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Summit_Bid

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Everything posted by Summit_Bid

  1. I'd go for choice 2. If your MA School is a good match with your dream PhD school then you should be set right? I'm the humanities too and I went to a #1 school but got an MA in something slightly different than what I want to get my PhD in. I think this has been my problem getting into PhD programs.
  2. I think you are doing the right thing. If later you really think you need the PhD then I'd suggest trying to find another research topic so you can get into more schools. Hopefully-I'm confident there is-something else that will excite you enough to want to research about. Maybe you just haven't found it yet. The first time I ever applied to a PhD program I applied to only 2 schools. I had a really narrow research idea in my mind. No school really offered me a faculty match so I applied to the two closest--although it was a stretch. I didn't get in to either but in my year off I read lots of journals and started to develope a new interest so I applied more broadly the 2nd time around using this new interest and newfoundwide faculty match. Who knows, maybe what happened to me will happen to you. But I think you are right. Why waste your time, money and energy on it when you are not passionate about it. Do it when the time is right. I'm curious, your topic sounds narrow so if not that many people are studying it, do you think you will still be able to make a living from it? Are you getting the PhD to teach or for something else? I'm just asking because the first time I applied to schools, my research interests was something no one else cared enough about to also research. I have a research idea that is more broad now, it's actually popular--and I'm still as passionate about it as my first topic by the way--and I could make a living using what I research. Either way, not matter what I research, if I were to go into teaching--which is what would have happened no matter what I studied with whom or where--it would have all been the same in the end. I'm in humanities though, not sure if that makes a difference.
  3. Got it! Thanks. That's really nice. I'll keep an eye out for more stuff like this. Good luck to you with all your apps. I hope you get in somewhere.
  4. I applied to that program my first year because my thesis idea involved doing both research and practice but last year and this year, since my interest has changed, I applied to the traditional research program. From reading biographies of the students currently in that program you are refering to, and the other information on the site, I gather that that program isn't really for people like me who like to make traditional narratives and do research. It's more for people doing experimental media. Like mixing video games with some other technology or doing media stuff for mobile phones. For those of us who like making mainstream hollywood stuff and doing hardcore research I didn't think that program was a match. On my apps I played down my production background and highlighted my interest in soley focusing on research but I think my transcript shows my obvious extensive background in production. On top of this I still don't think the quality of writing is up to par with others who have been focusing on research so I think that's where the real problem lies.
  5. I think my heavy production background/nearly no research background is the problem. That's what all my professors say. I have little research experience and I'm trying to get into a PhD program. I think the adcoms think all I care about is making movies...not research. Because of my little writing experience I also suspect my writing sample and SOP aren't as polished as others.
  6. Thanks for starting the post. There are a couple of other threads about film studies somewhere so check those out too while you're at it. So far I have 4 official rejections from: UCSB USC Rochester Berkeley I know others have been invited for interviews or accepted to: Northwestern Irvine Indiana Wisconsin Chicago Iowa UT Austin I've heard nothing official from the above mentioned schools. This leaves the following schools up in the air: Harvard Brown UCLA Michigan So I'm 0/15 with 11 more to go. It's tough out there. I'm scared becasue this is my third year applying. I was rejected across the board twice. I think I gotta move on to other stuff now... I'm paranoid I'll get rejected from UC Irvine because one time someone was here asking me about it and I admited it was only a "safety" school. I'm paranoid that person was an adcom posing as a gradcafe junkie.
  7. I don't think they do. They have too many applicants and other stuff to worry about so they wouldn't go through all that. I once heard an adcom say they they just want to know to see who their competition is. Schools compete with each other too. If everyone starts applying to Yale, Harvard is gonna start thinking, "What can we do to get everyone to apply here". Schools like to brag about how many people apply to their school so really this question is all about them--not the applicant.
  8. Hopefully this is self explanatory. Let's play and see where this goes. Here goes nothing: Olympic Fever
  9. lol Now I'm laughing that you're laughing. I didn't think it was funny but when I looked at it again I started laughing too. I don't know why. I actually think it shows just shows how bitter I am I guess....and actually that's kinda funny....HaHaHa!
  10. I graduated with an MA from the #1 school in my field and was unemployed for a year so I temped. I got rejected from every internship, fellowship, teaching program, Peace Corps and all 15 PhD programs I applied to (for the 2nd year in a row). I had to move back with my parents. A year to the day after I graduated I finally got a temp to perm position doing something completly unrealted to my major. For the past two years I've been looking for jobs (applied to thousands) and applying to PhD programs (I applied to 15 this yea--my third year in a row-- and so far have 6 rejections). The job I have now is not enough for me to be on my own or even save--I break even each month. Basically life is hard. Everyone's situation is different though. I'm just warning you that it could be rough. Things will get better though. I think this economy is screwing things up for everyone. It will end and soon, things will get better you'll find your way and be stronger than ever after going through this. Thanks to the original OP for the inspiring post. Good luck to all of you.
  11. 1) Finding out what I need to do to train to climb mount Everest...apprently it's a lot and more $ and time than I can afford... 2) I work full time and only get 5 days off a year. It's been almost a year and so I'm carefully planning every moment of my 5 days of freedom. 3) Olympics
  12. 4) What topics do you want to study? Auteur theory via semiotics. Mostly focusing on contemporary directors. Haneke, Wong Kar-wai, etc. I'd love to focus exclusively on Wong Kar-wai, but that's not certain. Thanks for answering the questions! Cool topic too. I also like auteur theory stuff. I'm interested in a few things but one of them is how a director's life parallels the films he makes and auteur theory is slightly related to that. Also, thanks for posting your stats that's very helpful to all of us I think. Yes, it's nice to see other film junkies on here. Hopefully, more of you will come out of the wood works and chat a bit with us. I love the smell of film.
  13. I've contributed so much to the "negative thread" but I decided that to get me out of my rejection depression I should force myself to contribute to this one. Perhaps the positive energy from this post will send cosmic cyber rays of good thoughts to the schools who are reading my apps now. PhD Admissions committees, feast your eyes on this!!!: - Clear, focused, tailored and PERSUASIVE SOP - Scholarly and professional writing sample demonstrating abilty to properly research topics - 4.0 GPA from #1 grad school in my field - 3.799999999999 GPA from undergrad school - Improved GRE scores - Fair amount of language ability - 4 great recs - 3 major department scholarships for grad school - 3 major department scholarships for undergrad - Well-drafted resume showcasing professional field-related affiliations, 3 internships in a related-sub field, "portfolio" of research conducted, field-related jobs, membership in 2 honor societies - Some TA and teaching experience - Presented at two school conferences Take that, adcoms! Ha!
  14. I'm not into Americorps but I do believe in PeaceCorps and similar programs...sadly enough my Peacecorps app wasn't accepted. Who doesn't get admitted in the Peacecorps?!!! I guess people like me that have useless film degrees. My student loan payments--which are on an "income sensitive" plan-- are $1000 a month so that I guess that's okay if they pay for housing and Korea is cheap. I'm not that into teaching English in Korea or other country but you're right: it's a an adventure and I suppose I can't be picky in this day and age.
  15. I got an MA in something completely useless: film.
  16. Any school. Berkeley was a top choice tied with UT Austin (this if for a PhD in Film) but I just got rejected today so I'm hoping for Austin (although they already sent out admits and so far I'm not one of them!). Why? Lots of awesome professors in my field, great location, great funding pacakge. Not really a hoity-toity place so I think I will enjoy being around really nice people. They have a good rep of placing people in prof positions after graduating.
  17. Most Useful: Cinema/Film Studies Least Useful: Cinema/Film Studies
  18. Hi. congrats on your success!!! Just curious about you stats and stuff. Mine aren't very stellar. Also are u doing PhD or MA? Is your undergrad or grad degree in film? My MA is not and I think this may be what's preventing me from getting into any schools. What's your top choice school? I'd like to get into ny school. Berkeley and Austin were my tops choices. Have fun.

  19. Finally some talk on this board!!!! Where have you all been? So nice to be around other film junkies! I'm having bad luck. so far only 1 official reject from UCSB...14 more to go. No interviews or anything else. I bet I'm an across the board reject for the 3rd year in a row. I don't think a PhD is for me. Congrats to the rest of you though.
  20. I'm $80,000 dollars in debt from my master's so I feel trapped. I'd love to travel etc. but how do I pay loans each month when I'm overseas? I break even each month with my paychecks so it's impossible to save unless I get another job or one that pays higher--not likely to happen now. I think everyone has great ideas like traveling, moving to a new city, WWoof etc. but I'm stuck with these loans. I have a usless MA and BA, can't afford getting another agree and was unemployeed for a year. I guess I have to just keep temping and job searching like I have been...fruitless.
  21. 1 rejection three weeks ago but since then nothing. I check the results page and see others getting interviews or acceptance only (strangely no rejects). No news is good news for now? I feel like nothing but air--dirty, smoggy Los Angeles air.
  22. While being a receptionist might seem easier, it's not always...bordem sets in and you go crazy! In the end, as a PhD and doing 50+ hours if it's something I like doesn't bother me at all. Classes, papers, research, it's all fun and games for the most part if it's about what I like. When I got my MA, I thought it would be hard. It really wasn't. In my arts field I've still felt grad school was a breeze. I see your point though. A PhD is different than and MA so it's still something to think about. BTW, I make $18K year as an admin assist and all my programs' living stipend plus a grant I won on top of all this would mean $39k/year living stipend--plenty for me.
  23. Probably. I think the nail clippers were also like a pocket knife kind of and there was this thing on it that you could use as a letter opener (I assume it's for use for when we get our desicion letter)...or maybe kill someone on the admissions committe if they reject us? In real life, just before I went to bed I used nailpolish remover to take off some paint on my nails so that's why I probably dreamed about the nail clippers.
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