E_Moose

I like what you had to say about getting the opportunity to see what "graduate study and scholarship is about," because I think, being at the end of my undergrad, I now know what I want to study and I have ideas about graduate research, specifically, like doing work on the use of props and geography as facilitators and obstacles of transformation in the Early Modern romance genre, utilizing Shakespeare's works in particular, with some Spenser and Medieval works as well. I didn't know I wanted to study this or that I would have a focus by the time I was finishing my last semester or so, so I did not participate in conferences or try to get essays published in student journals. In light of this, I think my CV is underdeveloped for applying to a PhD, regardless of sample paper, GRE scores, LORs, etc. Maybe you are right, and I should give fully funded MA programs a chance first to get more experience, try to publish essays, and build my repertoire. From there, I can aim for the PhD at a decent Medieval and EM program, maybe even the top 10-15. Any input?

I'm very new to this community and have noticed that everyone is generally welcoming and helpful in terms of answering questions and giving info, so I figured I'd ask for some advice from anybody who has experience with Medieval & Early Modern Studies at the M.A. or PhD. level or who might also be applying with a similar emphasis in mind. I'm 23 and completing my B.A. this Fall at CSULB. I've completed all of my Lit courses already but I'm finishing up some trivial required course to get my degree. In the meanwhile, I'm working on an independent study to compose a writing sample for applications, but here's where I need some guidance. Among the programs I have in mind, I'm thinking of Berkeley, UCI, and Columbia, with UCLA being a fallback. Considering my emphasis in Early Modern Lit, are these choices ideal, and what are the chances of my getting in from a unranked school like CSULB? I'm pretty confident in my literary analysis and strength as a writer/researcher, but it would be reassuring to hear from those who have experience with these programs and the application process. Also, financially speaking, I'm not in the best corner. I was given Federal Aid through all of my undergrad since I come from a low income household, but what will be the case for M.A. programs? Do the institutes I listed provide federal aid for M.A. programs (I know that not all even offer an M.A. program), or is it a better decision to apply to those with PhD. and go for the stipend? Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!