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angel_kaye13

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Posts posted by angel_kaye13

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Yanaka said:

    There's a distinction between MA to PhD and BA to PhD that you have observed, and that I'd like you to expand on as well :lol: 

    Hm. I don't understand your question here, I'm sorry: it seems like you are asking how I distinguish between candidates who are M.A. to PhD versus B.A. to PhD, which I think I already mentioned, in one of my previous posts? In terms of our being applicants, the only distinction is in our level of preparedness, usually. (An M.A. candidate will have a Master's thesis, and graduate-level coursework.) Of course, this does NOT necessarily make the M.A. candidate a better applicant, necessarily, especially if the B.A. applicant has projects, publications, etc. to their name; it's all about relevant fit and the quality of work.

    In terms of acceptance to a program, they are the same, if that is what you are asking. (Like if you and I were to get into the same program, both PhD, we would be the same, even though you [I assume] are applying with a B.A. and I am applying with an M.A. If we both got accepted to the same program, we would both still be eligible for the same courses and required to meet the same program requirements. The only variation would be our respective experiences, of course.)

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Lol! Re: our language difficulties: indeed! 

    Okay! So, for how courses will work, there will be no difference. If you are an M.A. student or PhD, all the courses that are "graduate" courses are open to you, and you will be in classes with people from all over. I have been in classes with not only PhD students, but also MFA students and older adults who simply want to audit a course, because they love learning. There is no distinction, in this case, between any graduate student. (The only caveat to this is where students are either taking Independent Studies, with a particular professor [in which case, only those students who have filled out the proper paperwork have permission to join that class] or classes specifically for Thesis or Dissertation hours; these are the only situations I have seen distinguishing points, in regard to coursework and level.)

    Cohort is a very different thing: your cohort is who you come in with, in the same grouping. So when I talk about my cohort? I'm talking ONLY about other Master's students, who are fulfilling the basic program standards. (In my school, Rhet-Comp and English Literature students have different programs, but we are still technically considered one cohort, because we came in at the same time, and are all Master's students only.) So that is a distinguishing thing. If you were a Master's student, you would NOT be in the same cohort as a PhD student or Direct-to-Phd student, because their programs are very different. I haven't examined the programs in-depth, but I consider the direct-to-Phd students and Phd students as a single cohort. But this might not be the case. I just know that that is how my particular school groups their distinguishing programs - Masters and PhD.

    There are other items that can distinguish students - such as fellowships received - but my understanding is that they are still considered within the same cohort.

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted · Edited by angel_kaye13

    25 minutes ago, Yanaka said:

    "I apologize, I did not want to seem contemptuous or anything--I was writing my thoughts, "thinking out loud" whilst comparing your instructive observations with my current SOP's' content :-) I totally get what you mean, and I am probably completely oblivious to what my writing says about me. "

    Oh, no, I understand. I assume, because of your location, that English is not your first language, so I did not think you were being rude or anything. Even if English IS your first language, I TRY not to assume too much. Not always do I succeed, but language barriers are difficult, and online communication is not the same for everyone, even if we DO speak the same native language! :) Thanks for being so kind, though, I was actually wondering if I needed to alter my first sentence, to let you know I didn't think you were being rude; I was afraid I sounded rude! Yay, language! :D

    So, terminal M.A.s - if you look online - are degrees that only go up to an M.A. I was not considering terminal M.A.s in our discussion at all, as we've all been discussing our doctoral aspirations. Direct-to-PhD means a university allows you to apply, regardless if you have a Masters or not - so, applicants who only have a B.A. and applicants who have a Masters are both able to apply, but this would be referring solely to those applicants who only have a B.A. (This is desirable for many reasons, but mostly because it would save an applicant time (letting you get your M.A. and your PhD, basically), and, as an ego-stroke, it let's the world know you're pretty bamf for your age. ;-)

    PhD and Direct-to-Phd are basically the same, in terms of the courses you can take, just the people who are entering as regular PhD applicants likely have their Master's thesis and other relevant experience (teaching, publishing, et al, although these things are not relegated only to the PhD applicants, anyone may ostensibly do these things.) I think I'm correct in stating that not all schools have a specifically "direct-to-PhD" application, but will still allow students to enter with only a B.A. But, if this is the case, they usually talk about this, in either their FAQ section or Admission page.

    I hope this is helpful!

     

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Yanaka said:

    Thank you @angel_kaye13! I think my SOP's reveal that I have rather precise ideas and directions that I wish to follow to begin with, but I think it's also clear that I haven't been able to dive into it just yet. I wonder however how they differentiate MA's from the first two years of a PhD track. Aren't they supposed to be pretty equivalent at some schools? 

    No, they are not. Now, if you're talking direct-to-PhD? Yes, definitely. But students going in to a PhD degree are generally at a different place (or should be, in my mind) than those who are coming in as direct-to-PhD. Students coming with an M.A. have a thesis, and other relevant experience. Direct-to-PhD will have different requirements than those needed for regular PhD requirements. (You can take a look at any school's graduate handbooks, for the differences in programs in these regards.) I did feel on a similar level as some of my colleagues who were the direct-admits, but I was also aware that they had better prepared than me, whether in terms of doing capstone projects, having already published, and various other accolades.

    These are just my observations of my experience. When I write about my different SoPs, it's not just the content, but that I presented myself in a different way, which is revealed in your writing/how you write about yourself; admit committees are pretty good at reading between the lines/can parse any bullcrap, because...that's what we do, as English majors. :D ;-) This isn't to frighten you! It sounds good that your SoPs are so thoughtfully prepared, like you are on the right track. I simply wanted to clarify how I meant, about the way I presented myself in these two cycles. ^^

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    @Yanaka: There are little things, but the biggest one was that my M.A. cycle, my statement of purposes were more anecdotal, versus, for my PhD cycle, I knew exactly where I wanted to focus in on, who I wanted to work with and why, and I had more recent, relevant experience. I can't say if these same things apply to you, but this was the big flag that set me apart as a definite M.A. applicant, in my mind - the lack of experience and direction, and how I thus was able to set up my SoP.

    How many programs are you applying to?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    27 minutes ago, wet gremlin said:

    Reading this forum makes me feel hopelessly naive on this front (and many others)..."

    Never feel naive. We all have our reasons for choosing where we apply, and yours are sound/reasonable. (I also only applied to 3, my first round, due to my husband's work and being thus geographically relegated.) Worst-case, you'll know better the second-time around, but who's to say you won't get accepted? It's competitive, but there is always a chance.

    General Anxiety/ Thank you from a long time lurker

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    What you're feeling is very natural. I came in with a BA, looking for MA or PhD-track schools, after a 5-year break. I knew I wanted this, but I felt hopelessly behind my peers. (Most of whom were already finishing their PhDs or in the field teaching.) Additionally, as I looked at programs that I REALLY wanted - like Notre Dame - I realized how completely ill-prepared I was for even their baseline acceptance (and, consequently, I did not apply there, because of my lack of training in Latin and Medieval studies in general).

    But when I got accepted - because I did, 1 out of my 3 schools applied - I entered in with an amazing cohort, and I realized we all were struggling with the same thing: this sense of not belonging, worries of jobs, are our interests "interesting" enough, etc. I will tell you my SoP was based off of a Biblical studies exegesis, because it was the only paper of suitable length I could find! ...All this tangent to say: you're good enough. People always fret about their scores, their SoP...and that's valid. But if you've put in the time, and tried your best, these are just factors, everything else is just timing. I was anxious the first year, because I didn't realize I could plot the timeline of when I'd be accepted, and I frankly didn't understand what grad schools are looking for. But now, on the other side, having taken a recommended Intro to Grad Study with the majority of my awesome cohort [where we had the BEST professor break down the application process, what academia is all about, job prospects, how to survive grad school, etc], we've all pretty much reached a consensus that is hard to get others to realize until you experience it for yourself. Just know that you've tried your best, and, if you've done your research well, you'll likely do fine. It's a lot about timing (available space - do they have too many of a certain period, are they trying to build another program?), but...{shrug} there are so many factors outside your control.

    I also wish I'd known that what admit committees look for in an MA applicant and PhD applicant are quite different. Going in, I would have KNOWN my application could only ever be an M.A. application, that was my greatest realization this cycle - the way I constructed my SoP and the writing samples at my disposal. The acceptance I got - while I got the impression they were impressed with my sample - was CLEARLY an MA accept, not PhD. (I had applied for direct-to-PhD, but got accepted as an M.A., because someone else got the PhD-track one.) THIS also turned out to be a great thing, because my school - while having great medievalists, does not have THE programs for Medieval work. So if I HAD gotten in on the PhD...I don't know if that would have been best for my career, which my medieval professors have advised me as such...I don't know if I would chalk everything up to "if it's meant to be..." but I do want to encourage you that...whatever happens, acceptance or not, is not automatically a failure, but an opportunity for the thing that makes you come alive. It MAY be grad school, but it may not, if things don't go the way you and I and countless others hope most for. And that will be a bitter pill, I think, but one that I remind myself constantly of. I've heard SO many people regale the alt-ac paths their careers have taken, after grad school or rejection from...So reminding myself of that, that it will be okay, whatever happens, is another way that I stabilize my emotions.

    This is quite rambling, so I'll leave off here. But you're feeling natural, I don't know if there is anything I can say to make it better, but I do encourage you to rest until you see what happens. (Even while knowing we all check this site entirely too much, all knowing that results won't be in for another 2 weeks at least!) I actually feel like you'll get at least one acceptance, and, after that, I think you'll be quite surprised at all the things you'll learn and realize, that will make all the frustration and stress seem silly, or "if I'd ONLY known that earlier!" We all do (those who have been through the process and made it to the other side, if only the M.A. side). But just try and focus on life. The what-ifs will soon become a reality, and you've done your best. I do wish you the best of luck and hope you'll do great!

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