hj2012

It's actually very common for people to go straight from B.A. to Ph.D. in English Literature if you already have the proper qualifications. (Case in point: me.) In fact, some English doctoral programs prefer applications without master's degrees. All the top schools in New England routinely accept students straight from undergrad. However, if you feel that your application is subpar for whatever reason - poor GPA, lackluster letters of recommendation, unsophisticated writing sample - an M.A. can help correct those deficiencies. But you certainly don't need to take out debt to get your master's. Georgetown's M.A. program, for example, typically provides funding via graduate assistantships. If your area of interest is British Lit, you could apply for Fulbright and get your master's in the UK. Basically, you have a lot of options! Good luck!

I also agree that the Physics forum would be able to give better answers. FWIW, I'd say Manhattan is a far better place to live than Baton Rouge, especially if you're looking at sending your children to public school...

Crisoch, I'm currently living abroad, so I think it'll take quite a long time for me to get a letter from Harvard. Just plain vanilla, I'm afraid. But any ice cream is better than no ice cream.

Congratulations to the Yale American Studies acceptance! Looks like it's ice cream hunting time for me...

You might also look at Villanova and Northeastern's MA programs.

Cool! Chinese is a very useful language, I think, and will help you in your pursuits. If you're committed to doing a Ph.D. for extra-career reasons (personal development, for example), you might consider the IR PhD programs at schools like JHU SAIS or Tufts Fletcher, since they are more geared toward public policy analysis/government work than entering the academy. However, I believe that a few years of prior work experience is standard for those entering career-oriented degree programs. I initially came over to Korea on a Fulbright grant with an eye toward eventually work. However, my interests have shifted (as evidenced by the fact that I'm now applying to Literature programs ). I'm now teaching and doing some other work, mostly saving money before returning to school. I really enjoy being in Korea -- it's a fun place to live and work. I'd highly recommend taking the opportunity to stay for an extended period of time, either through a program like Fulbright or the plethora of Korean government scholarships available.

I've been waitlisted. Nice, but relatively generic email notification.

Thank you! I'm still a bit in shock, honestly! No word yet from Berkeley on funding, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to accept their offer. I'm still hoping (against hope) for an acceptance to Yale, which is my dream program.

Hey! I think there was a similar thread to this floating around about a month ago. ^^ I am fascinated by UC Santa Cruz's History of Consciousness PhD program. Also, I know someone doing an MFA in Puppetry at U Conn. That's pretty badass.

No. If you're primarily interested in working for NGOs or an intergovernmental agency, a PhD will probably not help you. Moreover, you must also consider the opportunity cost of the time spent in school (as opposed to making connections in your field and moving up in the ranks). For this path, the "optimal" degree would likely be a professional IR MA. If you're primarily interested in being a translator, be aware that the bar for this kind of work for places like the UN is very, very high. If your interest is, for example, in developing fluency in Korean, I would plan to spend at least 2 years living abroad in Korea. FWIW, I'm a heritage speaker currently living and working in Korea, and I have learned (the hard way! ) that acquiring the vocabulary and proficiency necessary to translate is no small feat. Best of luck to you!

As someone who works as an application consultant....don't do it. My work is helpful and rewarding to my clients because I exclusively work with international applicants looking to study abroad, and many international students aren't familiar with the U.S. education system and its (often obtuse) norms. If you are an American, with an American educational background, I don't really know what we could do for you. Of course, my company would happily take your money, but my own checkered application results suggest that consultants are never a guarantee of success.

Thanks for letting me know, and congratulations. I've heard some rumors about the funding being terrible, but some of my favorite scholars work there, so I was hoping for an acceptance.

First off, congratulations on the offer from USC. My main question after reading your post is: Why do you feel that you won't return to academia if you decide to wait a year or two? My time as a secondary educator only confirmed my desire to return to the academy (though I also love teaching). Choosing to teach at the secondary level (IMO) seems to offer more positives than negatives -- the opportunity to confirm that you'd rather be in academia (not a decision to take lightly, considering the environment in higher ed these days), save up money, get life experience, etc. Also, taking some time to polish your writing sample and SoP may also yield better results for PhD programs (or fully funded MA offers). I personally feel that my time out of the academy helped me put together a stronger and more compelling application package, though YMMV.

Congratulations! While I don't know anything about Princeton (or chemistry, for that matter...) this thread might be a useful place to start:

Sorry to hear about the rejection, Sascha. Glad to know you have other acceptances to fall back on! I have some IRL friends who applied to William & Mary American Studies, and they haven't heard anything yet. I don't think any decisions have gone out yet, and I wouldn't expect to hear anything for another week at least.

According to the results search, there's been an acceptance for UT Austin American Studies posted and a rejection posted as well...however, my application status still says "Under Review." Does anyone know if UT Austin has already sent out all acceptances? Should I lose hope?

Good luck, everyone! UVA is my undergrad alma mater, and I had nothing but positive experiences in the English department. Charlottesville is wonderful small town too, if you're into that kind of thing.

I'd also look into UC Irvine, NYU and Columbia, especially if you have interests in South Asia.

I second this. Study hard for the GRE to help balance out the lower GPA; however, the longer you've been out of school, the less your GPA holds weight. Continue accruing international / work experience and put together a great application. I know people who have gotten into SAIS and Georgetown with barely 3.0 GPAs.

I see that you're in Political Science, but we might be able to give you more informative answers if you describe your interests / subfields. Are you interested in Political Science MA programs as preparation for PhD programs, or would a policy-oriented program (like an MPA) suffice as well?

Wow, awesome. Mind if I send you a PM? I'm currently facing the prospect of making decisions without actually visiting any of the schools I've gotten into, and I'd like to speak to you about your opinion about the general atmosphere of the program after you visit.

Thank you!! I wish I could make it, but I'm living abroad right now and I think the cost would be too prohibitive. Are you planning on attending?

Beekay, thanks for your response! I'd almost lost hope, but this morning I had an acceptance letter in my inbox from the DGS! Absolutely thrilled and honored.

Hi everyone! I see a Michigan acceptance was posted last Friday. Does anyone know if they've sent out all their acceptances? (congratulations to the Michigan poster, by the way!)

Of course the situation is improbable. But it is statistically possible (somebody has to receive a 130 on a scaled test). I've worked with a number of students receiving improbably low scores on the verbal section of the GRE (I work in an international context where low quant scores are relatively rarer), so it does happen. In this case, it might be best to give the OP the benefit of the doubt.