Dr. Old Bill

For all of you poets out there, ETS rhymes with... Abscess Mess Depress Stress Pointless Useless ...

Yeah...this is why it's so infuriating for applicants. For every person who gets a mediocre subject score and suspects (or is told) that that's part of the reason why they were rejected, there's someone who had a mediocre score and got into four schools! It's all very arbitrary and school dependent. It's probably even committee dependent, meaning that there's not necessarily consistency from year to year. I imagine adcoms sitting around a table, 12 Angry Men style, with a regular back and forth repartee, until one member mentions an item that convinces or deters the other members...and the argument begins anew. In my own case, it's slowly coming out that my writing sample was my weak spot, which is astonishing to me in many ways. I've been told by one adcom member that it was "beautifully written" but might have lacked the critical angle that they are looking for. This comment was just reaffirmed (not quite verbatim, but close) by the DGS at WUStL. I'm relieved that both think I'm an excellent writer (I've been told as much too many times over the past few years that it would have utterly crushed me if that sentiment wasn't shared by adcoms) because critical decisiveness is something I can definitely improve on, whereas writing quality at this stage is probably too firmly entrenched to be changed very much. That the DGS at WUSTL reached out -- completely out of the blue -- to point these things out and encourage me to reapply is indeed encouraging, and I take his suggestions very seriously. I'm quite grateful that I'll have a bit of time to work on these items before my next round of applications in a little over a year.

I'm glad some of you find this helpful! Incidentally, the DGS mentioned that one of the two areas I could / should improve is my GRE subject score. This surprised me a little, because conventional wisdom around these parts is that the scores don't matter much (you can read plenty of old posts from yours truly suggesting that they are more "checklist" items), but if it was brought up by a DGS, it's clearly important.

During last year's application cycle, I made a point of mentioning how wonderful the admin personnel at Washington University in St. Louis were to deal with. Sarah Hennessey in particular, who is/was the academic coordinator, was very friendly, efficient and quick to respond. The reason for this post, however, is that I just received an email from their DGS, kindly talking about the strengths of my application, and a couple of things I could do to improve it for the next cycle, if I didn't wind up getting in to any programs this time around. I'm very impressed. Perhaps it's just a quirk of my temperament, but motions like that -- personalized emails that didn't have to be sent -- are major selling points for me. It's one of the reasons why I'm very happy at UMD (they stress a congenial collegiate atmosphere), and is one of the reasons why, when I reapply to Ph.D. programs next year, I will include WashU in my plans once again.

That seems to be par for the course, unfortunately. Using the very unscientific methodology of observing acceptance results on GC in this past cycle, it really seems as though a lot of institutions that used to take 12 - 14 students took 8 - 10 instead...and those that used to take 9 - 11 took 5 - 7 etc. There are plenty of exceptions, but it's quite clear that in this past year, acceptance rates were much lower. Correlation is not causation etc., so maybe it has something to do with a higher-than-average number of people at these institutions taking longer to finish their degrees, or a variety of other possibilities...but yeah. 2 - 5% is a pretty standard acceptance rate for the top 50 (and even beyond).

Well, there are a few points in your post that, cliche though it may be, only YOU can decide for yourself. "Worth the time and effort" depends on what you find worthwhile, of course, as does the question of "payoff". Presumably you mean a long-term career in academia, and not of the teaching secondary school variety. All I can do is say this: I'm also 35, and I also just finished a B.A. as a non-traditional student, with a GPA in the 3.9 range. I'm also married...so it seems that you and I are pretty good analogs in that regard. I got into the M.A. program at UMD in February, and while I haven't actually started classes yet...it's already paying dividends. I've always been confident about my academic abilities, but just being in that environment and being taken seriously as a scholar feels incredible. I can't say what's going to happen in two years, when I'm done with my M.A., or six or seven years if I wind up getting my Ph.D., but for the near-to-medium term, I couldn't be happier. And that is saying something. Several years of enrichment is worth something...especially if you're getting a stipend and/or tuition remission. The one other thing I would say / suggest, is that alt-ac careers are quite viable. If you've had a lot of life experience, you've probably learned the ins and outs of adapting to new situations (sorry to the younger crowd that is reading this, but I think simply surviving and aging is the best way to develop the skill of adaptation). If you wind up with an M.A. in literature that deals with the civil war, or wars in general, there are scads of museums and organizations that you could potentially work for, whether as a curator, docent, director or some other role. You just have to be a bit open-minded when it comes to considering other career options if there are no universities screaming for your talents. The viability of alt-ac careers is a hot topic in the industry these days, but as someone who regularly peruses Idealist.org and other similar sites, it seems that there ARE many options out there. Obviously a career in research and/or teaching at the university level is the ideal, but don't discount the value of working with your interests in a different way. For what it's worth, I think your research interests do sound interesting...and I haven't come across many would-be academics doing that kind of research lately. That might be a good thing or a bad thing. Ultimately, you'll just have to research the professors that are doing the kind of thing you are interested in...and by all means, reach out with smart, pertinent, honest questions about the field and the possible roadblocks (and ways around them) that would get in the way of your applications. Ultimately, only YOU can decide if it's worth it, but as someone who was in a very similar situation a year ago, and who has gone through the process from start to [almost] finish, I think it can and will be worthwhile for you if you take the right approach. Good luck either way, and feel free to PM me if you want more specifics about my situation vis-a-vis the process! ETA: Cross-posted with the always wise, always pertinent Ramus.

Yes. I didn't say anything, because I don't know anything about Analyticchic's background beyond what she has mentioned in this thread, but I suspect that taking several more lit courses is not only encouragable, but essential for her application. Even if she can "write [her] ass off and enjoy it" there's not a lot of interplay between psych courses and lit courses. I can envision some psych-theory influenced lit papers, but there has to be the literary background in place for those to be written. I guess the underlying question is why she's looking at an MA in English Lit when she doesn't have the demonstrated foundational knowledge (I stress demonstrated because she may have read and analyzed hundreds of literary works outside of the college construct). I suspect this is a question adcoms would ask right away. And like others have said, creative writing doesn't really count when it comes to applications to lit programs (in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have mentioned my own proclivities in that regard on my SOP...so mea culpa). The bottom line is that in the competitive world of graduate English admissions, pretty much every aspect of one's total package has to be strong. Better people than I were completely shut out in this past round, and I was damn lucky to get one admittance out of seventeen applications. Having an application package that makes sense to an adcom is a good first step, and if the OP can bring up her GRE scores, create a strong narrative about why she has gone from Psychology to graduate English, and generate a great writing sample that intrigues the various committee members, then she might stand a chance. Otherwise, it's a true gamble without a firm track record of doing well in lit courses.

Hear hear.

For what it's worth, I just went through all of the shenanigans of changing residency today (which, for my wife and I, basically means getting driver's licenses, state inspection, title and registration in Maryland). After paying $750, I still haven't been able to change title and registration on my car from Virginia, and it will cost another $250 to do so. So...about $1000 all told, just to establish residency. That's definitely "YMMV" territory, in my opinion. It makes sense for us, since there is a not inconsiderable possibility that we'll ultimately settle in Maryland, but our insurance rates will be a bit higher, excise tax rates will be a bit higher (6% vs. 3.4% in Virginia), and various other considerations make changing residency more of a hardship (in some states) than some might anticipate. Maryland is pretty strict when it comes to safety inspections, and depending on what state you are moving to, and what your life circumstances are, it is simply worth thinking about. Having said all of that, even if your tuition is fully remitted, universities usually prefer that you establish residency, and some require it outright. I know the DGS at UMD was strongly urging me to relocate to the Maryland side of D.C., and I was able to make that happen. Again though, if money is particularly tight, and depending on what state you're coming from (and going to), it's worth looking through residency guidelines with a keen eye and spending a few minutes finding out what problems others have had in establishing residency in the state in question.

Good to see you again, J-Heff, and whatever you decide, good luck...and know you've got our support!

I'm glad you've bumped this thread, as it's something I've been thinking about lately. Personally I've avoided tying in "hot topics" to my research. It's just not my usual style. Having said that, though, one of my LORs for the last cycle mentioned that he was going to try to make me sound "hot" in his letter, because my own research interests were, in themselves, not hot. Few people care much about Renaissance prosody these days. So I'm trying to keep an open mind for developing my research interests in different directions...perhaps with some "hot" topics included. It will take a lot of effort to incorporate contemporary theory etc. however, since it really doesn't resonate much with me. I just don't like pre-fab theoretical constructs, retroactively applied. I'm more of a form-your-own-interpretation kind of guy. Anyhow, all of this is to say that yes...I'm interested in hearing about more hot topics in the field of Renaissance studies (and poetry in particular).

My feelings are...mixed. On the one hand, there were a number of GC folks in this past application season who got into great Ph.D. programs, directly from undergrad. Most of them were "non-traditional" students, mind you...but it is certainly possible. Having said that, my subjective take is that it's not quite as 50/50 (between Ph.D. acceptees with M.A.s and those with only B.A.s in hand) as I had thought when going into the process. I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten into a great M.A. program in this last cycle (I'm a non-traditional student who just finished his B.A.), but it was demonstrably NOT my plan when applying. I cast a wide net, and while I didn't think that getting into a Ph.D. program was a foregone conclusion, I'd be lying if I said that in my heart-of-hearts I didn't firmly believe that I would get a couple of acceptances. But that's my completely subjective take, wholly based on my experience in this last cycle. A couple of friends I made through this very board had vastly different results, and there was even someone here who had a clean sweep, getting into seven out of seven Ph.D. programs, with only a B.A. in hand. Again -- it's doable. I think you have to have pretty much ALL aspects of your application be strong, however, including GRE scores, GPA, letters of recommendation, SOPs, and obviously an air-tight writing sample. You also have to offer the admissions committees something memorable. If, for example, you can read six languages fluently, you might have a slight leg up on the competition (or co-opetition, as the case may be). Publications aren't expected from an applicant with a B.A., but by that same token, they can't hurt. The bottom line of all of this is preparedness...not just in terms of application materials, or even just in terms of mental preparedness. It means emotional, social, and academic preparedness as well. Touching base with POIs (faculty members who you might like to work with) well in advance can sometimes bear fruit. But IF you have even the slightest doubt about your suitability, or if your materials could use a bit of seasoning, there's no harm in applying to M.A. programs as well (preferably funded ones, but YMMV). Honestly, it's not just gratitude that UMD picked me for their M.A. program that makes me thrilled to be attending -- it's also the slow-arriving-but-no-less-legitimate realization that getting an M.A. will help my development as a scholar. Do I think I could have hacked it in a Ph.D. program right away? Sure. But that doesn't mean that having an M.A. in hand for the next go-round won't make me a MUCH stronger candidate. Hope this helps a bit! ETA: Cross-posted with Echo449.

Just an "empty blanket" statement here, but...good luck to all 2016 applicants! You'll be alternately encouraged and dissuaded from this path by many people (on GC and in real life), but if you've already chosen to go down it, then congrats in advance, and seriously...good luck!

Aw shucks.

Yeah. It's very strange. I think we were kind of fortunate that this place was so wonderfully civil for nine months or so. I often hear GC spoken of in less-than-savory terms, and I guess this is why. For what it's worth, however, the tone lately is approximately the same as the tone in many of the Chronicle forums. Maybe it's a sign of academic maturity to be jaded, cynical, snarky and gripey? Sigh.

I'm not going to look through those other threads to check if someone has mentioned it, but... I've always been VERY happy with the Mobile Edge messenger bag. I used to have to stack five classes per day, meaning that I would have my laptop plus several textbooks and other books (often weighing at least 20lbs), and the bag managed to hold it all without any damage to the bag OR its contents. I did eventually have to get a second one, but it was due to "user error," and not a design flaw. Its replacement has been holding steady for a year now. That's my endorsement, anyhow.

I figure it's high time to bump this thread. I'm curious if any of you -- fully-funded, partially-funded or otherwise -- are planning on taking out loans to help with the transition this fall. I'm considering it. I hate the thought of adding to the pile, but it might make the most sense in my situation right now. Thoughts?

Just got the new Coliseum album yesterday, and really like it. They've retained their punk sensibilities, but it's a very mature album that tackles some pertinent contemporary issues.

On the "reading in a non-stressful way" comment... Neal Stephenson's new novel Seveneves comes out on May 19th. The timing couldn't be more perfect for me. His work is typically very intelligent and extremely well-written...but it has an escapist quality as well. And that's an escape I'm looking VERY forward to.

I had hoped to take a summer course, but it looks like my funding won't kick in until 22 days after the course starts. Bummer. I will be gradually moving house from the end of this month to mid-June, however... We've decided to carry two rents for June, which sucks for MANY reasons (okay, mainly financial...), but it will allow us to make a slow transition during a fairly hectic time. Since I'll be starting a full-time GAship on June 22nd, I won't get too heavily invested in anything serious. I thought about maybe trying to learn the rudiments of Italian, but we'll see. I've got a copy of Rosetta Stone, so I might make that a sub-goal for afternoons in July and August. Already registered for my fall classes, and am excited as heck about all three...

This thread is proving amusingly pertinent to me right now, as I am finishing up a 12-15 page paper this afternoon. I have written most of it by now (through to the bottom of the twelfth page), but have yet to write a conclusion, most of an introduction, or (amazingly) even a thesis statement! Fortunately, I have somehow managed to keep it all on the same narrow topic, so I'm not actually worried about it...but I've never written this many pages without having a thesis statement. On of the (many) things I love about writing is that while there are many rules, how you work within those rules is completely up to you. Sometimes I write an introduction last. Sometimes I write a conclusion first. Sometimes (like now) I leave both to the end. It's empowering!

When I have that problem, I make a point of working without a thesis statement. I just start writing, and if I have a new, dissimilar idea, I make a few line breaks and start writing about that. When I start going back and forth on a few ideas, I begin to see which one has the potential to be wrapped up most concisely...which usually leads to a thesis statement. Honestly, there used to be a time where I would agonize over finding a thesis statement before I wrote a single word. Nowadays, if I'm having trouble narrowing things down, I do like I suggest above -- I do some research, write, write, write some more, and the thesis comes about organically.

I'm very excited! Fortunately I have a full-time GAship in the department that starts in late June, so I should get a chance to familiarize myself with the building and a lot of staff / faculty before I'm immersed in coursework etc. I was planning on taking a summer graduate course that starts on June 1st, but it looks like my funding doesn't kick in early enough to allow for that to happen without me paying out of pocket. But I may do it anyhow...

WOO HOO! Congrats to you! I'd never heard of that program specifically, but it sounds like a blast. I've seen a LOT of professors with "history of the book" as a specialized interest, and have always been intrigued by it.