cannedheat

Dang you managed to quote me before I could edit it. I didn't mean to minimize your acceptance. Chapel Hill is like *the* program for cultural studies, Lawrence effing Grossberg teaches there. So I'm totally jealous, but I don't know if my research interests really fit, I should have written it that way instead. I think my top choice is Uni of Massachusetts Amherst or Uni of Washington. I think the stuff the students at Amherst are writing about is fascinating.

I'm excited for you! Is Chapel Hill yours and your boyfriend's top choice? I was rejected last year from Chapel Hill, but I didn't get my rejection until late February...so we'll see.

That's awesome! Congratulations! I had no idea it was so fast with UNC Chapel Hill.

I did it. I looked. 2 acceptances from UNC-Chapel Hill for a Communication PhD. My Chapel Hill app still shows pending review. I don't know if it's spam or not. It could be, December 15th is awfully fast for a program with a December 1st deadline, though.

Don't torture yourself by looking at the search results until mid-February or March unless you're looking for historical data to indicate when you should expect a response. I did that last year and it was not fruitful, especially when you consider that anything that populates at this point is likely spam. I don't think any of the programs I looked said they'd release admittance letters or rejections before February. If you're applying for a MA/MS program, they might have earlier acceptances, but I doubt it. Here's to waiting.

I have all my applications in now. I submitted my last application on Sunday night to Uni of Pittsburgh. Hopefully this application round will be more fruitful than last year. I do have a quandary that I posted about it in the applications section of TGC, but I haven't had any responses. Here's the the link: I hate to cross post but either that section is just not getting a lot of traffic or no one who has looked has any insight. Does anyone here in the our little corner of TGC have any ideas on how to approach this particular conundrum?

Welcome to the party Satynne! I think the application rounds are just about done and then we'll all be in the same waiting boat.

I have no idea how to approach this particular letter of intent so I'll give you guys some back story and if you have any insight or advice that would be awesome! Last application season, I was accepted at North Carolina State University in their Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Ph.D. program but without funding. I was told I could fund myself or I could defer my acceptance until Fall 2016 and be reconsidered for funding then. I have to send the director of the program a letter of intent to be considered for funding by Jan 16. I am not sure how to approach it. I've written what is a much better SOP for this current application season and I was going to tailor that but I'm not sure how to tackle the specifics of funding language (which I have not addressed in my SOP whatsoever). As I would be relocating from AZ to NC to go there and a few various other reasons, I cannot and will not continue without being fully funded. I already have an MA, so this is really the end of the line of education for me. My thesis chair has only advised me to tailor my current SOP to this but she doesn't really know how to address the funding issue either as she's never been part of a Ph.D. adcom; my program at ASU only offered terminal MA degrees. Any advice? Thank you!!

Aaaaaaaaand just to make everything even better, I received a confirmation email a few days later that states the Graduate School does not require official transcripts unless offered admission...>.< So they're going to receive 3 copies of official transcripts from my Uni and Community College and they didn't even require them...even though all their admission application directions explicitly say to send official transcripts. They're going to think I'm an idiot. Hahaha.

Oh man, the University of Georgia has a very complicated application process. Two separate applications that require 2 copies of sealed transcripts. I wasn't thinking last night when I applied, I sent my transcripts via escript-safe (or whatever the electronic version of transcript sending is). So, now I am sending them again but having them mailed. I'm out $55 for one set of transcripts for one application. It's likely just the schools I'm applying to this time around, but last application season I hardly had any official transcripts requirements unless I was recommended for admission. Almost every school is requiring official transcripts and GRE results. So application fee + $27 GRE fee + $20 transcript fees. Hope everyone is doing ok!!

Oh my goodness we're an active bunch! I have 2 applications due tomorrow. I'm finalizing my SOPs for each this afternoon and hope to finish up the apps by bed. How is everyone else managing?

It is tricky. It's easily the best representation of my ability to write as it started off as a research proposal and it's been tweaked so many times now in the editing process. I returned to it often to guide the research and the writing of the rest of the thesis. The only other paper I'd feel comfortable using is actually a two-parter on hegemonic masculinity in The Big Bang Theory which I wrote for a gender comm class right before graduating. It needs to be edited into one piece, but it'll be roughly 30 pages whereas the thesis chapter is 12 pages. I think it's a good fit research wise, though.

Indeed. The website for the program reports receiving roughly 75 MA and PhD applications each year which seems low to me. It's probably because it costs nearly 2.5 times the average application fees at other schools. It's also the only application I have that specifically says not to include a Thesis chapter, only self-contained papers. My chapter one can stand on its own, but I'd hate to use it and waste $200 cuz I didn't follow instructions. I'm seriously doubting whether to move forward with this application. And...it's due on 12/10. I need to make a decision...

My application for Colorado is due on 12/10. It's got a $200 deposit/application fee, I think. I'm feeling some sudden doubts. Hopefully, it's just nerves. How is everyone else faring with their applications?

Welp, I submitted my first application last night to Uni of NC at Chapel Hill. I applied there last year and I got a late rejection, hopeful I have a better chance this year as I've improved my profile a lot. Good luck everyone! I have 2 more applications due on 12/10 and another on 12/15. Whew!

Welcome to the party!!

Yes, perhaps. It may have been too autobiographical and wasted precious space that I could have used to discuss my research experience and research interests. Admittedly, having finished a thesis solidified my research interests rather than the wishy-washy-ness of my previous SOP.

Is anyone up for exchanging SOPs for feedback? I have a working draft, it's not great yet, I'm still working on it. My first application is due 12/1, then I have several due between 12/10 and 12/15. Ugh I wish writing an SOP was easier...I liked mine from last year but obviously it was not doing me any favors.

I can't speak to your question specifically but at my undergraduate university, you could not repeat courses for credit unless you had failed it previously. I'm not sure how that would look on your transcripts.

Indeed, from this thread alone, apparently only 5 people will be applying to PhD programs for Fall 2016.

Hmmm, while not time conscious, this may be my best option. I was also thinking of editing a paper I wrote my first semester as a grad student on the Control Society and mobile apps and submitting that and then adding my chapter 1 as a supplementary writing sample. Thank you for the suggestion!!

Is there anyway you can visit the third letter writer? October is a pretty busy time of year for professors, but it won't relent until final grades are posted either. I would maybe email one more time in a few times and then see about making an appointment. I, too, am working since graduating in May and it is difficult to find time to do everything. I'm pacing myself for the SOPs, I'd like to write an individual statement for each program but I don't know if I'll manage the time. Plus, University of Colorado - Boulder doesn't want a thesis chapter out of context so I'm left wondering which paper I've written in my MA program that demonstrates my abilities quite as well. Most of my papers from my last year of my MA were either group papers or not my best work (because I was working a damn thesis!! ). So that's fun.

I wrote the GRE again yesterday, I improved my score 5 points overall, 160V and 153Q. I started blanking on the AWA portion so we'll see how that goes, but I feel like most schools are not worried about the AWA unless it's really poor. I think this will make my application more solid than last year. Now to start contacting POIs and students if I can find them.

I know that feel.

I think I'm going to put off publishing until next Spring, I'm having enough trouble keeping up with a full time job, maintaining my house and family, and the routines of filling out applications. My advisor told me that I need to mention that I plan to publish in my SP, though.