angel_kaye13

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. ;-) 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. ^^

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!

It sounded to me like the suggestion was that her "colleagues who were the direct-admits" to PhD programs with only a BA were better prepared (at time of application) than those who applied with BAs and were admitted to the MA rather than the PhD, and that's the reason those direct admits were admitted to the PhD while others weren't. I could be wrong about what was intended and won't dive further into the questions of interpretation that Yanaka and angel_kaye have been discussing, but I can weigh in a bit on the difference between applicants with a BA who are admitted to an MA vs "directly admitted" to a PhD program, at least in terms of perceived difference in qualification. As far as differentiation within a PhD program between those who enter with a BA vs an MA, it's basically just a difference of requirements, depending on the program. I had to take more classes than my cohort mates with MAs, and took my qualifying exam about a semester later than their average, but there's no distinction within the program between those who entered with BA or MA, and people often forget who came in with what.
Regarding differences in application quality or preparedness, the answer isn't a clearcut one by any means: I was admitted with a BA directly to a PhD program, but I don't feel that I was significantly more prepared than others who were admitted to the MA. There are so many factors at work in determining who is admitted where. I did write a BA Honor's Thesis and was able to sketch out a direction of research and state who I wanted to work with, and the person I identified as my primary POI at my eventual program is my director now, but there was so, so much I didn't know at the time as well. Perhaps my interests were more defined than some students who were admitted to the master's program, who went on to switch their research fields, but there are also PhD students at my university who entered with MAs and went on to switch research fields during PhD coursework. I do think that having two more years to develop your interests, particularly in the context of graduate coursework, is a huge advantage for those applying with an MA (and angel_kaye makes a great point that students who complete the MA can then choose which PhD programs to apply to with a more developed understanding of their research interests). But I've known students who were accepted into an MA who had more thoroughly defined research interests (and were certainly more well read) than me, and PhD students who entered with MAs who still felt they were starting from scratch with their research interests. It's a mixed bag. Angel_kaye seemed to suggest that her initial application was clearly only suitable for MA acceptance, but I could say the same thing about the straight-from-BA application that did end up getting me into a PhD program. My writing sample and SoP had plenty of problems, revealed massive ignorance about what constitutes a research field, and were outdated and canonical in focus. The problems with my writing sample and stated interests were problems that I wouldn't have even been able to identify until I completed my first year or two of grad school. Many of the straight to PhD applicants whose posts I read on GradCafé seem far more in touch with current conversations and trends in their fields than I was when I applied. Yet, I got into a PhD program, and plenty of students with extremely developed research interests (some of them formed over breaks between BA and graduate work) begin in the MA program instead. It's a complex process, and I don't think it's very easy to label any application as "only MA material," because there are so many factors at work. Certainly, if I hadn't gotten into a PhD program during my cycle, I probably would have said that my application was clearly not suitable for PhD entry. Regardless of the results of a particular application cycle (which I hope are positive for both of you!), in addition to the qualities we can analyze in our own work, applications have less definable strengths and weaknesses that are specific to the programs, the people looking at them, and the moment. I suppose the moral I'm going for is that, given the fairly strong base qualifications common to most applicants (GPA, GRE, sophisticated writing), there's no hard and fast way to count anyone out. I can't say exactly why I was accepted into my program — I'm very happy that I was — but I think my application could have just as easily, and not necessarily inaccurately, been labeled as "not quite at PhD level yet."

- Adhere to the 5000 word limit. This school sounds like it is not interested in reading too much from each applicant. Longer papers than allowed will be noticeable and not appreciated.
- The 500 word limit is not as rare as you might think. Think of it as an exercise in distilling your ideas to their very essence. Personally, once I did that with my own ~850-word statement, I was actually very happy with the result (though the process itself was excruciating). Once I had the 500-word version, I ended up building on it and adding back just a bit more, for a roughly 650-word statement if there were no other constraints. In any event, follow the rules, even if it's hard.
- Again, given that this school seems to have minimalistic requirements, I would bet that they mean 20 pages all included. More generally, unless you are explicitly told otherwise, you should always assume that 20 means 20, not 20+whatever. If you are unsure, email to ask. If you don't get a reply, assume the stricter limit. It's better than breaking the rules because you made false assumptions. 

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.

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!

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.

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. ;-) 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. ^^

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.

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!

No. It's one typo. You'll be fine.

I can completely relate; that's exactly how I feel. 
I'm sure you don't want my life story, but I'm a nontraditional student wrapping up my undergrad at a different school after a long (9 year) hiatus. I resumed my undergrad with the express understanding that the end goal would be a Ph.D. in my field. My first instinct was to cast the widest net possible, and my initial scratch-paper list was nearly twenty schools long. It didn't take more than a week or two to cut that down to twelve, and then eventually to eight, and ultimately five. I guess what I'm getting at (in my rambly, roundabout sort of way) is that it doesn't matter that my goal has always been graduate school--if I'm not over-the-moon excited to pack up all of my stuff, sell my house, thoroughly befuddle/disorient my cat, and move somewhere for 5-6 years, it's probably not going to work out. As you put it, I don't want to just go to school SOMEWHERE, I want to get an education so perfectly aligned with my goals and interests that I'll never look back and think "what if..." 
Frankly, if that means I'm not good enough to get into those perfect programs, then so be it. I poured a lifetime of hard work, high marks, and passion into those five apps, and at the end of the day that's all I can do.
(still, ditto on the panic tho. brb hyperventilating into a paper bag.)

Fanny pack
(Brat wurst acknowledged lol)

{REALLY want to say "brat wurst"}
brat pack

Well for Toronto I can tell you that we have some great Anglo-Saxonists as well, in fact Andy Orchard was just chosen to take over the Rawlinson Bosworth professorship at Oxford, so we have many world class minds not just in Latin, though I speak only as an undergrad. Toronto's latin teaching is top notch (and rigorous), but it will prepare you well, I got lower marks in Latin but by God I learned it. But yes generally you should learn latin regardless of which language is your main focus. I'm into the Anglo-Saxon period, but many of the sources from then are in Latin, not just Old English so i still have to know it. But just in general i can tell you, for what it is worth, in my experience (as an undergraduate) that I have had an amazing experience at the University of Toronto, and  I have loved every second since i switched from an Early modern focus in first year to the Medieval period. And because of its size they have specialists in almost any area you could possibly think of.
 
On a different note...
 
I'm considering a variety of programs in the medieval period, Medieval Studies, Literature, History etc... Can anyone give me a rundown of the various strengths of the different schools. It's seems really hard to find information on medieval studies in general, and I don't really know what i ought to be looking for. I've been looking at Oxford for Medieval Studies or Literature, Cambridge for the ASNC MPhil or Lit. MPhil, UCL for Medieval Studies, York, Edinburgh for Literature, and of course Toronto.

While I am a historian, I do know something about the UK system so I'm going to pop in here with a few words.

Oxford is a great place and they have some really great resources as you pointed out. That can also be the problem, since there are so many programs there with so many people that it can be hard to figure out what exactly you want to work on. You'll really need to research the program and the people you want to work with to go there. All that being said, they offer basically an unlimited number of amazing seminars, lectures, and really anything else you could ever want. I would certainly start exploring POIs over there to speak with, since they will guide you through the rather complicated process.

As for Toronto being too Latin focused, if you want to do anything medieval that's a good thing. You'll have to know some decent amount of Latin (plus German and French too) if you want to work in the medieval field, so getting a real handle on it during an MA would give you a great leg up if you applied for PhDs. Even if you don't, it will still come in handy for any future job

I hope that helps to start and best of luck!

I've spent the time working on a back-up plan. It's a word document that lists, in order, what opportunities I'm going to look for and what I'm going to cancel if I don't get in anywhere. This way, if I strike out, I'll have a plan intact and won't feel this wash of directionlessness. The productivity feels good. 

Fight Night!*^^*

@hopefulPhD2017: this qualifies you for my new favorite person, for 5 minutes, congratulations, I second this motion. ^^ ;-)

Athlete's Foot

---

A parking pass costs $95 for the academic year.

Parking at Notre Dame is a crap shoot. Unlike other universities and colleges, you cannot actually park on the campus at all. You are only allowed to park on one of three lots that are located on the perimeter of the campus.

Two of these lots (D2 and D6) are usually filled up since that's were most undergrads park. The third lot, C1, is where commuting students usually end up parking.

Parking at Notre Dame is like parking at a mall. You have no side-streets or neighborhoods. It's just one parking lot, and the better spots are gotten the earlier your arrive on campus.

I live in Urbana right now (I just finished my Master's degree at UIUC) and for grad students and families Urbana is a better place to be than Champaign in my opinion. They have better protections for renters - your landlord can't just come into your apartment without 24 hours written notice, for example - and it's a lot quieter than Champaign. Urbana has recycling pickup; Champaign does not, and we have a great farmer's market in Urbana. I pay less than 500 a month and I live in a three-bedroom house with a large backyard in Historic East Urbana with my partner. It is a little far from campus but it is totally bikeable and it's a really pleasant ride, down tree-lined streets without a lot of traffic. Urbana is really bike-friendly. I've had a harder time navigating my bike around in Champaign because it's more urban than Urbana; it has more traffic and people and fewer bike lanes.

The public transportation in Urbana-Champaign is award-winning and phenomenal; they have GPS on all the buses so that you can tell exactly when the bus is going to be at your stop, which is especially handy in the winter. The bus system is pretty far-reaching and two and a half miles away from campus (it's a small town so 2.5 miles is pretty far from campus) I have a bus that goes to the heart of campus that stops a half a block away. As a student, you ride for free with your student ID. The maps on their website aren't the best but if you want a house/apartment a bit further away from campus that is still on a bus route their website is http://www.cumtd.com/.

For housing, take a look at the Tenant Union at http://www.tenantunion.uiuc.edu/. I met with someone in the office when I visited to see if I wanted to come here and she gave my partner and I some really good advice about where we might want to live and why: http://www.tenantunion.uiuc.edu/hb2.html. They also have landlord complaint records so that you can see if the company or person you're thinking of renting from has caused problems with tenants in the past (http://www.tenantunion.uiuc.edu/complai ... ea_lan.htm). This is a really helpful service when you're farther along in the housing process. Their website is sort of 1992 but they're an awesome service for incoming and current students.

I went to UIUC for undergrad...

UIUC campus from Willard = less than 10 mins
Amtrak from UIUC campus = less than 2 miles from center of campus, can take a bus down University Ave, less than 5 min bus ride or call a cab and it will take about 2 mins.
Greyhound & LEX - what's your question here? What about them? LEX is more expensive than the train, but if $ is no object, it drops you off at the Illini Union at the center of campus.

Is anyone meeting with you @ UIUC or are you just visiting on your own?

Apartments in C-U

If you live very close to/on campus, rents are higher (unsurprising). You'll be surrounded by undergrads, which tends to mean a lot of noise, lots of parties, kinda run-down apartments. But you'll be within easy walking distance of every class. It's possible to live off-campus, though I wouldn't suggest living TOO far away. You can bike most places, and public transport is pretty good for a place of its size.

The apartments north of Green Street tend to be cheaper - its a less desirable/reputed to be less safe/less happening part of campus

The apartments in Champaign tend to be rowdier.

The apartments in Urbana tend to draw a quieter, older crowd.

There is free bus service for UIUC students all over campus, so it doesn't matter that much where you live.

People sign for their apartments REALLY EARLY. Like, people start signing/resigning their leases in October/November of the preceding year (most leases go from Aug 15-Aug 15). So, already a lot of the "choicest" apartments will be spoken for. But that doesn't mean that everything's gone. You may want to start looking soon, though, 'cause everything's on the market already.


UIUC Campus

Campustown - roughly Green Street up to Gregory, Wright street to 1st Street - is alright, nothing more, nothing less. It gets pretty rowdy on the weekends. Bar entry age is only 19 and many places have $1 drink specials so.... you can imagine what that turns into. There are a couple of alright restaurants, but nothing particularly great. If you're "over" the whole undergrad scene, downtown Champaign is really nice. You have to be 21 to enter bars there, they tend to be classier, better food, nicer atmosphere, etc.

The People

I'm biased, but I think the people there are incredibly nice. It just has a laid-back feel that you don't really find on urban campuses. People drive slower, seem less competitive with eachother... The undergrad pop. definitely skews right (politically) but most of the faculty (perhaps not so much the B-school faculty) are lefties.

Let me know if you have any other questions - I'm happy to try to answer them!

Foot ache
(Tooth brush too)
this week of radio silence is just about killing me. Let's go ahead and make exceptions. ??

This is the time where many schools are sending out interview invitations and a common (un?)fortunate situation is having accidentally double-booked themselves for interviews**. So, I hope you'll indulge some unsolicited advice:
Resist the urge to respond to interview requests immediately! Consider potential conflicts first.
If you get notification via email, that's great, you can take some time to think about your options before sending that RSVP. If you are notified on the phone, then try not to commit to anything immediately (hopefully the caller will be considerate enough to not even ask you to make a decision on the spot). However, I would rehearse a line to ask for more time to decide in case you get that unexpected phone call. It doesn't matter if you are 99% sure you are free on that date, unless you already know the school in question is your top choice, practice saying something like "I am very excited for the opportunity to interview. I just need to double check my calendar." Then ask if how they would like you to confirm (call back? email?) and ask for a deadline.
While waiting for interview invites, you should think about how you feel about each school and get a rough sense of how you would prioritize one over another. It may also help to know when schools typically notify you of an interview invite and also of their typical interview dates. TheGradCafe's "Results Survey" database is a great tool, and so is searching the forums if people in your field post their dates here. 
The point of this advice is that accepting an interview date and then asking to change it later can reflect poorly on you and cause you extra stress. Instead, make sure you are aware of possible conflicts ahead of time. If you get an invite from School A today but know that School B generally sends invites 2 days from now, and that in the past the A and B interview dates have overlapped, then I would wait a couple of days to see if School B responds before committing to any date with School A. If it would be too awkward to simply wait in (email) silence, it's okay to reply to "School A" a day after the invitation and say that you think the proposed date could work but you just need a little bit of time to ensure there are no conflicts. Then you can ask about a deadline (if one was not already imposed).
(** To clarify, this is not meant to "out" anyone already in this situation! Just hoping to help out others).

I'm waiting for the same. Unfortunately, the programs I am applying for don't have much presence on the GradCafe Admissions pages. On the bright side, I will be able to continue more to our understanding of these programs!