BijouxMcguffin

Thank you, rachelann!!! I'm excited and fearful all at the same time! I do work in Modernism, religion and lit, contemporary lit, and theory (postco, critical, postmodern). If you can fill me in on what's the T, I'd be very grateful. Thank you!

I was accepted, but I will likely turn down the offer. I'm visiting NY in a week and a half, but I won't turn down the offer before then, nor will I turn it down long after, either. Wait patiently.

I was (am?) in Sigma Tau Delta when I graduated last year from my MA program. I also should have an article coming out for the Sigma Tau Delta Review this year. Can't wait to see my name out there!

So I've been accepted into, among a few other PhD programs, NYU, which is one of my top choices. I've been searching through the Internet and through GradCafe and a few themes seem to emerge: 1) The students are very hostile toward one another. It's a lot of one-up(wo)manship, public shaming, but, if you're fortunate, you'll find those lucky few students with whom you can actually bond. 2) The faculty are very hostile toward one another. The word that gets thrown around often is that they're "divided." I came from an MA program where some of the faculty, mostly behind the scenes, held some grievances toward one another. I navigated just fine among them, and I think I could continue to do so in another department. There was some friendly competition between classmates, but the tensions tended to be more personal than academic. Are there any current or previous NYU students who wouldn't mind commenting on these two accusations? All I seem to find are rumors with no specifics. Personal anecdotes are especially welcome, even if left a little vague. Look, at a "top" program (or maybe even not at a "top" program, whatever the notion even means), I get it: people have enormous egos, the job market is rough, thick skins are a must in grad school, etc. I'm unlikely to change my mind about going to NYU no matter what I learn. I just want a heads-up before I get into a(n allegedly) toxic environment. I'm likely to attend the meet-and-greet in a few weeks, and it'd be nice to be able to sneak away with a grad student there and have him or her dish. Thanks y'all.