TeaOverCoffee

I actually emailed the DGS of every program if I had a question about the application process and many times they would forward my emails to the professors I was interested in working with. I think this helped the faculty remember my name in a good way. So I don't think it could hurt to send an email if you have something to say.

I would ask your professors about which schools they recommend, especially professors in your desired research field. They'll know best. I didn't know that in undergrad, so what I actually did was look through the top 100 English graduate programs in the U.S. from usnews.com. Then I looked through every single one of the programs' faculty to see which ones had faculty in my field. I then tried to see how many instructors were in my field at that university. You'll want at least two to three in your field at the university, and be careful because sometimes they could be retiring soon. Once I had the programs on my list, I extensively researched the professors I was interested in working with by looking at their scholarship. From there, I was able to narrow down my list even further.

So the entire process is overwhelming and it will continue to feel that way until you're accepted into a program. This is especially difficult when you're still getting your B.A. If your grades don't reflect your abilities, mention that in your statement of purpose and have stellar recommendations to support that. Most programs aren't going to cut you for mediocre GPAs; they typically look at applicants holistically. I don't think any of us can tell you what programs to consider because it all depends on your research interests, your geographical preferences, and your finances. I'm, of course, not asking you to share any of this--especially finances--because it takes a while to figure out. I would look through the other forums in Literature, Rhetoric, and Composition to see what others are saying, too. I'm not an expert in the least, but if you have any questions, I could try to help if you dm me.

I also was told not to have a graduate student write my LoR when applying while in undergrad. When in my master's, I was told that I shouldn't ask anyone who wasn't on a tenure track.

Your verbal is great, but I would say that a 4.0 for a Ph.D. program is on the lower end. Maybe ask an advisor or professor at your current program.

You don't have to find professors who research just what you want to do. The professors I've spoken to are against creating replicas of themselves. If I were you, I'd broaden your scopes a bit and look for scholars in Victorianism/Modernism and gender studies. (Also, I agree with you about Romanticism; I'd argue that it belongs to the long c18, though many, I'm sure, would disagree.)

Funding has dropped for a lot of programs, so it's becoming more and more typical, but my cohort was about 10 Ph.D. students.

Your scores are excellent. Definitely put that energy elsewhere.

@parksandrec Everyone here has offered wonderful advice. A master's program first would be a good idea if you're unsure about your research skills/abilities. I did a master's first, and it was one of the best choices I made for graduate school because I didn't have much experience writing longer papers other than my thesis. It also taught me what I need to be prepared for when starting a Ph.D. program--workload, mentorship, how to research, etc. 1. I wasn't in the honor's college, so I asked a professor to be my advisor for an independent thesis. That gave me a glimpse into self-paced research. However, as I've previously stated, I think the M.A. will also do that. 2. Programs want well-rounded students to show that you can handle everything that's thrown at you. However, the writing center is in itself a great way to show them how you're doing things beyond coursework; it and co-teaching look really good. You have literally nothing to stress about. To echo the previous posts, don't concern yourself with only have written 20 pages. I mean, most programs only want to see 15-20 pages of your writing sample--and *spoiler* even then, they often don't read all of it, especially if they can't find the argument up front, because each committee will sometimes have hundreds of apps to read. 3. DON'T RETAKE THE GRE. Put your energy and money elsewhere. Let's just say that I didn't score well at all on the GRE, and I was still accepted into several programs. 4. LORs are very important. I'm not sure why you don't think you'd be a qualified candidate, but remind them of the papers you wrote for their classes, and then in the fall offer them what you have for your writing sample so they have an idea how you have improved and where you're going from there. They may even help you edit the writing sample. Ask your LOR soon so that they have the heads up. Provide them with the deadlines (I often told mine a day or two before the actual deadline in case they were late). Don't give them gifts until they have already written all of your recs. 5. Also, again, my GPA was a 3.54 (because I was at first a biochemistry major) and my major GPA was a 3.76. Your GPA doesn't really matter, but even if it did, yours is good. 6. You don't have to know what you want to do right now for the rest of your life. I'd focus on composing/editing a paper and add/refine some theory in it. Also, the SOP is really important, too. Basically, my advice for you is to take a deep breath and not panic, especially over things that you cannot change. You have this summer to work on your application.

MHW is leaving after this spring, I believe. Not really applicable to the conversation, but thought it might be good info for those interested.

I agree with all of the above statements. I will also say that a majority of schools accept a small number of students, so to reiterate, there is no safety school. I applied to about 10-12 programs, and I was only accepted to the schools that best fit my interests. So I recommend only applying to places that you think will be a really good fit, especially in terms of faculty (at least two to three tenured/tenure-track faculty members in your identified field). Placement is a big deal in the humanities if you want an academic job after the Ph.D. So that's definitely something worth asking the DGS about, and I recommend talking to them about how accepting they are of Ph.D. students pursuing jobs outside of the academy, as it's becoming more and more necessary to consider.

I agree with @TakeruK about the business casual. Most people wore a nice pair of pants/skirt/even jeans with a nice shirt/blouse of some kind. I also recommend walking shoes, which is something I forgot about last year.

My MA mentor was incredible. We also weren't assigned mentors, but I took a class with this instructor. I asked them if they needed a TA that same semester, and they didn't but took me on anyway. Because of that, I was able to work with them often and they helped me every step of the way. Mentoring is very individualistic. Sometimes you'll have a standoff-ish mentor (as I did in my undergrad) and other times you'll have a mentor you speak to two to three times a week. It's all about the personality of the mentor. Mentors often develop over time because you're interested in the same field, but if not, just try to make yourself known by attending departmental meetings and events. At some point, they have to get to know you because you're attending everything they go to. Thankfully, in my Ph.D. program, we are actually assigned three mentors that we meet with every semester, and they just make sure you're doing ok and help you with whatever you may need in order to excel in the program.

I recommend having a chat with the current graduate students there to see if the issue involving a faculty member who sexually assaulted grad students has been resolved. That may not be a university you want to commit to for a few years if the department is divided, as it is at Ohio University.

Best of luck! I met several people last year who were waitlisted, and most were accepted later. So don't give up hope! When I applied for my master's, I was waitlisted at three universities and then accepted to one in April. So it's definitely stressful, but getting off the waitlist happens! He could probably gauge whether he'll get off the waitlist if he speaks to the person who was accepted in his field at the open house, as most schools' waitlists are categorized by fields like Renaissance, Victorian, African-American studies, etc. So if the person who was accepted in his field declines, then the person next on the waitlist will very likely be accepted. And I assume the waitlist isn't very long since everyone I met at the prospective students day last year had been interviewed. Sorry if I just mansplained how a waitlist works, but my cohort is relatively diverse based on our literary interests, so I'm fairly confident they didn't choose more than one person for each sub-field of literature. Let me know if there are any questions that I could answer from my end.