missesENG

Anyone else out there headed to McMaster this fall? As for me, I'll be joining the English & Cultural Studies program as an international from the US.

I think you have to go with your feelings for the program. I would consider attending any of the programs I applied to and while I did have my favorites I've found that a program I thought might be less interested in my application has shown the most interest and preparedness in my project. I received a waitlist, a handful of rejections, and then an acceptance (still awaiting 3 more decisions). Sometimes the departmental websites aren't very up to date with profs' current work and it turns out that the program that accepted me is very well equipped to support me. If you don't feel the one school that accepted you is that good for you then maybe you should consider declining. There is probably another student out there who is anxious to take your spot but remember, they accepted you for a reason and you also applied for a reason. The application process is so unpredictable that no one can guarantee the next year will be more promising but I think you have to deeply consider your options. I'm going to accept my offer not out of fear of being left out next year but because the program has shown its capability to support me and my work (which is kind of on the margins). If you accept the offer and then are unhappy during the first year and unable to transfer where will that leave you? That may be one thing to consider. On the other hand, you may find that it works out well for you. If there's even a chance of that happening then maybe you should go for it.

This is a pretty easy one. Following up isn't going to make them any sweeter on you. In the event that you do contact them about feedback, do be prepared for a limited or no response if they don't have time to go over things with you.

another Brown applicant here, no news yet.

Just received my official rejection from Emory today. I wonder what took them so long.

most definitely agree. I'm already planning to if I don't end up with a good enough outcome this time around. Life is not over and DO NOT go to law school if that isn't your true desire. I think you'd be doing yourself a disfavor.

But checking or not checking doesn't move the process forward any faster. I've started to look at this application process like a dating experience. If someone wants you, they'll let you know, hopefully in the most efficient way possible. When I log off after being at work in front of a computer all day and go home or to hang out I'm not worrying about my email or checking the status. The truth is we anxious applicants rarely check anything once a day. This past weekend I received my first contact of the season and this school has an online status that is typically up to date but my email contact was much more informative than any status checker. Looking at the results pages has its benefit but keep in mind that you are an individual applicant. The results can be a guide but your personal interactions may or may not fall in line with it. Do what you can to live a little while you still can, maybe the days will seem to go by quicker.

I have no idea which one is more popular but I would suggest choosing your area of concentration based on your research interest. I think choosing a discipline based on popularity or lesser competitiveness is not the best move. If you're not seriously interested and/or passionate about your research this will show in your application. I think there are clear intersections between the two but choose they one in which you will base most of your work.

I applied to WashU's program in English with a certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. So far, I've heard from WashU and I'm on the waiting list for admission. It's amazing how much better I feel knowing someone is interested in my application.

I've been lurking on this thread but I feel an overwhelming need to share my misery now. What I'm most worried about are my underwhelming GRE scores from 3 years ago. I was finishing up my MA and preparing to move to the other side of the world so the thought to retake them wasn't at the forefront of my mind. By the time my apps were rolling out I was in a country without a testing site even remotely close. I have so many other positive things to my apps but I'm now starting to worry that I reached too high on 4 of my 10 apps. I was initially applying to moderate schools and my prof, who saw everything except my GRE, asked why I wasn't aiming a bit higher so I added to my list. Now I wonder if he would've said the same thing knowing my scores. I like to think that schools will see the other shining parts of my app but I'm not so sure it'll even get through the screening process

(repeat)

I HIGHLY recommend this. I do this everyday since I'm 12 hrs ahead. I wake up everyday after the end of the business day for all my schools and check my email in hopes of some sort of update. So far it's been generic ones but I'll take it over nothing. Then once that's done I go about my daily life (i.e. browsing gradcafe).

As soon as I saw the title I knew it was nothing to get excited about. I had almost forgotten about this app since I submitted it in November and have no way of obsessively checking its status online. Brown knows how to keep me sane, that is, until the next time I see an email from them in my inbox.

I'm totally with you coyabean. My school is pretty good about sending transcripts in a timely manner and it also helps that I know the registrar staff pretty well since I worked with them numerous times as an admin asst. When something went wrong and I couldn't get it fixed on the frontline I made one call and bam!, it's done. I also sent each of my letter writers a detailed email in early October with all my attachments (transcript copy, CV, SOP, and PS) so they could refer to everything in one glance. They were all pretty timely with submissions and caused me not one bit of worry. It also helps to choose writers who are excited about your potential and willing to help as much as possible.

Is anyone else applying to dual PhD programs? I've applied to two in English & Women's Studies, Univ of Michigan and Penn State. UMich has a number of dual degree programs in Women's Studies so I'm wondering if anyone else out there is also in a similar situation as me.

Actually there are nine, not to mention a short story collection, so that should buy you a little more time I enjoyed the series for the most part but I finished so quickly it would not have worked to keep me distracted. I just started Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison so I'm looking at about 400+ pages of emotionally heavy stuff.

You are not alone! I applied to Emory and WUSTL...silence so far but I'm not even going to worry just yet, it's still very early.

I am not alone! I just disabled my RSS feed of the reults page (small steps) but I think I need to ban gradcafe on my work comp. Once I'm not at work I have no problem staying away since I do regular things in life like eat, spend time with my SO, workout, and I don't have internet *freely* in my apartment. Outside of working hours life is grand! Now, time to figure out how to block the site. After a few more minutes of browsing of course.

I've applied to a combination of programs for English and Women's studies (see my sig) and one in American Civilization. I've already done an MA in English with a concentration in Women's and Gender studies.

If all goes well, I'll be 25 on the verge of 26. I think that's a lovely age

First person I personally notify will be my boyfriend. Since I'm abroad, my mom will be on the receiving end of most of my phone calls and mail anyway so she'll see it all except my email. I had to warn her not to try and console me when rejections come. I'm sure I'll get some great quotes out of her, she's hilarious.

I'm not applying to sociology programs but I did apply to UMich. I think they're just not updating quickly at all. I noticed an error in the info for one of my degree dates (said 2008 instead of 2009) and I confirmed on my pdf copy of my app that I had entered it correctly. I contacted the secretary in my dept. and told her about it and she said not to worry so from there on out I just assume that Wolverine isn't an accurate reflection of how your app stands. If you received confirmation that all LORs and other materials were submitted then I would take that as a good sign. All my recommenders are listed twice (for a total of 6) online and it all says not received. Don't worry about it too much. It may or may not be updated by decision time.

My boyfriend is interested in international law, not exactly the easiest field to get in to, and he got a grant to do research for the year. Since I finished school in August I decided to go abroad with him and the understanding is that next year is my time. Staying together is very important to us and although we both are pursuing competitive fields, the timing is seeming to work out, granted I do get an acceptance. Right now we plan to move wherever I end up attending and he'll try to get some courtroom experience that can be useful. We made it through his time at law school without breaking up or killing each other so I like to think we're better prepared to handle future challenges together.