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chateaulafitte

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Everything posted by chateaulafitte

  1. Unless you are independently wealthy, do not do that. You will absolutely be a second-class citizen in the department, and you will never be a professor's first choice to help with their research. In offering you admission to the MA program rather than the PhD, faculty members in the department have clearly stated that already. It would actually make more sense to go to UW Madison, gain some teaching experience, and master out after two years while applying for other PhD programs during year 2.
  2. Who have they placed recently? I know of one person in a lecturer position in the past four years, and that's it (I'm genuinely curious; their placement page is pretty vague, giving names and institutions with no graduation dates, meaning some people who graduated twenty years ago are listed). For francophone, UCLA is a good choice; Princeton and Yale are not. For trauma studies, Cornell is a good place.
  3. Other inside and brutally honest info: - Inquire about placement. If a department has no placement information up, or if they are less than forthcoming (eg. "From 2003 to 2018, our graduates have found jobs at + list of institutions without job titles or dates ), run away. Having had graduates that found lectureships, VAPs, or other precarious positions for one year after graduation does not tell you anything about the ability of a program to place people in TT positions. - It is tough to talk about institutions having bad placement, because there are so few jobs in the first place... (some institutions are still notoriously bad at placing their PhDs, though) - Getting a job is indeed a lot about teaching. Nowadays, there aren't that many programs that don't make sure you have taught a wide range of courses. That being said, PhD students from top institutions might still get screwed during a campus visit because they don't correctly assess the gap in competence between a student at an Ivy or Public R1and students at a SLAC ranked below 50. - At SLACs, if you have not taught language, you're pretty much toast. If your French is not native or near native (accent + grammar), also toast. - Unless you are super creative, some research is just going to be harder to sell at SLACs (critical theory, narratology, OuLiPo, Medieval Studies, etc.). You will be expected to intermingle teaching and research, and these topics and fields, as great as they are, just don't appeal to most students outside of Ivies, R1, elite SLACs. Your grad school advisors will NOT know that and will encourage you to write a dissertation about Cixous and Derrida, or about La Légende dorée (again, not denying that there are interesting topics there - I'm saying they won't sell at many, if not most, institutions that hire). If you decide to go with topics like these, make sure you can market yourself as a generalist / someone versatile (you can achieve that through teaching survey courses or being able to produce appealing syllabi). It is hard to predict what will be in in a few years (eg. everyone was all about digital humanities a few years ago, not so much anymore), but some topics will always be harder to sell. - This year, there are thus far zero Early Modern jobs (caveat: I haven't checked in a few days). Last year, there were just a few. There are no 20th C. French jobs. The majority of jobs is in Francophone studies, which is good news if you are interested in that and manage to do something original. - This year is in fact the worst I have seen since 2009. Given the kind of talk I hear at my institution and elsewhere, I can tell you it's not going to get better. Some programs are getting shut down. People who retire are not replaced. If you go for a PhD in French, do excellent research that makes you proud. Expect that you won't get a job anyway. Good luck to all!
  4. In healthy programs, not many people will get kicked out - presumably if you're accepted, it's because your dossier suggests you can make it. That being said, not getting kicked out does not mean that leaving your PhD program "happens for a positive reason". If you leave to take care of a sick relative, because of health issues, etc., it can still be experienced as a failure. I've seen many people drop out, and safe for the ones who did it after the end of their first year (to get into other programs), those who dropped out did it because they had no other choice. The definition of "attrition" is indeed interesting: Who's the enemy here?
  5. So 1'676 euros "brut" (about 1350 euros take home + you still have to pay taxes on that the next year) if you just do research, 2'014 euros brut (+/- 1'615 euros take home + taxes) if you do research + teaching. It's a minimum salary; there can be some add-ons depending on the institution, but that won't be much more money. (Caveat: this is the 2009 decree; it has evolved a bit, +/- 10 euros / month)
  6. Not necessarily, since a department usually makes n + x initial offers for n spots.
  7. The fact that there's a global recession is what makes me even more worried, because looking for a job when every field is tough (hence my remarks about "alt-ac" and "post-ac" not being very realistic options). Also, it's one thing to "reinvent yourself" as a financial analyst when you're say, 25 and out of an MA in English, and another to do so when you're 35 and fresh out of your PhD... But it's inaccurate. The market used to be bad, but it has never been as sustainably bad as it has since 2008. See http://zugunglueck.blogspot.fr/2014/01/how-job-market-in-german-really-works_31.html (it's about German, but it gives an idea of what has happened in the humanities at large)
  8. You cannot predict how many incoming students will get jobs, but you can keep track of where your graduates get placed - and many departments don't do that. I'm glad to read some of you didn't have trouble finding out how your prospective programs were doing placement wise. My experience, both as a grad student and as a faculty member, has been entirely different. In some cases, I've seen faculty members lie about employment perspectives. I've heard a department chair say that we shouldn't paint a black picture, as the market is improving (this was in 2012; the market had not recovered from the 2008 crash. The number of jobs is still dwindling - in my field at least). So in my experience, there is deception, be it through outright lies or fudged numbers. Note how every time a "high profile" rant is published (Schuman, Iber), the authords are mocked by faculty, by other grad students. "None promised you a job", they say. Sure, none promised anyone a job. Yet most people were led to believe they'd be the exception and will get that job. If "anecdotal evidence" did not threaten the graduate school narrative, there wouldn't be such reactions. Those small stories are useful because they tell a story that is not reflected in the raw numbers (that are easily fudged or concealed). Perhaps in six or seven years, when you go on the market, you'll find some solace in them, because then, you won't be able to tell your colleagues about the unique despair that the job market brings, you family won't understand, and your professors won't listen. Remembering that other people have been through this might be of comfort then. In closing, another "anecdote": http://theprofessorisin.com/2012/05/17/ph-d-poverty-guest-post-ii/#comment-972467
  9. Yes, your title and abstract, that's pretty much it. Some people argue you should write a short bio/intro, but it's not necessary. I agree that you should also consult the MLA directory of periodicals: http://www.mla.org/dop (note that the data is sometimes a bit outdated, but it still gives an idea of what's going on with a given journal ) A link that could be of use, the Humanities Journals wiki, where people share their experiences with different journals: http://humanitiesjournals.wikia.com/wiki/Humanities_Journals_Wiki And it's true that you should aim high. Good luck!
  10. But there is deception at work in higher education. Why do you think most departments are less than forthcoming about their graduate placement? Why do you think advisors keep saying "there are always jobs for good people"?
  11. Some posts might sound like "air raid sirens", but they are necessary, because some people still don't realize how bad the market is, in spite of the multiple posts on the topic. And some people still engage in reckless behaviors, such as getting an unfunded MA. There are also common misconceptions, such as the myth of "abundant alt-ac opportunities", when in reality, non-profit arts organizations, publishing houses and libraries are not out there waiting for humanities PhDs to show up when there are: - professionals who are trained for those careers; - 22yo fresh out of undergrad and eager to intern for next to nothing. Sure, now and then an English PhD might find his/her way into those worlds, but s/he will be an outlier. Again, a humanities PhD is not a Swiss Army knife. Anecdata: - I know two PhDs who got jobs in academic publishing and at the DoD, respectively (those two are pretty happy, as they chose those paths for personal reasons). - Some who didn't get academic jobs work as private tutors or for test preps; others are freelance editors/translators. They're not very happy, because they spent several years of their lives preparing for a job that never materialized and because they have to hustle to make a substandard living. Some find comfort in the fact that at least, they got to pick where they live. - Those who made it into consulting are scientists.
  12. Working at Wendy's sucks, none is going to deny this, but the only accurate thing about this: is you don't have to clean the grill. About alt-ac work: as some have pointed out, it's not easy to break into the kinds of jobs PhDs purportedly can do, because those jobs already have their own training and are also in high demand (non-profit, museums, libraries, etc.). A PhD is not a Swiss Army knife; it is an advanced degree that prepares for a specific career, and it is perceived as such by recruiters. Sure, you can take classes and do internships that will open your horizons and perhaps make you more "marketable" for other jobs, but even then, in most cases you still won't be competitive against someone who trained specifically. (and yes, there are some exceptions, but for most peope, it's hard to switch to another career, especially after investing 5-8 years of your life in academia, pouring your heart and soul into it, and in some cases putting off having children, settling down, etc) That, exactly.
  13. In theory, yes. In practice? Who doesn't think they will be the exception? Who doesn't think: "that won't happen to me"? I know I thought this. I thought I'd finish fast, with a few great publications, a lot of teaching experience, having networked pretty well. I did. I still didn't get a TT job on my first try. People I know who got a TT job on their first try? For example, peeps who had spent ten years on their dissertations and had no publications. I once went on a campus visit where the job went to an inside candidate who had not gained tenure at a previous institution and was ten years post-PhD with no pubs... Sounds like sour grapes? Maybe it is. Mostly, it is disappointment, for me, but also for my friends who didn't make it, who are still trapped in adjunct hell, who are still clinging to their dream of being a professor, good people now in their thirties, who got thoroughly screwed over. Me? I feel like crap and I can't believe I have been so lucky. I got jobs. I never adjuncted. Nonetheless the past few years have been pretty terrible. The uncertainty, the impossibility to make any sense out of the job market process, make it very difficult to go through it times and times again. I have failed things in my life, but nothing made me feel more like a failure than the job market, even when I succeeded. I broke down several times after getting a job offer at the last minute, after thinking for months that I'd be unemployed the next year. But those who never get called back? Those who have spent weeks crafting their job materials and who, come December, see the wiki filling up with requests for additional materials, interviews, etc, and who never get called? I cannot even imagine how they feel.
  14. You're very... compassionate, I guess? You're absolutely right, especially if these masters are self-funded. About being "fit" for academia: Of course, anxiety and depression do not make someone unfit for academia. I went through grad school and the job market with these conditions. I've seen many colleagues deal with depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, etc. Some did well, others did not. What anxiety and depression can do, though, is to impair someone's ability to self-assess. What lack of self-confidence can do is to make someone want something that's not good for them (eg. I don't think I'm smart --> getting into Harvard means someone's smart --> I need to get into Harvard to prove myself I'm smart). But not everyone can get into Harvard (and not everyone who gets into Harvard is smart, and most smart people never go to Harvard). Not everyone can get a job at an R1. And that doesn't make you a bad scholar or a bad person. Getting into a lower ranked school doesn't mean you'll be unhappy there, and forever afterwards. In an earlier post, I suggested to you, youngcharlie01 that perhaps you had aimed too high and that you should try to apply to a wider range of schools. That perhaps you should work more on your SOP and WS. You obviously didn't like the suggestion, as you downvoted the post. But if you want to do a PhD down the road, I still think you should try to self-assess: what are the strengths and weaknesses of your applications; what can you do to make your apps better without endangering your well-being. It requires honesty, but it is a very rewarding path.
  15. As others have pointed out, if you get an external grant / fellowship / scholarship, you have to disclose it to your deparment. You cannot just get your RA salary plus X fellowship and not tell anyone... If I may say: a few of your questions have revolved around finances, more specifically ways to make more than the stipend offered by your school. In light of this, I encourage you to ask current students at your prospective school whether the stipend is enough to live comfortably; this might alleviate some of your worries.
  16. I'm aware of that, but J-1s definitely concern a much smaller number of students; indeed come with the same work restrictions + some additional rules that are pretty annoying (2-year rule, 12-month bar, etc.). Not a good piece of advice.
  17. 1- No, as an international student enrolled full-time in a US institution, you will get an F-1 visa. 2- Yes, it is possible. AsTakeruK explained, CPT is a possibility. Depending on your field, that could mean picking up a few courses to teach at a nearby institution. However, when CPT is motivated by financial concerns, schools can be reluctant to grant authorization, as working part- or full-time on top of your studies and teaching load might extend your time to degree, or even jeopardize your chance of success in the program.
  18. chateaulafitte

    Ithaca, NY

    Ithaca is super cloudy is the winter. "Happy lamps", as the poster above puts it, used to be reimbursed if you were on the student health plan, and I knew plenty of people who used them because of SAD. That being said, I think Ithaca is so great that it makes up for the few months of bad weather. And I'll second the idea that getting good boots makes a huge difference in keeping you warm and happy (go Sorel boots!).
  19. I have no clue. If there is, it's likely to be expensive. A daily pass to park in one of the parking structures on campus is $12, I think, so that's another option. It should work out. I found a room in a shared house through the off-campus housing website from UCLA and when I moved, another room through airbnb (some people put long-term rentals there). Craigslist is another option.
  20. Dang, I meant *Santa Monica Boulevard. It's going to take you 1h-1h30min each way. I don't think it's a realistic option, but I guess if you have to be on campus only three days / week and manage to do something productive on the bus, it might work for you.
  21. 1. Sometimes employers will simply ask for a verification of degree, which is provided by a university's registrar, and does not include information such as GPA, courses taken, etc. 2. Because of FERPA, schools cannot release your transcripts without your consent, which means First Advantage won't have access to your transcript. However, an employer can make a transcript a condition of your employment with their company, in which case you have to authorize the school to release your transcript to HR, or you don't get the job.
  22. Try looking in the Santa Boulevard Blvd / Barrington Ave area; there's a bus line running on Santa Monica Blvd that goes straight to campus (Big Blue Bus, line 1, pass subsidized by UCLA). You'd probably be in the upper limit of your housing budget, though. And congrats, that's a great school and LA is pretty fantastic, you're going to have a ton of fun!
  23. It doesn't matter what field he's in, it's actually better if he's in the sciences as departments typically have more money to deal with such cases. Don't assume the hiring department would do anything if your partner doesn't ask. They may know you're a grad student; they cannot know what your actual plans are. If your partner doesn't ask anything for you, they won't offer it. Of course, what I wrote only applies if he's still negotiating.
  24. Has your boyfriend been offered a tenure-track position? Because it's not unheard of to have people on the TT negotiate a spot in a PhD program for their SO as part of their hiring package.
  25. I apologize in advance if anything I write reads harsh, but hopefully some of it will be helpful. 1- General question: Is there a reason why you use "transhistorical prosody" rather than "historical prosody"? 2- About your SOP: "To do this, I will start by learning Italian prior to matriculation, which should not be difficult given my current reading knowledge of Spanish." This is a detail, but I'd get rid of this; it could rub people the wrong way. 3- Now on to what I think is the main problem: Bold claims and projects are great. The problem is that you also need to deliver, to show that there's something profoundly original about your project. What you plan to do - to produce a GUT of the sonnet - sounds great on paper. But in the lines leading to that project you write about ground that's been trodden again and again. Origins of the sonnet, rhyme rich / poor languages, ok, that's all true, but what's new there? Not much. Admission (and later, search) committees also look for sexiness, originality, etc. You need to find an angle for your project. In short: That.
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