Ambermoon24

Between Fields, Thank you for your advice. If it will help any, I have in mind a career teaching at small state universities. I transferred from a community college before I finished at a large state university, so I was used to seeing full-time community college faculty teaching both FYC and introductory literature classes (this also sometimes happened at my state school). Like you said, it doesn't appear having a generalist perspective is negative depending on the institution. Ever since my sophomore year in undergrad, I've been interested in pursuing interdisciplinary work in comp/rhet, which probably is due to the fact that I started college as a health sciences major. I guess that's how my mind works. I do agree that these papers need to be vetted at the grad level before I even think of sending them out. I suppose they must have some promise, since I don't think my undergrad professors would have encouraged me to revise over the summer and plan on sending them out if and when they're ready. I did have one question though. This may be crazy to ask, but I'll ask anyway. Feel free to call me crazy. If I pursued research on the intersection of creative writing and composition theory, do you think it's a possibility that work could translate into a job teaching introductory creative writing? Or is that work solely confined to faculty who have MFAs?

rising_star, Thanks for your comments and the link; it's reassuring to see a faculty member with interests in literature and comp/rhet. I think I've been operating on the incorrect assumption that MA students will have an edge with precise research interests. It's good to know I'll have a little more freedom than I thought. I think in some ways I've been swayed by faculty pages that seem to have area-specific publications. But these professors also have PhDs, and have had long academic careers. Lately, I've been thinking of ways to interweave composition theories with literary construction/publication history. Coming into my comp/rhet program from a creative writing and literature perspective has got me thinking about ways I can merge these theories/experiences into potential research.

Thanks for your suggestions, Between Fields. I don't want to send anything out until it's absolutely ready. What's your opinion on a rhet/comp student having some literature publications? I realize those publications wouldn't carry as much weight as rhet/comp papers, but would it be detrimental if I happened to have literature publications as I progress to a PhD or am on the job market? I wouldn't want to appear less invested in my field, or too scattered in my scholarly focus.

telkanuru, Thanks for your advice. I figured I had nothing to lose revising this summer. I'd hate to send out articles that get accepted only to later find I'm unhappy I sent them for publication. I'm glad I've held off sending some of my creative writing to magazines as well. I've grown so much as a writer just in the last year. I suppose the trick is finding that balance between preparing myself to stand out in the crowd with publications, but also not push too early and either burn out, or end up with a publication I wish I didn't have.

Sorry for the double post! I wasn't sure which forum was best to post, and I forgot to delete the other one. I'll remember that in the future. Thanks ComeBackZinc, Yes, I don't want to rush through the process and send out work that just isn't ready. I was tentatively planning to revise this summer, and wait for feedback next year to see if any of my papers could possibly be ready for publication that year or the next. I wasn't planning on sending anything out this year.There are only three papers I completed two semesters ago that I think are potentially publication worthy. One of my professors encouraged me to keep revising one and eventually send it out somewhere when it's ready. So we'll see. I'm glad to hear my instinct was right on the question of literary vs. comp/rhet journals. I could maybe adopt a more comp/rhet approach to one of the three papers, but I'm afraid it would appear forced. I'll take a look at those papers and keep revising. Otherwise, it's been important for me to return to creative writing projects. I know I won't have much time in the future to pursue those projects. I'm interested in applications of composition theory to creative writing, but I haven't found any journals yet that address this. Any suggestions in this area?

Hello Everyone, So I'll be heading off to my MA program in composition and rhetoric in August, but I'm also not wanting to waste precious time in the summer. Over the past month since I've graduated undergrad and been at home, I've been pursuing some independent creative writing projects. I've set a goal to have enough poems finished for a small collection and I have a novel outlined. I believe the poetry collection is a reasonable goal. But I'm also wondering if I should use this time to revise some of my stronger papers from undergrad for journal publications. One of my professors from my undergrad institution recommended I use the summer to expand my papers into articles. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on when it's an appropriate time to start sending out work for publications. Also, since my undergrad degree was in literature, none of my papers discuss comp/rhet topics. Should I consider reworking these papers to be more comp/rhet focused, or should I revise them and send them off to literary journals? I might be overthinking this, but I wouldn't want any literature publications to somehow indicate I'm not dedicated to my work in comp/rhet. I've had experience writing abstracts and longer papers. My senior honors thesis was about 46 pages, and I've done work with a faculty member for a research scholarship, so I'm used to revising and expanding shorter papers. Any thoughts about developing a publication strategy? Thanks for reading!

Hello Everyone, So I'll be heading off to my MA program in composition and rhetoric in August, but I'm also not wanting to waste precious time in the summer. Over the past month since I've graduated undergrad and been at home, I've been pursuing some independent creative writing projects. I've set a goal to have enough poems finished for a small collection and I have a novel outlined. I believe the poetry collection is a reasonable goal. But I'm also wondering if I should use this time to revise some of my stronger papers from undergrad for journal publications. One of my professors from my undergrad institution recommended I use the summer to expand my papers into articles. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on when it's an appropriate time to start sending out work for publications. Also, since my undergrad degree was in literature, none of my papers discuss comp/rhet topics. Should I consider reworking these papers to be more comp/rhet focused, or should I revise them and send them off to literary journals? I might be overthinking this, but I wouldn't want any literature publications to somehow indicate I'm not dedicated to my work in comp/rhet. I've had experience writing abstracts and longer papers. My senior honors thesis was about 46 pages, and I've done work with a faculty member for a research scholarship, so I'm used to revising and expanding shorter papers. Any thoughts about developing a publication strategy? Thanks for reading!

I'm thrilled that I'll be attending Purdue's MA composition and rhetoric program this fall. So incredibly excited to be teaching too!

bhr, That's reassuring about Purdue's stipend. Getting to Indiana from Oklahoma might be an issue, but my parents and I have talked about driving out there if I'm admitted and decide to attend. One thing that always worried me about Purdue was the sheer size of the school itself. I graduated from an urban community college and then moved to a state university (not huge, but not small either), so I'm somewhat concerned about getting overwhelmed on a larger campus. BowTiesAreCool, Thanks for your insights about OU's programs; I'm assuming students spend three years on the MA because they aren't getting the courses they need to graduate in two years, right? I was told by several professors at OSU that our program is actually gaining some traction in the field, and that if I remember correctly, OU hasn't replaced some rhet/comp positions that are now empty. So, I'm wondering if OSU might actually be a stronger program in the long term than OU, even though OU has traditionally had a stronger rhet/comp program.

Hi, I'm still an undergrad finishing up my last year, but I might be able to give some advice about what I've learned about the application process for an MA. Some of this I've learned from forums like this one, from professors, and from articles/research from sources such as the Chronicle of Higher Education. You sound like a strong candidate for grad programs, and it's great you have passion for comp/rhet. As someone who's finishing up my own application materials, the biggest thing I think I'd advise someone to do is to study for the GRE as early as possible. I started this summer, and I honestly think that was too late. I had some minor health problems and got behind on my prepping. Trying to get caught up and stay on top of 18 hours and a research scholarship complicated things too. I ended up not performing as high as I wanted to, scoring only slightly above average on one section, but almost perfectly on the writing. I'm not that great at standardized tests, so I don't think a lot of prep would have dramatically impacted my scores, but it might have lessened my anxiety. So, I'd definitely prep as early as you can. From what I've been told, it's not the most important part of your application, but you still want to score well. Maybe it's just my anti-debt fears, but I'd personally never pay for an MA or a PhD in English. Employment is just not secure, and if a program really wants you, they'll support you either with a fellowship or a TA position. I'll graduate with my BA debt free because of scholarships, yet if a program chooses to not support me, I won't be attending. I'll simply reassess and look at all of my options. I'll either reapply or look at getting certification to teach high school. Ultimately though, I'll end up where I'm supposed to be. I hope everything I've shared is helpful. Good luck on the application process!

Thanks Ramus, Maybe I looked at this, but simply forgot, but it's good to know about the 2/2 class load. I'll definitely consider this, especially since I'll be away from home. The program at OSU has students work in the writing center before they teach their first class (I believe during this time you observe experienced teachers). It seems most of the programs have you only teach one course, so I'm kind of surprised about Arizona's policy. Glad I'm getting good vibes about the program though; before an instructor recommended it to me, I hadn't seriously considered it.

Thanks ComeBackZinc, Yes, I may PM you about some questions about Purdue. Actually, I do have some concerns about the housing around the university. In fact, housing pricing and proximity to the campus was one of the main reasons I rejected some schools (I don't envision myself owning a car in the next year or so). Also, and this is a question anyone should feel free to answer, but is there any benefit to having your application sent out early? Along with my crazy schedule and some minor health problems, I didn't send out my applications as early as I would have liked. Does anyone predict this could be a problem for acceptance and/or funding?

Hi bhr, Yes, it's for an MA. I'm planning on obtaining a PhD later on, so looking at MA programs with funding is crucial for me. Purdue is my dream school of the ones on the list, but we'll see. Not sure if my package will be competitive enough, but I figure I need to at least apply and may be surprised at the result. If I'm accepted and I'm given a sizable amount of financial aid, I'll take it. If not, I'll just end up where I need to be. Hi proflorax, That's reassuring about Arizona. Not sure how I feel living in the desert, but I'm interested in what the program has to offer. What I'm looking for is a program that really stresses FYC, but is also comfortable with interdisciplinary approaches to research. (I bring this up because my research scholarship and honors thesis combines neo-formalist poetry analyses, church history, and 19th century medical literature. Any program that isn't adverse to me bringing in multiple influences is very attractive to me. That's just how my brain works). Thanks guys!

Hi Everyone, I've been kind of absent from this site for a few months. Juggling eighteen hours and a research scholarship has certainly kept me busy, and my grad plans have undergone some changes since I last posted. I'm still working on my application (I'll be finalizing my statement of purpose to send off this week; I plan to get all my applications done before the holidays). I'm still on the composition and rhetoric track, although my schools have changed somewhat. I was wondering if anyone here has any insights into these programs, specifically about their MA rhet/comp divisions. I'm applying to: University of Arizona University of Kansas Purdue University Oklahoma State University (my current institution) University of Oklahoma Here's my basic profile if it would help anyone: The information on this post is still accurate, so info like GPA, research experience, and conference participation hasn't changed. Honestly, though, I think it's highly likely I'll end up staying in state just because of financial reasons, but I'm still applying out of state to see what happens. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

Thanks for the replies, guys! I'll check out that link; it looks like it would be helpful. But as unraed posted, my decision does seems a little more complicated since I'm wanting to enter a comp/rhet program. Anyone want to jump in on this aspect? I do have one paper from an Advanced Composition class, but it's way too short and not representative of my best work. My best papers are from my upper division literature courses.

Hi, This has probably been posted elsewhere, but I'm kind of in a quandary and wanted to know what opinions are about this. My statement of purpose is focusing on my past research in nineteenth-century American and British literature, as well as my intention to enter a composition and rhetoric program. But my most recent writing papers I'm wanting to submit are from a Shakespeare course and a 20th century post-colonialist course. Is it important that my samples match my SOP? Or should I simply send my best writing examples irrespective of genre and era? Thanks!

Hi, This has probably been posted elsewhere, but I'm kind of in a quandary and wanted to know what opinions are about this. My statement of purpose is focusing on my research in nineteenth-century American and British literature, as well as my plans to enter a composition and rhetoric program. But my most recent writing papers I'm wanting to submit are from a Shakespeare course and a 20th century post-colonialist course. Is it important that my samples match my SOP? Or should I simply send my best writing examples irrespective of genre and era? Thanks!

ComBackZinc, Thanks for the link; I'll definitely check it out. There is an increase in salary in Oklahoma with an MA and I'll take your suggestion to look at reimbursement options. I'm thinking it would still be beneficial to have an MA in comp/rhet rather than a masters in education because I'm hoping it could apply to college composition classes and high schools, both private and public. Also, maybe it's just me, but I haven't been impressed by many M.Ed programs; many of those in my state schools simply don't appear to be rigorous, and I'm afraid there's also been a recent surge in these types of degrees that wouldn't make me competitive for the job market, both for ccs and high schools. Additionally, I'm looking at different certification paths to teach online classes. lyonessrampant, Unfortunately, I don't have a subscription, but I've been somewhat aware of the surge of PhD candidates teaching at ccs from the articles I could access. It's amazing how quickly post-recession all of the requirements changed. You mentioned that some comp/rhet programs are geared toward providing students education to prepare them for community college careers, but I'm curious as to how you can find this out. Should I look at departments' mission statements or at individual courses? I've been reviewing my in-state schools and it's been difficult to tell what these programs are focusing on. Maybe finding the actual course offerings would shed some light on this.

Hello, Since I'm in the process of developing my application for grad school, I've been thinking very seriously of options that would make me a better candidate for high schools and community colleges. I'm thinking of getting my teaching certification to teach high school because I'm concerned about the adjunct opportunities and salaries. I'm wondering if it would better to be certified to teach high school and adjunct on the side. I currently have no undergraduate debt, but I'm wanting to enter a MA program in composition and rhetoric. Do you think an advanced degree in Comp/Rhet would make me more marketable for high school and cc teaching? I have a genuine interest in the field and was hoping it would have some applicability at the high school level. I'm reviewing my options for certification for Oklahoma to try and develop a plan B. Like many on this board, I have serious reservations about academia, both about the proliferation of part time work instead of full time positions and the low adjunct pay. I'm afraid I won't be able to fully support myself simply adjuncting, but I'm committed to teaching, whether at a cc or high school. I've posted a link of my profile if that would help: Any and all input would be great! Thanks!

Hi Everyone, Thanks for your responses! It's been very helpful to read different perspectives. I have wondered myself if branching out to a more prestigious program might make me overqualified for the institutions I want to be employed at, so it's reassuring to see that others feel a local program might suit my career goals better. One thing that's been kind of strange about my current program is there seems to be a lack of understanding of a community college environment and the reasons why a student might want to eventually teach there. As a student who transferred from a cc, it's kind of surprising to me. But maybe this is typical of most research institutions? There seems to be a stronger emphasis at OSU on encouraging students to apply to higher ranked grad schools and later teach at large four year schools, so I feel like I'm in the minority essentially wanting to "return to my roots." So now, it looks like I'm back at reviewing my in-state list, and I'm thinking of a school that's not even ranked like OSU, OU, and TU. The reason I'm thinking about it as an option is that one of my cc professors went to school there and really respected the program for "teaching you to actually teach." Other professors earned their masters' degrees there, and it hasn't seemed to have hurt them. But I'm still unsure since Northeastern State University is not research focused like OSU and appears to have a smaller program. They also don't offer a seperate degree in Composition and Rhetoric, only a concentration of courses. NSU is well respected in the state for its education programs, so maybe there's some overlap with the English department and that would explain the high number of NSU grads teaching at this particular cc.

Thank you for all of your responses! I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I'm leaning toward only applying to schools in state. Most of the professors teaching at two year colleges and also those at small state universities received their MAs and PhDs in state. I'm also worried about out of state tuition since I'm under very tight financial limits. I haven't totally eliminated out of state schools, and I'll have to give it more thought, but I'm not sure trying for a highly competitive program is well suited to my long-term goals of teaching at a small state institution focusing on composition instruction. Thoughts?

Hello, I've been prepping for the GRE verbal sections, and I'm getting very different scores on the practice tests. I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on the best prep materials for the verbal component; so far I've been using Manhattan Press and the official ETS guide. What bothers me is that I'm scoring consistently lower on the Manhattan Press. Sometimes on sections I've been missing most of the questions. My scores in that guide have been in the 150 range. I've started the ETS guide, and I'm performing significantly better. In fact, I only missed two questions on the practice session, whereas in the Manhattan prep guide, I would miss about half the questions. I also wanted to know if anyone had insights and advice about Varsity Tutor's verbal GRE prep materials. I started using their free online practice sections, and I'm performing very highly. I scored in the 95th percentile, which seems really high for me. Does anyone know if any of these sources I've mentioned accurately reflect the test? I'd appreciate any comments! Thanks!

Hi danieleWrites, Thanks for your input, especially about the assistantship. I'm really looking for a program that emphasizes teaching, and your suggestion about utilizing JSTOR will be very helpful. I'm under a tight financial strain, so I won't be going to a program that doesn't offer me one. My situation isn't because of debt (I will graduate without owing money for my bachelor's degree), but I know the reality of job offerings after schooling, and I refuse to take on massive amounts of debt. Hi bhr, Thank you for responding. The reason I haven't included UT-Austin is that judging on my practice scores on the GRE, I don't think it's realistic to apply there. Unless I'm wrong, I thought I'd read the department typically admits students who score above the 90th percentile. I have major test anxiety and I've always been somewhat of an under performer on standardized tests. The rest of my application is strong, but I see the GRE holding me back. Also, it appears UT-Austin only offers a PhD, which because of finances and time, is not a viable option for me. It would be amazing to be accepted though. Finally, I did have a question for you both if you don't mind answering. I'm wanting to teach at a small state school or a community college, and I was wondering if any of these programs I've mentioned above emphasize pedagogy specifically for these types of institutions. There are marked differences between two year and four schools that I'm aware of since I've been a student in both, so I was wondering if these programs address them.

Hi Proflorax, Thanks for responding! Yes, I have a few questions. Do you feel the program is a balanced mix between academic writing and practical application (such as teaching in a writing center or providing opportunities for grad students to teach comp classes?) One aspect I really like about Oklahoma State is that if you are awarded an assistantship, I believe you start teaching your second year. It's really important me to have both researching and teaching opportunities early on. How do you feel about professors' involvement in your research? I'm looking for a program that emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to research and one that recognizes the challenges of urban education since I'm interested in potentially working at an urban community college. And are students permitted some literature courses in addition to rhetoric classes? I'm not ready to totally give up literature courses, but I feel like a degree in comp and rhetoric would be far more marketable than a degree in literature. From what I can tell at OSU, there's not much overlap between general English and composition classes. I will be taking a more composition focused class in the fall from one of OSU's comp/rhetoric instructors, so I'm hoping that will give me a taste of what's to come. Last fall I took an advanced composition that was pedagogy oriented, and I really enjoyed it. Also, do you know Maryland's placement rates?

Hello, I'm finishing up my English undergrad at Oklahoma State University and I'll be applying for MA programs in Composition and Rhetoric in the spring. I'd like to stay in the Southwest, but I'm also willing to look at schools outside the region. I've developed a list of schools, and I'm interested in their academic environments and funding opportunities. If this would be helpful, here's a link to my current student profile on this site. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks! Regional List: University of Tulsa Oklahoma State University University of Oklahoma Northeastern State University University of Arkansas University of Kansas Texas Christian University Baylor University Texas Tech University Texas Woman's University National List: University of Pittsburgh Findley University University of Maryland, College Park Hofstra University Carnegie Mellon University