subzoo

Any thoughts on which has the "better" English PhD program? (Or which is tougher to get into?)

Kind of off-topic, but to SUNY Buffalo applicants, did you all receive that e-mail about UB Graduate School information sessions? I'm assuming that was sent to all applicants, but I figured it's worth checking to see if it's not a sign at likely admission.

I still have "not reviewed." Am I the only one not too worried about it? I just figured we survived the first couple waves of rejections and have a shot at admission. And come to think of it, there have only been three acceptances reported - doesn't that leave quite a few spots? ...But I may tend to view SUNY Buffalo too confidently because I'm from Buffalo (we just call it "UB" here), and its undergraduate programs are fairly easy to get into. I wish everyone I know knew that its English PhD program is extremely competitive.

I noticed you placed SUNY in the list of schools that have made their decisions by now - but does anyone know if SUNY Buffalo is anywhere near done reviewing apps? I've only noticed a couple acceptances on the results page (and, for my part, my application is still labeled "not reviewed"). In any case, I certainly think it should take them longer than a month to review so much writing - it's not just black and white credentials they're evaluating, as it sort of is with non-humanities majors. P.S. Astroturf, do you mind if i ask which schools you applied to (just so I know which schools your advisors don't expect will notify until March).

Maybe they don't issue acceptance letters all at once though - people applying to SUNY Buffalo have already been notified of acceptances and rejections via the SUNY website, whereas my status is still "application under review." So maybe the few Cornell acceptances don't mean all the acceptances are out yet.

So no one applying to the English PhD program has heard from Cornell yet? Personally I wasn't even expecting to hear from them until late February at least (because that's when they told me they'd notify me), but now everyone seems to be suggesting that I should've been contacted for an interview by now, if I'm to get in at all. Do other English applicants feel the same way? Maybe English departments take more time in making their decision (i.e. maybe English departments are more sensible). [Applied: cornell, suny buffalo, suny binghamton, u of rochester]

" I would say that not being contacted at all means waitlisted, not rejection. There would seem to be no reason to keep you hanging otherwise." What?? I was told by all the departments I applied to that decisions wouldn't be made until late February or early March. Does the above statement not apply to English PhD programs? I certainly never read anywhere that acceptance would be conditional upon interviews. I'm starting to wish I never stumbled upon this forum; I preferred ignorance.