Medievalmaniac

hazelbite - I HATE theory. I do literature. But lately it is really hard to publish without a recognizably theoretical framework for your argument. Ergo, I am doing enough theory to publish my thinking. I think a lot of us are in that particular boat...

If you check my blog here at gradcafe, I posted my SOP in its many forms and explained what was wrong with each of the earlier versions and what worked on the final one:

Yeah... because no one could figure out how to do it! lol

Nobody here but us Lit Majors trying to figure out this theory thing! lol At least it's postcolonialism, which makes some sense. Poststructuralism, anyone?

Yes, FINALLY starting. I got a clean bill of health in May - remission, Baby! I can toss out some titles, although I think many/most are more from the late 20th century - still, it's a start, right? lol the Empire Writes Back Ahmad, In Theory Anderson, Imagined Communities Bhabha, The Location of Culture Chakrabarty, Provincializing Europe Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth Gilroy, The Black Atlantic Said, Orientalism Lunsford and Ouzgane, Crossing Borderlands Spivak, A Critique of Postcolonial Reason Sinha Animal's People Coetzee Disgrace Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost. Seth, A Suitable Boy Achebe, Things Fall Apart other authors I know deal with postcolonial themes: Duras, Rushdie, Loomba(criticism), Chatterjee I hope there's something here that is useful to you!!

Grades matter for funding, but you generally have to maintain a "B" average. A "B+" is a 3.3 at your institution, so as long as your other grades are "A"s I would not worry too much about that aspect of your situation. What I would do, especially since you seem to be a little upset by this grade, is to go in and speak with the professor. The conversation should not be a "why did I only get a B+" or a "comparison of this B+ to all my other A grades" sort of deal, but rather, "can you tell me a little about what you see as my weaknesses as a student, and maybe give me some pointers to improve in those areas? I really want to excel, and my goal is to be an "A" student at this level. I'd appreciate your feedback and insight on how I can make that happen." In other words, use the professor's office hours, and go in there with the intent to really hear what s/he says - because obviously whether you like it or not, s/he perceives some weaknesses in your performance. You don't have to agree or like it, but it would be very wise to take this chance to learn what s/he is looking for and strive to incorporate that into your overall performance - it can only enhance your abilities, and will also a.) help you understand better what happened and provide a little closure b.) let the professor know you are open to constructive criticism and create good will and a good impression for future encounters and c) give you the chance to develop areas of your performance that might be holding you back without your knowledge.

My current work email includes my name, most recent degree, position and school, which provides credential snapshots - I use it for conference activity, abstract submission, and other scholarly activity, and also college admissions stuff (I teach at a high school) along with the requisite 79-word disclaimer message. My personal email includes my favorite quote du jour and a link to my blog, since I'm also a writer. I love quotes, unlike the folks above me. My university email will include my immediate contact information, modeled on the signatures of the professors on all the listservs I belong to - name, position, office, office hours, phone.

I'm reading the books on my Postcolonialisms syllabus, and the texts for the comp TAs, to get a head start on the semester. I'm also working on Latin, Welsh, and Old Norse Icelandic, reading several titles in Arthuriana, and working on two articles I'm submitting in July and August, respectively. And teaching full time, 6 classes a day. Never a dull moment!

I have a professor who did a double PhD in English and Writing, so it isn't entirely unheard of - although it is a LOT of work. I would check with the departments you are applying to to see what their particular regulations are.

I think you ought to re-apply to the school the waitlisted you and told you "any other year...", especially when they made it a point to tell you you had champions in their department. I know if it were me, I would certainly re-apply to that department.

I second Poeeter and Bespeckled. I blogged about the changes to the test last November when I took it - check my gradcafe blog for the post. the prep materials on the subject test website were quite misleading - it WAS much more reading comprehension with full-page passages attached to 6-8 questions, and there were only a handful of identifications. ALSO, it was heavy on the socio-political connections (what major event was going on when the following passage was written"? - this type of question was very prevalent in the reading comp. sections. Reading the Norton Anthology introductory sections to each era would be helpful.

You don't request a certain amount. You have to fill out the financial aid form, and check the box for financial aid on the application. At that point it is at the department and graduate school's discretion to award or not to award merit-based fellowship funding available in-school. It is your responsibility to check into and apply for outside funding via national fellowship and scholarship programs - there's a thread for that on the forum. i hope that clears up your question?

Point of clarification: Emerita CAN teach courses and they CAN serve on dissertation committees. Their role in the department really depends on the school they are at. At some schools, they can only serve on the dissertation committee as non academic council members, on others, they can count as academic/faculty members. At some schools they can teach graduate level courses; at others only undergraduate and general ed. courses, and at still others they give a seminar once in a while or do not take on further teaching responsibilities. They generally can NOT serve as dissertation advisers, because they are no longer designated as full-time active faculty members.

I was shut out my first year of applying, and everyone was shocked (4.0, perfect GRE essay, 89th percentile English, publications, stellar recommendations and teaching experience). My second year applying I applied to two schools and was accepted full funding to the one I interviewed at - and it is not a top school, but it is the best possible placement for me. Then I got cancer and had to defer enrollment. Anxiety didn't do me any good through any of that - but I felt it keenly all the way through both application seasons, and was riddled with doubt and insecurity even after I was accepted. Honestly, I think part of what makes us good candidates is that we DO care so profoundly, though, and I've just worked hard at channeling all of that energy into my research and writing (and beating the cancer). So far, it's working well. My Gradcafe blog details all of the gory details, if you're looking for a "yeah, I've been there too, and it suuuuuucked!" affirmation.

R&R is great! Well done. But, make sure you DO R&R - try to get it turned around within 3-4 weeks. firstly, because it ensures you don't set it aside and then forget to do it, secondly, because their comments and your work on it is still fresh in your mind, and thirdly because it demonstrates your professionalism - they will remember that if you submit in future even if this article ultimately ends up rejected. For your first question, it's usually a good idea to wait between 2-3 months before inquiring about an article's status at most journals, because as others have said the peer-reviewed ones do take some time, and some peers are more punctual than others in their reviewing.

I just go by my first name, then my maiden name and last name, no hyphen. My middle initial is left out of the equation. it took me a number of tries to settle on this ultimately; my earliest publications are under first + middle initial, last name and first name, maiden-last name hyphenated. But I like this solution best. It's honestly such an individual decision to make, I'm sure whatever you decide will be fine for you.

One thing I would point out is that you have cited that professor on your writing sample... so it will be clear, if they read your writing sample, that you would like to work with that person. So it's probably just a wasted SOP line to add this there as well - it might therefore serve you better to conserve that space for your ideas and what you are bringing to the table.

"For example, I obviously do not think Spivak and Butler are going to be sitting on my dissertation committee, but their presence at Columbia speaks to why I want to go there. They are both hugely informative in my research, so it seems silly to pretend they are not there, but I cannot figure out how to mention them without sounding like a moron. Any ideas?" I think a simple statement of, "the presence of scholars such as x.y. and z, whose work speaks to what I am doing _______________, is a central reason for my application to this program" would suffice. Make it about you, more than about them. WHY are they a big draw for you? What about their work, specifically, speaks to your desire to work with them - a specific book or article? A class they teach? The specific comment will enhance your application; if you just mention them generally, might as well leave it out. Also, re: rock stars and dissertations - after a decade of teaching, three year in graduate school and six years on the conference circuit talking to many of the "rock stars" and also many fine, "lesser" professors, one thing I have found to be true is, everyone is an individual, and while some rock stars cannot be bothered with anything so humdrum as advising dissertations and many rock stars however well-intentioned are too busy to really devote time and energy to their graduate students, many others consider the training of the next generation to be their most important responsibility and devote a vast amount of time to the task. And, based on my conversations with several and with their grad students, you would be very surprised at how many of the biggest names and oldest still-serving professors fall under the latter category. Best simply to take a course with the POI and evaluate that for yourself once you are in a program, in my opinion.

I don't know if it matters or not, but I do think if you can keep your membership, you should. It does demonstrate commitment to the field. I am currently on hiatus for a year battling out cancer, but I have maintained my International Arthurian Society, Chaucer Society and MLA memberships, because they're the largest ones in my area/field of study.

I'm going to caveat the replies already given (all excellent) by pointing out that while comp lit programs are in many respects ideal for medievalists, ultimately you will be restricted in many cases when you go on the job market. It makes sense, from a student standpoint, to go into comp lit as a medievalist, because then you are studying in interdisciplinary fashion - so that, for example, an Arthurian scholar can work in French, English, German and Latin. Ideal, right? The problem being, that when you go on the job market it will be difficult for you to be hired in anything but a comp. lit. program, and they are still rare birds. If you're in languages, they know where to put you; if you're in English, they know where to put you, - but if you do medieval studies, or comp lit, then many hiring committees don't know what to do with you if there isn't a comp lit or a medieval studies program perse - so even if you do English as one of your comp lit languages (which I don't actually think you are supposed to in most programs) they won't necessarily see you as a good fit for an English position. Just make sure you are enrolling in a program you feel comfortable with as regards how you will be categorized on the job market. There are English departments in every major university, but comp lit programs aren't as widely present and are often "sub-programs" to the literature and language departments. It's confusing, but definitely take the time to explore your options and what you need and want both in the program and afterwards. Good luck!

Another vote for the Latin. It's harder to pick up on your own than the Old English, and in most programs you are expected to have it as a medievalist, whereas Old English counts towards your credit hours in the degree program.