andromache

I was just accepted off the wait list for a funded MA at Case Western!!! So excited!

As of this morning there is one open position at the funded program I am waitlisted for, and one accepted candidate they have yet to hear from. I'm waiting to commit to a partially funded program until I hopefully get an offer from the fully funded program, though I've given myself a deadline of 7 pm tomorrow. If it comes down to it and the funded program makes me an offer on the 16th, I'll just have to tell the other program my situation and hope they let me off the hook. It'll be a difference of tens of thousands of dollars, unfortunately, so I hope that if that is something I have to do, the program understands.

Still waiting to see if I get off the waitlist for the funded program....I will probably be waiting until the night of April 15th before committing elsewhere.

Waiting until April 15th to commit to a program, just in case I hear back from the program I am wait listed at. Should I email the program I am wait listed at to figure out when to anticipate news (negative or positive)? Or if I haven't received positive news yet, is it probable that I won't get any?

Still hoping to hear back from Case Western, where I've been waitlisted for a funded MA. If not, I think I'll be attending CMU's one year MA program. I'm not in love with the program, but it's the most financially viable option for me.

You should be able to find a pretty cheap place. I'm only familiar with the undergrad off campus housing within walking distance of campus, which I paid about $2500 a semester for. I imagine somewhere a little further from campus outside of where undergrads live would be even cheaper, due to lower demand. The commute doesn't sound at all worth it to me, especially on hilly, annoying western PA roads.

Yeah, the impression I got from my visit is that the program will really make me a strong candidate for PhD programs, partially because of the writing sample. It also seems to be very focused on PhD prep in general, which is what I want to get out of pursuing my MA. The one year program? Not so much. I don't want a car at all. I'd probably happily live in Connecticut, but I feel like I'd need a car for getting around whatever town/suburb I'd end up living in when I don't happen to be in the city. It's just a lot to think about and so much of it is anxiety-inducing. Thank you for all of your input though!! It is super helpful and appreciated.

I've probably posted about this enough times, but still agonizing-- Academically, I think Fordham's MA program is really the best for me for a number of reasons, and will really, really, prepare me for a PhD, as well as helping me to get into a PhD program to begin with. CMU's one year program will give me a lot less experience and time to explore my fields of interest. Both programs have tutoring opportunities, which is really nice. I'll be spending at least twice as much money at Fordham, though, because it's a two year program. Even though I'd prefer to do a two year program, CMU's one year program will leave me half the debt, but probably less prepared for PhD applications/programs. I think I'd have an easier time committing to Fordham's program if not for some trepidation I feel about living in NYC. I'm from a small town, did my undergrad in a small town, and I think doing my MA in a city is important to me. I like New York, but I'm concerned that after living here for a month, I'll come to hate it/be miserable/feel isolated and afraid/etc. Last year, I went abroad to Germany to au pair for a year--I hated it and the family, so I ended up leaving after a month (though for reasons that aren't likely to happen while living in NY.) It's just a really overwhelming decision and I'm struggling a lot. Option three is continue working my multiple part time jobs and living with my parents, working on finding other opportunities and reapplying next year, with a focus on funded MA programs. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to significantly improve my applications (or even improve them minutely.) Umm...advice I guess??

Visited Fordham and really loved it...but ughhhhhh money

I'm interested in both contemporary lit and media as well as medieval studies, along with gender studies (which I could really do in either field) so a two year period to further explore my interests would definitely be a positive experience. At the same time, I'll be paying twice as much in tuition. I'll be visiting the two year program this week, and it will probably come down to how my visits compare. What's yours? If it makes any difference to your decision, I know that CMU's African-American lit guy is on leave all of next year (but that really only impacts you if you're into A-A lit.) For me, I know that there aren't any women/feminist/gender focused courses offered at CMU for next year, which is a little discouraging. I really recommend you try and get the course list for fall from someone via email, as well as asking for the projected list of courses for spring. I wasn't wowed by it, personally, but not especially put off, either. Depending on your interests, it might affect your decision.

Courses are a combination of MA and PhD students (and due to the small course offering, some courses are a combination of MA and high level undergrad students.) You can get a list of next year's course offerings by emailing someone in the department, I'm sure, since they gave out course listings to us at the open house. It seems like a great program overall, but you definitely won't get as much experience as if you do a two year program, which is my current debate about where I should go. I know one professor mentioned that a recent MA graduate was accepted to Duke, and CMU MA grads also don't have a problem finding adjunct teaching jobs in Pittsburgh during the year after they finish the program and work on applying to PhD programs. Many profs noted that MA students think the one year program goes by too fast, however.

This is a program I am considering as well. Did you go to the Open House last week? One of the most important things I got out of it is that your best option for applying to PhD programs is to apply after you've already completed the program. Your application will be much, much stronger than if you apply in fall while you're still beginning the program. Faculty seems to be very supportive of their MA students. I might be able to answer a few of your questions based on what I learned at the open house, if you did not attend? (I see you're in Portland, so traveling there might not have been an option.)

I would definitely be reapplying next year if I had steady income at the moment. As it is, I'm working two part time jobs (one of which ends this summer), and I'm in a small town where there aren't many opportunities for employment utilizing my degree. I'm desperate to be back in school, which makes me much more inclined to accept an unfunded offer--although I also realize that "desperation" might not be a good reason to take on tens of thousands of dollars in debt. But I don't think I will be able to drastically improve my applications for next fall. If I take another year off, and all I receive are more unfunded offers, I'll be incredibly disappointed. I should also note that the one year program I am considering does not have a thesis option, which may make it less suitable for me because of how important completing a thesis is on PhD applications. I'm currently waitlisted for a funded MA, and wondering if I'll make it off the wait list is killing me.

Was your MA funded or unfunded, if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking from some perspective from people who got unfunded MAs--whether or not they thought it was worth it, money-wise, and if they think it's paid off for them so far. I get TERRIFIED when I see advice like "never pay for an MA in English," even though the vast majority of MA programs are unfunded. As far as my choice of my field goes, I did receive some interesting advice from a prof at a program I visited last week. She mentioned how I'd really be able to incorporate medievalism and contemporary lit and media into my future research, if I really wanted to, considering the vast amount of contemporary lit and media borrowing from medieval history and literature. (She then went on to mention an Arthurian legends course she sometimes teaches which sounds amazing, but very likely wouldn't be offered during my one year stint in the program. Disappointing.)

Getting incredibly stressed out over having to choose between two MA programs that I'll have to pay for, and the merits of a one year program (less time and money) and a two year program (more experience, time to learn, make myself a better PhD applicant, etc). They're both relatively prestigious programs, and from what I understand the MA students generally go on to funded PhDs there or elsewhere. Also beginning to reconsider my academic focus. Because so many people are going into contemporary lit and media, I'm thinking it might be better for me to take my background in medieval history, and use an MA program as a way to develop and deepen my knowledge of medieval lit, simply because there are fewer medievalists out there than those focused on modern lit. The two year program (which will be twice as much money as the one year program) seems like it would the better place to pursue medieval lit. Tough decision to be made in the next few weeks!!