commoner

I've been using it for French, which I took two years of in HS, so I'm not entering cold. It's not just listen and learn, though. It uses voice recognition as well as writing so you do learn to actually use the language on a communicative level. From what I've read, if you go through all three levels, it is equivalent to two semesters of college classes.

You mean this? "I hear it's terrible there. Really, really terrible. All of you people who have been accepted really ought to turn them down and go somewhere else. I have only your best interests at heart." This is someone joking and trying to get admitted off the waitlist by your panicking and declining. If you want to find out what it's like there, hit the website and contact some students. They won't tell you it's rosy if it ain't. But by all means, do your own research.

If you have received notice of acceptance, the offer must remain on the table until April 15. You can call, or you can let them sit it out. If you call, just be honest and let them know that you have some open apps that you are waiting to hear back from. It's not a job interview. You've been offered the hire, with a time limit (as mentioned earlier). No decision required until then. Congrats, by the way!

Heh heh. I've always been a big ham for an audience. But, when in class, it is almost painful for me to speak up. I had no problems teaching, though. I think that is because I knew the subject and didn't have any reservations. You'll notice at your first conference that most people just read the words off the page, with their noses buried. Not so intimidating. It certainly gets easier after the first time. You'll probably get a chance to do some practice presentations with fellow students. That's easier, too.

True patience? I don't know. Try waiting another year to apply again. Continues to get worse.

I've seen results posted from 3 of the schools to which I've applied and from which I've not heard. It's a bugger, all right. What kills me is that I know that I didn't hear from some of them until mid-March last year!

It is your responsibility to make sure all of those things are taken care of. Call them and ask. Do not be intimidated. Yes, they get a lot of calls. But, that is what happens every year. I had to have my GRE scores sent three times last year until the last two schools finally "received" them. The last set went out in January. This is your job to finish. Call them today if you are still unsure.

It's not even February yet. You may not get notices until mid-March. It's time to relax and not think about it or you may lose it. OK. Easier said than done. Which is why I'm here, right? None of the schools I've applied to have ever notified before mid-Feb. But I'm checking daily, right? Yes, let's all relax. Yes. Relax. Yes.

GO T&C, GO! GO! GO! GO!

Thought some might be interested, and why not? These are the dates I received notifications last year. And here's to a better year! UCLA--rejected on 12 Feb by email (online letter dated 8 Feb) UCSC--rejected on 19 Feb by email Princeton--rejected on 20 Feb by email Yale--rejected on 29 Feb by email (online letter dated 29 Feb) UTAustin--waitlisted 7 Mar by email (rejected 16 April by email) Berkeley--rejected on 12 Mar (snailmail letter dated 26 Feb) Stanford--rejected on 12 Mar (snailmail letter dated 29 Feb) Hawaii--rejected on 13 Mar (snailmail letter dated 7 Mar) UCSD--Lit--rejected on 13 Mar (online letter dated 14 Mar) Davis--rejected on 17 Mar by email Harvard--rejected somewhere around 20 Mar (snailmail letter dated 14 Mar) UCSD--Eth.Stds--21 Mar by email UCSB--rejected on 8 April

The GRE verbal is most definitely a vocab test. Go through one or two different books on how the GRE questions work. Standardized tests must ask each question similarly to the other questions in the section or they cannot be validated together as showing any statistical meaning. This means that there are patterns and ways you can approach each question that will help you even if you are not 100% sure about each word's meaning. At the same time, you must work through the word lists. Roots are better for SAT than for GRE. The Kaplan books are easy to read and help out quite a bit. There should be a top 200 word list in the book. For the second time I took the test, I bought the Kaplan flash cards. Went through the 500 words over a few months. Score went from 580 to 710. Remember that there are two parts to each question: content and format. Study them both.

Just thought I'd update you all (admins and coords are finally back to the office). One school said that as long as the form was involved, it would be implied that I was waiving my rights, and that if the adcom even noticed, it would not be a problem. The other two schools had me send an email that they would print and attach to my file. So just a hiccup, folks. And communication with the departments has been quite friendly. That's nice to see/hear when sometimes they can seem quite abstract, just an address to which I've sent a part of myself. Believe it or not, there are humans on the other end. c.

Hee hee. Bless you. I will come a-knockin. c.

Word! Or you end up like me, starting completely over the next year, couple grand in the hole.

UCs have a great Extension program. I'm trying to get into a class this spring myself in Santa Cruz. Really depends on how full the class is after enrolled students have registered. Remember that it is probably close to closing time so you may not be able to reach anyone until the week before the quarter starts, which is perfect. They'll know how full the class is by then. As another elderly student (i got 8 years on you), I found it most beneficial to enter a CSU MA program. If you can breath, they will more than likely let you in. If you are considering taking some time to get back into things, you might as well be earning some initials for your name, right? You will generate lots of new writing, earn some recommendations, and it can only help you focus your research. Good luck to you either way! c.man, M.A.

So much for civil rights and all. All right. I'll call the depts when I get back and see if I can waive my rights some other darn way. Thanks for the insight! c.

So, I am out of the country and just got an email from one of my recommenders. I checked off the waiver box on the forms I dropped off for him and the others, but forgot to put a signature down. Apparently, I was in too big of a hurry to hand them over so I could get out of the country (no, no sudden need to get out, just business and stress). He sent one off because it was due and let me know about the other two, and he has offered to hold on to them until I get back so I can sign them. My other recommenders have all sent theirs off. My questions: Does it really matter at this point? Three schools are getting letters with unsigned waivers from two profs already. Does the waiver even matter? Should I give these schools a call when I get back in the country? I'm not real stressed about it because what is done is done. But, if enough of you think I should at least put my sig on a couple, I'll have him wait. They aren't late. Otherwise, I'll tell him to go ahead and send them on out. Your thoughts about the whole waiver business, please. Many thanks. c.man

Don't let these guys' political biases shape your concepts of theory!! Just like taking a survey course in 18th-century Brit Lit, you won't know that you hate it until you've read it. Or, if you are like me, the intro to theory course will completely alter your course of study. For some, the survey course on the Romantics made them all dizzy and swoony. And that's what leads them into grad school studying the Romantics. For me, Shakespeare was a requirement and nothing more. For others, they sat on the edge of their seats lapping up every word. My recommendation? Be open and try a little of everything while you still can (good advice in many disciplines, I think). You have time to specialize in the next couple years. Get to know yourself, know what you like, know what bothers you. Then when you take that theory course, you'll finally know how to recognize the truth. :wink: c.

I'm just so happy to have them all in now, I can't help but relax. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

Most likely, no. But, then each school wants something different. So, it depends. A couple of my apps said specifically that Q scores meant nothing to them. Others say that they look at the whole application and that one low score won't kill the app. From what I hear, SOP and writing sample are the two big items in an application. So, buck up, camper. Here's to a good March! c.

I did 13 apps last year while trying to finish my thesis (and working full-time and teaching on top and trying to keep my wife from ditching me). I wound up extending my thesis through to the next semester and doing another round of applications this year. It's all a lot more work than you think. This year, I am applying to fewer schools, done with the thesis, not teaching, and spending more time with my wife. The final list is still unfinished, but it will be around 8 or 9 schools total, some from last year's list and some new.

Unfortunately, it did not. And I do have all rejection letters in hand. But thanks much for the encouragement and enlightenment. It's been a year of learning. So, on to Fall of 2009. Here's to all of us rewriting our essays for next year!! 8)

Man, I'd like the idea of being "next on the waitlist" rather than knowing the "the waitlist is not ranked." At least then I might have some idea of my chances for this year. Best of luck to us all!

nope. some other lucky dude or dudette. i'm still patient. :|

i wonder if it is too late to change to medieval lit . . .