straightshooting

There are at least two Asian supermarkets within walking distance of campus, in or very close to the East Rock area. No car needed. There are also now two/three general grocery stores in the area. A Stop and Shop a bit west of campus for general needs, an organic/Whole Foods-esque place just a bit farther west of that, and a co-op market right downtown (rather like the organic place out west, though with some more standard options as well). There's also Peapod, which will deliver quite cheaply.

Do not go into debt, especially if you have funded options to choose from. Taking on Columbia + NYC debt is foolhardy at best and could ultimately be a major financial disaster for you a few years down the road. Though I cannot produce statistics, I can say from at least a few rather devastating anecdotes that top-tier MAs do nothing to guarantee later admission into a funded PhD program.

The COTA #2 bus will get you to and from everything up and down the High Street corridor. The commute is going to be longer than from the Short North/Victorian Village area, especially if you're up in Clintonville proper. Italian Village is spotty. It's hard to assess it generally, as some parts are very nice and quite safe and others are about as bad as the area can get. If I were going to offer a rule at all--mind you, there are exceptions--it'd be to stick with south of 3rd Ave and west of Summit St., between Summit and High.

Better than taking the shuttle services, which I think are too expensive, do this: From LGA you can get on the M60 bus into Manhattan (you'll need $2.25 in quarters or a Metrocard). Get off after the bus gets off of the freeway onto 125th, just after the Lexington Ave intersection. You'll see the large train bridge above and in front of you. Walk up to it and go into the train station. You can take the Metro-North to New Haven at off-peak hours for $14. It's very convenient.

I'd say that there is an important difference between east of High Street south of Lane Avenue and north of it. There are some undergrads up in that direction, but it's mostly non-student 20s-30s people and working class families. Some of the areas in the northeast quadrant also have long-term middle-class families as well. It's not going to be as quaint as Clintonville or south of King down the Neil Ave. corridor (the Victorian Village and Harrison West areas), but it's also a good deal cheaper than them and rather nicer than the student ghetto between campus (~10th) and King on the west side of High. That said, you do likely want to stay away from the area east of High much south of Lane. It goes from undergrad wasteland to very low income neighborhood quite quickly. That said, most people moving to Columbus only feel comfortable in the Victorian Village and Clintonville areas. And, for those willing to live a little farther out, Grandview. I like all of those areas (though I'd say Grandview is probably too far), but prefer something a little less socioeconomically homogenous. I'd be happy to weigh in on potential real estate for anyone looking.

I really don't think that there are too many programs that roundly reject applicants holding master's degrees, especially as a matter of principle. I'm sure that, numerically, the anecdotes of people who used the experience of an MA program to put together a very strong PhD application and get into a top program line up at least roughly with the ones of people getting rejected across the board when applying to PhD programs after getting their MA. The fact of the matter is that if you have an MA, the programs that you're applying to are likely (and justly) going to expect you to demonstrate more professionalization and direction and originality in your research than those coming straight out of an undergraduate program. If you have "MA" after your name, people assume more of you. I should say that it is true that most PhD programs tend to accept more people coming straight out of undergrad than master's holders, but there are also a hell of a lot more people coming out of undergrad than there are people coming out of field-specific master's programs. I suspect the distribution is proportionate more often than not. That said, while I know that there are success stories and that many will disagree with me, I would strongly advise against accepting an unfunded offer to an MA program. Although no humanities programs really make for the soundest of long-term financial decisions, funded or otherwise, it's really not wise to throw a few dozen grand over two years into a very uncertain chance of getting into a PhD program that may then translation into yet another uncertain chance of getting a job that will pay you enough to live decently and pay off your loans. For what it's worth, I completed a two-year funded MA at an R1 state university before getting accepted into a top PhD program

OSU's English department tends to have two rounds of admissions (plus waitlist stuff later in the season). The first, at least in the past, has been for those awarded special university fellowships. The second, then, is when general TA-ship admissions happen.

Yeah, Yale's Comp Lit. has a cohort of around 5 each year.

Yale's English department generally aims for an incoming PhD class of between eight to twelve. Not sure where the 2-3 is coming from.

I would advise you to be somewhat wary of anecdote as regards the quality of the various parts of "the greater campus area." It is true that most graduate students opt to live in the Short North/Victorian Village/Harrison West area (which, though divided nominally, are essentially one area), as it is closer to most of the 20-something nightlife, but many find themselves quite at home in Clintonville and/or the area northeast of campus. At risk of gross caricature, Short North tends to be more 20-something single and Clintonville tends to be more 20-to-30-something family, as the latter is a bit quieter. There are also a few who live in Grandview and some of the suburbs, as well as in German Village, a Clintonville-esque area south of downtown. There's just too much variation in personal preference to really be able to make a recommendation without knowing yours. The only solid piece of advice is to avoid living in the central campus area, which is undergrad party central (OSU's football fanaticism outdoes virtually all other schools'). I would also recommend avoiding the grey area between short north and campus, as it tends to be an unpleasant combination of college bro houses and low income housing (it's known to have a good deal of opportunistic crime). I should say that for the average grad student on a day-to-day basis, Columbus is essentially just a 4-mile north-south stretch along High St., the central corridor that goes north from downtown through the Short North, campus, and then Clintonville. Columbus's public transit is far from amazing in general, but the number 2 High St. line is reliable and, as an OSU student, bus fare is free. Going from North Clintonville to downtown will take you a little while on the bus, but it's not bad -- a bus is a bus. Also, campus-short-north-downtown stretch is pretty bike friendly.

It is always worth reemphasizing how much it really comes down to the statement of purpose and writing sample, though I will say that there is a lot that often goes in behind the scenes correspondence between recommendation writers and target faculty that really locks in decisions--especially, I think, at top schools. There is, after all, only so much that a few documents can say. In any case, congrats! The call is always very satisfying, even if is sometimes awkward.

Three bullet points: In this job market (and probably any foreseeable ones), you should be happy to get all of the teaching experience that you can. If you cannot juggle research (or coursework) with a teaching load, then you're going to have a hard time meeting promotion and tenure benchmarks at any research-oriented university. This isn't to say that a fellowship isn't nice in many ways, but there are very strong benefits to teaching straight through.The criteria used to determine whether to nominate you for a fellowship often have nothing to do with whether they think you have more or less academic potential than someone else. Frequently, administrative units above the department (the graduate school or university itself) require certain test scores and GPAs that the department might think are at all important. Also, the number of fellowships that a program can offer are, well, limited, which means that--like graduate admissions themselves--decisions are often made on the basis of what is essentially a coin toss.Really? You'd stay at what you describe as a lesser program because you feel that the better program doesn't think you're as hot shit as the other? Go to the better school and show them that you know what the hell you're doing (which they presumably already believe seeing as how they admitted you) and pick up some extra professional (teaching) experience at the same time.

I can tell you from first hand experience that Yale will not care if your personal statement is too long. Mine was a full 20 - worry not.

I will certainly grant you this, but it's a bit late in the game (at least this season) to still be asking "whether you really want to go to grad school." Presumably almost everyone on this message board, ill-advisedly or not, has already concluded that pursuing graduate school is the correct path for them. I stand by my original statement that having an undergraduate thesis to list on your CV or discuss in your personal statement is not, in itself, going to impress anyone. Your ability to conceive of a larger project and/or a directed course of study should be evident from what you discuss your personal statement. No one should feel inadequate for not having had an opportunity--or desire--to do write a thesis, especially because the process is frequently one that requires a significant expenditure of time and effort that has a questionable degree of ultimate pay-off. This isn't to say that I think they're at all without merit or somehow not worth doing for some, but they aren't the benchmark of undergraduate achievement that many make them out to be and, when it really comes down to it, they only bear a fairly superficial resemblance to the type of work that you'll be doing in graduate school.

Cost of living differences are extremely important to keep in mind. Though I make now make ~$10,000 more than I did when I was in my MA program, dramatically increased living costs mean that I end up with the same amount of discretionary income each month, which doesn't go as far as it did in my previous location.

I'm going to tell you all a secret: very very few people are going to give a damn about the length of the documents that you submit unless they are boring or otherwise poor. Obviously don't give a school a two sentence statement when they want 1000 words or a 70 page thesis when they've asked for 15, but believe it or not they want quality. If you think your current 450-odd word statement says what it needs to say and represents you well, then send it to them as-is. I wouldn't even be surprised if most application committee members didn't know the length requirements. Unless you want to blow out an aneurysm, do not prepare your application materials in multiple lengths.

Said simply, It does not matter if you wrote an undergraduate thesis or not. It may help you prepare a writing sample or form relationships with professors who may write you recommendations, which of course matter very much, but the fact that you churned out an undergraduate thesis is not itself going to get you anywhere. Anecdotes are just that, anecdotes, but if they are at all persuasive I can say that I am in a very solid program and never gave a thought to doing an undergrad thesis.

It seems worth noting that it will probably be no easier after you finish your PhDs, as the "two body" problem becomes no less acute -- indeed, arguably more so -- once you're both on the job market. The top program will presumably result in a stronger dissertation and better job prospects/more leverage to try to negotiate a spousal hire. Welcome to the woes of having an academic partner.

If you are indeed first on a waitlist, it would be extremely surprising if you did were not ultimately admitted. Worry not.

What. the. fuck.

Assuming that the professor is one in your focus area, I would contact them and explain that you're planning to take their course, that you are using it primarily as an opportunity either to produce a strong writing sample for graduate applications next year, and that you think it matches well with your interests. Make it clear that you're on top of things -- ask for a syllabus in advance, show that you an eager and capable student, etc. You may even opt to meet before the term starts and discuss your interests and goals (i.e. grad school). During the course of the quarter, work closely with this professor without being smothering to produce a strong writing sample. If you're able to develop a strong academic relationship, then I think you will be in a good position to ask for a recommendation before the end of the term.

I was told that all wait list notifications have already been made. The same admissions committee makes both rhet/comp and literature decisions at the same time. That said, I am not not totally sure why some have yet to receive rejections.

Anyone else? Someone posted on the 9th (of March) that they had yet to hear. I'm especially wondering if this person has heard yet.

Out of curiosity (don't worry, I have no delusions - already accepted into my top choice), has anyone yet to receive a rejection notification from UPenn's English program? My status on the online application hasn't changed.

If you want to reasonably walk/bus/bike to campus, there are only three options that I would consider: 1) Short North/Victorian Village (southwest of campus), 2) South Clintonville (sorth of campus), 3) Northeast campus (south of Clintonville, but north and a bit east of the most concentrated undergrad areas). As someone who likes living in neighborhoods with a degree of economic diversity, I am very fond of the Northeast campus area. Many, though, especially ultra-suburban types, tend to think of it as a little rougher around the edges than they would prefer. That said, I know at least two graduate students who have recently purchased very nice houses in the area for far less than they would have paid in most parts of Victorian Village and Clintonville. There is also a campus-operated bus that runs through this part of town, which tends to be a little more convenient than the city's main COTA system, since it goes directly to and from the central OSU campus. That said, most graduate students live either in Victorian Village or Clintonville. The former (VV) is closer to most of the nightlife in Columbus, so if that is important to you, you might want to avoid going as far north as Clintonville. I don't really have too much to say about these areas, as some others have covered the major points pretty well. I'm going to say this, and some others may disagree, but simply don't move to Grandview, which is significantly southwest of campus. It's a nice area -- like Clintonville in many ways -- but the buses that run from there to campus are far less frequent, and walking/cycling are pretty much out unless you are quite dedicated. From Northeast campus or most (northern) parts of Victorian Village, you can be on campus in fewer than 20 minutes if you walk. On bicycle, you're looking at between 5 and 10 minutes. There are those who opt to live in German Village, but I would definitely avoid it, as it's simply too far. The main bus option is the #2, which runs very often, but most stop very frequently, making the trek through downtown, the Short North, and campus quite long. I should note, however, that as an OSU student with an ID, COTA rides are free. If you're looking to purchase housing, you're not likely to find a great many condos that aren't absurdly expensive, since the vast majority are quite new. Of course, houses aren't dreadfully cheap either, but you'll pay less than you would for the hyper urban bourgeois condos that are going up in the Short North right now. Just to give you an idea of the price of these newer developments: http://www.jacksononhigh.com/price7.html. If you have any specific questions, you can message me privately.