bhr

My department met on a Friday. My friend is on a top 25 Lit Adcom, and they meet every other Wednesday.

Duh! I honestly shouldnt be sweating, with a yes from my top choice, but I really want options (and bargaining power) and am tired of waiting.

At least you folks got "under review". I've been pending with OSU since December 2nd. Two of my schools notified within a month of their deadline (one was 2 weeks), so it's time to get a move on!

A few do. OSU, Pitt and UCDavis are among the best of those that do, though, since the MA is funded at decent levels at many places, it's less of a concern for R/C folks than English folks.

congrats. Did your status on the website ever update?

One of two things. Either they don't like the complete pool of candidates they have, and are hoping to get more with a later deadline, or there was some sort of technical or administrative glitch that caused some people to have problems submitting.

Tech? I turned down better funding from there just because of the weather.

I included one presentation at my schools graduate academic conference, because it had competitive applications and peer reviewed submissions. I also included two regional/national conferences that took place on my home campus. I think I would include anything that was bigger than just a department showcase. An aside, but isnt it super late to still be asking these questions? Do you still have upcoming deadlines?

For what it's worth, I've taken $2500/semester in loans, just to give myself breathing room. I had planned to just hold it and pay it back when I was done my MA, but due to health issues I've wound up spending most of it. That said, $10k in loans to keep my lifestyle at a level I'm comfortable with isn't too bad.

So how do I approach recruitment weekend at my own campus? Do I argue for staying in the hotel with the external candidates? Do I do the interviews/meetings? Can I blow off my Thursday evening class (That one is a given)

For what it's worth, I can name about a half dozen PhD students or junior faculty in Rhet/Comp who were lawyers. The ones I know study legal rhetoric, public discourse, and the like. That may be a field you can consider, as you narrow down the work you want to do at the next level. (FWIW, R/C also tends to take a more open approach to students with non-traditional academic paths.

For what it's worth, you should be able to reach out to your other schools and have new diplomas issued under your married name. It's also just generally a good idea, if you are staying in academia, to make sure that all your records reflect who you choose to identify as.

Most folks in that situation carry a small gym bag with shoes/tights/clothing and change in a restroom. I tend to keep my boots on, since the floor becomes slick from everyone tracking in water/salt/slush/dirt and they have better traction, but others do not. For faculty/TAs, it's pretty easy to come in a bit early and either grab a spare chair or stow your stuff out of sight. I have had courses in older buildings with coat hooks or closets, but they are rarely used. I can't recall every hearing of someone stealing a coat out of a class, though I am sure it happens somewhere, but you can always put a policy in your syllabus (and mention judicial punishments for theft). Considering that most students are toting around $2000+ in electronics between laptops, phones and other devices, I can't see people worrying too much about a $60 coat.

There is a sub 3.0 acceptance thread around here somewhere. You have many of the things that people usually have when they have success, including improvements in grades in later semesters, relevant research and experience, and a compelling explanation for early failures (programs love that "rebound", from what I've seen). Make sure that you address that turnaround in your letter, and you should be ok. That said, seeking out funded MA programs, if they exist in your field, may give you a chance to improve your track record even more before the PhD level. Also talk to your profs, and people at your work that have the degree you want, as they are your best resource here.

I'm not sure what is not fair about midyear applications. Most schools do this because they need to set their budget and schedule for the following year, so they accept students in the Spring. Summer applications also require that faculty meet to make decisions during a period where they often aren't on campus. If you feel like you will be a better candidate after graduation, then take a year off. There is nothing wrong with taking a year, or two, or ten, to figure out your path. If you have diagnosed aspergers and a learning disability, than the best thing you can do is use whatever accommodations are available and post a strong semester or two of coursework. What I don't think you understand is that not having Fs and having people skill through "life" won't do shit for you. Almost every person applying for these programs will not have Fs, and most of them will have better grades than you do. Most of them will also have "people skills", and, to be brutally honest, "life" doesn't count for much when you are 22, unless you have a particularly compelling personal narrative.

You don't want to go to an unaccredited program if you want a job in any of those fields. Here's the thing that links almost every sub 3.0 acceptance: personal responsibility. You dismiss your grades because of "personal reasons", but don't talk about how you can address those reasons. You dismiss the GRE because you aren't a "test-taker" and never took a prep course. Your one mitigating factor is "people skills" and a semester of lab research (which may or may not be in the fields you are applying to). Most of us who have had success (and I got into a top MA program with a 2.0ish gpa), have done the following: 1.Have mitigating factors that explain poor grades, proof that those factors have been addressed, and a track record of success after that. You have a sub 2.5 major GPA and an extremely poor overall and Jr/Sr GPA, suggesting that issues you had manifested throughout your college career. This doesn't suggest that you had a personal issue that affected a single semester or year, or that you had a couple of false starts, but rather that your "personal reasons" were never addressed, and are likely to affect your graduate work. If you can address this in your letter, do so, but just saying "personal reasons" doesn't help. 2. Have good test scores, publications, awards or other marks of alternative academic prowess. The GRE's are dumb. Many students have problems with it, and it's not always indicative of your academic skills. That said, those scores are horrible for someone considering a graduate degree, and your excuses don't help. Graduate school, particularly in some fields, is full of different tests. Saying that you are a poor test taker will hardly fill someone with confidence in your ability to be successful at the next level. While many people don't take prep courses (myself included), programs are also going to want to know why you didn't spend time preparing for an exam that you knew you would have trouble with. 3. Have compelling experience either in the field or in life. Programs are looking for people who succeed. If you have had success or experience in a related field to the one you are applying to, or even success in an unrelated one, it helps build a track record for you. Just saying that you have people skills doesn't make you a good grad student. A lot of people have people skills, and can't succeed in the classroom. Research in a lab doing similar work to what you will do in grad school definitely helps here. 4. Have a strong personal narrative and sense of self. You will need to be able to make a strong argument why your past failures will not be repeated, and why you deserve a place in a program over people who spent more time, and had more success, in the preparations for graduate study. The fact that you haven't identified a specific field that you want to pursue doesn't help. My suggestions to you: 1. Figure out what caused you to do so poorly in undergraduate work, and address it. If it requires mental health counseling, disability accommodation, or life changes, than address those things, and then talk about that in your letter. 2. Prepare for, and retake, the GRE. While the GRE shouldn't determine your success, it does, and an outstanding score will do a lot to prove your potential. 3. Find a job, either paid or volunteer, in your field. This could be as an administrative assistant, lab assistant, peer mentor, or any other position that gives you insight into how the field works. Doing this will make your SoP stronger, since you will have a better sense of the skills needed to succeed. In addition, you may find new letter writers or advocates willing to help you and add valuable experience to your CV. 4. Pursue opportunities to network, learn and research. Attend talks or conferences that happen locally. Reach out to potential future advisors and ask for their suggestions. Build a network of current graduate students who you may want to do work with. Pursue opportunities to conduct research or publish. Read new books and write up a book review for a journal. 5. Consider taking supplemental coursework that will help your application. This can be undergraduate work, or un-admitted graduate work, if you find a place willing to let you take a course. Consider retaking courses to boost your GPA.

For my MA I used three pieces (depending on the requirements). I used a 10 page paper from an American Lit survey course that could have broadly be considered a rhetoric piece (but really was just comparing works from different authors), a 4-5 creative nonfiction piece, and a feature article that I had written for a journalism course. R/C programs know that most MA admits aren't coming from R/C undergrad programs (or even from English programs, from my observations), so they are looking for your ability to make an argument, organize you ideas, and write coherently. If you have teaching materials (if you've done any workshops, or undergraduate TAships) I would use them.

Be aware of signs that you are annoying them, however. They might not be polite enough to say something, but you can usually tell. I think the idea of taking interest in their work or interests helps. I talk to my profs about things like craft beer, fandoms, articles I've read, ect. I have also offered to buy them coffee if they want to chat out of the office (they always refuse, but it opens the door). One easy way is to come up with small "issues" or questions that you would like their help with. Something as simple as starting a lit review, or asking them to review a conference proposal, opens up a door to conversation. At conferences, ask them to introduce you to someone you know they've collaborated with. It also depends on your department culture, but I would look to see if any of the senior students are connected with faculty on social media. I am friends with most of the grad faculty on FB, and it's opened doors to lighthearted conversations both online and IRL. (That said, I'm in a department where faculty often join us for drinks, or have advisees over for meals, or have class dinners at their homes. I have met probably all my profs' spouses, and most of their kids).

MSU always notifies R/C before break, from what I understand. That's why the deadline is so early.

I would say, if you are a grad student in an undergraduate class, that choosing to let another group member do final edits, and admitting it, may have disappointed him

Many members of my current program (at the MA and PhD level) are full time parents, so it is possible

Not to jump on Prof's party, but since she already knows this, I thought I would share that I got my first PhD acceptance today.

Any good program will encourage you to explore other options (unless it's a single degree program). If you have to apply to stay, in particular, than you are hurting yourself not to find out where your best potential fit is. Your profs (and particularly your advisor) want what's best or you.

I've got OSU and MSU in, but the rest of mine are due until the end of the month so I'm working on grading and final projects for now, then will get on them over break.

Well, I know plenty of people who have had kids while working on their PhDs (paging ProfLorax, for one), including a friend who had two daughters, one during coursework and a second while ABD.