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ohh-holy-hell

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Posts posted by ohh-holy-hell

  1. I moved to the area (from out of state) to attend SBU as a doctoral student this year. There is a dearth of rental housing. There are some managed apartment complexes but none in SB proper and they're typically more expensive. A ton of illegal apartments (be wary--though it can be just fine; mine is illegal) and many in people's basements (no thanks). There *are* apartments where you don't have to share, often off the back/side of a house or above a garage. Even teeny, tiny cottages on the property of larger houses. This area is just barely suburban, crossing over from beachy/rural. Port Jefferson is the hub of...anything and it would be ideal to live in an apartment right in town, probably over the shops. I couldn't find anything there but I was told, after I got here, that you can find those listings in the village newspaper (don't remember the name). I found my place on Craigslist. Newsday online is good too but there are very often brokers' fees that are the equivalent of one month's rent (you've got to be kidding me--maybe in NYC, but out here?). The cost of living is below NYC but not by much, imo.

  2. First, my condolences to those with bizarre MA offers and outright rejections. I'm currently batting 1/11, with a lifetime average of 2/25 in literature, so I know the frustrations common to this process.

    However, I wanted to get this thread going again for those (including myself) who have been admitted for the fall PhD program but are still vacillating on accepting the offer. I'm not waiting to cause undue distress on the waitlist, believe me. Unfortunately, it has more to do with the lack of information contained in the acceptance letter, particularly with regards to funding. Does anyone know how Loyola's funding package works for incoming applicants with MA's? Their website has some scattered details, but I've read that it may be out of date, especially in terms of the amounts listed. In any event, these details do not add up to anything specific - it simply says that there are a number of assistantships available.

    Further study in the field is my dream, and Loyola has a mind-blowing faculty for my research interests. Plus, I won't have to move. However, precarious funding kills it for me and opens the way to library science, where I have offers pending. At least debts accrued in that discipline will resolve themselves into some form of employment that is financially stable, involved with books, and not customer-service or law orientated.

    Best of luck to all of you.

    jjm, as much as I'd like for you to decline your acceptance and throw a bone to those of us on the LUC waitlist :), I believe all offers of admission to the PhD are funded. That's how it was framed for me in an email from the DGS. It's worth asking them.

  3. that's odd. the peppy girl who answered the phone said the committee was still meeting. maybe this means there's a different MA committee or they're deciding on final candidates. i'm sorry to hear that though! i got the boot today from uconn.

    Here's to the boot! *clink*

    That's odd. There have been a few USPS rejections from Brandeis over the last few weeks on the board. FWIW, I already have an MA. Maybe that makes a difference...

  4. Update... I was waitlisted for Loyola today via USPS.

    To put it the way it really happened...

    I WAS WAITLISTED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    After a series of rejections and losing hope for me/my husband/my effing mortgage to stay in Chicago, this is such a wonderful glimmer of hope, even if it doesn't pan out.

    Sweet, sweet, mercy, I hope people withdraw their names.

    No info on # of admits/waitlists/applications, but I'd love to know. I may email to ask.

    Good luck to all.

  5. That's really helpful. LUC is one of my top choices (if not the top, given the way the other Chicago schools have gone for me). I also got the mass email about still reviewing apps (though my heart skipped 3 beats when I got it)--I think I got it on Monday.

    That's certainly an interesting way of doing things. I wonder just how many apps they got...

  6. Right, I recall that UIC accepted 7 and waitlisted approximately 7 last year, out of approximately 200 PhD applicants (3% acceptance rate, more stringest than even some of the most exclusive medical schools in the US). I've only heard of tiny, tiny programs (e.g. Washington University in St. Louis) accepting less than this, and it would be strange for a program as large as UIC to go below 7. I suppose, though, with their funding package (6 years even for those who already hold a Masters), money *would* be tight even at those small numbers.

    Perhaps the "cutting down on slots" announcement is still lingering from last year?

    UIC has only received something like 7% of its state funding this year so there are broad cuts, forced furloughs--even for tenured faculty. I wouldn't be surprised if they cut the slots again this year. They're in a bit of a crisis mode.

  7. Ok, great, two Hyde Parkers on the stand!

    Reports on the internet concerning the safety of Hyde Park and the outlying areas range from the tempered to the histrionic and borderline racist paranoia (granted this statement could be true of most all discussions on the internet). I have a basic question: I will most likely choose to go to Chicago and hope to be able to get around (to and from school, along the lake shore, possibly longer jaunts into town) on my bike – will that be possible? The cold is not a problem for me, I have lived and studied in some semi-arctic geographies and persevered on my bike for the sake of mobility and exercise. I am just wondering what kind of bike city Chicago is, and if the surrounding areas of Hyde Park might bar me from safely traversing them in any other way than on public transportation.

    Thanks All!

    Your observations on the crime reports are spot on--basically, Hyde Park *is* a bit of the oasis they say it is because, to be candid, it has an unusally high concentration of white people on the south side aside from Bridgeport and Beverly. So, I think many times people (those who don't typically concern themselves with anything to the south, anyway) try to equate HP with neighborhoods on the north side with similar amenities, which simply doesn't work. So, the perception ranges from inaccurate links between non-white race and crime to more realistic gauges of the realities of the area. Generally, Hyde Park and a wide-ranging circle around it is pretty safe, relative to city-wide crime statistics (and safety is just a perception, isn't it?). As a woman walking alone after dark, I feel safer around Hyde Park than a north side "destination" neighborhood like Lincoln Park where crimes seem to be more targeted (especially random crimes against women, usually sexual) and where there is a higher concentration of young singles and bars, etc. That said, it is a large city and there are murders and rapes in every neighborhood. So, of course, you have to be smart no matter where you are. That said, HP had a 30-year crime low in '07 or '08 (can't remember). Overall, it's got most amenities one could want (it does lack a little in retail shopping but that will change in the next few years with a couple of huge development projects) and a range of cultural activities. Plus, it has a near-Utopian racial makeup and an absurdly high amount of people with graduate degrees (something like 44%, if I remember correctly from the Red Eye when they were compulsively profiling our neighborhood around the time of the presidential election) while still being pretty economically diverse.

    I feel comfortable riding my bike from HP all the way to downtown, through the neighborhoods. (But, like with any area of town, this is only after living here a while and getting to know each neighborhood--I don't feel comfortable riding through any part of town where I'm not familiar with the geography). But, we have the lakefront trail, which is wonderful--not to mention its beaches and parks and Promontory Point. I used to occasionally ride my bike to the north side to work and would take the lakefront because there aren't any cars to deal with, though it is a longer, more winding journey. For a leisurely ride during warm months, nothing beats it! If I were to commute every day on a bike, I'd go through the city. Chicago buses are bike-friendly, so if you did want to go to the north side more easily, you can throw your bike on the rack on the front of the bus and ride to downtown (the express buses--2, 6, and x28 are great) then ride your bike from there. But, Drexel Blvd. N from Hyde Park is a beautiful journey--old mansions and such--as is King Drive, which will take you from just W of HP pretty much all the way downtown. (You can switch over to State St. and ride right into the heart of the Loop or branch off into Chinatown and other SW-side neighborhoods before you hit the Loop.) So, there are several main arteries that run N-S to downtown from Hyde Park or immediately W of Hyde Park.

    You might be interested in reading http://www.hpherald.com, which comes out every Wednesday. Or http://hydeparkprogress.blogspot.com, which is a snarky but knowledgable report of goings-on in HP. I have lived here for 5 years (and own a condo) and neither my husband nor I are affiliated with the university. I love this neighborhood and think that it's near-perfect and a rather well-kept secret for much of Chicago. I hope this helps!

  8. Renaissance is definitely not Early Modern in the lit genres. Early Modern is generally post 1660 (post Restoration), While Renaissance is pretty much from 1450 up to Cromwell's revolution (historical period wise), and encompasses Shakespeare, Spencer, Marlowe, Johnson and others of the period. Early Modern is much more affected by an influx of "fashionable French" - especially in Drama (Comedy of Manners began around this time). Early Modern lasts until the very early 18th Century, and includes many a heroic couplet (Dryden, Pope, etc.) Milton is also considered Early Modern.

    I'm not sure what you mean by "premodern" - I've actually never come across the term. Maybe it's a different word for Medieval and Renaissance?

    I'm Renaissance and have often seen Early Modern/Renaissance used interchangably. Renaissance is more specific, but I would argue that it's definitely considered E.M.

  9. I have literally just crossed over into obsession. I had resolved to stay breezy until March and was surprisingly unconcerned through January, but as of today I'm checking this website and my email over and over and over. I can't stop! A few decisions are up for some of my schools now, which I think triggered this, and now I'm agonizing over what it means that I haven't heard yet, etc., etc.!! At least we can all commiserate :)

  10. I took the GRE last year and the percentages were: 58v, 86q, 58aw. I just reordered the test scores and my percentages are now different: 60v, 85q, 63aw. Should I be worried since I already submitted my applications and entered the percentages from last year? I didn't think it would change like that.

    The same thing just happened to me! My Verbal (the most important for my program) stayed the same, so I'm not that worried. My AWA went up 2% and Quant went down 1%. I just reported them as-is since that seems to be the most updated info. I would stick with the original if they hadn't sent them to me on the regular, offical score report. I'd rather go with the most recent info from ETS (and luckily it will benefit me, for the most part). Otherwise, I'm not worrying too much about it.

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