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kurayamino

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Everything posted by kurayamino

  1. You're welcome! I have some knowledge of a coding language and at one of the schools I'm considering, a coding language is part of the DH. I think doing some database management would be really interesting for me as it would enable me to use my attention to detail and my ability to breakdown large information into smaller and more manageable chunks. This last semester of my undergrad I have also been doing some work transcribing audio interviews (for a book on the history of literary criticism) and I really enjoy the work. I can see how the benefits of transcription, especially from another language, would be useful in a multitude of ways. The other alternative I'm considering is working for the FBI. I had an interview (before I knew what my results were from grad apps) and they said if I was still interested in an analyst position to apply after my PhD as my education would increase my starting pay scale and ability to move up. Those are just some of the things I'm currently considering.
  2. Saying a problem exists and discussing possible solutions for those problems are very different. Instead of contributing to a discussion a lot of these posts just feel like air raid sirens. They keep making a lot of noise about an impending threat but are drowning out the possibility for a real discussion. I think everyone on this forum at least knows the job opportunities for TT positions are bleak (and that they are bleak across the board for humanities). That's great. Maybe instead of just repeating this over and over we can start talking about other opportunities. The people who have started talking about those things are being drowned out by the sirens. That being said, this website http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/alt-ac/is all about alt-ac conversations and opinions which has been interesting to look through. I haven't looked at in depth yet though. This website from UV seems to have a list of careers/openings for alternate jobs: http://libra.virginia.edu/catalog/libra-oa:3500 This website from UT-Austin has a great pro/con list for alt-ac and how to move in that direction through digital humanities: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/lacs/Students/Graduate-Students/Career-Guides/Alt-ac.php This is a consulting website with workshops on how to turn your humanities degree into a useful tool: http://www.alt-academix.com/ Stanford has a great list of even more websites for what to do with a humanities degree: https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/cdc/phd/resources-outside-academia
  3. Well, my personal reasons for going into a phd were because there was no upward mobility in my "field" of back breaking physical labor. I made a marginal 15-20k which multiplied out for 6 years is 90-120k. I was already a manager where I worked. There wasn't a lateral jump I could have made because after working 70 hour weeks I didn't have the time and energy to apply for "better" jobs. I was too busy living hand to mouth. The phd programs I have gotten into come out to about the same amount of money, 120k-130k of guaranteed funding, but this doesn't include the health insurance that I did not have and desperately needed or supplemental funding for summers and so forth. Nor does it factor in the actual work for wages or physical toil that jobs like working at Wendy's or other fast food/retail work necessitates. I think that the problem with adjuncting and stale PhDs are real, but I don't think that the "risk" of getting a phd is as dire as suggested in this forum. If you're leaving a 100k year a job then yeah, maybe you should really think about it, but for most people who face persistent poverty I don't think the phd is going to reduce their income over time if it's a funded program.
  4. I don't think that much of what is being discussed here is useful or important honestly. It's just needlessly stirring the pot since this is literally a discussion that has been posted all across GC at least three separate times in the last three months. What strikes me every time is a lack of perspective by some posters on how much "lost income" getting an English phd will cost us. This statement neglects the fact that the stipend offered may be more money than many have ever made. That it may provide them with a living wage. There are benefits of getting a phd that are beyond landing an academic job, such as a sense of security for a minimum of 5-6 years with a living wage and health insurance. I'll certainly try to get a TT job after I finish, but if I don't my quality of life for those 5-6 years will certainly be better than it has been for the last 12 years of my working adult life or what it would be if I didn't do it at all.
  5. I have my final two campus visits this week. I'm excited and also nervous about deciding!

  6. Oh wow, I totally have to listen to some pumpkins now. I haven't listened to them in years, but I have an overwhelming urge to hear "obscured" "mayonaise" and "stumbleine". I miss the mid-90s too
  7. I'm going to PM you about UNC.
  8. I think that you can definitely have a lower score than 165 for verbal and bomb quant and do miserably on the analytical writing AND fail the lit test in a truly spectacular fashion and still get in. You can have all of this and not come from a great school with unknown letter writers.. because that's what I did. I'm not saying my experience is common or maybe that I wasn't a little bit lucky. But, I would say that I got into the schools I did because they are really a great fit for my research and my writing sample dealt with a topical issue that my POI's are currently working on. Of course, I didn't get into an "ivy" so perhaps if you want that more time should be spent on the GREs, but I don't think it's necessary to shell out hundreds of dollars. I just don't. Work on the part of the application that YOU have control over. Your research can only improve over time as you read current scholarship and engage with it. This is just my two cents obviously, but I don't want future GCers to needlessly throw away money when there are great schools who are willing to look at an application holistically. All of this being said though, if you have the income to improve your scores and you feel confident that you can do so, then do it. Even if it's just for peace of mind. But don't neglect improving other aspects of your application too.
  9. I ended up getting personalized bookplate rubber stamps for my LOR's and two other professors who were invaluable during the process. I went through this vendor on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AsspocketProductions?section_id=5720267&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1who was very quick and the products were of a high quality and also affordable. I am not associated with this seller either so no conflict of interest, I promise!
  10. I'm on the waitlist and got the email too, so it's a distinct possibility! If I remember correctly, the waitlist email ended up in my spam folder.. Maybe double check or just email to see if you were left out of the loop my mistake! I didn't attend the open house though, so I can't help there. I do go to cuny though (and have some friends in the program) so if you have questions about general things I might be able to help. Feel free to PM!
  11. I second apppppppplication's post. Three weeks seems like a reasonable amount of time and it will show that you're still interested. After all, three weeks is a long time and things could have changed for you so letting them know you still consider them #1 can only help.
  12. Ooooh... So hard to pick just the four. This is my current rotation. Sedgwick Foucault Dimock Felski
  13. Thinking about saying yes to a school on the other side of the country has got me feeling two kinds of ways. I'm both and And thus Kryten from Red Dwarf trying to understand ambivalence: The fact that there is not a gif of Kryten's ambivalence is highly upsetting. The internet has let me down today.
  14. CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm sorry for the caps, but I know how much you wanted in there. I'm thrilled for you!
  15. Oh, I didn't take it as pressuring at all! I think it's it's just my own sense of guilt because I thought it would be so much easier to decide after visiting ucla, but I didn't hate LA or the people at all.. Lol
  16. I loved my visit to ucla, but I want to visit my other two serious options which aren't until next week. I'm also moving with my husband so I have his job options to consider which makes the choice really really harrowing and stressful. I'm sorry if there people waiting for the schools I'm still considering, the decision process is really complicated for me since I'm all over the country with my options.
  17. All of these important life decisions are putting a serious crimp in my ability to do homework and not fall behind.

    1. VulpesZerda

      VulpesZerda

      Me, too. My GPA is going to be ugly this semester compared to all the semesters when I was trying to be perfect to get in!

    2. Kingsfade
  18. Not yet, but the open house is in two weeks and I'm really excited to check it out!
  19. "Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one." rip Terry Pratchett.

  20. Congrats! I know a friend of mine who hadn't heard anything from Indiana at all was accepted by phone call on April 15th. I think a lot of people make decisions in late March/Early April and that things get shuffled around a lot after that.
  21. Hooray! Congratulations! One of my best friends is there at a campus visit (for a different program) and is in love with Seattle. I think you'll have a great time.
  22. My visit to UCLA was wonderful. It really cemented them as a top choice for me without feeling pressured at all to pick them by any of the faculty or current grad students. I will say though I am still completely overwhelmed by all the information and feeling rather tired. I flew back yesterday and I must have slept about 13 hours.. haha.
  23. I swear by my Sorel's. They have a high initial cost but have lasted for years both internal sole-wise and external leather wise. I can stand inside a huge ice slush while trying to cross the street and walk out with dry feet!
  24. Whew! 1st visit was wonderful. I can't wait to see the rest!

  25. This campus visit is wonderful and informative, but completely exhausting. Daylight savings time is not my friend right now.

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