Branwen daughter of Llyr

I have to break 650, so I may be taking the damn thing again in the fall as well. Of course, I'm hoping that I won't have to, but no matter how much criticism I studied, they asked some pretty obscure questions about it (as well as not having even half as much British lit as I expected). Ugh Ugh Ugh.

Heh, my not having children has pretty much nothing to do with the rational aspect of it (although I can see your point). It just never happened, I didn't get married, and I haven't had the finances to go have a kid as a single mom. Since i'm turning 38 this summer and am now going after the PhD, I've pretty much resigned myself to not having kids . On the other hand, since I want to write books for kids and young adults, I'm hoping that any maternal instincts I might have can be expressed that way one day .

It was HORRIBLE. I took it today (Israel doesn't have tests on Saturdays LOL). I have no idea how I did on the damn thing. Beast indeed.

Yes, yes, and yes again. Although I do want to end up teaching at a great Uni eventually - I don't mind if I have to go through some adjunct roundabout paths before I land the right TT for me. The whole thing is, at the end, about living your passion and dream. A few notes regarding the entire discussion and why we try again - like artists - musicians, dancers, painters, etc. - the life of an academic will be fraught with rejections and setbacks. Yes, there must be TALENT underlying the passion (after all, someone who can't sing shouldn't try and try again ad-infinum), but a large portion of success in the artistic fields is drive and determination. Some actors have to pound the pavements for years before they get a break. Some painters were only appreciated as visionaries after their death (Van Gogh is one, for example). I applaud those of us who are re-applying for the third time. I think it shows great determination and passion for the subject. Of course, reality checks must occur - is there an underlying talent? Can the skills be honed to perfection this third time around? What can you improve upon your application? I agree that if you don't think that anything can be improved upon, you're not ready to re-apply, but I don't think that this is the case for most of those writing in this forum. I am reapplying for the second time next year. I've recognized my weak points and I'm working on strengthening them. One weak point was applying to only four top-tier schools, and not concentrating on department and research fit. Another weak point was an unfocused SOP and unfocused research interests. the third weak point was a writing sample from college, which was good, but not spectacular. All of these issues will be corrected for the next round. I'm nearly 38, and it took me a long time to get up the nerve to go back to grad school. Manatee talks about career paths, etc., but in today's job market, even that's not a guarantee for a steady income. And for me, at least, no steady income can compensate for a lackluster life, in which I kind of like what I do, but I'm not particularly passionate about it. Maybe it's more acute for me because I'm single and don't have my own family - there is no other "worth" measure but the job/career thing. And I'd rather be financially frugal and ecstatic about what I do than comfortable and complacent. What can I say, there aren't a lot of thrills involved in Technical writing. There ARE thrills (for me at least) in teaching and scholarship. Like artists, English PhDs definitely need that "it" factor that is so hard to define. But often, that "it" factor needs some maturation and "cooking" before it emerges - another grad seminar, another independent research, another stressful application year. Just like an actor has to go through those 500 auditions before the "it" factor suddenly shines through.

Stroke, I would have no problem with the whole thing - except for the preferential treatment issue. The fact that he's planning to pursue a second degree at a second institution, while still making films somewhat belies the "serious student" aspect of the entire thing. I really have nothing against someone pursuing a PhD - I'm mainly pissed that he gets to do things differently because he's famous. Even Prince Charles left all royal duties while at school and was just a regular student. If someone wishes to pursue a Yale PhD - well then. Take it seriously and pursue a Yale PhD. If us plebs must dedicate ourselves full time to the endeavor, shouldn't everyone?

Final update - got a very nice email back from Prof. Hunter - I had a strong app, blah blah, but it's a reject ("we had an unusual number of strong applicants this year"). Oh well. Expected. Here's to 2011!!

no news yet, the GAH is just... I emailed to find out. and I kind of promised myself I wouldn't (because if I'm waitlisted I DON'T WANT TO KNOW LOL). I just got an away-from-office auto-email saying that Prof. Hunter is only sporadically on email between the 25th and 28th. Considering it's the 31st, he should really stop that auto-email LOL.

Indeed. I consider myself fairly well read, yet there is a slew of canonical works I've never even glanced at (Beloved is one of those with me, as well). Especially the modern variety. I was in the medieval and renaissance concentration in college, and avoided most modern works like the plague (although I have a penchant for Tom Stoppard, Beckett, Wilde, and Henry James). Some of my missing reading - Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Kate Chopin, and, shocker, I've never read Frankenstein. I'm planning on taking at least one or two 19th century classes in grad school to even out some stuff. No one out of undergrad has read enough of what they should read as English scholars. And the only reason I'm so versed in many modern playwrights, is because I was a theater major first, and had to study Wilde, Brecht, Shepard, Pinter, and Tennessee Williams, as well as Shakespeare and Restoration stuff. And even as a medievalist I haven't read enough in my field. That's why we're going to grad school, isn't it? (And I have no clue about textual studies, sorry...)

I wonder if I should write them. I haven't heard a peep since I sent in my app. Update - just emailed Prof. Hunter. GAH.

Pretty much. It's either research, or under-the-table payments for tutoring and stuff. I'm hoping to find a good Hebrew school that wants a Hebrew tutor on Sundays, just for some extra cash But if you have a fellowship / TAship, you're basically owned by the university for the duration...

His publicist stated to the Yale Daily News that even if he accepts the offer from Yale, he'll still be pursuing an additional degree from elsewhere. THIS IS BULL. I have nothing against actors pursuing a higher education, but 2 PhDs simultaneously?? WHAT THE F*CK WAS YALE THINKING!!! He won't be able to teach, research or do anything scholarly like everyone else in his cohort. Also, I hate the idea that just because he's a celeb he gets to break the basic rules of PhD study - THAT is your full time job, and you're not even allowed to work elsewhere part time if you're funded. And if he's not funded - well, I thought Yale funded ALL entering PhDs. So suddenly you can buy your way in??

I'm all for pursuing an intellectual life. But if that was truly the case, he would dedicate himself to ONE program, take a hiatus from movies, and really devote himself to the whole kit and caboodle. On the other hand, when his publicist is claiming that he'll be pursuing an additional degree at another school, while still making movies, it means that the whole thing is a load of bull. That's one whole spot this year that a SERIOUS scholar could have gotten, not one that generates "I love you" catcalls during the Master's Tea. And if he sends his assistant to classes as claimed - ugh. Bad enough if he's in class and asleep. An assistant - ugh ugh ugh. And if his fiction is anything to go by, I'm sorry, but that's not exactly what I would think as Yale material. Personally it stings worse since I loved Yale's English program and really really wanted to go there. Now I'm not so sure. If a program that I REALLY looked up to will degrade its scholarship to accept a movie star with no serious scholarly investment, what's the point in going there?

I don't know about that. He's currently enrolled in two MFA programs (at the same time) - and from some candid shots - sleeping through both. He's also planning to enroll in two programs at the same time for his PhD. Only a "star" can do that at Yale and get away with it. Us regular folk aren't even allowed to keep a separate part-time job in addition to our fellowship. And I can bet you a lot of money I don't have that we won't see him teaching anywhere, or writing scholarly papers, or presenting at conferences. Even the Yale Daily News is mocking the entire thing.

It's an online class - I'll NEVER HAVE TO SEE THEM (and who knows, maybe I'll be better than they are?? )

Here's mine: Writing a brand new SOP (most likely a different one for each school I apply to), applying all the things I've learned about SOPs in the past two months. Will also perhaps buy that Asher book that everyone is raving about.Taking an online graduate seminar this summer in medieval lit and deriving an excellent, publishable, graduate level, brand new writing sample from it (and hopefully one new LOR, as well as an SOP reader LOL).I've already retaken the general GRE. Hoping to do very well on the subject test in two weeks, if not, will take it again in October.Widening scope of schools I'm applying to - while still keeping one or two of the schools I applied to this year. Have a nice range of top-tier mixed in with top-fifty, and un-ranked. Still narrowing down the search and researching schools at the moment. I'll start contacting key people around May.Starting to take Latin classes online and getting a head-start on my dismal language levels.Perhaps taking a second graduate seminar in the fall.Praying really really hard

True, it may spike for undergrad. I, however, will be reconsidering Yale next year. I am now not so sure they should be on this list. Although I'm sure I would feel differently about it if he attended Yale before he got famous (i.e. Duchovny, who is actually a highly intelligent human being, and got most of his schooling in his pre-Hollywood era). I get fame and power opening doors for undergrad (see George W.), but for a PhD program?? I mean, REALLY Yale. I'm SO disappointed.

I'll also echo Pamphilla and speakwrite. There is plenty of scholarship and angles left, for Victorian, Restoration, Renaissance, and Medieval. Lots of unexplored angles, different contexts, little-researched texts. For example, in my particular sub-field, I have yet to find ANY serious research in the significance of the Welsh / Celtic otherworld in medieval Romance and how Celtic sensibilities (Arthurian stories were first Celtic stories) clash with Chivalry and courtly love sensibilities (French origin), and what very interesting tensions that creates within the text. If you add looking at the texts through Narratology and Myth criticism, it's an unexplored treasure-trove. And thank god for that - otherwise, we'd all be out of a job tomorrow .

Oh God. Just goes to show you - fame opens doors.

True. For funding, the general is more important. However,I'm trying to aim for a completely brilliant app package . (I don't want another round of rejections, and I'm aiming high) I've recently discovered that it's actually a full-time endeavor just to prepare for creating one of those hahahahha (done with general GRE - thank god I don't have to take those again, subject test, summer graduate seminar, fall graduate seminar if same prof offers, and Latin classes in the fall and spring, while working on SOP and writing sample and working 4 jobs. yay).

I plan on doing both - I'm taking a graduate seminar online this summer, which should result in an LOR (especially if the prof teaches another grad seminar in the fall) as well as a brand new writing sample. However, I'll still need my 2 LOR writers from my undergrad - which I graduated from 9 years ago, nearly. Luckily, they remember me, and were very happy to write LORs this year. I've already emailed them with a heads-up that this year didn't work out, but that I'm doing it again next round. I'm hoping the combination of current scholarship LOR and the fact that I was such an excellent student that I'm remembered 9 years down the line should say SOMETHING about my abilities. Since my program is an English PhD, having an LOR from anyone who wasn't one of my professors is pretty much impossible. The adcomm won't give a rat's behind that I'm the best technical writer in the universe of Israeli Hi-Tech

In general - Medieval and Early Modern (stronger emphasis on medieval, though). specifically - Arthurian lit, Celtic influences on British lit, and how literature "shapes" reality (i.e. how the literary idea of courtly love infused and shaped actual social conventions and norms). Also very interested in 19th century and contemporary medievalism, as well as the fantasy / sci-fi genres in contemporary lit. One last addition - children's lit (yes, I am an escapist in my literary tastes ). Have no idea how all of this will come together yet. Probably with a PhD in medieval lit concentrating on Aruthurian texts, and later research into how other stuff ties in to it.

I have three - a dolphin on my shoulder blade, an elf on a mushroom on my ankle, and a Native American lizard on my lower back. All three can easily be hidden, although I don't mind if people see them. I used to teach elementary school ESL, and the kids got a kick out of them. No, I wouldn't consider removing them at all - in fact, I'm thinking of getting the one on my shoulder blade re-done (it's nearly 20 years old poor thing, and fading a bit). I also have a nose ring that I got in India five years ago, and I'm not considering taking that out either. I'll be that cool prof that the undergrads love for her hippie attitude (while attempting to hammer Middle English into their brains LOL). I really don't think it's as much of a taboo as it used to be. It's just body decoration, after all.

as I've already declared 3 million times - I'm going for broke in the 2011 app round . I've even found an online graduate seminar this summer in medieval lit for my writing sample!! (one better than the UG class I was planning on...)