[turned down offers thread]

Just turned down an English PhD spot at Binghamton University-- didn't hear much about them on the boards.

[UConn and March 15th]

Congrats, BookGeek! Feel free to hit me up with your contact info too! I'll also be at UCONN come the end of August! 

[turned down offers thread]

I just turned down a funded spot at the University of Albany, SUNY, so I hope this helps out someone on the wait list!

[UConn and March 15th]

YESS!! That's so exciting Is it ok if I PM you with my facebook info? Or is that weird? (PS--anyone else going to UCONN who wants to connect, feel free to PM me so we can add each other)

!!!! Yes, PM me your FB link-- It's not weird at all! I was actually going to ask if you wanted to exchange contact info! Also, I echo what you said about anyone else who is going to UCONN-- feel free to send me a PM! 

[UConn and March 15th]

Hey, shortstack--we are officially members of the same cohort! I accepted UConn's offer! 

[Waitlisted]

I was placed on three wait lists (one of which has turned into an acceptance). In two of the initial wait list letters it stated that if I were to be admitted from the wait list, I would be offered full-funding. These letters also used overtly positive rhetoric, telling me that I was a finalist and on a select wait list-- I guess to distinguish from an unofficial wait list. The letter from the third school stated that they have six funded spots and take some self-funded students, leaving some ambiguity as to whether or not I would be offered funding if accepted off of the wait list. Like others have said, I think it varies from school to school, and you might be able to scout the programs's website and gradcafe to find out if they usually take both funded and unfunded students. Asking the program is a valid solution too! I know I was nervous about how much contact I should make with the programs that wait listed me, but everyone was kind. I had contacted my POI at the school that accepted me from the wait list and she initially told me she felt that there was a good chance of me being accepted off of the wait list. I'll admit, I was still in *complete* shock when the offer came. I know how frustrating it is to be wait listed-- hang in there though, it seems like quite a few people are getting in off of wait lists these days. Also, I know someone who was wait listed at Buffalo and just accepted an offer somewhere else, so there goes one less wait lister. I have my fingers crossed for you!

[UConn and March 15th]

There are definitely options for commuting to New Haven and Branford; I would suggest not living in New Haven because it's really not a great city (one of the most dangerous in the country as far as I remember), so any affordable housing is likely not in a good place. You can check out Wallingford for affordable housing that's in between New Haven and your route to UCONN (but closer to New Haven than Branford). Meriden's a bit farther for your SO but there are always a lot of options there.

I totally know what you mean about commuting- I commute about an hour one way right now by train, and I'm looking forward to the 30-40 minute commute I'll have next year!

I really appreciate all of the tips! That's the struggle with relocating to a new area-- not knowing the good hoods to live in, and those to avoid. You mentioned to steer clear of Hartford, East Hartford, and New Haven and I also heard Bridgeport (I think) isn't the greatest area either. I'm most definitely going to checkout both Wallingford and Meriden-- thank goodness for the internet. 

[UConn and March 15th]

I tend to park in random lots and hope for the best, haha. As for transportation to the city, Hartford has an amtrak station. By amtrak, it would probably take a few hours because you have to transfer in New Haven (it would probably be easiest and cheapest to actually just drive to New Haven and take the express metro north in). You can cut that time down by moving further south, but the problem is that Hartford gets pretty congested during rush hour. The normal load is taking 3-2 or 2-3 and teaching 1-1, and one mandatory class is at 9:30, so it might be a pretty long commute. If you don't need to go to NYC that often (ie only on weekends) I suggest living within an hour to UCONN and, when you want to go to the city, driving to new haven, parking in the garage there, and taking the express metro north to grand central.

This is really useful information. I was actually looking at New Haven for housing, though it's a bit pricey, my SO was scoping out jobs in Branford, so that would put her at an easy commute and me at about an hour to an hour and fifteen, I think. I agree, I really don't want to be more than an hour away from campus, though I've been a commuter my entire life and am pretty much a warrior when it comes to either public trans. or driving, haha. A town a bit closer in-land would probably be more ideal, so I imagine we will end up looking at places a bit closer than New Haven, and yes the convince of transit to NYC would primarily be a weekend thing and a combo of driving/train is just fine-- I think being from the city I just like having the option to either drive or take the train, so even living twenty minutes or so from the train is comforting to me.

[UConn and March 15th]

If you park in the North garage, the Austin building is fairly simple to find. Depending on where you exit you either take hillside road to N. Eagleville road, walk for a bit, then cross the street to the Chemistry building (which is right on the road and hard to miss). Follow the path along the Chem building. It'll take you up past the pond. You'll end up being on Glenbrook road, which you follow left and the Austin building is RIGHT there, next to Mansfield way. 

 

It is a 20 minute walk if you don't get lost, so make sure you budget a bit of time. The building itself is easy to navigate. 

Thank you! I think I'll save a copy of your directions on my phone for safe keeping-- should make my Wednesday morning much easier! 

[UConn and March 15th]

Housing is definitely really cheap. My fiancée and I saw like 10-15 places; there's an off campus uconn housing website that you can use. We're actually probably moving a little farther away, which is a longer commute for me (30-45 mins depending on traffic) but a better one for her. It's also a nice mix between residential and downtown-trendy, which will be nice for us coming out of the city (PM me if you'd like to know the town). It's a bit pricier than Storrs-Mansfield or Willimantic, but there's also a lot more to do. When you visit, you can ask them for a packet they have about housing in the area (the town we're moving to isn't on it because they included towns within a half hour). My fiancée and I used craigslist, haha (I would say to avoid Hartford and East Hartford--not great areas). And don't worry! You only get the cow smell around campus.

There are some decent restaurants on campus and outside of it (there are some new cafés directly across from campus that are nice along with a burrito/taco place), but most people in the grad program go to Willimantic (10-15 mins away) for food and drinks. There is an Applebee's about 10 minutes south of campus.

Your research is interesting! UCONN has some classes on the docket for next year that I think would match up with your interests nicely.

Their offer is very generous--the DGS is also working on possibly getting one semester fellowships included as well. I am pretty excited

I might need to pick your brain further in terms of places to scout for housing. I know some parts of CT are close to the train that is about an hour and fifteen minute ride to Penn Station. This would probably put me at an hour to an hour and twenty minute commute to UCONN, but it's something I'm considering because the fast access to the city is huge for me.

 

Also, that's fantastic about the possibility of a one semester fellowship! 

 

My visit is planned for Wednesday morning-- just ironing out the details with Charles Mahoney. Do you have any tips for navigating to the campus? I visited Temple University and couldn't even find a parking area without getting incredibly lost and frustrated-- meanwhile their campus is a mere fraction of the size of UCONN (I think Temple is around 100 acres and UCONN around 4000).

[UConn and March 15th]

I'm so excited for you! I'm sure they will set up a visit for you- they are extremely generous. The faculty is very supportive. From what I understood during my visit, they actually have a whole committee whose job it is to assist you in the job market (they start out as being your comps committee). They are also top 5 in the country for job placement, which really appeals to me because of my massive loan debt from my MA.

The atmosphere of the department is amazing. Everyone takes the time to go over your writing sample and your interests and they will tell you about all the opportunities they have for expanding your interests. I have been in contact with several professors over the last couple of months who all wanted to express interest in my research and to talk about opportunities there.

Of course they are trying to recruit you during all this, but I know a number of people who did their PhDs there (having gone to undergrad in CT) and they all emphatically said that the department is always this supportive.

I am also drawn to the women, gender, and sexuality studies certificate that English PhD students can complete concurrently. I met a bunch of WGSS students and they were great.

The area is certainly in the middle of nowhere, but it is pretty and there are a lot of places to eat in the area (including insomnia cookies--you have to go there when you visit). You may smell cow poo on the breeze once in a while though, LOL. Also, don't be too deterred by crazy undergrads on campus if you happen to visit on game day for basketball...uconn takes its basketball very seriously! I have it on good authority that they are not usually this nuts.

I've already picked out a course or two I'd like to take I'm very excited! Refresh my memory--what's your area again?

I hope we end up there together! I recall that your SO was also looking to teach in the area, right?

 

I'm so excited for you too! I hope we end up there together-- I made a great group of friends at my MA program, so I hope the PhD experience is similar, especially since I don't have any family or friends in CT.   

 

The placement rate and committee are so comforting given the competitive nature of our field. Though there are no guarantees, it is nice to know the faculty members are going to advocate for us. In fact, a friend of mine who is a full-time prof. at a college in NYC knows a recent UCONN grad who ended up getting a full-time, tenure-track, job at Hofstra University, so that is encouraging too!

 

I know my SO won't be thrilled about the cow poo smells lingering in the wind, but the insomnia cookies is a selling point-- haha! Do they have places like Applebee’s, Chipotle, etc.? We looked up some housing right around campus and there seems to be a lot of affordable housing. Apartments/condos and townhouses are all relatively cheap in comparison to what we are paying now—it looks like we can get at least double the space for less or equal to what we are paying now!

 

Yes, my partner is looking for a teaching job in CT—ideally a special education teacher in an elementary school. We are okay with even living an hour or so away from UCONN, if that means my partner will have a job in that area. This would be cool especially if it ended up being west of UCONN so we would be a little closer to NY to make visiting two hours, rather than three, for family and friends.

 

Oh yeah, I’m a 19^th/20^th century African-Americanist, primarily interested in slave narratives/feminist texts and the rhetorical function of the Af-Am body in literature. So, I too am interested in the WGSS certificate!   

 

I’m anticipating that my visit will be setup for some time this week, since April 15^th is rapidly approaching! I can only imagine the campus vibe in regards to the excitement with the final-four. I know close to nothing about basketball, let alone college basketball, but it’s funny because one of my friends was teasing me after I posted something about being accepted to UCONN—he wrote something like sure, pick a school once they’re already in the final-four! Haha.

 

I was surprised that the teaching load is 1-1, given the nice financial offer—I first assumed it would be 2-2. After I read the paperwork about the TAship I was like WOW! Also, guaranteed funding for ten semesters is pretty darn awesome. Being on gradcafe you see how sometimes there is no funding, funding that you have to compete for, low funding like in the lower-mid teens, so it makes me very appreciative of UCONN’s offer.    

[UConn and March 15th]

YES!!! Will you be accepting? I just accepted my offer

Congrats on accepting UCONN! 

 

I'm e-mailing Charles Mahoney now to see if it's not too late to schedule a visit some time before April 15! I am SO impressed by their generous offer and from all of the research I've done on the program. I e-mailed my POI back when I was wait listed and she was so encouraging and supportive. At that time she told me she felt there was a good chance that I would get pulled from the wait list because all of the people who viewed my file scored it very highly-- though waking up to the e-mail yesterday was a complete shock!

 

Also, did you checkout the course offerings for Fall 2014-- it looks like they are running 15+ courses! Another program I visited and many others that I researched seem to offer more in the 8ish range. But more than that, so many of the seminars just sound fantastic. I also heard that UCONN seems to advocate for the their students when it comes time to go on the job market, and their placement is very high. This is crucial!

 

Were there any particulars about your visit that really sealed the deal for you? Right now they are my frontrunner, but visiting seems important, especially if I'm going to call this place home for the next five years! 

[UConn and March 15th]

I'm so happy-- just got in off of UConn's wait list!!! 

[Waitlisted]

Just got in off of the wait list at UCONN! I'm so happy!!!!!!! Hope is alive for everyone on wait lists!

[Fordham PhD]

Best of luck!

Thanks!! 

[Waitlisted]

I agree! I'm still on a few wait lists and the recent posts on the board are encouraging! Congrats to all who got in off of wait lists! Today my good friend got into the CUNY Grad Center off of the wait list and I'm so happy for him. Hopefully the wait list situations pan out for the rest of us! Fingers crossed. Cheers to all of my fellow wait listers!

[Fordham PhD]

Success! Had a grand time. Everyone was welcoming and interest(ing/ed), met 5 of the 6 medievalists and several grad students who all seemed cool, and am looking forward to inserting myself into the beating heart of the city come fall. Was excited before, am way excited now. The housing I'm not so much looking forward to but it will work out.

Shortstack, were you at the afternoon/pre-dinner reception? I possibly overheard someone mention your name, but I was too busy talking with folks to find out!

From what I gathered, cohorts are generally 8-ish, sometimes up to 11. The campus is nice and the department (and other departments--history, philosophy, and theology were represented at the receptions as well) overall seemed cool. I don't know the size of the incoming cohort, and didn't hear about the wait list, sorry. If it's getting down to crunch time I'm sure the DGS would be fine with giving you information (I emailed the DGSs of both places I was waitlisted at, one of which turned into an offer).

If you have any questions that I may have the answer to from my short time there, I'd be glad to respond!

That's awesome-- glad you had such a positive experience!

 

I think I'll wait a few days and then maybe reach out to the DGS. Part of me doesn't want to reach out because I'd rather live in a state of false hope, but it's getting down to the time where I need to make a decision and knowing where I stand at each school would be helpful!

[Temple PhD details?]

Has anyone had any communication with Temple? I hate the waiting game.

[Decision Made Relief Party!]

Congrats on your decision!

[Fordham PhD]

Gotcha. The GSAS said if acceptees didn't respond via the generated form in their "VIP" accounts by April 15, they assume you aren't taking it. So I guess that means you could hear later than the 15th if someone declines?

The visit day is this Mon and I'm going... hopefully I won't be too wiped out by the time I get there. I've been in contact with a few professors and students and everyone seems nice and sane, which are good signs.

Did you bring anything special when you did your campus visit (besides your winning personality)?

Just bring your amazing personality and be yourself.

I brought a notebook with a couple of questions, a copy of my cv, a copy of my personal statement, and a current draft of my MA thesis. I never even ended up taking out the folder with the cv, personal statement, and thesis draft, and I didn't refer to the questions in my notebook either.

Everything ended up being organic and I never had to pause and refer to notes to ask questions or anything along those lines. The English chair (who also happens to be a scholar in my field) told me how much she enjoyed my personal statement, which was awesome to hear. She expressed her enthusiasm of wanting to work with me, so if I end up going to that school she will more than likely be my dissertation advisor. After our meeting I just felt high on life (kind of the same high you get at a conference), so the rest of the day just kind of followed suit!

I hope you have an amazing visit! Let us know how it goes and definitely let me know what you think of the department, area, and anything about what size they are aiming for with the incoming cohort. And obviously if you hear anything about the wait list!

[Fordham PhD]

Hey back2black, I've officially accepted, which I know isn't exactly helpful for you. I suppose the thing to ask is if you've tried contacting the DGS about this?

Congrats on your decision, Chesterton! I'm thinking I probably won't hear anything, if at all, until April. I don't want to look too push by e-mailing, but the suspense is brutal.

Also, I saw from your earlier post that you're a Medievalist, so if the wait list is ranked by specialization than your acceptance doesn't hurt my chances-- I'm not a Medievalist! Haha.

Did they want you to let them know by a certain date? Did you visit-- if so, what did you think?

I actually did my first campus this week (to a school where I was accepted) and I had a really positive experience. I wasn't sure what to expect, but everyone was so warm and I felt so comfortable with everyone I met with-- faculty and a current grad student.

I'm so antsy about Fordham because I would also like to visit their English department, but I wouldn't do so unless I was actually accepted off of the wait list, ya know?

[Fordham PhD]

I haven't really heard much chatter about Fordham on GC.

 

Anyone plan on accepting/declining at Fordham? I'm on their wait list and plan on holding off on making any concrete decision until I hear whether or not they might be pulling students from the wait list.

[Temple PhD details?]

Plus, the email said funding packages are only guaranteed for four years, not the full five (I only have my BA, so that makes me nervous). 

 

If you check Temple English's website it states that the estimated time to finish is six years, though with a master's it can be completed it four years. BUT In some other paperwork I got from them it highlights a five year plan for those with an MA and a six year plan for those with a BA, so either way I think the funding is problematic for both those of us with an MA and those of us with a BA.   Like others have said, it's just an overall bad feeling and vibe to be hanging in this funding wait list purgatory.

 

Did anyone on GC get a funded offer from Temple?

[Temple PhD details?]

Found typos and it wouldn't let me edit previous post, so reposting it...

I'm also an alternate for a TAship. Temple definitely takes unfunded students and it seems that they don't have the best reputation in terms of funding availability. Personally, I don't think PhD programs should admit students unless they can offer funding. That said, I'm still highly considering their program because there is a faculty member who I really, really want to work with. I heard that they're looking to take in a class of about 12 (which includes MA and PhD students, both funded and unfunded).

It seems like everyone on these boards received the same details about being an alternate for a TA position. Is there anyone who was offered funding and plans on accepting or turning it down? Anyone on here who is seriously considering Temple like me or are people thinking of just taking themselves off of the wait list for funding because they have better options and don't feel like waiting until later April (I heard we might not hear until after the 15th, if at all, but we could hear sooner)? I'm so frustrated and stressed about this-- luckily I'm still waiting on some other schools so I don't feel as if I could make my decision yet anyway, otherwise it would be harder to wait it out for so long!

[Temple PhD details?]

I'm also an alternate for a TAship. Temple definitely takes unfunded students and it seems that they don't have the best reputation in terms of funding availability. Personally, I don't think PhD programs should admit students unless they can offer funding. That said, I'm still highly considering their program because there is a faculty member who I really, really want to work with. I heard that they're looking to take in a class of about 12 (which includes MA and PhD students, both funded and unfunded).

 

It seems like everyone on these boards received the same details about being an alternate for a TA position. Is there anyone who was offer funding and plans on accepting or turning it down? Anyone on here who is seriously considering Temple like me or are people thinking of just themselves off of the wait list for funding because they have better options and don't feel like waiting until later April (I heard we might not hear until after the 15th, if at all, but we could hear sooner)? I'm so frustrated and stressed about this-- luckily I'm still waiting on some other schools so I don't feel as if I could make my decision yet anyway, otherwise it would be harder to wait it out for so long!