week of Feb, at the earliest. What's really nerve-racking is knowing that the faculty in my dept will meet next month to decide if they should let me stay and, if so, if they should give me money... P.S. I'm not interested in the acceptance letter tattoo. The TT job offer tattoo maybe but not PhD acceptance.

What if they do morse code?

I'm pretty sure it's April who has problems with both wrists and doesn't do much email but I could be confusing her with someone else. As far as isolation, a car helps but then there are tolls, bad traffic, etc to get anywhere. It takes an hour to drive to Philly and 1.5 hours to NYC. The train is better for going to NYC or anywhere in the Northeast Corridor really. *shrug* You have to consider that when you're busy with grad school, that kind of trip can get tedious/repetitive and then just become nearly impossible. I remember making a goal of going to either NYC or Philly once a month and only getting close in 1 of 4 years. As far as living arrangements, be prepared for the high cost of living in Princeton. On-campus housing is the way to go. I recall renting one room in a 3 bedroom townhouse was like $850/month not including ANY utilities... Hence many grad students and nearly all faculty do not actually live in Princeton.

That makes sense then regarding the Spanish MA. I almost wish I'd gone that route so I could teach college-level Spanish courses. Alas, social sciences are my bread and butter apparently.

Yuck! I wouldn't want to be asking myself that question given the current housing market. Personally, I'm hoping it tanks in the middle of next year so I can buy a condo to live in while working on my PhD...

Yes, I went to Princeton. And I hated it but through not fault of the school. It's just a strange school, in a strange place, which makes the experience extremely isolating. Plus they really don't give a damn about graduate education*, which is why I'd never go there for a grad degree. *when compared to undergraduate education. You don't get teaching experience as a graduate student and, quite frankly, the undergrads relentlessly make fun of the grad students, particularly in the humanities. That said, the funding is pretty sweet from what I understand and in comp lit the grad students rarely interact with the undergrads in the department. East Pyne is an awesome building if you get to visit campus.

This is why two forms of birth control are always better than one. But I feel you on the significant other busyness thing.

Who cares about the mailbox? I got my first two acceptances last time via the online system and email. The mailbox only brought me assistantship info and rejections. So personally, I'm not stalking the mailbox. I'm stalking those application status sites.

Why the romance languages MA if you want to get back to history ultimately?