Warelin

How rare are classes that are within the vicinity of your area? How rare are your required courses?

YES! CONGRATULATIONS! This is very well deserved!

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I think you'll find that graduate admissions functions very differently from undergraduate admissions. I think that you'll also find that most people attempting to apply for a PHD program are fairly well-read within the specific areas they're interested in. I think most would also admit that they also wouldn't place themselves among the top ten percentile within that specific field. That is to say, that should you get accepted into a program, you'll likely find that most people have read dozens of books and articles within their field and it's likely that your coursework may see you reading a dozen books a semester and a couple of dozen articles per class. It sounds like you've started a good habit by reading now because grad school will expect no less. It's encouraging that your professors are encouraging you but it's also important to note that your potential graduate professors might be more strict because the objectives are different. There isn't anyway that anybody would be able to answer this for you. It would depend on your writing sample, SOP, letters of recommendation, your academic fit within the university as well as who else applied that year.

No. There are a lot of factors which determine one's acceptance or rejection into a program. If it was based on just x grades, only the top 20 or so students from the top 10 schools would be considered for grad school. A good working knowledge is good to have. However, I doubt very few full professors would go to say that have the "top 0.1% knowledge of specific debates" within their specific subfields. The brightest professors I know are still reading and digesting new information on a daily basis. Stating that you're in the top 0.1 percent implies that you don't need a PHD. It sounds as if you believe you're more than ready to contribute scholarly articles right now and become a leading scholar. A PHD is meant to help those who have a good fit with their program achieve this goal but it sounds to me that you wouldn't benefit from going through a PHD.

I've moved this topic to the "Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition" subforum because I believe you'll get more answers here.

I think that information can be gleaned in a lot of cases. Certain programs are known for being theory-heavy while others are more known for their cultural studies or film studies or etc. Taking a look at recent dissertations done at said programs might also help you gain a better understanding of what they might be looking for. Whatever topic you're most interested in studying, choose that one and have multiple people look at it. Your writing sample and SOP should be on related topics.

Unless it states otherwise, I'd recommend sending in only 1 paper. Very few programs request two writing samples. They really want to see your ability to take a stance on your issue and how you progress through your ideas on a piece of literature(s).

Yes; ideally, you'll be sending in work that the program has faculty working in the same area. Ideally, your WS would also be current in understanding gaps within the field and where you fit into today's conversation. Some places might prefer English professors but I don't think I've seen any programs care much about which area of English it is. Generally speaking, I think any professor in the humanities or social sciences would work fine for letters. A Language Professor might be helpful if your concentration was medieval or early modern. Some programs might not require your degree to be in English but they still require you to prove that you'd be able to prove you can keep up with coursework/comps/dissertation work. They often don't distinguish between degrees so often you'll be held to the same standard. Some FAQs might state that you might require x amount of classes in Literature, but I don't think I've seen any that raise a fuss if your degree is in English. Depending on the program, there are likely some programs that would very much welcome a rhetorical paper. There are some programs that are very heavy on theory; while others are very big on close readings. Most of the time, they just want to gain a sense of your writing style and how your interests and strengths line up with theirs. It's likely that you'll feel a better fit at bigger schools because they have more faculty but so does everyone else due to their wider range of interests. Some programs are also more cultural studies focused.

I believe you're thinking of Interfolio. It's more commonly used for the academic job market but very few schools accept it for graduate school applications. As such, I would recommend talking to your graduate programs to make sure they're able/willing to accept letters from Interfolio.

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Most, if not all, public libraries should allow you to access databases that they have a subscription to.

A lot of people apply during the fall semester of their second year in their Master's program. I think the biggest hurdle you might face with a one-year program is potentially not having strong recommendation letters. Since applications are due in Dec/Jan, it's likely that you'll have to ask for recommendations at a time where your first major paper hasn't been assigned yet. As a result, your instructors will have very little to work off of. (Edit: @illcounsel seems to have been thinking the same thoughts at the same time) The second area of concern is that your interests might change within that time period. And while a program doesn't force you to stay within a specific time period, I think they can read into whether you seem passionate about something or whether you're writing about something because it feels safe.

Consider your wish granted.

The April 15th deadline is a resolution by several universities. It only applies to funded offers.