M.J.P.

First, congrats! Second, I think that your's was probably the most personally rewarding and (dare I say) strategic way to apply to schools. I think that the majority of people who were successful probably applied based on some variation of what you mentioned--going where the people are, rather than the rankings or the name of the institution. I don't think anybody has mentioned yet that the most problematic thing about the rankings is not the rankings themselves but the methodology used to reach them. They have an absurdly low return rate, which just makes for sloppy and insubstantial conclusions. Not only that, but it's all based on perception within academia--which, perhaps leads to some of the aura around Ivies that was mentioned. I think what soxpuppet's original post was arguing for was that scholars are no longer considered successful because of where they received their PhD, but for the work they are producing, which leads to a more equitable and level playing field come job-hunt time. Although, I would counter that a student who attends a PhD program for a SINGLE professor is definitely at a huge disadvantage, in the long run. That student is not going to be very well-rounded or challenged by a single professor, no matter who it is. Part of the reason I turned down one of the institutions I was accepted at was because they did not have enough scholars in my major field (Victorian), and one of the two that they did have was rumored to be retiring soon.

The anecdote about Harvard Law was meant to demonstrate how many institutions (English PhDs included) attempt to succeed on their "aura" above anything else. However, it was mentioned anecdotally and parenthetically for a reason. And everything you said exactly proves my point. The vast majority of the students that do apply don't have the luxury of being able to devote themselves to their applications full time. My response was directed at the assumption that the applicant that devotes the most time to their application is the most worthwhile student. That the applicant with all of the opportunities--whether resource, time, or faculty members--should be considered the "baseline" for all other students to be compared to. It does prevent a number of students--worthy, intelligent students--who do not come from areas of the country that lack these resources from succeeding in academia. And while I agree that it is possible to overcome these disadvantages, the biggest hurdle to overcome will always be the financial. How is the student that works full-time, that cannot afford the internet or to take personal time to visit libraries or archives or just to go to public internet access points, able to compete with those that are? How is that same student going to find the resources (such as this website) when no university publishes them or when they may not have access to faculty members that can guide them in the right direction?

If I may make an objection to your comments, I'm not sure that I agree that the advantages are "reasonable." They are unquestionably privileges--and privileges that make a big difference in a person's application. I come from a lower-income, working class family (I can explain what that means, if necessary), and I did not have the privilege of having a part-time job or living with my parents to save what little money I make. While I would never fault anyone who did have these privileges (I have to admit, I am jealous!), it's unreasonable to assume that this is the baseline for all applicants to perform at. During the application process, I had to work a full-time job with a one-hour-each-way commute, I moved, and I had other commitments, which only left one or two hours per day for studying for the GREs, completing applications, or revising my writing sample. I made the conscious decision to begin the process in June of 2009, but--again--one cannot assume that everyone has these luxuries. And to expect every applicant to perform at the level of someone who had twice the amount of time to devote to their applications is unreasonable. While I don't believe that a mediocre applicant can suddenly best an exceptional applicant through the sheer application of time, it is too problematic to judge all applicants based on the luxuries of a select few. Furthermore, you say "you obviously proved yourself deserving by devoting yourself to your application"--does this mean that anybody who did not have the privileges to devote themselves is somehow less deserving? I don't mean to sound aggressive and I understand what you were trying to say, but that doesn't erase some of the class-based assumptions that you are making. I clearly did not devote as much time to my applications as some (and not because I didn't want to!), but that does not mean I was less deserving of my accomplishments. Again, I think it's important to understand that the democratization (or meritocrization??) of the discipline does not begin with the leveling of the playing field post-doctorate, but also prior to enrollment. We cannot judge all applicants by the standards set by the privileged few. Going back to the question about hostility toward the ivies, I think that is a product of how the institutions see themselves, rather than anything innate to the various Departments or scholars that work at those institutions (or the students that attend them). But when an institution begins to capitalize on their image and legacy (as Harvard did when they developed their own line of clothing), it sends a very clear message: "Our name is all we or you ever need to succeed." Again, this has nothing to do with the scholars that work at these institutions, but such a message is problematic. (Quite anecdotally, I have a friend that attends Harvard Law. She said that the only way Harvard Law is able to maintain a 100% placement rate is by creating fellowships for those individuals that do not manage to land a position after graduation.)

I went to Maryland for undergrad, and I was very well-versed on the department. If anybody has any questions about the program or the College Park area, I'd love to help! Maryland is a great school and the professors really care about their students, so congrats on getting in!

I was really hoping to visit their campus, but the Recruitment Day is the day after the Recruitment Day at Rutgers. Unless I can teleport between the two, I don't think I'll be able to make it. But I hope to hear all about it when people get back!

I did have two roommates my freshman year of college. Fortunately (unfortunately?), they didn't do anything. I've met babies with more eventful and engrossing lives than these two. So, I just sort of pretend as though I never had a roommate. (I'd be a great roommate, I swear! No spaghetti sauce on the ceiling from me. It would just be on a bed of delicious pasta. That's right.) And no car for me. I'm all about public transportation, though, so I'd consider Edison if it were in an accessible location.

Definitely! The biggest thing with the legal-aid office is to make sure that the landlord doesn't have a history of gouging or screwing over tenants. It might be more difficult to get any information on individual renters, but always something worth checking out. I'm definitely considering anything from one roommate in a large apartment complex (there are a couple in Highland Park that don't seem too sketchy) to multiple roommates in a house. I'm open to anything. My unrealistic, but highly fanciful dream is to rent an old Victorian house with 2-3 other people, have brightly painted walls, and good (clean! gotta be clean!) fun. I have never had a roommate, so I guess I'm not jaded toward the prospect yet like other people .

Thank you for this thread. I think what your (amazingly thorough) post confirms is what I've heard from so many people, both within and outside of Rutgers. Unless something truly crazy happens at next month's Open House, I think I'm going to confirm as well. Everybody going to the Open House? I'd love to meet up! I'd also love to coordinate housing/support with others who confirm. It would be really great to have a support network in place before we all get there. One bit of advice I have for everybody (which comes from my friend who now studies at Harvard Law), is to always double-check your housing situation with the graduate student legal aid (Rutgers offers graduate legal aid through the Graduate Student Association). As they help almost all of the students that have any form of landlord trouble, they have a lot of invaluable and insider information.

Ooo! I read Crime and Punishment during my "studying" for the GRE Lit last summer. It is such a good book! I actually read about half of it to my nephew when he was 8 months old. It was probably the only thing that got him to calm down and not fuss. Also, Lolita is definitely being added to my to read list.

I love this thread! Right now, I'm reading Middlemarch by George Eliot. Yes, the Victorianist in me runs deep! I think that after that (which I'm probably not going to finish for a month or two), I'm going to try to read some philosophy/literary theory. I was hoping to read up on some of the professors at Rutgers before I visit next month. But all of the books are checked out at my university library. Argh! I'd also like to finish 2666 by Robert Bolaño and Moby Dick by Melville, both of which I am currently halfway through and yet to finish. Other than that, books that are on my horizon include: The Tin Drum by Gunter GrassThe Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen (such a big, awkward book to carry around...makes commuting difficult)Midnight's Children by Salman RushdieShip of Fools by Katherine Anne PorterSee! I have interests outside of Victorian literature .

Does anybody know how easy it is to get around New Brunswick without a car? I was a little disappointed to see that the nearest Zipcars are in Princeton and at Drew University. I'm not so worried about daily commuting (I walk a lot and have no problem taking the bus), but this will be my first time in an apartment that's not already furnished, so I'm nervous about getting stuff (furniture primarily) to the apartment after I move in. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm definitely hoping to do a weekend trip to see the campus some time in March. And yeah, Victorian studies here, although I was really excited to work with any of the nineteenth-century professors. Kathy Psomiades, Nancy Armstrong, Rob Mitchell, and Thomas Pfau in particular. I'd also love to have a class with Toril Moi. So yeah, I may have to grill you next week . And good luck!

From what it looks like, you should be safe on Thursday morning to fly out. It looks like the snow is going to come a little later in the afternoon. However, like it has been said, it's going to be crazy weather, so be prepared if your flight is canceled. Sunday evening, the weather should be nice enough to fly back to the city for your interview. Best of luck!!

Most of the snow is going to be consolidated in the northeast. I'm in Washington, DC, and we're mostly expecting rain--maybe a bit of snow. But assuming you're not transferring north of the Mason Dixon line, you should be safe to travel to Raleigh airport. I, unfortunately, couldn't make it to the Duke admit weekend. Please let me know what you think about the department. I'd love to hear your initial impressions!

I'd say that in terms of safety, you have to take any urban area for what it is. I was checking out the safety stats on the Rutgers webpage (document here), and it doesn't seem like one really has anything to worry about there, if you're smart. [Note: I didn't spend a lot of time researching the safety of the surrounding areas. But I think the following nonetheless applies.] Crazy things could happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Don't walk around by yourself at late hours. Don't go flashing your money/iPhone/wallet where it's going to attract attention. From what little research I've done (read: craigslist and apartments.com), the rent isn't exorbitant, but it'd definitely be worthwhile to live with a roommate or two. I'm thinking about looking in to a shared house in the Highland Park area. From what I've seen, with roommates, expect to pay between $400-$700/month. Anyone know how pedestrian friendly the area is? I don't have a car and I don't want to buy a car, so I'm really interested in relocating to a place that allows for that.

I'd love to hear more about Rutgers. I kind of expected that the surrounding area would be less than desirable (I went to University of Maryland, College Park for my undergrad and the surrounding area is as crappy as it comes). But it's nice to hear that the campus has its own charm. What's the general culture like--can "alternative" people not interested in sports or bars have a good time? Don't get me wrong--I love a good discoteque as much as the next guy--but could do without the sleezy undergrad bars. Feel free to PM me! Or add it to the forum so everybody can share in the fountain of your knowledge.

Welcome to the party! Is Comp Lit having the Open House on the same day as English? I'd love to meet people who plan on going! I'm from the East Coast (Washington, DC and NYC), which entails a lot of talk about hating New Jersey. It's fondly referred to as the "arm pit" of America. But, in all honesty, like any other state it has it's draws and its setbacks. Whatever you do, do not think that the area around the NJ turnpike is indicative of the rest of the state. There are DEFINITELY some beautiful areas, and I've heard there are some around New Brunswick, in particular. Also, the people on "Jersey Shore" are not fairly representative of NJ. There are some amazing people from NJ (some who I will even call friends). Plus, it is one of the most convenient states in the country for its access to larger areas, as well as more rural areas. NYC, Philly, and Washington, DC are all just a couple of miles away. However, just go two hours into Pennsylvania and you're in Dutch country. I'm excited to visit the Rutgers campus. Remember--we're in, so let's have fun!

Unfortunately, I don't. Like I said, I was a quite unsuccessful at formulating complete sentences when he called. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everybody! Historically, they've done waitlists, so it's not over!

Just received a phone call from a professor on the admissions committee. He was so delightful to talk to and really put up with my complete paralysis and inability to articulate anything. This was one of my top-choice programs, particularly for their historic emphasis on nineteenth-century/Victorian literature. I'd love to hear from other people who got in!

Congratulations! So great to hear good news

Not sure. I'm thinking about visiting in March some time. I told the Assistant to the DGS that I would gladly show myself around the campus, but I wouldn't mind sitting down with some of the professors or grad students for coffee. She seemed very open to the idea. So far, I've been very pleasantly surprised by how delightful the Duke English department has been.

I really wanted to go, but work is going to get in the way. If anybody else is going, let me know how it is!

I really, really don't think that 16 is overkill, particularly considering the economic climate. While I think it's true that there aren't more "qualified" applicants applying this year (more applicants in general does not mean more qualified applicants), grad programs are accepting smaller cohorts or giving out less funding. My partner's PhD program (Latin American Literature) is accepting people into the program this year, but they are only giving 4 years of funding (for a MA/PhD program). You want to have as many options as possible, even if applying to 16 schools only leaves you with 2 acceptances. At least you will have an option in terms of funding, location, etc. To speak from personal experience, I applied to 15 programs--13 PhD programs and 2 MFA programs. (Note: I only really applied to the MFA programs because they are the best of the best; if I get in to an MFA program and decide to put off a PhD for 2-3 years, I want it to be for an AMAZING program.) I'd truly like to say that after this incredibly difficult, expensive, and time-consuming experience, that I will have more than one program to choose from. I'm an options kinda guy.

I was one of the Duke English admits. A bit of clarification, I was sent an e-mail that directed me to the ApplyYourself website. I did, however, later receive an e-mail from Rob Mitchell, who is just delightful. My field is Victorian/19th-Century Literature, which I like to interface with queerness, aestheticism, philosophy, and cosmopolitanism. I graduated from the University of Maryland with a 3.98 GPA overall and a 4.00 in my major (English). My GRE scores were: 600 V (85th Percentile), 760 Q (86th), and 6.0 AW (98th). I also got a 670 on the Subject test (89th percentile). In all honesty, I don't think my GRE scores were that impressive, other than (perhaps) the writing score. Don't take them as an indicator of anything--they are what they are. I really think my writing sample and my LORs carried my application.