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xolo

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  1. Like
    xolo got a reaction from senorbrightside in Spanish 2021   
    I've been occasionally on this board for the last 6-7 years, especially when I was applying for admission to graduate programs. I just finished my PhD in Spanish linguistics. This last year I, at times, thought that the University of California was going to crush the soul out of me, jejeje, but it did not quite achieve that. I wish everybody well, however and wherever you find yourselves. And congratulations to the people who found a grad school slot.
  2. Like
    xolo reacted to Ciboney in Spanish 2020   
    Take one thing at a time. 
    If you still want to spend 5-6 years of your life working on a doctorate, apply next year. And apply to as many programs as you possibly can. I am planning to apply to 11 doctoral programs this coming fall. Hopefully, 2 or 3 will accept me. It is horribly competitive and political. One can be an excellent researcher and bring an impressive background to a program, but that will still not get you in. More often than not, an admissions committee only has two or three spots; meanwhile, they have 30 or 50 good applicants for those spots from many countries. Imagine, making a decision! 
    In the meantime, I hope you can get a job when you finish your master's. You might like to check on employment websites like this one: https://www.higheredjobs.com/faculty/search.cfm?JobCat=157
     
  3. Like
    xolo reacted to senorbrightside in Spanish 2020   
    Ageism much? I'm older too. It sounds like you dodged a bullet at UT Austin if they asked that...and me enfado por ti.

    In regards to grad school, people tend to land where they're supposed to be at the right time, so if it's meant to be there's next year and other schools that might actually be a better fit. I think my research interests are changing to a different focus so...not saying it doesn't sting but just more objective about it, and it's also preparing me, if I do continue in academia, for all the rejection to come! :D 
  4. Like
    xolo reacted to SlyManuel in Spanish 2020   
    It was super interesting. They asked me a couple of questions regarding my interests and a possible dissertation project. They provided some feedback (not too in-depth), then spent the rest of the time telling me about the merits of the program and the changes they are making for next year. They told me that they had just hired a new professor whose interests greatly aligned with my own.  
  5. Like
    xolo got a reaction from senorbrightside in Spanish 2020   
    I have no idea why that happened nor do I know you, but this sounds absolutely heinous. Friggin dysfunctional departments. There was one really nice guy in my department who failed his MA exam so left with nothing after a couple of years of his time. Just give him his MA and let him go, maybe he wants to teach Spanish at a high school or something. Friggin egotistical professors "setting an example".
    You should ask the faculty that you have rapport with to write letters, not that letters are that important, but it is a check-box that must be in place. Your written material is what matters.
  6. Like
    xolo got a reaction from Ciboney in Spanish/Hispanic Studies Fall 2019 Applications   
    I applied to 9 programs and no one interviewed me. I ended up going to a tier-1 public research university. The most important aspect of the application, at least for me anyway, was research fit with a professor who was on the admission committee. That was just dumb luck, I had no idea what I was doing. Other than that, the written material you submit, like SOP and writing samples, are also important. The GRE and GPA I don't think are that important, more like technicalities. The application deadline for the program I joined was in December and I was officially accepted in Februrary (If I recall correctly), but a professor let me know via email in January. That professor became my MA chair and is now my PhD chair. Good luck to everyone.
  7. Like
    xolo got a reaction from havemybloodchild in 2019 Applicants   
    I applied 4 years ago and got into my top choice. It was really just dumb luck as I didn't have any idea what I was doing. I didn't have any degree in my field. I got my MA Spanish in 2017 and now am trying to go ABD (All But Dissertation). I'm planning to be in Mexico all of next year and thankfully stop teaching undergrad Spanish classes (they take way too much of my time).
    Anyway, one thing I've learned and as many of you know, you need to create a relationship with a professor who shares your interests. That's the only reason I've made it this far since there is so much nonsense that transpires in an academic department, some of it pretty petty and some of it pretty ugly. I'll go even further and say you need to have friendlies and support on your committees, both MA and PhD, that point cannot be overstated. So it all comes down to building and maintaining good personal relationships.
    Good luck to all of you this year.
  8. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from Visitacion in Spanish Fall 2018   
    Just to try to help, many programs do not interview. So don't worry too much about that. I did not interview with any of the 9 programs I applied to. I do think there is a tendency to send out rejections at the end of the application cycle. Sometimes you even have to ask (otherwise they would never tell you). 
    Hope that helps!
  9. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from fv32 in Spanish Fall 2018   
    Just to try to help, many programs do not interview. So don't worry too much about that. I did not interview with any of the 9 programs I applied to. I do think there is a tendency to send out rejections at the end of the application cycle. Sometimes you even have to ask (otherwise they would never tell you). 
    Hope that helps!
  10. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from snickus in What now?   
    It was impossible for me to stay off of thegradcafe! Good advice though, if you can do it. I'll just reiterate TeaOver and say it really depends. One professor sent me an email in late January with advance notice, which officially came through in February. On the other hand, a different school never notified me. I finally asked in April and after several emails the department chair sent me an blunt email saying I had been rejected. So it all depends. Try to keep in mind they are only human, they are really busy, and there is quite a bit of bureaucracy. 
  11. Like
    xolo got a reaction from Carly Rae Jepsen in PhD in French Studies / Comp Lit / French Lit   
    Where you have been/lived is not that important in my experience, nor is the level of your language proficiency, given that your written application submissions are excellent academic language (in your target language). For me, the bigger factor was ability to articulate a research interest that has something in common with a professor on the admission committee, which is what got me admitted to a top-50 worldwide program.
    That was my experience a couple of years ago.
    Anyway, I did have a lot of Spanish-language country living, so perhaps I am being one-sided. If you want to reside in France for a while, it certainly can only help! 
    My point is don't be so hard on yourself, do what you want and aim at want you aspire to. You will succeed if you keep at it, probably sooner rather than later!
     
  12. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from snickus in Seeking Writing Sample advice   
    I'm going to offer an alternative opinion. The LWs might be able to advise you, but what you really need to know is what the admission committee members think. If you can communicate with or at least professors in the department, that would be great. I'm of the view, since it is what I did and it worked (more like dumb luck in my case), is that the SOP, WS, and any other important documents, all support themselves with a common theme viewed from different perspectives. And, ideally, they should coincide with the interests of at least one professor in the department, that professor will be your "champion". Anyway, that was my strategy. 
  13. Downvote
    xolo reacted to formerfactory in Finding programs that will accept non-engineers   
    It seems kinda of interesting that you want to get an advanced degree in an area you really haven't done anything in, do you collect degrees?  I don't know how to say that any nicer, but it seems like you want to avoid doing the actual engineering education and focus on the research in an area again you really have no knowledge of...I think it's rather perverse that you are trying to get into grad school for engineering.
  14. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from rld07 in Graduate Teaching Course Load   
    I don't think I could keep up with you. A thesis in one semester? wow! If your PhD program is anything like mine, your coming 2/2 plus 3 courses(?!) I guess is doable but do you also have a dissertation topic in mind? That would be the problem for me because in my program the next year, the second year of the PhD, requires an approved dissertation topic and also at the end of the second year qualifying exams. I would need a lot of time to prepare for those things (ie during the first year).
  15. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from cowgirlsdontcry in Graduate Teaching Course Load   
    I'm not comp/rhet so I have a little bit of a different situation. I have no degree in my field and my school only takes PhD students so some of my colleagues have already been teaching. My FIRST semester, and every semester thereafter, I have taught one class, so I guess basically 1/1 in the vernacular. My classes are "sections" but basically I am the "professor" in front of the class. I develop my own material but I also follow the book (Spanish language textbook). I have between 15 - 30 students. Just this semester they promoted (?) me to teach an advanced level class in one massive jump (not "normal" according to the handbook), more stress just in time for my Master's exams. Teaching was a SHOCK at first but I feel a lot better now. I can't believe that some people on this thread are reporting 2/2 loads. Jeez, one class could very well be "full time" for me, except I also have coursework and a thesis to write. 
    But I am learning A LOT.
  16. Upvote
    xolo reacted to Dr. Old Bill in 2017 Final Decisions   
    I am extremely pleased to finally announce that I have accepted my offer of admission to Ohio State University!

    Can't wait to join wonderful folks like @Ramus, @acciodoctorate, @toasterazzi (and most recently @engphiledu) in this fantastic program!



    Did I add enough superlatives? Hmm, don't think so... I'm supremely beyond elated and enthused! (That's better!)
  17. Upvote
    xolo reacted to erasingdinosaurs in Spanish Fall 2017   
    Well, I was pretty set on choosing between MA programs but I just an acceptance from UVA! 
  18. Upvote
    xolo reacted to Yak1030 in Spanish Fall 2017   
    And the University of Iowa has officially offered me the assistantship with great benefits!!! I am beyond thrilled and am definitely accepting !  Funding for two years for the master's and four more for the PhD (which won't require a second application). Iowa City, here I come! 
  19. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from erasingdinosaurs in Spanish Fall 2017   
    April 15 is the hard deadline for accepting an offer, but you can always ask for more information from specific schools where you've been accepted. A couple of years ago I had to call and email the U of Ariz to find out my status around April 15; I had been rejected. So some schools do not have good process, then again maybe I had been on a waitlist? Who knows.
  20. Upvote
    xolo reacted to scarvesandcardigans in Spanish Fall 2017   
    Hey guys! So good news - I accepted an offer of admission to Penn State (!) the other day. Does anyone have any other news to report? I hope that everyone is hanging in there!! I'm sure that you will be hearing from some of these programs very soon!
  21. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from UrbanMidwest in How Do You Know When a PhD Is Right for You?   
    A psychologist asked me this very question about why did I want a PhD, and what I blurted out was met with a comment about how shallow I am. After thinking about it, I guess I can answer the question now, but most people cannot, so don't over-think it.  I'm not getting a PhD for job prospects which seems to irritate some people on GC. I do think it's good to ponder these big questions, it shows you are really thinking things through.
  22. Upvote
    xolo reacted to imogenshakes in 2017 Acceptances   
    That meme is SO EXACTLY how that feels. I'm waiting on one that did the same thing! 
    And also re: the clean house comment, I'm doing the same thing. Grade a few papers, check email/GC. My device batteries have really been suffering the past few weeks!
  23. Upvote
    xolo got a reaction from scarvesandcardigans in Spanish Fall 2017   
    I was rejected by UT Austin a couple of years ago, just the generic "denied" with no communication. UT Austin and U of Arizona were very abrupt and bureaucratic. I don't recall anyone on this forum ever being accepted to UT Austin. So don't take it too personally.
  24. Upvote
    xolo reacted to humidz in My chances of getting accepted into a PhD program   
    Linguistics is a small field where people actually take the time to read your sample writing. So if you feel yours is strong, you are certain about your LORs, and you can make a convincing point in your SOP, the other things don't matter much. Many people in linguistics don't have a CV that clearly focused on the field from the start and that's fine. We need different research perspectives. Can't help you much regarding SLA, as that is a field that is occasionally closer to Psych than Ling, but in general, I'd recommend working on your sample writing. The rest will fall into place. Lots of people apply in the last MA year, that's quite normal.
    Good luck!
  25. Upvote
    xolo reacted to Dr. Old Bill in 2017 Acceptances   
    Just booked my flight / hotel / rental car for OSU's day for admitted students. Things are getting real!
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