BLeonard

Yup, got that rejection from NYU. I knew it was a super long shot but boy did I really want it there near the end.

Between the waitlist e-mails and the conflicting information about decisions being made at NYU, I'm oscillating between hope and preparing myself for rejection. I have been told, but have not been able to confirm, that there is a very, very small group they admit who don't get any tuition funding at all (usually employees of the university, which I am, and so my tuition would be covered anyway), but I'm not optimistic about this. Congrats to everyone who got in - I always find this to be a supportive and wonderful community! If anyone has any questions about NYU/NYC generally, please do reach out.

I was sleep-drunk liking while walking my dog! Meanwhile, more NYUs are showing up on Grad Cafe. Looks like they're doing fully funded first.

@BananaPancakes There was at least one thing on Draft where a poster said that they got into Iowa AND NYU, got a ton of comments asking to see their SOP, and then changed their post to say that they hadn't gotten in at all and that it was mean people were asking for an SOP. Then that post was deleted, so keep that in mind when calculating. I also think Canada, b/c of visas and what not, counts as International.

Based on the TGC listing, it's international. My spouse seemed to indicate that they might be - might be - calling international students first.

@pdh12 , where are you seeing that. I'm not seeing anything on Draft - it seems like Poetry went out, but not Fiction - or Grad Cafe.

I never answer a number I don't recognize, but I did it at least once today. False alarm!

Congrats, @manandcamel!

TFW you see the first calls for NYU going out....

I just joined Draft thanks to this thread - like two days ago. Hoo boy, that fictional SOP was something.

I hear you on this. I've actually been thinking a lot about my own fiction, starting a bunch of small projects, but nothing that I can commit to. I have three short stories and a couple of novel/novella I've started but lost interest in. And I haven't read a new book since January! I'm going on vacation next week so hopefully I'll be able to reset. @slouching, I'm sorry you're having a tough time with rejections. If it helps, I applied to about as many PhD programs in 2015, and was waiting for months with rejection after rejection until I finally got in some place! I try and keep an open mind and tell myself that you don't know until you know.

Congrats to those who have heard, and thanks for the tip about Draft on FB! Having one of those real freak-outs today about grad school. I didn't think I wanted this as much as I now do...when this process started I was pretty chill, but now that programs are rolling out acceptances I'm freaking. out. How is everyone else doing?

Good luck to everyone, and good luck to those who are channeling their tension into creative projects!

SAME. Desk jobs - I love mine, but it leads to constant refreshing.

I'm more nervous about this whole thing than I thought I would be...I keep checking my status to see if there are any updates. How is everyone else doing?

I applied to NYU, the best choice for a number of reasons. I'm pretty zen about the entire thing.

Basically.

Turned in my one and only application Sunday morning. Unlike last year, I wasn't frantically applying to the very last minute - just the same day, haha! I felt my portfolio was pretty strong, and I was moved to tears by one of the letters my recommenders wrote. At the very least, this application process reminded me that I do love writing, creating, and it's something I'm pulled to do - meant to do. Good luck to all!

@pdh12 I wasn't clear - I applied to a number of PhD programs, got into a program at Brandeis, but couldn't make the logistics work. So I took some time off, and am going to start the process again this winter and spring. The MFA at NYU is the first one with a deadline.

Hello - I may be considering applying for a Cinema Studies M.A. at NYU (still very on the fence), but I look forward to discussing this with y'all!

Hey all, jumping into say hello! I went through the PhD grad cycle in 2014-2015, then took a year off (i.e., did not apply fall 2015), but was lucky enough to get a job at NYU, which comes with tuition benefits. So I've made the decision to apply to the MFA in Fiction here. I'm pretty nervous about it, particularly with regards to the artists' statement and my portfolio, but Grad Cafe got me through the last cycle, so I am looking forward to commiserating again!

This is more of a general American Studies question: I went through the cycle last year, and eventually chose not to pursue a PhD. Nothing with regards to my application has changed - I didn't take the GRE again - but I did decide that when I reapply, I'm going to apply to exclusively American Studies programs. However, this cycle, I am considering putting together an application for an M.A. in Cinema Studies through Brooklyn College's grad school. The program is new, and much more affordable than other cinema studies programs. It also doesn't require a GRE score, which I find helpful. Would having an MA in Cinema Studies hurt or help any eventual American Studies PhD application? I know the work I want to do in Am. Studies will be interdisciplinary, involving film and media as well as literature and history.

This is probably more of a cultural thing than anything, but I'd like to see professionalization include a greater expansion of post-graduate school jobs outside of higher education. I'd like to see more resources devoted to placing PhDs in other careers that could use PhDs -- university presses, government, public service, even something like teaching at the secondary level. That's not something I'm articulating particularly well, but it's something that I've thought about.

After much hand-wringing, thought, and dark-night-of-the-souling, I decided to turn down the offer of admission from Brandeis. This was, no lie, the most difficult decision I've had to make, certainly in my college career. But I think it wasn't right for a lot of reasons -- none of which, I might add, had to do with the program. Thank you all to everyone here who helped and offered advice. I honestly didn't know about this place until midway through the application process, when half my apps had gone out. But I plan on sticking around! Good luck to everyone who applied/is still waiting on an offer, and I hope that my spot goes to someone great!

I'd like to take it too, but there are other factors that I've sort of discussed to death, chiefly, my spouse can't leave her job, it would be challenging for her to find work in MA if she did, and we can't afford two residences -- even an apartment -- right now.