guinevere29

Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo (the location of the big medieval conference every year in May) offers both a medieval studies MA and a medieval lit MA. They obviously don't have big, impressive rankings as far as a graduate school goes because they don't even offer a PhD, but their program is a great gateway to top-tier medieval PhD programs. I know a graduate student who went there and after she finished her MA she got into some top-tier PhD programs and she recommended I apply. Another big plus is that they offer funding for their top MA students. I was offered a stipend and tuition remission to get my MA there. I ended up turning them down because I got into a good PhD program, but it wouldn't have been a bad choice academically or financially. Definitley something to consider if you want to get your MA before you apply to PhD programs.

I know EXACTLY what you mean! In fact, I'm way more excited to move and start grad school than I ever did when I was a kid. Back in the day, summer meant I had all day to myself to go to the pool and hang out with friends. Now, I work full time so summer is just about as much work as the school year but in my opinion far less enjoyable. I start to get really stir-crazy staring at the same computer in the same room for 8 hours a day. Very much excited to move down and explore campus!

Thanks for sharing your story! I don't think this point can be said enough, since this question gets asked over and over again. I am also an English PhD student, and although I was able to get into a top program the first time around, I still wish I would have placed more emphasis on it sooner. I might have even received one of those "special" funding offers that you describe. Although I have 5 years of funding, I know a fellowship went to one of my cohorts who already has a masters and probably had a more solid writing sample than I did (I'm coming straight from my B.A.). I made the crucial mistake of believing I could just "rework" a 20-page research paper I had written the year before. It wasn't until one of my professors really sat down with me and helped me edit it that I realized how much work my old paper really needed to reach the caliber of what I can do now. I really feared it was too little too late, but I also luckily had some strong faculty members vouching for me, which I believe got me in in the end. Can't stress it enough - don't fixate on GRE scores or GPA at the cost of your writing sample and personal statements!

Seeing that you are in Anthropology and Slavic Studies, I would wager to guess that if you are a serious contender for admissions into a program, your writing sample will be taken into careful consideration. I could see a school rejecting someone based on substantially low GRE scores/GPA and not reading their writing sample, but I couldn't see a school accepting someone without reading their writing sample. When I spoke with members of my school's faculty after I was accepted, I was actually amazed by how much they knew and remembered about my writing sample and personal statement! They definitely read it and gave it careful consideration.

15 - 25 pages is a quite an open range, I had schools that advised that the writing sample be "about 20 pages" - not wiggle room at all! Since you've been given a wide range, I would assume that admissions committees might be put off by 1. a shorter sample of just barely 15 pages that is only pushed into the page range by the works cited or extensive endnotes OR 2. a sample that is 25 pages or over and goes into 27/28 pages with end notes and works cited. While you should never leave the works cited out of your paper, as long as your paper fits comfortably in the 15-25 page range, I would not stress over it. Hope this helps!

I've also had a program ask for both, 1000 words each. They did carefully outline what they wanted in each, though. One was a space to talk about who you are as a person and how you became interested in your subject, and the other was a space to talk about your research experience and specific aspirations in your field. Even if none of your schools end up asking for them, it's still a helpful exercise to write both. That way you have gone through the process of truly thinking through what you want out of graduate school.

I recommend the Princeton Review book. I agree though that the quantitative section is surmountable with some practice to get the timing down and a quick review of basic mathematical formulas. The verbal is a slightly harder code to crack. In the case of the GRE though, practice tests help immensely! Good luck!

While GRE scores are important, they won't make or break your chances of acceptance. Suspiciously low GRE scores might call a good GPA into question, but you don't have to worry about that with your scores. In my opinion, your time would be much better spent on making sure the other aspects of your application are the best they can be. Hope this helps!

I definitely was in freak-out mode since I got my first acceptance late in the game. I knew people getting acceptances in early February and mine didn't come until March. I was beginning to think my 3.97 GPA wasn't worth anything. Ended up turning out ok, but it's certainly no guarentee of a bunch of early acceptances. Application season's not over until till it's over.

I have slowly progessed through all the stages of coffee-loving. Started with frappucinos as an occasional dessert indulgance, then started drinking it everyday because it was free at my internship. I didn't really get into it though until I bought a Keurig and that's when I started the spiral into obsession. LOVE my Keurig.

Most of the undergrads at my school dress very informal...like athletic shorts, t-shirts, just-woke-up look. The grad students do not get super dressed up; the clean comment above is very apt. I like to get slightly dressier (like one step down from business causual) when I teach class. I think especially if you look young, it helps students see you as an authority figure.

I have been hoping to get a kitty when I move down to school! I'm assuming they are good grad school companions because so many people have them, but I was just reading the cost of vaccinations, spay/nuetering, adoption etc. and maybe it's just because I have been stressing about my budget but it seemed like a lot. Have other people found it managable? I really want an apartment-mate