patois2015

Hey elindy, I'm in the same boat! I applied to the Columbia PhD program but was offered admission to the MA--and I'm pretty excited about it! Mostly for financial reasons, I was really trying for the PhD fellowship, but I just got my BA last year and I thought I'd try and see if I could get into a program without an MA, but that doesn't seem to be the case, so MA it is! I'm still waiting for a response from NYU but I'm assuming it will be a rejection at this point, so I'm planning for the MA. Most of the responses I've gotten are that it can be positive if you are really proactive about connecting with professors, going to seminars, becoming a grading assistant, etc., as soon as you get there. I've read and agreed with all the articles critiquing unfunded MAs as a money-making tool by universities, but I think there's a lot of power in recognizing and naming that if you find yourself in the position of having to navigate your way within the system. I know the problems with it, and I'm going to do my best to succeed in spite of them. Jessica