klader

See, this is so weird because I got a formal rejection back on March 8th... maybe it's because I applied for comp/rhet? Maybe because I was a weaker applicant? Maybe they do it differently according to tracks?

Sounds like everyone has some great plans!! I'll be starting my MA in the fall, but I'd like to chime in, too. I anticipate working (and saving up) through May and then taking some time off to enjoy my summer. Ideally I can hop on a plane and spend a month in France drinking some vin rouge and eating some croissants, but I'll probably just go to, like, the beach and read a bunch of books about France while pretending that I'm there and talking to the seagulls in French (I won't be studying it in grad school, so who knows when I'll ever speak it again!). I also want to get a head start on my studies since I have the reading list for one of my classes in the fall, but we'll see how that goes

It's been a while since this thread has been active! Any other people here who have gone/are going to Miami of Ohio? I just accepted a Composition and Rhetoric MA offer and am going to start the apartment hunt!

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm sure that I'll be able to transition eventually, but since I've always hated change, it might not be smooth sailing in the beginning But it's good to know other people have their qualms about it as well. And to chime in about nesting and such, I nest as well!! I definitely plan on living alone because I'm an introvert. I'm friendly and outgoing and everything, but I sincerely need to be able to recharge by myself at the end of the day, so I'm not keen on having roommates. This is the more expensive option, of course, but can you really put a price tag on your peace of mind?

Hi, all! I just formally accepted a school's offer yesterday, so I guess I am an "Officially Grad" now! Yay! Though I'm excited to finally know where I'm headed, I'm naturally nervous as well (which is a bit of an understatement, really). I am finishing-up-undergrad-babyface-young and still live with my mom in my childhood home. I never went away to college because my university is about 45 mins away, and I'm anticipating some rough patches ahead of me since this will be my first time "on my own" (even though my new university is only 300 miles/a 5 hour drive away). I'm sure this isn't the usual situation, but has anyone else been there? I'm starting the apartment hunting process and I just feel grossly unprepared and overwhelmed. I don't have any furniture and don't really want to go buy a lot of it, yet I know furnished apartments are expensive and I'm going to be on a meager (though competitive) MA student salary. I thought the whole applying and choosing part was hard, but yet again, something else crops up to surprise me!!

Wanted to let y'all know that I accepted my offer from Miami University (MA in Composition and Rhetoric) and turned down a fully-funded offer from USF (MA in Rhetoric and Composition) and an acceptance along with a #1 spot on the funding waiting list at UNM (MA in Rhetoric and Writing). I hope this is able to help someone on this forum out! I'm just so relieved that my choice is made and it's all over. I feel like I can finally breathe for the first time since, like, September!!!

Also, the University of South Florida and the University of New Mexico (although funding isn't guaranteed at UNM - I got waitlisted for it yet most likely would have gotten it).

I'm a.) an MA applicant and b.) in rhet/comp and don't have any exact acceptance rates (even though I tried to get them!), but the University of New Mexico mentioned in my acceptance letter that this year had an exceptionally competitive applicant pool, a professor at Miami University told me they accepted fewer students in my field than in the past (3 MA, 7 PhD) but that it *certainly* doesn't mean there were fewer applications, and the University of South Florida just told me it was very competitive (and from what I understand, they accepted 5 total with funding for comp/rhet - 3 MA, 2 PhD). From what I've heard people report and from what I can glean, it really is getting worse, guys. So congratulations to those who got in and bon courage to those who are waiting/didn't get in. Things are just getting muckier all around, especially with some schools (*cough Purdue *cough) getting hit with some crazy funding complications, so it's really sometimes not you but them.

Thank you all for the advice! I will incorporate your suggestions into my exit strategy and will hope for the best.

I just want to say that I'm sad to see the OP bow out of this thread. I think discussion (not necessarily fights!) on this subject are very important and useful for people considering PhDs (like myself) to get the whole story. Some of it may be ugly (as we've read), but it's still real and adds perspective; it still deserves to be said. I've gained a lot of insight after reading the posts on this thread, so thank you for starting it, OP. I wish you well in all your future endeavors.

I'm going to start an MA program in the fall and haven't fully decided on the PhD yet, so I know this doesn't directly apply to me (though I'll chime in anyway). My reason for going the grad school route is a bit complicated, really. I love my field (rhetoric and composition) and have gotten some exposure to it in undergrad, but also, I want to get out of a my small town family business and have a shot at something more. Now, I know you may be thinking "don't go to grad school for lack of nothing else to do!", but it's not like that. College opened doors for me that were never available to me (I mean, I got into grad school because of it! And I learned how to tutor students and how to help people learn). I also met a lot of amazing people who have positively changed my life, and with that being said, I'm not done yet. I don't want to stop studying this field, and I don't want to stop challenging myself intellectually. Nothing at home can do that for me, and even though I'm qualified to go get a job and start the rat race, I don't WANT to. I'll be moving out of state for grad school (while getting paid), so it's a great opportunity for me to be my own person and pursue one of my passions. I don't know exactly what an MA in rhet comp and teaching experience can get me if I decide to forego the PhD, but still, I'll be better off than I started and will have more options - I'll have more of a chance. I'll meet people in a highly specialized field who can perhaps help me find jobs in the "real" world, and I'll just be more educated than I was coming in and will be able to further appreciate education and academia. Of course I love working with students and learning and all that jazz as well, but this is another reason that compels me to go. I think your question is interesting (although you do have a clear bias), and I think it's important for people to fully understand what they're doing and why.

This is a similar question since it relates to web presence: would you recommend starting a new, professional Twitter when you're just entering grad school? I have a personal one (that's locked) and that has a bunch of my personal Tweets on it (dating back from high school). I don't think there's anything bad so to say (maybe a few drunk Tweets that I could go back and delete) but it's just a personal account that doesn't relate to academia at all. A lot of my friends follow me on there so I don't really want to delete it, but I'm wondering if it's best to just start a new, professional one to use with people in my field/new classmates and to post about academic stuff? Thanks!

Hi All, I'll be starting an MA program in August and, after graduating with my BA, I'll be back to work at my family's business until then. To make a LONG story short, working at my family's business is horrible due to family drama, getting taken advantage of, and feeling like I'm "less" than others because I went to college and am continuing on with my education (how backwards, right?!). I'll thankfully be moving far away from it when I start graduate school (far enough to not have to work there), but until then, my family still expects me to work. However, I kind of want to celebrate the last little bout of freedom I'll have over the next few years (I also plan on continuing with the PhD). I also want to start prepping for grad school (i.e., get living arrangements/furniture/house items in order, create a new wardrobe, sort through my undergrad school stuff and decide what to take with me, do some reading, work on some ongoing research, etc.). So, basically, how would you all suggest I approach the subject of me taking a couple months off? Should I even do this? Summer is the busiest time of the year for us and they depend on me to help run things, but I'm so burned out. I've been going to school full-time during the year and then working full-time every summer since I was an early teenager, and I have enough money set aside to give me a cushion in grad school (plus I'm choosing between fully-funded offers). I was thinking that I could work maybe the first month or so of the summer (and train any new people they decide to hire) and then take some time off to do my own thing. Does that sound reasonable? I know I'd be missing out on some money, but I feel that my mental state is far more important. I want to enter the new school year with a clear, refreshed, and open mind, not one fizzled out by the stress of my family business. I do feel bad, though, because it's my family and I know that they need my help, but I've always put them before me and I feel like I finally need to take a stand and do what's best for me. I'd appreciate any thoughts/comments/advice! Thanks!

I think the only exception is certain study abroad programs? I did a summer program where the foreign university transferred 4 credits to my home university and I didn't even have an official transcript (just a competition letter). I had been freaking out about what to do about it, and my professors advised me to just leave it out and see if they asked, which they didn't. But ymmv.

I visited my top 2 choices the first two weeks of March. It was pretty exhausting but SO useful! The real gem of the visits was being able to talk to current graduate students about everything. I learned some things about the programs that I wouldn't have learned if I hadn't talked to the grad students in person and somewhat off-the-record . That's not to say that they bashed their programs (because they didn't!) but that they were more honest about some of the programs' downfalls (not enough faculty, not enough money for certain things, etc.) and about other things that might have been harder to express through email or on the phone. I also learned things about the programs (from talking to the faculty, seeing the facilities, etc.) that wasn't quite what I expected/what I thought, which was definitely useful. Also, I really enjoyed seeing how the whole department "fit" together and just taking in that overall sense of togetherness. It really helped me figure out how I would feel if I went there and also gave me a glimpse of the people I'd be working with. It was also interesting to be with the other prospective students and get an idea of what my cohort would be like (this probably applies only to the open house-type visits). I bonded with some prospectives and was so-so with others, and that's a really important thing to consider carefully because, if you all end up attending the school together, these are the people who you will ride or die with through it all (so I've been told!). At the same time, though, it also makes me sad because I know that I'll ultimately be choosing one and rejecting the other. I liked both programs and got along well with all of the people, and I genuinely feel like I could do well at either program. That's good to know, though (because what if I hadn't visited and I chose a school and ended up hating it?), but it still makes it hard. My advice would be to definitely ask about all the stuff people have said on other threads to do but to really dig deep and try picturing yourself LIVING at the school and just BEING there all the time. When I did that, I had a less positive response at one school than at another, so that'll probably carry a lot of weight with my decision. Sometimes, you just have to trust your gut and try not to overthink it too much. And PS, I know that I'm going into an MA program, but I was the only MA student that came to one school's open house, so I was put with the prospective PhD students and I learned a lot about how PhD students choose schools/ask questions/network It was definitely a cool experience. And definitely go out for a drink if people (grad students/faculty) invite you! I did (but obviously didn't get sloppy) and really felt like I was "part of the gang" in doing so. People might have different views on this, but I don't see anything wrong with it as long as you conduct yourself professionally and don't get drunk like an undergraduate student on St. Patrick's Day.

Bon courage, everyone! For what it's worth, I think you are all sensational human beings and I always read your posts with keen interest and respect. I feel that I always learn so much from you, and as everyone has been saying, PhD rejections aren't a true reflection of your worth or intelligence.

In my opinion, I think getting an MA in English (as long as it's funded/doesn't drag you into debt) is a good thing to do if you're not sure exactly which road to go down. Assuming what someone else mentioned is true/applicable to you, the MA students at Boulder TA at least one semester (so you'd get a taste of that) and you could do other kinds of research/activities that could give you some insight into publishing. This is partially why I'm pursuing my MA (albeit in rhet/comp) - to see what's out there and what I like. It's also only a 2 year commitment instead of 4/5/6+, and in some fields (I'm thinking rhet/comp again), it seems to be the norm before the PhD (a professor at one of my prospective schools told me that their rhet/comp program never admits students to the PhD program without an MA). Some programs prefer BA applicants, though (Penn State? OSU?), so I guess ymmv.

It's different for me because I'm pursuing my MA first, but I'm really looking at research/program fit, funding, and faculty support first. At the same time, though, location is important to me (I really love my state and my region!), so that's not something to laugh at for some people (especially if they have strong family ties or something as well). I'm going through an awful time of this as well since I can genuinely see myself doing well in both of my top choices (which is, I guess, why I applied to them in the first place). In the end, I think I'm going to be doing some follow-up emailing to both the faculty and current grad students and just really think about what I want and which program can best help me get there.

I heard back on Tuesday with my rejection! If you haven't heard anything yet, it might be a good sign since maybe they're dealing with waitlists and such? Good luck to everyone and congratulations to everyone who got in!

Thanks for letting me know! I think they waitlist by track, though, so who knows!

Hi there! The advice is really great here and I don't have much to offer, but I just wanted to chime in and say that you absolutely can find fully funded MA programs in comp/rhet (I got into 3 with full funding in the form of teaching assistantships and am waitlisted for funding at a 4th). Each program is different, though, and might allow you to focus on different things. One school I'm considering allows MA students to teach their first year comp course but also might let 2nd year MA students teach some kind of specialized course. They also let 2nd year MA students apply for a writing center assistantship (though it isn't guaranteed), and some of their PhD students have even been able to teach basic courses in similar disciplines. I also think it's great that you actively want to teach first year comp, and I think many places would be impressed and happy with that attitude. And as far as teaching right away, I think every school is different. One of my prospective schools has you enroll in this teaching practicum where you go to class every day the two weeks before the semester starts and then start teaching in the fall and meet in the practicum course once a week to check in on things. Some might just give you summer training and send you in, or others might make you wait (other people can probably chime in on this!). Schools probably vary, so I would definitely ask when you're applying just so you know and can apply to programs that could give you what you want. I don't know if many have spring entry times, though. All of mine only admit students in the fall. Good luck with everything!

Love this idea! I applied to funded MA programs so it may be different, but I also didn't directly mention profs. In fact, I generally just had one or two paragraphs at the end saying why I appreciated a school's program (not necessary a pitch for fit). I did "cite" people in my SOP, though, and while my mentor and I knew my particular approach could either go really really well or completely backfire, I took the chance. I had like 3 versions of my SOP that I sent off to 7 schools. I got into 5 as a result, so I guess it worked (or I just lucked out). Also, my biggest blooper/mistake/regret is that I decided to finish up all my applications in Decemeber while finishing my undergraduate thesis and another capstone project. I basically submitted the thesis the day before grades were due, MSU's application the day it was due, and then rushed to finish the other 6 before all my profs went on break and would then be unavailable to submit their letters (they had them written but could only submit to certain schools after I finished the app). I therefore don't feel like I polished my drafts as thoroughly as I wanted to, but I also realize that this also prevented me from over thinking and double guessing everything. There was a 5 day period where I literally don't think I smiled once, but when they were all submitted, I felt better and more relieved than I had ever felt in my life. Additionally, I caught a reaalllly bad grammatical error in one school's assistantship letter. We're talking bad to the point that the sentence was incomprehensible (I was editing the sentence and I guess I forgot to add a conjuction). I was waitlisted for funding at that place, and a part of me wonders if that mistake is why (even though I'm sure it's just because there were better candidates).

I haven't contacted them yet, but I think I will after my campus visit next week if I don't hear back from them by then. They're the only school I'm waiting on, and if I'm rejected, that's fine and I'll choose between my top 2. But if for some reason I'm accepted, I would have to make some hard decisions, but I just need to know!! And I kinda want to choose a school sooner rather than later since I want to secure a lease for the fall (apparently they go quick in the town of one of my prospective programs). How forward would be too forward? @bhr, any movement on your "accept me or reject me" email?

I totally feel you on wanting to know for sure before you make arrangements! It's better to just do all of it at once, but that's hard when you're still in limbo on certain schools. Also, how is everyone going to keep up with work (either as a student or instructor) while away on open house visits?? I'm getting overwhelmed right now because I'll be missing the equivalent of a week and have to make it all up before I go/while I'm there. I'm trying to do as much as I can beforehand, but it's so hard to cram one weeks worth of work into a few days... And, my schools' itineraries have my days booked solid, and then there's traveling time, and then there's "omg I need to sleep" time, so I don't know how much I'll be able to get done while away.

Congratulations on your acceptance and funding!! I'm also waiting on Penn State (I've heard back from everyone else already) and haven't heard a peep either. I know that they've trickled acceptances all the way through April in the past (and of course accepted their fellowship nominees much sooner), so unfortunately I think it's just a waiting game until we hear anything directly. It just sucks because on the off chance that I get accepted to Penn State, I don't know if I'd be able to visit the campus and the department since I'm already missing so much class for other visits. Plus I really hate traveling, so I don't even know if I can handle more than the two visits I have planned lol