Neist

You are a wise, wise sage.

U. of Oklahoma sent out their acceptances today. Good luck to any lurkers who might have applied (I'm not sure if anyone who posts besides me did).

Oh the woes of having obscure interests! In other news, I got an unfunded acceptance at U. of Ok. The university has had huge budget shortfalls, so I'm not really surprised, but it's still a bit of a bummer. It was a good fit for me.

Woo hoo! I got into OU's history of science program.... without funding! I can't say I was expecting much else. The university is experiencing substantial budget shortfalls, and they weren't able to give any funding at all in the main history department to first years.

RPI STS. There's been three posted acceptances, all reported on Feb.4-6. About a week later I sent them an email querying the status of departmental decisions, and it's been crickets ever since. Never heard a word. There's a possibility that I could still get into that program (because my application status has never been changed to rejected), but considering it's been a while and STS programs usually only matriculate a small handful of people, I say the odds are unlikely. If I had to presume, they probably have sent out their acceptances and have largely ignored everyone else. Also, it's not like funding issues would hold up informing people. RPI STS seems to notify you of acceptance and, at a later point, inform you of funding. I'm not sweating it too much. The primary POI I had at RPI was a lecturer, not a faculty member. However, on their departmental website said he was interested in taking on students interested in topics closely aligning with my own. Even so, I'm not sure how much pull a lecturer has pulling in students.

Anything's possible until you get a rejection. We live in a strange, uninformed world. The only programs that I'd be certain are finished are the ones that have had a lot of applicants, and a giant swath of results were already posted over a few day period for both acceptances and rejections (like Princeton history). For example, I'm assuming I'm rejected from RPI's STS program, but my application status says nothing informative even though some acceptances were sent out a week and a half ago. Who knows, really. Departments behave in vastly different manners.

I don't know a lot about gender studies programs, but I'd just ask. People are usually far more receptive to requests from accepted students, I've found. Once you've been accepted, they are, in theory, competing against other schools for your attendance.

I've just been grading on a very steep informal curve. A paper has to be fairly stupendous to impress me, but it'd have to be fairly terrible to warrant failing (e.g., nigh unreadable). What's really surprised me is that I don't consider myself an amazing writer, but once you start grading dozens of papers from almost-peers, I've came to the conclusion that I'm probably a very high top percentage. I still don't consider myself talented, but everyone else apparently has no skill for writing whatsoever.

I'm not sure about your discipline specifically, but you might ask to look at graduate student handbooks if you have not already. I've learned really interesting logistical and structural tidbits about programs by looking through their handbook. Might help sway your thoughts one way or another.

I'm pretty sure proper comma usage is a dying art. I've edited a lot text in my life (I was a copy editor for a short while), and I'm pretty certain very, very few people know how to properly use commas. I've been grading essays for an upper division history course, and when I see someone using a comma before a conjunction that does not connect two independent clauses, I want to slap someone. That's pretty basic Comma 101.

You know, I've probably learned more about English taking Spanish classes than I have in English classes. The way they formalize language training is really something. I don't think I could have told you want the subjunctive was before taking Spanish courses, and I'm a well-read history buff.

So I've been told I should be getting a letter (unsure if it's rejection or acceptance) either today or tomorrow. I'm hoping for the best. It might be one of the better fitting programs I applied to.

I talked to my adviser here at OU for history of science, and she told me that they were hoping to get letters sent out today (via email). I'm not sure if anyone else here applied to the history of science program here, but if anyone has, there might be letters today.

Thanks a bunch! Having an affordable acceptance definitely makes the wait more endurable. I still haven't heard from RPI, acceptance or rejection. I've assumed rejection, but they haven't updated my status. It's been 10 days since the first acceptance emails, so they are dragging their feet a little. The only STS program I have left to hear from is Cornell, and I'm pretty sure we're all going to be waiting for that program for a while. It might be another month, even.

I manged by asking if any of a program's students have children, and if I could talk to those students. Most programs ask if you'd like to contact current students, so it really wasn't too difficult (assuming they had some parents in their program). After I got into contact, I asked what life was like in the area from the perspective of a parent. I've found that programs I've looked into are more than willing to help, but often they aren't unfamiliar with the graduate student/parent experience. However, student parents tend to be much more frank and pragmatic, and I found their comments helpful. More than any factor, I've been careful to consider the living expenses of the programs I've applied to. For example, Bowling Green State, one of the programs I've been accepted into, is very affordable. Graduate student stipends in any program aren't significant, even if single, and they're stretched quite thin when supporting three or more people. However, if it only takes a few thousand dollars extra a year to support my family in a theoretical city "A" versus tens of thousands of extra in theoretical city "B". I've pretty much avoided any city that's closer to theoretical city "B". It's just not realistic, at least for me. I think relocating as a parent is definitely doable, but is it more difficult. The advantage that those of us with children and spouses have is that I find that parents with children tend to be incredibly motivated. I'm motivated to finish my degree, and not simply for personal satisfaction. I want to be a good example to my daughter and provide for my family. I know that if you can find a program that works for you, you'll excel. It just takes some work to find the right program.

My wife has been quite understanding as well. I can definitely understand that it is a little bit of a gamble. My daughter is three. I have asked about child care in the area, if I deem it necessary, but I've only gotten vague answers in that regard. A few graduate programs have put me in contact with other non-traditional students that are currently attending and they've been incredibly helpful. There's a lot of considerations that one with a family should know that a single student might not need, such as the quality of schools.

Earlier today I got an email titled "Graduate Admissions," and it was a solicitation to apply to a graduate program I requested info on about a year ago.

Congrats. It is very cathartic hearing something, even if it's a bad something.

Well, I guess it's a positive sign. If they are going to pay for your traveling expenses, I say go. What's the worse that could happen, you get to check out a program for free and your not admitted? That's not super great, but it's not super terrible either.

I'd like to go through about half of March, too. At least by March it should be fairly evident to everyone what their options are. Maybe even to April. By April spots could free up after people start making decisions.

Thanks! Hopefully things still come back positive for yourself! Their stipend isn't very large, but they eat nearly all fees, and the cost of living in Bowling Green is pretty low. I could probably get through two years of school, supporting my wife and daughter, with maybe only 10-15k in debt. That's completely reasonable for a earning graduate degree with a family. I might even be able to float less debt if me and my wife can well-manage our EIC each year. I'm really glad I Googled pretty much every relevant graduate program in the US to my interests. I would have never found out about this program otherwise.

Thanks @raaawr and @RCtheSS! It's definitely not an incredibly pragmatic master's degree, but it sure would be fun! I did apply for sensible reasons, however. The popular culture program has incredible pedagogical training, and a lot of the theory they teach significantly informs my research. Solid option overall.

Wooo hooo! I got into the BGSU Pop Culture program with funding! Of the programs I applied to, it was definitely closer to the top of my list.

Giving you a heads up. I just got an email from the school of Cultural and Critical Studies that I've been recommended for admission into the Pop Culture MA. Considering it was from the school's chair and not the department head, its possible that they might make PhD decisions sooner rather than later. I'm happy. Maybe it's a happy hour beer night.

I'm not in the sciences, and I'm not yet in a PhD program, but I thought I'd give share a few thoughts because I've been working full-time, going to school full-time, and the only money-earned in our family (with kid) for over three years now. After all these years, I can definitively state that anything is possible with kids, but you have to have realistic expectations. You'll probably have to give up a great deal and focus on nothing but school, work, and child. I've historically had little down time. I have no time for hobbies or past times to speak of. I work, go to school, do homework, and spend time with my daughter. Just be ready for to slog through mental exhaustion, but it's definitely doable if its important. Very hard, but very doable.