eleanor

THANK YOU. This is a great bit of perspective on a doom-and-gloom topic!

I definitely have. So far the only "yes" I've gotten is from the program I thought I wouldn't even get an interview with! I agree with what one of the posters above said--the more selective programs are apt to look more closely at all of the applications in general than a school on a lower tier.

What're your research interests?

As far as I know, no one active in this thread applied to UC-Davis Performance Studies but just in case there are others who have been frustrated by their admissions process: I called just now and was told that they have made all their offers already, to five applicants out of forty. So that is the end of that! (for me)

Hooray! Congratulations! Does anyone know what is going on with UC-Davis? I have sent two e-mails over the past 4-5 weeks and have heard nothing.

This forum has been a total godsend for me in so many ways. So many nice, smart people! Sending fierce, fierce vibes to everyone--especially Garnet Geek! Still waiting on California but WHOA the stakes are so much lower now. Phew.

I got into Northwestern IPTD! I feel like I have felt every single possible emotion over the past 24 hours. Woof.

Anyone have plans for what they'll do if they get shut out this year? I am actually going out of my mind.

I was at the Northwestern applicant weekend. There were 7 of us there in person, but I was also told that two people were interviewing via Skype. I spoke with Harvey Young on the phone today and he said folks would be hearing by Monday.

Well, I did not hear from CUNY in any capacity. Is it say to assume that's over for me? When should I start panicking?

I hear different top rankings from different people, usually (from what I can tell--in my opinion) depending on their current geographical location. I was under the impression that NYU was number one and/but very closely followed by Brown. Stanford is on par with Brown and then Northwestern following that. Then CUNY. All that said, one program I hear great things about from scholars is the Theatre Historiography Ph.D at Minnesota. It seems to me to be a real up-and-coming program that is well-respected by those in the field and only gaining more and more recognition as it establishes itself. SUNY-Buffalo is another new program that is quickly garnering recognition. Performance Studies and Theatre Studies programs--respectively--are difficult to rank. I think this is because, unlike other humanities and especially the sciences, they are newer (well, in the case of Performance Studies) and are still establishing themselves as legitimate fields. Seriously, theater programs are often the first to go in the cuts universities are making in financial straits. I've read at least two articles in journals that are essentially "in defense of theater studies" manifestos. It's bad out there. As a result, it's difficult for administrators or whoever it is that decides on rankings to determine what programs should be recognized. Performance Studies and Theater Studies are also very interdisciplinary in their very origins, so that's another hitch in ranking programs. So uh...hope that helps? Hah.

Thanks for the update, bhargav!

I applied to CUNY as well. Judging from past years, I don't think we will hear for a while yet. : /

I got a very nice rejection e-mail from UT-Austin last night. Still do not know why I was rejected.

I did not apply to Hunter; in retrospect, I forget why. I think I had met the head of the program at Brooklyn College and was impressed with her and the placement rates (100% of folks from the MA program have gotten into a Ph.D program SOMEWHERE, which to me at the time seemed super impressive). A friend of mine who graduated laster was accepted to a few programs and eventually chose UT-Austin and seems quite happy there. What're the placement rates like at the Hunter program?

Totally regretting now that I didn't apply to SUNY Buffallo--my advisor sent me their info at a point when I felt I was a little too far along in my current apps that I couldn't fit it in. It sounds like a great program, though, with faculty doing super interesting and progressive work.

If you mean the NYU MA in Performance Studies, I would say it is not worth it unless you are independently wealthy. It's essentially a cash cow. That said, if you do decide to do it, you have the benefit of actually having your application being considered for the NYU Ph.D if you apply again (it's an open secret that NYU pretty much doesn't accept students into the Performance Studies Ph.D who are not internal candidates). I didn't apply to NYU because I knew I wouldn't have a chance of getting in without the MA from there (well, this is one of the reasons). I'm currently completing my MA from CUNY Brooklyn College, which I really only decided to do because it's super cheap and I didn't get into any of the Ph.Ds to which I applied last time. I'm having a much better time this time around and I think it's because of the work I've done in an MA program. I feel much more prepared now. Basically: I think it's a great idea to get an MA if Ph.D stuff doesn't pan out, but I would think long and hard before getting one from NYU.

UT-Austin said they'd be notifying people who have been accepted two weeks from late January. Too early to e-mail and ask what's up? Any advice?

Congratulations on Maryland! Are they a strong contender for you?

At the end of my phone interview, I was invited to come to the visiting/interview/whatever weekend that's happening in early March--all expenses paid! He said this would be an opportunity for me to get a feel for the program and if I might like it there, and the same for them about me. How many folks are usually invited out to these sorts of things? It feels a little gladiator-like.

I know this feeling. I was 10 minutes late to an interview recently because I got a bloody nose. It was so embarrassing

I see someone posted an acceptance from UC-Irvine. Anyone around want to claim it and tell us more??

I posted just now--don't know who the other one is. Phone interview tomorrow.

I got an e-mail from ITPD at Northwestern today saying they were missing one of my undergrad transcripts and to send it ASAP. Probably just a formality, but it was nice to hear anything at all.

I've heard from Minnesota and UT-Austin so far via e-mail, inviting me for a phone interview. Also I know one person who is onto his second interview with Brown, so I think that ship has sailed for me. Any news on California schools other than Berkeley?