CarolineNC

I'm on my recruitment weekend at Chapel Hill and several people have mentioned certain other programs that use "cruel" (their wording) "pedagogical methods" like embarrassing students, yelling, treating them horribly, and encouraging graduate student competitiveness. Apparently Vanderbilt is one, and there are others. Has anyone heard of this? They assured me Chapel Hill is not like this, but nonetheless, even knowing this exists scares me.

Yup, I have no idea what I'm going to do this summer. I would like to get a job, but finding one for such a short period of time isn't looking promising.

Just turned down Davis. I hope somebody wonderful gets in off the waitlist and I hope it's a grad cafe person!

I haven't seen anyone imply that it youngcharlie is "unfit" for academia because of her condition. I mean, I hope I haven't implied that and if I have I apologize. I suffer from fairly severe anxiety and depression, and I had to take a while off to, as IQ84 else put it, " work on [my] own (mental and physical) resiliency first." I think it's important to know what kind of situation you're setting yourself up for, which in the case of academia is kind of a shark tank (to borrow youngcharlie's words). In no way am I (or anyone else I've read) claiming that people who suffer from these kinds of conditions should refrain from entering academia, but I am saying that academia is depressing and anxiety provoking in itself. So, I think preparing yourself and trying to get a handle on your condition as much as possible before taking the plunge is only sound advice. Further, if academia is causing you to have physical or mental breakdowns, it's not f*cking worth it! Your health is more important, and academia can suck it.

Twas a joke, Youngcharlie.

If you can't take the really mild criticism here, I don't know...

I'm going to agree with those who already posted, but I'm going to be harsher about it. I don't know you, but from the posts I've read (on various threads) it does not seem like you *like* academia. And if your professors tell you you're not going to get into a PhD program, well, then maybe you're not ready/not cut out for academia. If the whole process stresses you out so much, why are you pursuing it? I'm telling you, it doesn't get easier. Finally, I'm pretty uncomfortable with the way you're talking about your program and your professors. It's very unprofessional.

Turned down: Florida, Oregon, Kansas, UMass Amherst, SUNY Binghamton, William and Mary (Am Studies) Picking Between: Austin, Chapel Hill, UC Davis (will probably turn down UC Davis but I'm still nervous about funding and UC Davis offered me a lot more) Areas: Nineteenth- and early- twentieth-century American literature and culture (Am. regionalism, domestic literature, immigrant literature); space and place studies, gender studies.

Yup, I'm at University of Kansas (ranked #63) and have taught three literature courses of my own design. It's been fabulous.

Contact Florence Dore, who is the director of graduate admissions, via email: Fdore@unc.edu. She's gotten back to me quickly every time I've emailed her. Good luck!!

I'm wondering that myself. I have a tendency to get bogged down and sluggish if there isn't variety in my work, so teaching is actually a blessing for me. I don't think I'd take a position where I couldn't teach. It's fun. It creates a sense of community. I think my work benefits from it. That said, I'm used to teaching a 2/2, though, so a 1/1 seems absolutely luxurious to me. So, for me, being in a department with inspiring people wins, especially if I get to teach. Actually, being in a department with people I like wins over basically everything else. If I'm miserable, I can't work.

"In 2013, the Republican governor, Pat McCrory, told William Bennett, a conservative talk-show host and former Secretary of Education, that the state shouldn’t “subsidize” courses in gender studies or Swahili (that is, offer them at public universities)." WAHHH?!?!

Thanks everybody! Lots of great advice!

I only got a 160 verbal so you're beating me!!

I'm feeling really torn right now between UNC Chapel Hill and UT Austin. Frankly, Chapel Hill's stipend sucks. It really sucks. But CH is near my family and it's kind of my dream. Austin offers the equivalent of CH's stipend, plus 4 years of summer support worth at least 2500 per summer, plus one year of dissertation fellowship. But then, Austin is more expensive than Chapel Hill/Carrboro. I'm worried I won't be able to negotiate a higher stipend from CH (I mean, shouldn't I be grateful they accepted me off the wait list and stfu?) I don't know exactly why I'm posting this other than I'm worried. I do want Chapel Hill but I do feel stupid for potentially taking so much (to my poor ass) less money. What would y'all do? Anyone at UT or UNC have any feedback? (PS I'm visiting both in the next few weeks so this might not be a problem if I really love one and hate the other) (PPS I realize this is like a totally a non-problem)

Fair enough. It's just been my experience (and I don't come from a prominent school at all) that they matter less than other parts of the application. I guess if one does abysmally on the regular GRE (at least on the verbal section) it is probably smart to retake. But if you get somewhere above the 80% or even the 75%, I don't think it's necessary. YMMV. (not that abysmally = less than 75%!!!)

Jeez I hope I can do something like this!!

I was very formal, Dear Prof. So and So, I'm writing to inquire about... UNC is my top choice [insert suck up fest here] I thanked her for her time, and signed the email.

Just fyi, I did terribly on the subject test in 2012 and didn't bother retaking it for phds. I really don't think it matters much. And to be honest, my gre score isn't really worth writing home about either. I really think the most important things to focus on are writing sample and s.o.p.

Haha, you bet your ass I did. And I waxed poetic about how much I love their program. I really wanted in.

Oops I didn't read carefully. I'm just like my students! I missed the only four part!!

Sara Ahmed Judith Butler bell hooks Jane Bennett Toni Morrison Audre Lorde Zizek when I'm feeling wild And of course Foucault and Marx

I definitely would.

Thanks, guys! I'm really, really happy. I'm currently debating between UT and UNC. I'm visiting both, but I must say UNC is my dream school. I guess I should go ahead and turn Davis down, even though I'm still kind of fantasizing about it.

Nope, they didn't tell me. Sorry I hope you get in! It might help to email and bug them. Are you going to the visiting day?