cannedheat

I did the same last year as well, I didn't think of contacting any POIs. I think the problem for me was that all the advice that I found for contacting Unis ahead of time were for hard sciences like chemistry and physics. It may have been shortsighted of me, but I felt like the programs for social sciences function slightly differently. I'm definitely changing my game plan this time around, though. I have a couple of POIs that I plan to contact once I'm done with the GREs, I really need to focus on studying until I take them. For now, my tentative list includes University of Washington, University of Pittsburgh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Colorado, and University of Georgia. I was accepted at North Carolina State last year but without funding so I deferred my enrollment for a year, so that is also a good possibility as well (assuming I'm reconsidered for and granted funding). My research interests are eclectic, so that makes finding suitable programs difficult. I'm interested in the rhetoric of science and how it interacts with risk communication as well as rhetoric, media, and political communication. My strategy is to look for programs that offer an amalgam of those and some sort of note that encourages dabbling between the foci.

I feel like I ought to qualify this a bit more, my thesis is a discourse genealogy ala Foucault and not the typical modern discourse analysis. The issue with publishing is that my methodology was probably not up to par with most discourse journals, so I am pursuing cultural studies journals. Given that, while plan A is that my article will be published, I am not holding my breath that it will be published. I've held off on timing so that it will at least be pending review during my applications and not trying to game a system. Trying to not to let the infamous imposter syndrome take over is difficult, though.

Ahh apparently you can only get half your money back if you cancel the GRE. I might just take it and see what happens then. Guess I ought to start studying!

Duna, I'm aware. The attempt to publish at this point is strategic, I do not expect to be accepted for publication. I want to show on my applications that I am thinking about these things and plan to pursue publishing as I move forward as an academic. The point to to show a publication pending review. I don't really want to retake the GREs, I have it scheduled for 10/10/15, but I think I can still cancel and get my money back.

My thesis chair gave me a couple of specialities to look at, I haven't pursued anything just yet. It's hard to fit it all in with a full time job. Her suggestions are to submit to critical and cultural studies journals. My thesis was a genealogy analysis of GMO discourse in the US, so I think I have a very limited audience to submit to as it is. I'm retaking my GREs on 10/10, I think can still cancel and get my money back. I have no idea if I should even bother with it, my scores aren't bad but they aren't great either: V: 156 Q: 152. I did graduate with a 4.0 Masters GPA, though. I don't know how to make myself a better candidate short of publishing something (which is hard to find the time while working). I was accepted without funding last year to NC State and sent a few "close but no cigar" emails from other programs.

Hi everyone, I thought I'd get the party started. If you are thinking of applying for grad school, now is the time to begin your program selections, personal goals, etc. I am in the process of deciding to retake the GREs or focus on publishing part of my master's thesis.

I have a plan, I inquired about part time positions at NCSU that would come with a tuition waiver. However, beyond that I’ll defer for a year and publish my thesis and rearticulate it to be an article and attempt to get that published. I'm also planning to retake my GREs, I had good scores, but I have test anxiety so now that I've taken it, I think I can do better. Especially if studying won't be competing with my thesis and coursework for attention. My mentor and thesis chair thinks that a year off between my MA and a PhD would actually be a good idea. The internship I started a month ago has been implying that they want to turn my position into something permanent (which if it came with a raise, that would be a good thing). I feel alright about it.

I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do yet, but I don't think I'm accepting the offer of acceptance from NCSU. No funding.

I sent an email to the program director yesterday afternoon after hearing nothing. This morning, the reply I received said there are no additional funds and they won't be able to extend a funding offer. So...now what? I think I may defer the offer and do another round of applications. My partner is supportive, but he can't leave his career for us to move across the country and take on more student debt.

I should have been more specific...I already go to ASU but I'm getting ready to (hopefully, depending on funding) go to NCSU in the fall. Funding in my program generally is a TA/GA position, I meant outside that for example, management internships like those offered at ASU.

Hi there, I'm curious if other schools offered positions for grad students that come with tuition waivers. At Arizona State, we have Management Internships that are specifically for grad students to work, often in the offices of the Provost or Vice Provost, admissions, etc. Is that normal at other universities? I ask because I should hear by the end of the week if I'm funded for my PhD program, but I'm exploring other options in the interim. Unfortunately, it's the only program I was accepted into, so it's a one shot deal. Thanks!

Nope, not a peep. I figure we'll know by Thursday...

Tomorrow is April 1st, has your SO heard anything? I'm still in the dark. Do you think they'll make us wait right up until April 15/16? With each passing day and no funding update, I'm a little more disheartened. I have waxing and waning feelings about the whole ordeal.

Still waiting to hear anything, but I filled out the fafsa, so someone over there knows what's up. Haha! More seriously, though, I've resigned myself to not getting funding and probably not going. I may defer my enrollment for a year and do another round of applications. In the interim, I'm starting an internship that should go through the summer next week. At least there's that. Thanks for your support, guys! <3

I had my two top choices by the end of my second semester of my MA, but I figured out the last 3 around September of application season. I'll admit, I'm a bit of a procrastinator, so I wasn't entirely certain of where I was applying until I actually submitted and paid the application fees. I used the NCA guide, but my primary research interests are a bit "sexy" right now, I'm interested in risk communication, environmental communication, and rhetoric of science in relation to those. No one school is top ranked for those topics, so I just tried to follow who was publishing the most on them. Good luck!

So, I did it. I emailed them. I heard back that there are no updates to the funding situation but I should know something by April 15, which makes me nervous. I asked for further clarification as I understood April 15th to be the date to declare matriculation. Apparently, they'll either extend funding or not by April 15th or 16th and then I'll have a week or so to decide. If no funding comes through, I'll have til "census date" in the fall to enroll, so I suppose the next step would be to try an find a staff position at NCSU that comes with a tuition waiver. An update to the job situation, I ended up quitting the location I was grooming at because the owners were doing some dubious things. So...I'm unemployed! Welp! I'm thinking that I'll just do something else, something a bit less exhausting. I was also thinking about a summer internship possibility or temp work for just over the summer until I move to NCSU (or get a big girl job).

Hermes, I would probably go with office casual, nice pants (no jeans) and a nice shirt for the visitation attire. I'd treat as though I were still trying to make a good impression...I think anyway! I might also go with my usual outfits--jeans and a silly t-shirt. I wore a suit for way too long, so I'm not always crazy about digging that out of my closet. Good luck!

I'm sorry King. The program adviser at NCSU replied to my inquiry. Won't know anything for sure until after April 15th. Isn't that when I have to indicate my matriculation? I'm assuming that's a negative on funding. *sigh* alright...

Welp, for better or worse, I sent an email to NCSU regarding funding...we'll see what happens.

What is an acceptable amount of time to wait before inquiring about funding? It's been 14 days since I received the email to sit tight. I know that patience is virtuous and next to godliness, however, I would like to know if I should start applying to jobs so I can have gainful employment come graduation. I suppose I should mention the fire is that I'm a dog groomer and I've been bitten twice in 2 weeks (a problem I've never experienced before in the 10 years I've been grooming...) and I guess I'm in a hurry to know if I can quit and sit on my savings til May/June or should I plan to continue grooming until I move to NC.

Ah man. I'm sorry Kingsxrocks. I'd say try not to take it personally, but I know that didn't help lessen the sting of a rejection.

But April 15th is so faaaaar away. I wish I knew something!

Hi there! I was accepted in the Comm, Rhetoric and Digital Media program at NCSU. I got my official letter earlier this week, it didn't mention funding (as in *no* mention either funded or not). The director of the program emailed me that they're still working on a TA for me and presumably others--of course, this was with my unofficial notice of acceptance. I guess I'm worried about the strategy at this point because without any tuition assistance or waivers, I can't swing it. Should I tell them at this point so they can move on or do I wait until I get notice of funding/no funding...I already have a great deal of federal student loans from undergrad and my MA program, I don't want to get more debt going for a PhD program. Thoughts? Anyone else in the same boat?

King-- I was rejected from 4 of the 5 schools I applied to. It only takes one! I have been lurking around on here, but I was accepted at NCSU last week. I'm excited, but they said they had to wait to extend a funding offer. Should know more before April 15th. Frankly, without at least a tuition waiver, I can't swing it. *sigh* I'm in AZ, I'm not entirely sure how out-of-state tuition works for a PhD.