elephantwhat

Just know that at the graduate level competition is fierce. Sometimes they can only accept a certain number of students. You could get rejected and be on the same level as another person who got accepted. Don't stress over it. And know that the "better" the school, the more competitive it will be.

Call me crazy but from what I have noticed most programs only require the GRE general test. I think U of Texas at Austin requires both. O_o

Thanks Minnesotan, I assume that is what the logical thing to do is. I realize that committees look at more than just GPA. I understand the possibility that a lower GPA it could keep me out of many of the top English Departments or affect my chances of getting a TA or stipend. Having said that I could have a 4.0 GPA and those things still could happen to me when I apply. I recall professors telling me stories of committees that overlooked now quasi-famous academics. So, the realm of possibility is out there. I guess my chief concern is opening up that personal vein in a statement of purpose about what caused my GPA downfall.

Yeah, I know it was a silly question. And, I could delve passionately into any one of those things I listed. (Some more than others, yes.) As I have grown in academia I am think I am becoming more disenfranchised with a lot of aspects of literary theory though. Don't get me started! I wouldn't choose something based on a post. I am just curious as to how others feel about them.

All these wimps . . . I will be honest. In 99 I applied for MFA programs and I got rejected for all of them. I shot for the big schools (Cornell) and smaller ones with less prestigious programs. I made the mistake of just being an application.

I am trying to narrow down where I want to apply and what route to take. What are your opinions on specializations? Should one go for the various periods? What do you think of any of the following: Old and Middle English, Renaissance/Early Modern English, Restoration and Eighteenth Century British, etc or go into Rhetoric and Composition/Rhetoric and Textual Studies, New Media and Professional Writing, Literary Theory or Linguistics) I know I just listed a vast array and I am not suggesting I am suited for all of them; however, I have had classes at the graduate level in most of them. What would you choose? I realize this is based upon an opinion and preference - so I am just asking to know what other people think. Thanks!

Hello all, I am new here so I have a lot of reading to do. I am glad this community exists. I did not see my question here using a search, but I am certain someone has posted something similar. I am looking into PhD programs in Lit, Rhet and Comp, or Linguistics. I have the background for all three. My undergrad was a GPA was a 3.83 - however . . .(sound the booming music) I ended up with a 3.27 . . .can I round that up to 3.3 for you GPA when I graduated from my Master's Program. For those of you who are reading this as undergrads and who may not know, pretty much anything below a 3.5 is terrible. I realize when I apply that there are more factors than my GPA that will affect my chances of acceptance. There are people who have great GPA's and get rejected. I mentioned the fact that I have a low GPA to the Director of one of the Graduate programs I am considering applying and I was told that I should tackle it head on rather than avoid it. My question to all of you is - how do I mention this in the application? What approach would you or would you not take and why were you in my situation? (Keep in mind I have been out of school since '02 really. So, I will have to retake my GRE's and come up with some scholarship samples that are new. So - what would head on tackling be to you? PS Don't be too harsh, I'm fragile here. PPS Don't believe that PS above, I am okay. Just not happy one bad semester/period in my life is causing me so much strife.