mikers86

Indeed. Preferably a used copy or Kindle edition if possible to minimize cost.

Shouldn't Brown be crushing all our hopes and dreams any day now?

Well, it is only Feb. 19. This could drag out until April 15. So, anything is possible between now and then. But I'm not gonna lie, very thankful to have one acceptance at this point since everything else is so uncertain.

All my remaining schools have app status sites that are never updated. Holy frustrating, Batman! At least others would indicate if your app had gone to committee review.

I agree - informative but you should also take it at face value. It's a good guide to help you get started. But keep in mind that even if you follow everything he suggests, there is still no guarantee, which I suppose is implied by his cynical and a little defeatist tone. That's what I was trying to get at but hadn't had enough coffee to articulate it. And the Chronicle is definitely the same way, but I think that's what happens after years in academia.

Congrats!

For fun, you could throw in Bousquet's How The University Works.

I knew someone would bring in Semenza. The book is fine, but it's also not a particularly inviting approach, and I found he made it sound like his way was the ideal way to survive, which just isn't the case. It's a good read to know what the "reality" is, though it yet again needs updating. Just read The CHE's various sections and you'll have a good sense of the issues in the profession that grad students are facing. Time to degree, adjunctification, debt, alt-ac, to name a few.

Blah. Thanks for emailing and asking!

I can try to answer the language question. Yes, some degree of fluency will help when applying to Harvard since you're expected to be reading proficient in 2 languages, but that is still far from being bilingual. As for the second, I seem to recall this discussion taking place earlier, and the general consensus was that publications can help you, but they are from being expected due to the sheer time it takes to actually get an article published in a journal. And for the last question, I'm not aware of too many programs that interview you for admission, at least in English. If you do searches on the results board by specific programs and look back over the last couple of years you can find out if they do or don't. An example of this would be Duke's Literature program requiring interviews while their English program does not. Program by program basis, but it's certainly not widespread practice as far as I know. Please, someone correct me if I'm mistaken. Hope that helps!

And there's the first Pittsburgh rejection in the mail. Guessing mine is coming today or tomorrow. Onward and upward to the next one!

I'm hoping! The pending 10" of snow will at least keep me preoccupied for a little while, as will the tex-mex chicken stew I have going in the crockpot. But really, I just want results!

Lots of schools reporting! Maybe some of mine would like to join that bandwagon.

Congrats!! Fingers crossed for you.

I'm starting to have doubts about hearing back this week, especially with more snow coming today.

My current MA program is a 1-1, and the PhD follows that also.

I mean, the closest is probably Pret A Manger, but it's just not the same. But what I wouldn't give for a 3 am Trailer of Life run.

This. I found the majority of things to be terribly underseasoned. Or overcooked (they almost ruined duck for me).

Are we talking "English" food, or more along the lines of curry houses and other ethnic-based cuisines?

# of courses taught per semester. So 2-2 would be 2 in the fall/2 in the spring, or 2 in the fall and 1 in the spring, etc.

I second that, especially about the food (though you can't really go wrong with take away). 7 weeks was not nearly long enough to enjoy Cambridge, but there are far worse places to get a Master's degree or spend time abroad.

Another week, another chance for acceptances! Let's see how long that optimism lasts.

In general, but every program is different. The worst they can do is say no.

At least we're all rejects together. [/sappy rhetoric]

Like ComeBackZinc said, depending on the program it's set above the dept. There's sometimes wiggle room for relocation, etc., but from what I've seen and heard from people I know in other programs, it's extremely difficult to do.