mikers86

Squee! From one BH person to another, congrats!

So happy for you WT! Glad it has all worked out.

Not sure if you've made a decision, but my two cents anyway. If you plan on pursuing a PhD English beyond the MA, then from a branding standpoint, I say BC. It makes life easier if adcomms know how to categorize you. I do have a friend who did the MALS and is now in an English PhD program, but his interests are spread between English and other media. If English is your primary focus, BC will serve you better. Ivy does not automatically = superior in this case.

I will say one advantage to UNC-CH is that you have the opportunity to take courses at Duke and have Duke faculty on your committee. The cost of living in the area is very manageable. People I know in that department seem to do alright on the stipend, whether through roommates or other low-cost apartments. And, at least if you're at Duke, you can get a Triangle Area bus pass for free, and I imagine UNC has a similar set up. But having said that, I don't know Austin as a city or a department (though I did love their program when I applied last year) and am unaware how far that stipend will go. See how each dept feels and where you think you'll be able to produce the best work, not just who is going to give you more money.

I've never seen this happen, and there's very few scenarios where that would be the case. The only thing that is always dicey would be the terms and conditions of health insurance (shocking, I know) - such as plan changes or renegotiation that occur before you start the program. Even if an administrative slash and burn ALL THE FUNDING happened, that normally results in fewer offers/free tuition for the coming year, not those who are currently enrolled in the program or had already been accepted. But if you're concerned, email the DGS.

Disclaimer: I'm not super familiar with Comp Lit programs and rank. In a perfect world funding would be identical so you could opt for the program that best fits your needs. But it isn't a perfect world. If you get off the list at Rutgers, it's a no-brainer, at least in my mind. Others may disagree. You want maximum funding for as long as you can get it. 3 years seems too short. Is there room for additional years of teaching or other sources of funding pretty much guaranteed but not explicitly stated? Same question for UW. Money shouldn't be the deciding factor, but it really does play such a significant role in your early career that you want to give yourself the best opportunity to complete your doctorate with as much of a financial buffer as possible. Unless you truly don't care for Rutgers (or don't get off the list). Then I'd suggest going by rank combined with average time to degree and opportunities for additional funding.

Just a friendly reminder that (99% of) professors who are willing to write you letters of rec genuinely believe in you and your talents, and aren't let down or disappointed if you do not manage to get into a program. If anything, they're disappointed in adcomms - absolutely not you. And remember, there are endless reasons why a qualified candidate may not get into a program. Each program doesn't advertise what variety of students they're potentially looking for in a particular cohort. For instance, if last year they took 3 Victorianists, and there are 2 or 3 in their 3rd year, and 2 more in their 5th, odds are they will be looking to fill in other another area of concentration with faculty who have fewer students at this point in time. It's not a hard and fast rule, but definitely one of the larger factors in some programs.

Ah! Congrats everyone, and especially hypervodka for such an impressive season. I do not envy you having to make a decision.

It all depends on what the department has planned for the visit. If it's more a campus tour/department introduction/Q&A with grad students/lunch arrangement, then dark jeans, shirt/sweater, and COMFORTABLE SHOES are standard. But if there's an official recruitment dinner after, depending on the venue (I only just noticed where our recruitment dinner was being held...posh) a t-shirt and a pair of Converse may not be the most appropriate attire. Layers are your friend.

It's a wonderful program! I opted not to attend but they're all exceptionally warm and supportive people there.

-Ask current graduate students. They'll be able to tell you with much more certainty if they struggle financially! I find POI/faculty in general have little sense of how their graduate students live. -As for placement rates, hit up the DGS or have them ask their assistant to pull that information - through this past year if possible. Preferably in spreadsheet format. If they aren't willing to be transparent with you about this information, there's probably a reason. -Feel free to ask about attrition rates as well. They may not know the exact numbers, but they should be able to find that out for you. -Also consider asking how many of their students in the last few cohorts have decided to pursue Alt-Ac jobs. It's 2015. If they aren't keeping track of this information, they need to start.

Just got the prospective student list for our department - very excited for next week!

Wait. Did I imagine the Hogwarts acceptance??? Or was it deleted?

I love the person who posted the acceptance to Hogwarts.

For clarification, I'm in English, not Lit.

So - again - don't quote me. But I do believe the recruitment/interview round is next week. I'd be glad to stand corrected! It's possible none of the interview candidates are on GC this year.

I'm not sure when the Lit dept is having their recruitment (read: 2nd round of interviews) weekend. I *think* it's usually around the same weekend as the English recruitment weekend (which is next week) but don't quote me on that. If I happen to hear anything I'll gladly post.

Definitely mention other offers. How far that will get you in terms of extras will vary wildly depending on the department. Some institutions offer the same package to everyone for x number of years to decrease competition among students. Sometimes you can negotiate moving expenses. More often than not, you won't get anything extra out of the deal. But speaking to both the DGS and other faculty at one program about other offers is a positive thing. They know their field and can likely give you some perspective about those other programs/faculty which could greatly aid in your making a decision.

ALL THE JOBS!!! For real. I strongly dislike that "Where do English PhDs get jobs?" article floating around, but it has some truth to it. Every level is competitive - R1 to SLAC to CC. I just meant to imply that, at least in the few institutions I've attended, faculty still hold onto the idea that you're gunning for that elusive R1 position that in all likelihood doesn't exist. (Generalization alert) Thus you have "elite" institutions churning out x number of PhDs, each vying for jobs that are almost non-existent at the same or similar ranking, alongside other PhDs from every other institutional tier. Not taking into account graduates from recent years/adjuncts, all hoping to land a TT or lectureship. I don't want to come off sounding all gloom and doom. It can be done and is done each and every year. It's just competitive. So having a Plan B pre and post-doctorate isn't necessarily a bad idea.

Fully funded MAs are definitely not that bad of an option. It's a building block that helps you try out graduate work and explore different areas or approaches that you weren't necessarily exposed to as an undergraduate, with the added benefit that it can help you produce a strong writing sample or help you realize getting a PhD isn't what you want after all. While funded. As for the job market discussion - I think what's important in your comment is "but surely the outlook isn't so bleak if you're prepared to work in all parts of academia?" Coming to terms with that reality can be a challenge after you've worked 5+ years toward a particular job, and potentially altering your expectations or professional pursuit can be difficult. The elusive TT R1 job is not the only option out there (obviously) but doctoral programs are in essence training you for that or very similar positions - which is an issue for another thread.

Be informed. Know the risks of not only the market but the possibility of not getting tenure after (and that particular can of worms). Actively work on a plan B, however you want to define that. And if after reflecting on all of that you still want to pursue this path then do it. No one should tell you *not to* try for it, but each of us is responsible for understanding the reality of the situation, as crappy as it is in the current climate. There are no guarantees in this profession, unfortunately.

Late March is far more acceptable. I remember when I was doing this for MA applications and hadn't heard from 1 institution and the clock was ticking. Emailed asking if there was a projected timeline as I had 2 other offers waiting and within an hour they emailed to notify an acceptance. But this is so incredibly early in the season. You do not want to be marked as "that" student - the one who sends endless emails during application season. It will give off the wrong impression to the admin assistant/adcomm, and that can weigh against your application. They are less likely to accept a student who appears to need constant interaction/supervision. If you're applying to doctoral programs, that is not the impression you want to make on individuals who hold your fate in their hands. But if it's April 10th and you still haven't heard - email the crap out of that department, especially if you have other offers but this program that has yet to notify you is your "dream" school. Likewise - please make use of this list if a program who has accepted you is pressuring you for a response. It's in poor taste to potentially make funding conditional upon response by a certain date. http://www.cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGSResolution_Rev2015.pdf

Not to entirely disagree with the unfunded MA, but I started my MA unfunded, but ended up with a half-tuition scholarship, wound up with a TAship in my second year, and now am where I am for my PhD. The cash cow programs are certainly one thing, but not all unfunded MAs are a terrible idea. It comes down to your individual situation - if you think it's a bad idea for you, then don't put yourself through that situation and debt.

Congrats to all the admits today! Seriously, I'm impressed with this GC group. Y'all are kicking butt. Can't wait to see the potential cohort members for Duke next year in a month or so.

Congrats on the acceptance! It's a wonderful program!