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sew8d

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Everything posted by sew8d

  1. sew8d

    CU Boulder

    Hey Beth, I'll be attending CU Boulder in the fall as well! I'm going to be starting my Masters in Spanish Literature, and am also relocating from the east coast (NC/VA). How are you going about apartment hunting? I'm lucky to have a friend in the Denver area who will scout for me if need be, but I've mostly been searching craigslist and CU's search engine too.
  2. Acabo de recibir lo mio, y voy a llamar al ultimo programa que me queda ahora mismo. Muy pronto termina la espera para mi tambien!
  3. Pues, no fui yo quien le entrevistaron. Estoy pensando en llamarles al fin del mes si no hay ningun noticia.
  4. Bueno, es la primera vez que comenté en este hilo. Solicité a cuatro programas y tengo noticias de dos - un rechazo y una aceptación, y por lo tanto todavía espero las respuestas de dos programas (Vanderbilt y UC-Santa Barbara). Sin embargo, estoy pensando en aceptar la oferta de UC-Boulder (el programa que me acepta), pero no quiero aceptarla sin tener las respuestas de los otros. En fin, estoy harta de esperar, especialmente ya que la fecha de entregar para UCSB fue el 15 de diciembre. Tres meses es bastante tiempo, ¿no? ¡Suerte a todos en estas últimas semanas!
  5. I finally got the "die inside" one today. No word = drinking tonight anyway. Oh well, just one program. But this is quite possibly the best idea ever. I think the amount of "other" posts requesting GRE info went up exponentially after this - gave them the idea
  6. finally saw an acceptance for one of my programs on results search. And it wasn't me... still no word :(

  7. I'm not history, but I saw this thread and thought it would be what it is. I wouldn't worry about it - mine says the same thing for UVa, but I called and spoke with people in the Grad Admission office (who are a lot nicer than others I've talked to at other schools, and I'm not just saying that because I did undergrad there), and they told me they had everything. So - I would go ahead and give them a call to double check if you want to and haven't done so already.
  8. And reviving this thread for a second to rant: My undergrad transcript sent to Vanderbilt is THE LAST THING that is unaccounted for for all of my applications. I sent it Dec 29, so I figured today wasn't "too early" to give them a call to check the status, since their deadline is Jan 15. The lady in the department was really nice and helpful, but said all supplemental material was sent to them from the Office of Grad Admissions and to give them a call instead. I gave them a call, prefacing my explanation with "I know this might be obnoxious, but...." - the guy I talked to was extremely unhelpful and condescending. I fully understand they're going over thousands of applications for multiple departments, but if he had the time to answer the phone and he's doing the job, he had the time to be courteous (even falsely so). But I'm not worried - even just talking to the lady in the specific department was fine, she gave me the impression that it's apparent absence even after deadline was not a death sentence, which after having called a few places and reading it *over and over* on here, I feel that's true. It was more that I just wanted to make sure I'd done everything I could, especially since this would be the Very Last Thing I have to submit. /vent
  9. Me too! Mine I think was more based on their different focus in the Spanish field - one does peninsular literature, the other does Latin American, specifically Mexican. But it was funny to meet with both and hear one guy trash the suggestions of the other... but more disconcerting. I also regret not applying to a couple more and turning things in sooner - I had everything pretty much ready, but I couldn't just hit send... It was all there by deadlines, but you know.
  10. My friend lent me Pride & Prejudice & Zombies back in late summer... which I didn't touch until I turned in my last application because I spent the between months traveling, working on apps, working, more traveling, and more working on apps. Breezed through that, and then found a free copy of Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simmons, which has turned out to be a little depressing given I've reached the part where the protagonist is experiencing academic failure albeit for reasons completely unrelated to my feelings about the application process. Wolfe's attempts at undergrad slang circa 2004 do keep it amusing though Next I will probably be (re)reading theory so I don't freak out in case I happen to get an interview.
  11. Heh, I doubt more than 2 weeks is acceptable, but then again, what do I know? Luckily mine will only be a couple of days late for the first deadline school - I managed to FINALLY catch my prof on the phone during his business hours, and he told me he was writing it and it would be sent today. He also made it sound like he thought I was crazy, but I'm just happy to *know* what's going on and that it will be taken care of.
  12. I was thinking that too, but LUCKILY I just caught the MIA Prof on the phone during his business hours, and he told me he was writing it and would send it today. Sure, a little late.... and of course his voice made it sound like he thought I was crazy... but oh well! It's covered. WHEW.
  13. ME TOOOOOOOOOO. I even asked him if he'd write the LOR back in JUNE, and he had everything (links) he needed by October 5. And he missed a Dec 1 deadline and hasn't responded to emails in the past couple of weeks (although was good about responding to prior ones), and has no office voicemail, and the secretary of the dept can't do much to contact him for me. I'm considering the 2.5 hour drive to ambush him in person, although seeing the comments that lots of schools will take LORs late is reassuring. Especially since this first deadline was to my undergrad school, which is where this prof is! All he'd really have to do is print it out and hand it over to the adcomm down the hall. oh venting.
  14. So everything with my applications has pretty much come together, thankfully, except for one of my LORs. I knew his reputation of being a procrastinator, but I figured that it would be okay for me since I have him the links for the LORs months in advance, and he'd agreed to write me the LORs way back in June. Lo and behold, the first deadline was yesterday and he still hasn't submitted an LOR for that school (luckily they only require two and I already had two), and he hasn't responded to any of my emails in the past couple of weeks. I even tried calling his office phone (which sadly has no voicemail), and calling the department office. I'm not in town, so I can't show up in person.... although I've considered the 2.5 hour drive.... I'm trying to remain optimistic, but I think it's wise to set up an emergency LOR because my other applications require 3 or 4 (ridic!) LORs, and I definitely need his, or a replacement. Thus, my question. I can think of two replacements, but I'm not sure which one is better. I'm applying for Spanish programs, btw. 1. My undergraduate thesis advisor. Seems like an ideal choice, right? Eh, it's complicated. This professor did advise me, but since I had problems with my thesis (change of topics, change of focus), it wasn't your traditional advising. I met with her a few times, and she did offer help and feedback, but it was not a close relationship. I did, however, also take a class with her where I met with her about papers and presentations for the class. Finally, she's a professor in women's studies, not Spanish. I haven't spoken to her since I graduated this year (took her class my last semester in undergrad). 2. Portuguese professor. I only took one class with him, and it was language instruction, not a class studying literature or culture. However, he's fairly respected and has been around a while, although he's about to retire. I also contacted him recently about suggestions for possible programs to apply to, so he does remember me and we have had recent contact, which is a bonus because I took his class over a year ago. I did well in both classes for these professors, so that's a plus. I'm just not sure which one would be better.... help/thoughts? I want to contact someone today, because my next deadlines are within two weeks and while I'll certainly explain the circumstances, it's still iffy to contact someone so close and during the end of a semester. *frustration*
  15. I'm applying to spanish programs, and have written my SoPs in English. I haven't worried about that too much, since most also require writing samples (usually specifically in Spanish or the pertinent language for the program). As for the writing sample question... I wouldn't think this would be too much of a problem, and actually those programs that are in Romance Departments (as opposed to a separate Spanish or Spanish/Portuguese department) would find this particularly good. I say that because one of my recommendation writers also warned me against doing Romance Department programs because of the combining with other languages, but that's more personally because I have a background in Spanish and Portuguese, but none of French or Italian, etc. Plus, check out the work that's been done by some of the faculty members. You'll probably find that they've written things comparing spanish-language literature to non-spanish literature. In short, IMO, I wouldn't worry about it. Pick your stronger sample, even if it's one that is writing about spanish and french lit.
  16. Thanks for the response, mudlark. I had to think about it for a little while, but I guess I agree with most of what you said. It's just hard to hear after I've re-written it and re-written it, but that's the process I guess - and it's good to have people push me to deal with the stuff that makes me nervous. I plan on reworking it to be more specific - I think I've finally gotten used to that idea (even though it goes against my fear that I'd be restricting myself to what I say in the SoP). I do want to mention one thing, which is the quote I've left in. You seem to be against the anecdotal, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. However, I do feel that my personal travels are relevant, at least for the field I'm applying to, especially because a personal experience is what spurred my interest for the Guatemalan topic. And even moreso because every application I've worked on asks in a separate section to list relevant personal travels, and to include in the SoP any additional information that could help evaluate aptitude or interest for the Spanish program (including personal travels). Anyway, I think the best way to tie it all together is by my using cultural/government influences that appear in the literature - how literature responds to the ongoing social/political changes. WHICH, having just looked at one of your comments that I missed is pretty much exactly what you said, ha. Oh, and I noticed that you reworked the initial paragraph - the only problem is that Lorca died pretty much at the beginning of the war, which lasted for almost another three years after his death. And his rural tragedies did not deal with the war, but rather social matters of particular concern for women, which have been said to also be a way for him to write about his homosexuality. That being said, I see what you're getting at Overall, criticism is hard to take sometimes, but I really appreciate what you gave me.
  17. Hokay - so this is the last time I plan on posting an SoP anywhere, as deadlines are fast approaching and I just want them all to be sent in before the earliest deadline so I can STOP WORRYING. Anyway, it's been posted here, overhauled, shopped around elsewhere, edited, shopped around again, edited again... and here it is: My interest in Spanish literature and culture was initially influenced by courses I took in high school, both in Spanish language and in English literature courses that included the study of work by South American boom writers. Subsequent courses taken at the University of Virginia continued to shape my interests, such as my semester in UVa’s study abroad program in Valencia, Spain. There, I gained a grounding in both Spanish American and peninsular studies, but certainly developed a specific affinity for peninsular topics. For examply, while it may be considered well-trodden ground, the Spanish civil war, its effects on Spaniards, and its treatment in multiple forms of media, particularly post-Franco era cinema, are matters I find to still be relevant to peninsular studies. In the same vein, while Federico Garcia Lorca’s rural tragedies have been amply addressed in scholarly writing, I feel his lesser known plays are deserving of closer scrutiny, specifically Así que pasen cinco años and El público. Both of these are topics I have already studied, but would enjoy the chance to continue with in more depth. Further, recent travels to Peru and Guatemala in the Fall of 2009 have helped foster a deep curiosity for cultural concerns, specifically those related to government involvement. For instance, Guatemala is known as being one of the most dangerous countries in the Americas, its newspapers filled with reports of violent acts often resulting in death. At the same time, corruption in both the government and the police force serve to impede efforts to rectify the situation; rather, local citizen response often serves the purpose that is normally served by the government and police. My background in political philosophy has brought me to wonder what the implications exist for such a preference for citizen response. Is it more effective? What lingering effects does the Guatemalan civil war still have and are they possibly exaggerated? Other intriguing subjects have recently caught my attention, such as the effect of the pattern of Brazilian immigration to America on both the area they choose to populate, specifically Massachusetts, and also the homes they leave behind in Brazil. These ideas are things I have not had the chance to study in an official capacity, but would like to be able to explore. Moreover, I am also curious as to how such matters have been treated in both literature and other forms of media. My undergraduate thesis demonstrates my ability to connect different ideas from separate fields, identify problems or areas for consideration, and synthesize current events and other relevant happenings in an effort to provide a new view or interpretation of a topic. In it I addressed the controversial issue of same-sex marriage in the USA applied within the context of Habermas' conception of the public sphere, with reference to matters of public and private self. Although my thesis was unrelated to Spanish, I have used these same skills in all of my essays produced for undergraduate Spanish courses, relating to the works of Federico Garcia Lorca, Jorge Luis Borges, Carmen Laforet, Homero Aridjis, and Pedro Calderón de la Barca, among others. Furthermore, the courses I have taken provide me with a spectrum of influences to draw upon, including basic media theory, philosophy, political theory, and film studies. With this varied background, I have discovered I am not satisfied reviewing and understanding another’s opinion without trying to put forth additional insight or commentary, or even hopefully to address a matter I feel has been overlooked. This connection is indicative of my general outlook on life; what motivates me when evaluating a situation is the purpose involved. This aspect of my personality is one of the main reasons I wish to continue my education in a graduate program. My varied interests represent the kind of career I aim for as a professor at a research university, helping to foster future scholars and actively pursuing my interests at the same time. In my undergraduate studies in Spanish at UVa, I began the exploration that I hope to continue at the same institution. UVa’s Spanish program is certainly one of the most competitive, and having already participated in the program, I am well aware of the possibilities of combining my work in the Spanish department with other departments. I look forward to being able to strengthen the relationships I developed with certain professors, and being able to form new ones. Additionally, while I understand David Haberly will no longer be a part of the department, I am hopeful that whoever serves as his replacement will be able to help sustain opportunities for studying Portuguese.
  18. I just graduated undergrad in May, so I'd be applying for the MA. However, some places you just apply straight to the PhD (implying you'll complete the MA in the process). I wouldn-t think so, but do you think that those schools would want something more specific, like what you were referencing?
  19. Not offended at all!! I really appreciate whatever advice I can get. Your comments about my opening/closing - I find those to be the most awkward parts with writing this, so as for the story, I picked it because it seemed like a good way to open, and because I really do love that writer. And as for the interest in Arabic - I guess it's better put that I think an understanding of Arabic (the language and culture of that time) would be better than just having the instruction you get in any Spanish class about what happened; that it would help provide a better background, if that makes any sense? I agree with the stuff about Spanish Civil War and cinema - it´s definitely a worry I´ve thought about, but I think I might end up taking it out and replacing it with something I've been considering from my travels (I'm actually about to leave Guatemala tomorrow) - I think I want to replace it with something about the political state of Guatemala. Specifically... situations here can either be handled officially (via police, courts, etc) or through a citizen response. This is complicated by the persistent government corruption (which is present in almost every latin american country to some degree, but then again, whatever government has some sort of corruption), and add in the easily available weapons post their civil war.... so with that brief sketchy background, what I'm interested in is exploring what is more effective - leaving it up to the police or letting common citizens handle it? What sends a better message? What are the implications? I think clarifying that (I know it's pretty messy) could be a good addition because it hints at my background in political philosophy too. But anyway, thanks for offering your advice!
  20. I accidentally hit "enter" before editting this! But here's a rough version of what I've been working on. It's set up for UC-Boulder, but the last paragraph obviously can be changed based on the school. After reading it over and over, I'm just not satisfied... I think it sounds forced and cheesy. I was terrible at the Personal Statement for undergrad too. HELP!!!! "Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí." One of the shortest short stories ever written, Augusto Monterroso's "Dinosaurio" has stayed with me since encountering it in a Latin American literature course. I was struck by how one simple sentence could be so thought provoking, requiring the reader to engage his or her own imagination in order to conceptualize the full story. At the time, I was studying abroad in Spain, marking the second time I had traveled to a Spanish speaking nation and the first time I knew that Spanish was something more than just a passing caprice. For me Spanish is more than a language; it is the culture, the people, and the heritage. I hope to build upon my past experiences in order to pursue a career as a professor, able to share what I have learned. Combined with my own recent personal travels in Peru and Guatemala, I have discovered a few areas of specific interest. With respect to peninsular studies, I have delved into the impact of the Spanish Civil War on both the culture and literature in Spain, particularly post-Franco era cinema. More and more Spaniards are using the cinema as a way to address what happened during both the war and the Franco era through a myriad of genres. As to another peninsular topic, Federico Garcia Lorca claimed in interviews that his rural trilogy did not represent his “true” work, but instead served to provide the means to pursue his real passions. This statement begs to be investigated. Why did he consider his more avant-garde/surrealist influenced plays to be truly reflective of his style? What possible influence did current events or even his interactions with other artistic minds of the era have on his work? More recently a couple of social concerns have caught my attention. For instance, what effect does the pattern of Brazilian immigration to America have both on the area they choose to populate, specifically Massachusetts, but also the homes they leave behind in Brazil? In a similar vein, I would love to explore how external demand for one of a nation’s cash crops affects the national situation, such as coffee and the Antigua region of Guatemala. It is apparent that these topics are not centered around the same area, but I view my varied interests as a benefit rather than a hindrance. They represent the kind of career I aim for, one where I can impart the ability to combine multiple considerations into one cohesive result. In terms of my writing experience, I feel my undergraduate thesis demonstrates my ability to connect different ideas from separate fields, identify problems or areas for consideration, and synthesize current events and other relevant happenings in an effort to provide a new view or interpretation of a topic. In it I addressed the current hot button issue of same-sex marriage within the context of Habermas' conception of the public sphere, with reference to matters of public and private self. Although my thesis was unrelated to Spanish, I have used these same skills in all of my essays produced for undergraduate Spanish courses, relating to the works of Federico Garcia Lorca, Jorge Luis Borges, Carmen Laforet, Gabriel García Marquez, and Pedro Calderón de la Barca, among others. Furthermore, the courses I have taken provide me with a spectrum of influences to draw upon, including basic media theory, philosophy, political theory, and film studies. I am not satisfied reviewing and understanding another’s opinion without trying to put forth additional insight or commentary, or even hopefully to address a matter I feel has been overlooked. This connection is indicative of my general outlook on life; what motivates me when evaluating a situation is the purpose involved. I think this aspect of my personality is one of the main reasons I wish to continue my education in a graduate program. While I believe my Spanish major to have been a great foundation, it is just that - a starting point. The Spanish and Portuguese Department at University of Colorado-Boulder's incorporation of Arabic is an aspect that initially drew me to the program. Knowledge of the Arabic language would be instrumental to fully understanding the Arabs’ lasting influence on Spanish language and culture, and just one way that UC-Boulder’s Spanish program would allow me to expand upon my undergraduate education. Given that I want to examine multiple fields with relation to Spanish and Portuguese language and culture, UC-Boulder’s cooperative attitude among departments would be ideal for my further education. With a PhD from UC-Boulder, a strong research university itself, I would be able to pursue a career as a professor at a research university, bestowing what I have learned and actively pursuing my interests at the same time.
  21. DJH -- Tuve un curso de Prof. Shaw, lo de Borges. No sé si lo sabías, pero él tenía la suerte de conocerle a Borges. Sin embargo, no le conozco muy bien, pero es amable. Tiene un estilo muy específico de enseñar - entra en el cuarto y empieza a hablar, y no termina hasta que sea la hora de salir. No es que no se permite preguntas.... pero durante la semestre sólo una persona se atrevía a preguntarle durante la clase. Pero bueno, está muy dispuesto a contestar preguntas después de la clase. A Pope no le conozco para nada, lo siento que no podía ayudarte más. En cuanto al área preferido para estudiar, ahorrita no tengo una avenida específica. Me gustan muchas cosas y no estoy decidida a que quiero enfocarme. Por eso busco un programa equilibrado entre estudios peninsulares y latinamericanos, pero también investigo las especialidades de los profesores. Estaba pensando que el MA sería para enfocarme, pero todavía me preocupo por qué piensa el comite del ingreso, o sea, que ellos piensan que ya debo tener un idea más concreto... Sé que me interesa la guerra civil de España, la literatura moderna peninsular y latinamericana, la literatura del siglo de oro, el cine de España, la migración de brasileños a los EEUU (y que la mayor parte van para Massachusetts), etc. Puedes ver que tengo intereses definidos... ¡pero bastantes! No obstante, ayer otro profesor (Prof. Haberly, que enseña portugués en UVa, aunque este deba ser su último año) me sugerió UC-Santa Barbara y UNC-Chapel Hill. UC-Santa Barbara parece muy bueno, porque tiene un programa que mezcla estudios de español, igual como WUSTL.
  22. I recently graduated in May from UVa and am applying to grad school for Spanish. My GRE was a 670v (96%) and 760q (86%) with a 6.0 (99%) on the writing. Undergrad GPA was 3.68, but with a 3.91 in my Spanish major. My concern is that I have no publications and I didn't do anything Spanish related in my extracurriculars as I was actually intending on applying to law school. In that regard, I did graduate with distinction in my other major despite it having a lower GPA. I have, however, studied abroad in Spain and am about to finish traveling through Peru/Guatemala. I also have some Portuguese and I´ve got pretty good letters of recommendations. Is it crazy for me to be nervous about applying with that bit of background? Oh, and fyi I´m applying to UVa, Vanderbilt, and UC-Boulder so far, and possibly adding Columbia to that list. I know deadlines are fast approaching, but I just can´t seem to decide on a 4th/5th option to round out the list. Thanks in advance if anyone´s got anything to say - finding info about Spanish programs is hard to come by.
  23. ¡Hola DJH! También estoy solicitando a unos programas. Ahora, mi lista sólo tiene 3 programas: UVA (por donde me gradué el undergrad), WUSTL, y UC-Boulder. Estoy de acuerdo con uno de mis profesores quien piensa que yo deba solicitar a uno más, por lo menos, pero no puedo decidir en cual programa. Estaba pensando en UMich, pero no estoy segura. También Columbia es una posibilidad. Sé que las fechas de entregar ya estan cercas, pero bueno. Es dificil evaluar los programas de español porque no hay bastante información comparándolos como hay para otros programas. Además, es dificil cuando sus profesores no estan de acuerdo con sus sugerencias, jaja.
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