othersamantha

So I'm registered to take the October 24th GRE lit test, but I took a look at the schools on my list, and it's only required by one program (and one that is not necessarily my favorite option). Some of the schools I'm looking at say they will consider my scores if submitted. I'm very happy with my standard GRE scores (my VR is well above the 90th percentile and I received a very strong AW score), so I'm wondering: in past applicants' experience, if you submitted a subject test score, what effect do you think that had on your application? Is it worth going through the cost and preparation for schools that do not require (but will consider) the subject test? Any insight as always will be very much appreciated!

Thank you for the great advice! Who is the professor you have in mind? I would love to learn more about his/her work! My current strategy is to seek out programs that have strong faculty in both fields, but apply only to one subfield. And then, if accepted, I'll have the opportunity to switch if need be, or to do some combination of the two fields (as you suggest!).

What an excellent answer! That makes so much sense, and yet, it would have taken me a long time to get to this conclusion. Thank you!

Thanks for the feedback! I sort of figured as much- while I'm very proud of this project, it certainly isn't groundbreaking, and my advisor stressed that for an undergraduate thesis the goal isn't necessarily to reinvent the wheel. But I will definitely keep up my research on what is being talked about and published now. As a follow up, do you have any advice regarding how I can still use this in my application? (Or, not "still use" but use to the best advantage. I'm hoping that having even written an undergraduate thesis and having received honors for it will help to set me apart.) For example, I'm planning on using (a portion, probably, as it is 50 pages) this thesis as my writing sample. How would you address this in a SOP? Is there a tactful way to discuss this work while acknowledging that it is not necessarily "cutting edge" and that my graduate work will head in a different (and hopefully more relevant) direction? I hope that makes sense. Thanks again for the comments! They are very much appreciated.

Thank you so much for your thoughts! This is great– I was just trying to get a general feel for things and sort of blindly fishing for tips. I'm glad to hear that applying from undergraduate doesn't necessarily put you at a disadvantage, and that my gap year isn't going to be harshly scrutinized (although I am trying to make good use of my time!)

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I suppose I should be more specific– I was sort of looking for a general overview of any programs anyone had an opinion on, but I can describe some of the work I've already done! What I'm really interested in is Shakespeare and his contemporaries (a bit cliche, I know. I'm actually wondering if that will hurt my chances of acceptance?). I wrote my senior honors thesis on Richard III, Richard II, and Macbeth, and I'm interested in possibly continuing this work or pursuing something similar in grad school. I'll just attach the abstract here. I am familiar of course with the term early modern, but it seemed that many of the schools I've looked at used "Renaissance" in defining their subfields? But thank you for the tip! I'll be as specific as possible in my SOP and make sure I double check which term is being used by a particular institution. Thank you to all!

Hi all, I'm just looking for some general feedback / advice on PhD programs that are strong in Renaissance, the subfield I'm interested it. By this point I've obviously done some of my own searching, but in some ways I feel like it's been pretty limited to big name schools and "the top 20." I just want to make sure I'm not missing out on any hidden gems! If anyone has any info or can speak to any program, I would love to hear thoughts!

Thank you to everyone for your insight! I particularly like this passport analogy. I'm relieved, this is definitely what I was hoping to hear. It's not that I couldn't see myself pursuing my primary subfield, but more that I can't see myself totally letting go of the other. We'll have to see what happens! With this in mind, does anyone have any insight on reaching out to two POIs from the same institution, in two subfields? Red flag? Maybe this is cause for a separate thread...

Hello! I've noticed that many of those applying to PhD programs are currently in masters study, and in some ways, this seems to give them a leg up in the application process. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for those who are applying straight to the PhD from a Bachelor's. I graduated in 2015, and am hoping to start a program in Fall 2016 (so I will have had one year off). Are admissions committees interested in what you've done in a year off? If so, what are they looking for? Any other advice for someone applying right after undergrad? Thanks!

I want to second vade mecum as a good source- a good brief overview of many authors, like someone above mentioned, my knowledge base is primarily British literature, so it have been very helpful in getting a refresher/introduction on those. https://vademecumgre.wordpress.com Additionally, I've used hapax legomena http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/WhatYouNeed.html which has an alphabetized list of "flashcards" to supplement vade mecum and others. It also has a good list of resources, one of which is a break down of which authors and works were mentioned most frequently on select exams from 2000-2008. http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng215/recommended_GRE_list_copy.htm Does anyone have advice for brushing up on the more technical rather than knowledge-based portions of the exam? I.e. a good review of poetic form, meter, etc?

As a follow up question... I am also planning on applying for Fall 2016 admission, and I have noticed the trend on these fora that everything varies by case and program, but one of the concerns I have is that I have interests in two very different subfields. The subfield I am hoping to pursue is Renaissance (it is what I know the best, and I had the very rewarding experience of writing a successful undergraduate thesis on Shakespeare, from which I will be excerpting my writing sample), but I also love novel studies and 18th and 19th century British literature. In your experience, to what extent can you pursue multiple, possibly irreconcilable interests in a Ph.D. program, and what would the protocol be if you find yourself wanting to change specialization partway in? Again, I know this will all vary case by case, but does anyone have an experience that can speak to this? Thanks!