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angel_kaye13

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Posts posted by angel_kaye13

    PhD Rejections -> MA Slots

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    I guess the question I have is: what is there to lose by doing an MA on the way to a PhD if it's at least partially funded? I'm not a fan of the assertion that PhD rejections/MA offers are "consolation" prizes meant to raise the department more money. I think that's quite hurtful and reductive considering what are very real options for people. Plus, getting an MA on the way to a PhD might not be a bad idea, considering you can get deeper experience with research, refine writing samples to perfection, and develop solid relationships with professors who speak not just to your potential to do graduate work, but to your demonstrated ability to do graduate-level scholarship.

     

    PS: this is not a response to any particular post, but the title of the topic, and the generally disturbing trend I'm seeing on the results page of people refusing to even consider an MA seat because it's not fully funded or not "prestigious" enough. 

    bgt28, not just an up-vote, but a wholly platonic-yet-hearty "I love you!!!!!"

    2015 Rejections

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted · Edited by angel_kaye13

    Thank you! Its encouraging that someone in my subfield was accepted to an amazing university the second time around. Congrats for that! I think that in this case my young age (and a number of other factors) worked against me, so I'm hoping that getting some life experience will help. 

    Jhefflol, I also wanted to second what onlycoffeeiscertain said: I was REALLY encouraged by your demeanor and outlook. Frankly, I don't have any doubt that some good news is pending, but...a lot of people lose sight on here. Rational people give me a little more hope. ;-) :) Thanks for that. :-) (Again, I would have "liked" what you said, but apparently I'm out of up-votes???)

    How crazy do you have to be to take an unfunded MA?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted · Edited by angel_kaye13

    With all due respect, I'd like to push back on this type of advice. I don't think anyone in the thread is disallowing OP from celebrating the acceptance. Indeed, it's a great achievement. But the "chase your dream because debt deferral" method of thinking about higher education is just... irresponsible. This isn't a pittance of debt we're talking about here, it's approaching six figures (at least when you start factoring in living expenses in one of the most expensive cities in America). Six figures for an MA with miserable chances of getting a job decent enough to pay it off afterwards. Granted, I don't know anything about OP's financial situation or support from family--I could be way off base here but from the information we've been given, this is not a moment where we should be mindlessly cheering the "academic dream."

     

    Please don't get me wrong, drownsoda, I'm not trying to dump on Fordham or you. But it pains me to see this:

     

     

    as a rationale for taking on $60,000 of debt.

    What kind of English major would I be, if I didn't appreciate a good argument?? ;-)

    Don't get me wrong: I never said I was advocating going into the depths of debt; I'm a very practical person, and am actually a huge proponent of weighing the costs of any decision. However. I do not know drownsoda, or her financial status, beyond what she has said about her undergrad. And, while I appreciate that you all have had the negative repercussions of doing such, I honestly was speaking from the perspective of knowing a person who did exactly what I suggested; I wasn't just speaking out of pure philosophy and carpe diem. ;-) (He was a religious studies major, if that has any bearing, and also had a family...so...I imagine he had expenses and commitments.) All that to say that everything needs to be weighed out in its time and place. I absolutely think it COULD be feasible for drownsoda to do her dream school. But that's knowing the little I do about her. But I also wouldn't want her to do this for any other reason than her own, as lunalit said.

    I think of a lot of this is always weighing the pros and cons, not just in drownsoda's case. I mean, we in the Humanities especially hear ALL the time, about people in our fields, pursuing "our" grad degrees and PhDs, because "it's what you do," when, lo and behold, half a year down the road they realize it's really not for them. These, and others (including ourselves) are all examples of what we should all be doing, if we're at or preparing for this point: is it worth it, is it worth the sacrifice, am I WILLING to do what it takes to sacrifice...And, of course, WILL it pay off, in the end?? (My husband has already run "the numbers" with me, regarding likelihood of me getting a viable job after all is completed and done, I promise I'm not just sitting here in LollyLand. :D :D :D ) I just don't think that anyone of us can necessarily speak for the other. Only give our respective viewpoints, based on our own experiences. Which I think we're all trying to do, respectfully. :)

    But I sure was struck by her excitement. I still can't shake that.

    What to Wear to a Campus Visit

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    I'm from LA, and I'd say dark jeans count for a happy medium between dressy and casual. Dark jeans, a blouse, flats (zomg do not wear heels - UCLA is on a hill). Bring a sweater in case it's cool and for air-conditioned buildings. 

     

    Now being from LA, please advise as to how to dress in Chicago in March. Will a parka/boots still be necessary? I've no idea what to do with myself once the temperature goes below 55.

    Hahaha~*^^* I recently attended my alma mater, in Chicagoland, and I almost didn't bring a jacket. In November. (I've been overseas for a long time.) Just remember: they don't call it the Windy City for nothing. Parka and boots?? Unless you get cold, probably not. But pay attention to the weather, because it COULD still be snowing. You should be okay with just tennis shoes/running shkes, for casual, and a coat(I don't know how cold you get as to suggest a parka). But definitely bring warmer clothing, you'll have the lake effect, remember.

    How crazy do you have to be to take an unfunded MA?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    This is the deal: I applied to Fordham's MA program and was notified of my acceptance today, although was also told that funding was not available "at this time." Bear in mind that this is my dream program and my dream school, I'm not a PhD reject who was handed the MA as a consolation either— I went into this knowing full well that funding for Master's students is scant and extremely rare, and that I probably wouldn't get it. 

     

    So, I get my acceptance today, and I'm suddenly mortified. Extremely excited and happy, but also at the same time horrified. Maybe it's because I never thought I had a chance and didn't think it would happen, but shit. just. got. real. 

     

    The sticker is that I hardly have any debt from my undergrad degree— less than $10k— so with that in mind, part of me doesn't feel too bad about throwing myself into debt since I didn't really have to for my bachelor's degree. Putting things into perspective, I have friends who went $150k into debt for undergrad degrees at private schools, and I know out-of-state students at my public undergrad institution who have roughly the same annual tuition cost as I would at Fordham (although living costs in Portland are considerably less than New York). 

     

    The flipside is that I hear left and right to "NEVER GO UNFUNDED," but I always expected I'd be unfunded anyway, and I was comfortable with that given the fact that I didn't accrue massive debt as an undergrad. Now that I got accepted though, the reality has set in. Fordham IS expensive. With grants, it still looks like I'd be at least $60k in debt by the end of it, unless I could somehow secure aid another way, or if they ended up giving me a TA position (not even sure if they do that) or something else.

     

    I know in my heart that I would have been rejected from PhD programs, which is why I chose to apply to MA programs (hell, Fordham doesn't even take Bachelor's-to-PhD applicants). I see the MA as a viable transitional degree for me to hone my skills and gain focus and experience (research experience was essentially non-existent at my undergrad, and the program there frankly wasn't that great), and I know many people who earned Master's degrees before successfully pursuing PhDs; but everyone who is vehemently against spending money on graduate school has me second-guessing myself and worried that I'll be viewed as the cash cow for PhD students, or that I'll be shunned by the faculty or something. 

     

    I just really don't know. I haven't heard back from the other programs I applied to, so there is still time and other potential options. I have until May 1st to get back to Fordham, but I feel this may be the toughest decision I've ever made.

    I'm sure you have MORE than enough feedback from people already, I didn't read through them all. But my initial instinct? if this is what you want??? You don't need anyone to tell you different. They wouldn't offer an unfunded MA, if it wasn't possible for SOME students. You must be one of the lucky ones. I also know a lot of people that are comfortable accruing a little more debt, knowing their payments can be deferred until after their studies are done and a good job gotten. Don't worry about how others will perceive your decision: this is YOUR dream, and you're thrilled! Congrats to you on getting your dream school!!

    Fall 2015 Acceptances (!)

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Fabulous news, Angel-Kaye!!! I was a little worried that you'd only applied to three places, so am glad (and relieved!) to see you get in to one of them!

    Thank you, Wyatt's Torch. I'm not saying anything new, but you've been a real beacon around these parts, imparting a lot of insight and wisdom. Personally, I was a little worried, too, after seeing how many of my cohorts {nods in everyone's general direction} applied to at least 5...I knew I had to be more practical in my choices, but...I have to admit, I spent most of my time researching all the schools I didn't apply to, as contingency plan "if I get accepted nowhere." *^^* Today was a great joy, even with a Stanford reject, and I can say, without any reservation, I am EXCITED to finally get to continue my work; that immediate reaction on receiving word was all I needed to know. As, I think,you feel as well? Anyway, thank you, really, for all your support and good cheer.~ It does mean a lot.~ :-)

    Fall 2015 Acceptances (!)

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Well, I suppose this is in the realm of "good news." While I didn't get accepted to UMD's Ph.D. program, I was offered acceptance to their M.A. program. So that's something, I suppose. It might be unfunded, or might be partially funded. The one reason why it's a true consideration for me is because it's fairly local -- my wife works in D.C., and we were going to be moving this year no matter what. Moving from the Virginia side of D.C. to the Maryland side is not a big deal, overall.

     

    Had it been an M.A. offer from any of my other programs, it would be small consolation...but this might actually be worth considering.

     

    If nothing else, I feel a little better about things overall. I was starting to fear that there was something profoundly undesirable about my applications in general...so to make the top 15% or so of applicants to UMD is at least partially relieving...

     

    (Oh, and there's also the intangible Proflorax factor!)

     

    Hmm...

    DagNABBIT! TOTALLY was trying to up vote this, and I hit the wrong button!!! So now I look like a hater! Bah!! Stupid small-faced smartphones!!! Just know, HUGE happiness to you!!! And to all the other accepted!!!! Life is funny how it works us.^^

    2015 Rejections

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Happy Friday the 13th, everybody!!*^^*

    Okay. So I know I probably sound WAY too happy for this thread. Please know it's not that grad school is not important to me. Just...this is my first year applying, there's so much that I know now, better, and...{shrug} I don't know. I guess I know that we all work SO very hard, for just a few, coveted positions. It's sad, but not so very, when considering my peers. I'm not always the first in, but I work hard and have not yet failed at what I work for. So, to me, it's just a matter of time and more effort. Hence my relative zen. :-)

    Okay, waxing philosophical over!*^^* So my first rejection came from the sweet Emory. As I said in my results post, I thought it was a nice notification: lengthy, probably form, but very kind, which I appreciate, for all my efforts. I'm still waiting on my other two schools, so we shall see. Just wanted to let you all know.~

    Keep the fighting spirit.~

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