Imaginary

I have to weigh in here.

A. Probably doesn’t need to be said but here it is – take all advice with a grain of salt.  Shotgun advice misses and hits.

B. The year off advice is regurgitated a lot. Good intentions there (exploring the world of possibilities / getting experience) but don’t fool yourself. I’m from a city with a deflated economy; my peers, as awesome as they are, struggle to get local jobs with their humanities degree. Not everyone can afford the social and economic risks associated with relocating.

A year off is a luxury. If you can, do it – enjoy yourself. Read. Work. Swim, whatever. But don’t fool yourself thinking that a year off is something you ought to struggle through.  And don’t fool yourself that you should consider it “time for yourself”.

As a matter of fact, I think we should all be developing coping strategies for the stress and work load that we will eventually face.

So that’s my advice. Figure out how much you can take. Figure out how to take more. Don’t burn out.

 

And, as much as I'm infatuated with my program and location, I am worried about job prospects four-five years from now.

I want to leave, and start my program, NOW. I have an M.A. thesis to finish and travel preparations to make, though.. 

I'm mostly nervous about the mundane aspects of starting grad school: the cross-country move, establishing residency in another state, finding housing and a roommate, buying furniture, etc. Also, given that I completed elementary school, middle school, high school, and my undergrad in the same state, I have yet to come to terms with the fact that I will not only be attending school in a different state on a different coast, but that I will be required to fly back home each time to visit my family--this change will probably affect me the most, situationally and culturally. 
 
Concerning academic aspects, I'm not extremely worried, as I have a relatively solid idea of what to expect in my program based on various conversations I had with faculty and current grad students. Adjusting to the intellectual environment will inevitably be a challenge, but that's normal and I look forward to it. Admittedly, I have begun studying some canonical texts about my field, but this is mostly out of personal interest (read: nerdiness) and to acquire knowledge for its own sake--I have no idea what the reading lists are for introductory seminars, and for my sanity, I'm not going to ask. 
 
While I think it's healthy to be a bit anxious about grad school because it keeps you abreast of the realities and helps you steel yourself for the impending tidal wave of academia, I'm a shameless optimist and strongly feel that we were all accepted for a reason and can (and will) handle whatever gets thrown our way. Forgive the hackneyed truism, but it'll be an adventure in all senses of the word. 

Oh my goodness! I'm terrified! But I'm super stoked for all of the new adventures and exciting things like that! I love traveling, so living in a new place (especially a city when I've been in a suburban town most of my life and attended a school in a rural town) will be crazy and scary and absolutely awesome. Plus, I will be on my own for the most part. That will be a new sensation. However, I certainly cannot wait to get into my classes. Not looking forward to all of the homework and stuff, but I cannot wait for the amazing discussions that I will get to listen to (and hopefully feel confident enough to participate in!).
 
Hopefully, everything goes smoothly for all of you and that it starts out exciting and entrancing! Good luck!

I've got a blog. If y'all start a blog we can blog to each other, comment, and bounce around like that.

I may dust off my copy of "The Rhetorical Tradition" and blog my way through that...

or I may just read some more Ellen Cushman.

I am thinking of starting a blog.

Starting this thread in order to get (and pass along) advice regarding emailing Universities. Perhaps I’m just awkward. Perhaps I have this deep-rooted sense of shame (I blame my parents). Whatever the reason – I occasionally struggle when composing an email.

Lemme first preempt my defense. This in no way indicates I’m unprepared inter-personally.  In person I am eccentric, agreeable, a basic (but gentle) nut.  Email can be tricky… even as a rhetorician I find sense of awkward/shame (I’m not worthy!) clouding my intuition of audience needs.   Whew!

I find prompts and general guidelines helpful. Post your best advice and I’ll edit this first page to include your quotes. This way the folks coming behind us can quickly find answers for their email questions.

I’ll start.

RE: where do I stand?!?!?
Scene: ErmahGawd! There are 3 acceptances on the board and 4 rejections… I haven’t heard anything and it’s been a week what do I do?!? Should I email them?

Consider: There isn’t a forum consensus here. Some folks say “yeah man – if it’ll make you feel better” other folks say “I’d hate to bother them…” .  I’m of the “don’t bother them” mindset. It’s not that I think the DGS are some sort of untouchable deities – I’m just not that bugged by waiting

Email:  I think Karmisha (sp) has had some luck with a quick note – “DGS, My name is BowTies R. Cool, I applied for Time Travel Paradox PhD and I’m looking for an update on my status. Thank you, B”

RE: Seeking advice/insight on your rejected Apps
Scene: ErmahGawd!!!! They rejected me, I thought I was a shoe in. I thought I was a great fit. Whadda I do??!?!? I know what I’ll do… I want to get to the bottom of this – I’m an inquisitive mind… why didn’t they want me?

Consider: Have a drink. Hug a friend. Grieve for a bit. So far, I’ve only been rejected from 1 program. I didn’t ask for insight because I knew it was competitive and I knew it was a reach. Some people do ask though – and some people get great responses.

Email: I wanna say Karmisha has done this before too. “DGS/POI, My name is XYZ I applied for ABC with a writing sample on 123. I was rejected from your program but I’m curious as to how I can strengthen my application going forward. Bla bla bla, any insight would be helpful. Thank you,”

RE: Declining admissions
Scene:  ERMAHGAWDD! I’ve been accepted to 2 great programs! I think I have my mind made up but I dunno how to tell the other program.

Consider: Have a drink. Hug a friend. Celebrate for a bit. This was hard for me – I struggled between sending a kind/short note and between sending a note with a little more insight into my decision making process. A good friend convinced me to go the kind/short direction – she said it’s almost insulting to tell them why you chose another program (bigger discussion here: Is it? I don’t think so. But I took her advice in order to be safe)
Email: Send it as soon as you “know”. By all means take your time to make an informed decision but when you know do your waitlisted peers a favor and don’t dilly. My email had 3 basic components: Thank you for the offer and advice, I’m declining to attend U of A, and I look forward to seeing faculty and students in the future.


--So, that’s my start. I’ll edit  to quote more sage when y’all holla at me.

Thank you fuzzy, I really needed to hear that. Granted that I already made my decision based on academic fit (and quite happy about it), I still have a cloud of fear over my head that what if the academic thing doesn't work out and I regret the life I could've had at other locations. But you're right, it's not reasonable or productive to come into a program thinking like that. I'll keep in mind that this school will give me the best education that I want and will lead to more opportunities for a long-term life at places I want

I was in frequent contact with a POI at one of the programs that offered me admission, emails and phone calls both. She knew that I had a couple serious reservations about the school but I was trying to find ways to work around them. After speaking to my SO and family again I decided that this school just wasn't going to allow me the same sort of experience as another program would (even though I REEEEALLY want to work with that particular POI). So I declined admission and emailed the DGS, the POI who would have been my main advisor, and her colleague who also contacted me. I haven't heard a peep over the past week. The professors at a different program I declined all responded within the same day expressing regret and thanking me. So I totally feel like I've burnt bridges with the first school. I'm also trying to calm my paranoia by remembering that they might just be freaking busy at this time of year? I don't know, I don't have advice for you, just sympathy, lol. 

I'm not waterloo, but I was accepted to the English department's XDM MA program last year and had the opportunity to meet a number of people from the English PHD program at a conference last year. I was disappointed I couldn't accept my spot there, but I was accepted to a phd program elsewhere. My perception of the english program is that they do a lot of interesting and interdisciplinary things especially as concerns technology and media. If you're interested in a digital humanities approach to english and looking at digital/multimedia texts it seems like a good place. If it strikes you as a good fit and you're ok with living in waterloo then it seems like a good choice to me. Really it might depend a lot on your research interests though. 

Uhm by now I am sure that if you haven't gone through it you can't really understand. It sounds arrogant, but it also means that I don't get upset or offended anymore when my friends seem uninterested or unenthusiastic to everything grad-school related. On the other hand, I've met quite a few fantastic people during visits and on this very forum, who "get" it more and can be more of a support group since they can relate. I also heard multiple times from the current students that you need a group of friends separate from school, so that might work in our favor anyhow.
 
For the record, I'm actually excited after making my decision, and I don't think it's because of this particular decision either. It just feels like my mind has been released from this uncertainty limbo; now I can move forward and start making other plans. I would've felt the same had I chosen other program. I haven't realized how much I suffer from indecision until now

Turned down SFSU's MA English program. This sort of really makes me sad, because I love the Bay and want to live in Northern California again so badly but oh well. The east coast is calling me. Maybe someday, San Francisco, we shall meet again. 

Hi Daniii,
 
I think it's a good idea to have someone look for a place for you. I'm sure you could find something in August if you waited until then, but the best places will be taken and you'd be picking from the leftovers (like places that are overpriced or not conveniently located).
 
Will you have a car during your program? If not, I'd try to get a place off of a number 7 bus route because this bus line runs the latest and has the most frequent bus service. It's up to you whether or not you want to live in Kitchener or Waterloo. Some things to consider.... the FSW library hours are terrible so if you like to get your work done in a library it would make more sense to live near the main campus and study there. There also isn't a gym at the Kitchener campus, medical clinic or other useful departments like career services, counselling, accessible learning services, etc. but you can find all of these things at the main campus. You need to be at the Kitchener campus 3 days a week the first semester but after that you'll only need to be there once a week. But rent might be a bit cheaper in Kitchener because most students need to live in Waterloo and the demand is higher. Some things to consider...
 
There are a lot of working class families in Kitchener and european immigrants and this city has more character (like older buildings, etc). If you're there at night, the downtown core looks kind of seedy in certain places but it's actually not dangerous. Just use common sense and you should be fine. Waterloo, on the other hand, is more modern looking and has a higher student, professor and working professional population. If you live close to a university you might find it odd to only see 18-24 year olds at first. During the first few weeks I wondered where all the families were hiding or if there were any at all. haha But it just depends what part of Waterloo you are in and how close you are to a university. Sometimes bus rides can get noisy and rowdy in Waterloo and some students can act immaturely on the bus or in restaurants, but you will get used to it.
 
If you live walking distance of the main campus there is a Foot Patrol service made up of volunteers who will walk you home at night if you wish. They can also pick you up at home if you need to go to the main campus in the evening. This service is not available at the Kitchener campus. 
 
Best of luck on your move! I think you will enjoy the KW area. It's a great place to live. People are very friendly here and you will immediately notice a difference if you are used to living in a larger city such as Toronto. As a student you will also get a free bus pass, which is a nice bonus! If you have access to a car there are many great internship placements to choose from in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Woodstock, Hamilton, Mississauga, Toronto, London, etc. If you don't have a car, be prepared to be flexible and take whatever is available. With a broad range of interests and no preconceived notions about where you would like to be placed, you will not be disappointed. Congrats and enjoy the program!

My undergrad uni and from my understanding, my soon to be PhD uni has the School A version. My advisor at my undergrad said she doesn't recommend it beforehand because waiting to hear back from job apps creates a complete mental burnout as it absorbs all your energy. She likened it to applying to grad schools, only worse. I know personally I did not do much during the app process, even when I was just waiting, because I constantly thought about it. My PhD uni, while not necessarily discussing that burnout, pushes for a wide range of teaching opportunities, both in terms of subject matter and style (I make my own syllabus, I help a professor, etc). If one year is going to impact how stale your thesis is, be concerned. I mean, this is potentially something you'll publish and should be original. Perhaps if a position opens up that you really want, then go for it, but idk. I'd think the be finished approach works best.

I agree with much of what kglad has said. In my program, many of the other students got the degree to earn credits toward their raise or provisional teaching certificate. Many of them did not do a thesis. One of my former colleagues was told that her MLS meant nothing for her in terms of getting a promotion. 
 
With that said, I took as many classes as I could that related to my research interests. I applied mostly to programs that showed evidence of interdisciplinary scholars or research. I was accepted to four English PhD programs. 

To reply to the original post- the MLS degree can be a way to pursue interdisciplinary studies in areas personally interesting or relevant, like what you listed, but not necessarily a career-driver unless you're very focused and have specific career goals in mind. The degree may be difficult to use toward a Ph.D. if you eventually want to pursue one, but it's not impossible. The fields you listed could mean that the MLS leads you to a Ph.D. in Communications-type degree, Sociology-type degree, American (or American African, Women's, Asian) Studies, and so forth. I finished a MLS and will be going on to the doctorate program in American Studies at Penn State in Fall 2014, for example.
 
Most of the people in my MLS classes already were in careers and appeared to be designing their MLS to be relevant to their current and possible future careers in their respective fields. Many students were in their 20s, and a handful in their 30s, 40s, and beyond. It did feel like it was geared toward "lifelong learners", but the courses were rigorous and I was able to take directed studies to pursue specific topics deeply. Many of my instructors had Ph.D. degrees and a deep knowledge of their subjects. Overall, I wouldn't change a thing except I probably wouldn't have tried to pursue a minor. It got a little bit in my way and wasn't as relevant to my thesis as I'd hoped.
 
In the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area of Minnesota, at least four universities offer MLS or similar degree: University of Minnesota (where I earned mine), Metropolitan State U, Hamline U, and St. Mary's University (Minneapolis branch) offers a Master of Human Development, which appears to be student-designed in a similar way. Haven't looked into other large metro areas, but I'm sure you could find dozens more MLS degrees in or near California. Dig deep, they could have obscure names like Master of Interdisciplinary Studies or whatnot (MSU-Mankato has something like that).
 
I'm glad I went to the U of MN, because it's a research university and has the associated amazeballs library resources, staff, faculty, and overall student support. Penn State hasn't been in the American Studies game for long in the Ph.D. arena since their first cohort started in 2009, but they are a Big 10 university with similar resources to the U of MN.
 
Best of luck in your grad school research and applications!

This, after telling someone that I work as an instructor at my university and I'm applying for a PhD.

"Oh, you're applying for a PhD. But have you ever had a real job?"

Apparently, I don't have a real job. I just get paid for imaginary work.... sigh.

Lol. If you find a way to get funding somewhere that rejected you, feel free to pass that info along.

It's true. Also the assumption that grad school and children/family life are mutually exclusive. Why is that? And are only ( or mostly) women assumed to be unable to attend higher education and have a home life or are there men out there being faced with the same assumptions?

I find the Kitchener-Waterloo area to be quite family friendly.  I've volunteered at the Y for quite some time, and they have a lot of great programs for the entire family.  There are also lots of opportunities to get involved in sports, Guides, Scouts, or arts if any of those appeal to your family.

So do you realize then that intersectionality was a term coined by black women to discuss black feminism and the intersection of RACE and other issues which effects black women and women of color differently than white women ooooorrrrr are you just erasing them like other white scholars....? 
 
 
 
Exactly. Not even implicit -- but explicit dedication. This happens in Art History courses as well regarding the Male Gaze. 
 
 
  My new hero. As if it isn't already hard enough to deal with privileged people in academic spaces -- they even permeate and dominate the fields which seek to explore the minority space.        being confronted with your complicity in structural racism and sexism is scaaaarryyy i guess. 

I also got a Vanier SSHRC. This morning I checked the result on the website and one hour later or so I received the email. 

I totally get where you're coming from. I feel guilty about making programs wait while I make a decision. I feel guilty about everyone on waitlists at the schools I'm deciding between. I feel guilty for being so paralyzed by indecision that I'm not even excited (seriously, shouldn't I be more excited and less ... tired?!). I can only imagine how bad I'll feel declining.
 
That said, I know it's all irrational. They're not offended, because these people have been through the exact same process and they understand that we have to make the decision that's right for us, in the timeframe that's right for us. Sometimes I tell myself "don't worry, they'll forget you by this time next year." But then I ask myself what's worse - running into an almost-POI at a conference and having him/her be like "I'm so sad to not be working with you!" or have him/her say "Um, I'm sorry, you're...who?" Sigh.
 
But hey - how lucky are we to get to make these kinds of decisions and have these "problems"?

1. English or American Studies professor. Chasing it right now!
2. A hip hop artist and producer. Make the beats and spit bars over them, too.
3. A reclusive pure mathematician.
4. A film critic. I was devastated when we lost Mr. Ebert, I really loved his work.