CarolineNC

Oh, well I'd take it. Brandeis is a great school.

Would you be attending Brandeis for the PhD or MA? Is it funded? Also, "this person has indicated that my writing/portfolio/project is not nearly strong enough to get me into a top program, even with a year or an MA to work on it" UMMMM... I don't know you or this person who told you this, but I kind of want to slap him or her. The MA can work wonders.

HAHA ME TOO!!!

Uh... apparently I didn't officially decline UT Austin online and neither some other people (we just emailed Wayne Lesser) and so they still haven't officially marked us off the list and notified waitlisters. Sorry about this guys, but I thought you might like to know. BTW, I just OFFICIALLY declined.

I wrote a thesis for both undergrad and grad. Funnily enough, my undergrad thesis was much harder and much longer (90 pages broken into three chapters an intro and conclusion). It was helpful, but I'm glad my grad thesis was shorter. My adviser wanted something publishable, so I wrote an article-length thesis. I heartily recommend taking this route if at all possible. KU's M.A. program typically takes 2.5-3 years so I worked on my thesis during my second year so as to have a writing sample for Ph.D apps AND so I could list my thesis as "under review" at a journal on my CV. For those who have to write a full 75-page thesis for the M.A., don't get freaked. Break it into chapters, and then it's only like, three regular-sized papers. HAHA. Wait, is that comforting??!!

OH GOD I HATE THAT BOOK. Semenza is insane. Well, I think you should do whatever works for you. But I am deeply against this culture of work, work, work. It's not any kind of life I want to live.

Sweet lord, 75-80 hours a week? Really? I sure has hell do not do that and I have gone to 6 conferences, have multiple publications, and have a 4.0. I would NEVER EVER EVER work that many hours in a week. My life is my life and academia cannot have all of it. The important thing, in my experience, is to prioritize. Do what you need to do and do it *well*, but the stuff that won't matter... meh.

Everything everyone else said. Also, it gets you into a better PhD program, or at least mine did. If you aren't competitive enough to get into a PhD right away, which I wasn't straight out of undergrad, it gives you time to learn and then gives you the opportunity to get into a great PhD. It's a complete win-win. If I had gotten into a PhD (well I didn't apply to any) straight out of undergrad, it probably would have been an unranked/unfunded offer. (That said, I am kind of ready to be done with coursework. I feel up to the task of writing a dissertation right now)

Yes!!!! I wanna cry I'm so happy for you!!!

Congrats InHac! YAYYAYAYAY!!!

Fantastic, wetheplants! I think you've made a very wise choice.

greenmt!!! I'm so excited for you!!!! YAY!!!!!!!

I accepted Chapel Hill's offer. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAALLLLLSSSS

Turned down UT Austin.

I have no idea why others were still deciding aside from one girl who wanted to be closer to family and another who is considering a program ranked 13 rather than Austin's 17. Nobody had anything bad to say. Everyone was warm and fabulous. Seriously it seems like a dream program. My main reasons are location and chapel hill's stellar placement rate (plus ch is nineteenth century American heaven)

Hey goldfinch, I'm about 90% sure I'll be turning down UT. I'm an Americanist, so not sure if it'll help you, but there were plenty of people there wavering so I imagine more spots will open up. It seems like an awesome program and honestly I prefer it to UNC, but UNC is undeniably a better fit for me.

I'm with whoever got sick on a visit. I just had to miss dinner because I got so sick. So embarrassing! They didn't get my email so they called me in my room wondering where I was!! Ugh!! Why!!!!

It's tonight and tomorrow. That's it as far as I know.

At risk of sounding like a total hick... Well nevermind I don't care. This Hotel they have us staying in is so fancy!!!!

Congrats kurayamino! If I could do the whole process over again, I'd apply to Rutgers. Sounds fantastic.

I am. I'm sorry - I should have a decision by this weekend. Going on my last visit tomorrow. I wonder if I met you at the visit?

When I got off the waitlist for Georgetown during my master's applications it was May 31 with a deadline of June 7th to let them know yes or no. I think they imagine that if you do accept that late, you'll have to renege on the school you've accepted.

Austin's visiting day isn't till this Friday, so this is why I haven't made my decision yet. Also, I will echo Kurayamino and say that I'm going to need some time to process. I was SO overwhelmed at Chapel Hill's recruitment, and they've been calling me today pressuring me. I just need to let it marinate.

If it were me, I'd use a different rhetorical tactic when writing the course description. I'm sure the course and professor are great, though!

Mother of God. Reading that course description... Is that an onion article?