TeaOverCoffee

I just want to say that as a first year applicant, reading everyone's comments on the PhD process has been incredibly assuring. I am loving the solidarity, and hope that over the next couple of weeks we are all able to ground ourselves in our passions.

Gotta admit, I'm a tad envious of you both! I can't bring myself to think of plan B's just yet. I know in my heart of hearts that it would be very wise to do so, but I'm constantly blocked by the thought (okay, the hope) that it would ultimately be wasted effort. I wish it were otherwise...

SAME. I have back-up plans for my back-up plans.

^THIS!!! a million times over!!! I bet you put forth your very best work, and my heart echoes that way: at the end of the day, what more could I have done that I didn't think I did? Rock on, all the way. 

We're all such dorks, in every good way.  Thank goodness we don't obsess the same way, else we'd drive each other, and our people, batty! ;-) 

Enough time on this website has taught me that if you're sure of yourself, you're delusional. 
I mentioned this on the "waiting it out" board, but whenever I start to freak out I work on my "what if I don't get in plan." Rather than sitting at home and thinking about it, I actually have like a physical document of which steps to take, what jobs to apply for, which summer programs to consider, etc. So if the worst happens, I have an "in case of emergency break glass" document  
I'm one of those colossal dweebs who finds solace in productivity, and so it makes me feel better to work on something that will remedy the very thing that I'm freaking out about. 

Most of my results, if they go by previous  trends, are coming out later starting in February. Seeing all the red already is giving me so much anxiety!

...University of Phoenix?

I have a feeling that even if I get shut out this time around, I'll continue to stick around GC, akin to the old guy who sits in the corner of a bar, saying vaguely interesting things from time to time, but mainly becoming a part of the atmosphere... Or perhaps more like Old Bill from Westworld, the "host" who would have been impressive in his own time, but now just looks like a primitive, creaky android...


(And yes, you can call me WT!)

Similar. My post wasn't meant to be a "check your privilege" but rather a "there are good things happening to you". /shrug

Received an email yesterday from one of my schools with the subject
"Application Status Update"
...it was to tell me my application has been forwarded to the department....
I didn't know if I was upset it wasn't a decision or grateful it wasn't a rejection to start things off--but I DID know that I stopped breathing for a hot second because of it.
Also @imogenshakes I love your handle!!! Cymbeline is one of my absolute favorites!!

Just for clarification, I meant that in a positive manner. As in, "Thanks. I needed that. You're appreciated." 

The good news is that I have not yet vomited. 

You're an MVP. 

Big News? You're alive.
-There are currently seven billion people alive today and the Population Reference Bureau estimates that about 107 billion people have ever lived. -Having just a few coins makes you richer than most people on Earth.
-The opportunity to attend school is something many people don’t have. (Which makes having a college degree even greater!)
-Most people lack a bed of their own to sleep in
-Many people on earth lack access to clean water.
-Cell phones make talking to loved ones easy. -The Internet, n'uff said?   But in all seriousness, try not to compare yourself to others. We have a tendency to look at how great the lives of other people are going without realizing the stresses they're hiding. There may even be people looking at you and saying, isn't it great that Shaun or Rachel is taking chances to pursue what they want no matter the cost? They don't realize that you're refreshing your e-mail every minute waiting for news.
 

I'm not familiar with Rhet/Comp but I suggest you don't choose a path based on employment potential. It will more than likely be tough either way and there's no way to predict where the money is going to be by the time you finish. Pick what excites you the most.

"The tribe has spoken."?

Honestly? I'm not really sure how any kind of complaint by a student, barring something of a sexual nature, could "leave a stain" on a professor's career. It's pretty clear that the faculty in the department aren't supportive of your project so it's unclear to me whether or how you'd ever finish your degree. If I were you, I would just move on with my life and consider this a bad experience but one you can learn a lot from.

49. Puke profusely on January 20. 
50. Ask myself again and again why I didn't apply to Canadian programs to be with Justin. 

I guess you've read it already but a current Duke literature phd student said that what you said is about correct. It's on 'Duke English vs Literature' thread. 

This is great, thanks! I'm gonna have a craaazy February. ha. ha.... ha... somebody kill me?

I'm applying there too! A friend of mine who teaches history did her PhD there, and she was sharing her alumni newsletter with me last night and I freaked out because someone I mentioned I wanted to work with had a short article in it and it was super relevant to my research interests. Now I don't know if I'm going to make it to next week without actually exploding or crying or wearing my applications folder as a hat while running screaming down the street...

@tvethiopia - I just died laughing at work thanks to the Kermit gif - so, so perfect.  
And Congratulations to @JessicaLange and @ProfessionalNerd!!!
I'm going to be checking my account like a crazy person all next week.  Even if I say I won't, I know I will.
 
 

As I bet you all know, very few English programs interview (and Columbia is historically not one of them, Caien).  Sometimes a professor will informally contact a student, but only a couple of programs interview their whole short list.  Off the top of my head, Chicago and Duke Literature (but not English) have interviewed in the past few years, and I think but might be mistaken that Emory and Notre Dame do as well?  It does change, though--Stanford used to and doesn't anymore, Chicago didn't and does now.  I am not sure about Comp Lit, though, since I didn't apply--it is my general impression that interviews are more common in that field, in particular to test language skills. 
However, I did have one interview last season.  Quite honestly: it was nerve-wracking; I don't think that it went very well; I was admitted anyway.  
The interview questions were entirely based on my writing sample and the substantive proposal in my SoP.  If I were to give any advice, it would be to be extremely familiar with the material in these documents, as well as research beyond what was expressly mentioned but would inform your field of proposed interest.  Although that probably sounds ridiculous now when it feels like you could never not know these intimately, in over a month, when you are maybe taking other classes and definitely focusing on other things, putting in the work to really refamiliarize yourself with those documents and the research that you did to generate them will pay off.  The tip that I received (and did not do, but realized too late was a great idea) is to make a couple reminder notes to yourself on post-its and put them around your computer screen (since it will likely be a Skype interview with 2-3 profs).  If you are stressed and start to panic, even one word that sets you off in the right direction can be helpful.  If you are really worried and don't think it would be too much of an imposition, you might ask a recommender who is familiar with your application to compose a few relevant questions, or even try to do this yourself.  Be as relaxed and as confident as you can, know that you can answer questions somewhat cagily to direct the conversation toward surer ground, and don't worry too much-- they are just trying to get to know you and what you want to study as well as they can in 20-30 minutes!  

49. Puke profusely on January 20. 
50. Ask myself again and again why I didn't apply to Canadian programs to be with Justin. 

49. Puke profusely on January 20. 
50. Ask myself again and again why I didn't apply to Canadian programs to be with Justin.