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chrissy88

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    New York
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    English Ph.D.

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  1. i got into fordham & NYU fpr MA's also with $0. are you on waiting lists for funding @ fordham & BC? i know NYU doesn't fund at all! i'm going to lehigh fully funded yayay. i got some funding @ brandeis (not much) and none anywhere else. still waiting on northeastern & PSU but i've selected lehigh because PSU isn't looking good and NU only gives tuition ...

  2. Hey! Yeah, good news for me! Got into Fordham, BC, and NYU for MAs. No funding info yet though. But the waiting lists aren't looking good for that, so I need to figure out how to pay for this. lol. How bout you?!

  3. hey chrissy-- any updates?

  4. Thanks for starting this thread! ASU is one of my top choices. I attended a research conference there in October and I got to talk with a lot of the faculty members in the English department. It really seems like a great program. If you have any specific questions about the program or the area and want to ask here or PM me, I can try and be of some help.
  5. I am a double major in English Literature and History. Ironically enough, I had to write a thesis in the History Department to earn my degree, but not in the English Department. I wanted to write a lit thesis anyway, especially because I was applying to grad school. Since I had to also write a thesis to graduate from my Honors College, I decided to make this thesis my lit thesis. So by the time I graduate in May, I'm in the ridiculous situation of having a double major and two theses. I can't say this has helped me in applying to grad school, but it has made me have that childish sense of accomplishment. In all honesty, after talking to my friends who attend universities throughout the country, theses really seem to be the result of a major in the humanities or participation in an honors program. In that respect, I'd imagine that many would have theses when applying to graduate school, but it would be the calibar of the work that allows you to stand out.
  6. Hmm...I did not know that. I guess I had an "ambitious professor" as an undergrad. I took a course on Anglo-Norman literature, and for the first 4 weeks of the semester all we read were the history texts--William of Malmesbury, Henry of Huntingdon, Gerald of Wales, etc. It makes me sad that most undergrads don't read that kind of stuff. Malmesbury can certainly be dry at times, but the scene with the mice sailing in pomegranate shells to chase "the pagans" is too hysterical not to share.
  7. I think I'll have to read them! I read both the Aeneid and Dante's Inferno last year, but I wasn't crazy about the translations I picked up. I read (very little) Italian and I when I glanced at the original text for the Inferno, I realized just how disappointed I was. So thanks for the recommendation! It's funny because I always think that there needs to be a "No Fear" version of a lot of these texts. Don't get me wrong, I do love a lot of the modern-day adaptations and spin-off type things, but I wish most people weren't intimidated by the things I love to read! But even 20th century translations can be intimidating to most modern readers, especially those from the early 20th century. In a different vein, this reminds me of William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England. A text like that is fascinating, but the last time it was touched by a translator was sometime in the very early 19th century. It's my understanding that as a result of this, most professors don't even touch it with a long stick in an undergraduate setting. And to be entirely honest, I haven't come across many people that have heard of it...Any takers?
  8. So I'm getting to this conversation a little late...you people have been posting like crazy today and I loved reading every bit of it! Anyway, I figured I'd put my piece in since I've been suddenly swept into the world of Arthurian legend. Personally, I agree with those of you that have suggested that the subject area will never necessarily be overdone. In addition to modern media constantly creating new movies and spin-offs of Arthurian legend, the texts themselves are constantly being retranslated, and some translations are geared for the general public rather than being specifically targeted to scholars. For instance, the relatively new (2008?) Simon Armitage translation of Gawain is fantastic for the average reader. I've worked in a bookstore for quite some time now, and I always find customers who want to read things like Arthurian legend or Beowulf or any other "classic" but feel like they won't ever be able to "get through it." I always recommend Armitage's translation, Seamus Heaney's Beowulf one, or Robert Fagles's translations of Greek texts. Translators like these are awesome because they preserve the beauty of the verse (I'm assuming...I've never read the originals seeing as I don't quite have the language skills for that *yet*) while still maintaining an easy to follow narrative. I myself have been surprised by the number of repeat shoppers who come in asking for new recommendations because they love being able to read "smart books." (Their words, not mine!) On another note, I'm incorporating some Arthurian texts in my honors thesis, and I think I'm hitting upon a topic that hasn't been studied in depth as of yet. I can't exactly find a lot of research dealing with it. So I guess that just proves that there is plenty left to be explored!
  9. I definitely understand your viewpoint. And I do think you are correct in saying that numbers indicate very little. My sister is in a great Ph.D. program for her field and while her GPA was stellar, she never fared well on standardized tests. So clearly numbers meant very little in her case. And I do understand and agree that people shouldn't be simply reduced to statistics. But I also think that if a person chooses to present themself as a statistic (through the type of bragging posts someone else touched upon before), that's his/her perrogative. There is a fine line between bragging and being informative, and it's up to individuals to keep themselves in check. What I find ironic is the whole competitive nature thing. Allow me to explain. I feel like I don't have a right to even try and be competitive because of my background! So while I can't speak for everyone, staking out the competition is certainly not the reason I come here. I must say that I've learned A LOT from all of the threads here (including this one!) and that's why I keep coming back. So if and when this application run turns out to be an epic fail, I already know some things that I will be doing differently next time. And it is all thanks to people just like you! Now is that corny or what?
  10. I've definitely been inclined to read posts about stats as well as ask for this type of data simply because I am coming from an English Department at a small, relatively unknown undergraduate institution and I am one of the only students in recent years to even consider going on for an M.A. or Ph.D. in English Literature. (My institution has a highly respected education program, so most English majors have chosen the major with the mindset of earning a B.A. in English and then an M.A. in Education.) As a result, I'm really on my own in this whole process. My professors have been very encouraging and supportive, but in a lot of ways, they are in unfamiliar territory with me since they have been removed from the application process for some time. Heck, after reading pages and pages of posts about professors, peers, and friends helping with SoP and the like, I'm insanely jealous because there are very few people I can ask that would be capable and willing to lend me such assistance! I obviously recognize that my 4.0 GPA will never be seen as the equivalent of an Ivy-leaguer's 4.0, regardless of my dedication and extreme amounts of hard work. So while I clearly realize that statistical data is relative and mostly irrelevant, my requests for such data are really meant to ease my nervousness throughout the entire process. It is rather comforting to see just what you suggest--students with moderate scores getting accepted to programs I dream of attending. On a personal note, it also eases my nerves to see different individuals with vastly different statistics getting interviews or acceptances at the same schools. In a way, it makes me feel like I stand a chance in this whole ordeal. I can understand why requests like this may be obnoxious to some, but why not just ignore them rather than harangue the requesters? At this point, I feel terribly ashamed of myself for posting one such request in the past based on the responses this thread is getting. But I honestly have no one else to ask, and for some reason, statistical things offer me comfort. So I ventured to ask for information in an open forum that made me feel welcomed and accepted. If such a thing is taboo or irksome, I apologize. But aren't we all entitled to a little peace of mind?
  11. Not a problem! I know how anxiety-ridden this whole process is, so I figured I'd let you know. Best of luck! Oh, and I go to school on the island as well!
  12. I wasn't the acceptance, but I did apply to Stony Brook and I can provide some (hopefully useful) insight into their acceptance process. Unfortunately, ETS failed to send my GRE scores to Stony Brook (despite the fact that I paid to have the scores sent), so I was contacted Friday, February 5 by the English Department. I was informed that if I still wanted my application to be considered, the scores would need to arrive no later than February 18 since the admissions committee had already begun meeting. So, it may be earlier than usual, but I wouldn't panic if you haven't heard anything. There's still at least another week of meetings for the admissions committee. And, it is quite possible that they'll be meeting even after the February 18th deadline. Hope this sheds some light on the subject for you!
  13. First of all, CONGRATS! I was wondering if you could share any info as far as stats go...
  14. Excellent point, Sparky. And I've actually just recently developed a love for Arthurian lit. I've mainly been focusing on the French texts. But, my French is poor, so it's a battle! Prior to this, I focused on Chaucer for quite some time. For my thesis, though, I'm incorporating both areas and discussing female love in selected texts.
  15. This is super-belated, but I'm new to thegradcafe.com! Geoffrey of Monmouth is awesome! I've studied him in two of my undergraduate classes. So have no fear, there is at least one other fan out there!
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