Warelin
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Posts
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Posts posted by Warelin
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4 hours ago, tinymica said:
Oof. UW's campus visit just got cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus. Obviously public health is the most important, but I'm (selfishly) disappointed and concerned. They claim they're going to try and have the visit virtually. No idea what that will look like.
I'm not sure if you have seen this article: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/coronavirus-university-of-washington-moves-all-classes-to-online.html
It doesn't appear to be a permanent change to the UW but I wonder if part of this contributed to their decision to cancel their tour visits.
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1 hour ago, tinymica said:
I know this is a basic question, but what was important to you to ask beyond the general “Are you taking on new students next year?” type questions?
I think it's important to remember that you're applying to the program instead of individual professors. The sciences work differently because grants can be tied down to specific labs or professors. At most colleges, English doesn't expect you to talk beforehand with a professor.
1 hour ago, tinymica said:I’m just really embarrassed and I hate inconveniencing people.
Talking with prospective students isn't an inconvenience. It's part of their job and I imagine most enjoy talking with potential students. There's a reason they accepted you over other qualified applicants.
54 minutes ago, gooniesneversaydie said:Reading all these accomplishments people have can be intimidating. This person has published, this person presents internationally, this person etc - and I'm like...I haz smartz... But!
I think it's important to remember that most people have different topics they're interested in exploring. Progress for each person can look vastly different. Continuing to find ways to make each year better than your last is important.
1 hour ago, tinymica said:Like, at any of the schools I applied to. I sent out inquiry emails, didn't get responses, and I was too timid/nervous to pester anyone
There are a lot of factors at play here. There might be a policy against mailing students who applied but are not currently admitted. Professors might have been on vacation. E-mail could have landed in spam because the e-mail address wasn't recognized. It could have gotten lost in a pile of other e-mails. Often, the DGS is a good starting point for e-mails since they can often make introductions.
On 3/1/2020 at 10:02 AM, gooniesneversaydie said:I'm really glad I found this out now. This changes the actuality of being able to live off of a stipend in a major city. I live two hours away from my one school and now I'm considering staying in a hotel on the days I'm there or commuting - at least for the first year until the stipend increases.
Would a hotel still be cheaper if your school requires or encourages participation in events outside of class time?
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1 hour ago, meghan_sparkle said:
F (teacher of B ) : (x) is boring. (y) is also boring. Don't go to (x) or (y) under any circumstances. Also don't choose for advisors; all that can change. Go where you like the intellectual community best. More soon, bye.
I looked over my previous SOPs.
One of the schools I was accepted by no longer has my POI working there.
At my current university, I've decided that other professors are better fitted for my project.
One of the professors I'm interested most in working with previously taught at a "top 20" university. They start next semester.
My current university also recently hired someone who I think would work very well with my interests.Grad School can see a lot of changes within a relatively short amount of time. Best of luck with making your decisions.
- arbie and meghan_sparkle
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Due to someone deleting information, I had to roll the spreadsheet back to a version from a few days ago. Please do not delete information unless you're updating information for that school.
If you added information in the past day or two, please feel free to re-add your information. -
22 minutes ago, Rrandle101 said:
I was rejected from Cornell's Comparative Literature program but had my application forwarded to Medieval Studies and ROSE FROM THE ASHES LIKE A MF PHOENIX, LADIES AND GENTS WITH THAT ACCEPTANCE FROM THEM! Super thrilled about this offer even though I made the DGS uncomfy by sobbing on the phone at him when he told me.
I think this is the first time I've read about an application being forwarded to a different department and getting funding from that department. Congratulations; that's absolutely terrific news!
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5 minutes ago, spikeseagulls said:
Thank you! One of my professors ended up not submitting my recommendation, so I'm pretty much out for Penn State (which was odd because she submitted it to other schools). Sucks because by the time she told me that she "never agreed to do that recommendation" and recommended I find someone else, it was past the deadline and wayyy too late to find a new recommender. Which is super disappointing because they have a great joint PhD program.
By chance, did you e-mail PSU about this concern? Sometimes, departments only need two letters and are willing to overlook the third. Not all departments are willing to do so but some are happy to oblige as long as you have two letters submitted. In the past, Penn State required its MA applicants to reapply to continue to to PHD program.I think they mentioned that their acceptance rate for MA to PHD was 80-85 percent or so. The remaining spot or two would go to outside PHD applicants.
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4 minutes ago, Lblack said:
’ll likely end up choosing UCR anyways, but it would be nice to have options.
1 minute ago, spikeseagulls said:Agreed! That's how I'm feeling about UC Irvine.
If I recall correctly, the UC system allows you to take classes at any nearby UC colleges that have a PHD program.
- spikeseagulls and Lblack
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2 minutes ago, spikeseagulls said:
I was hoping the same thing! This is pretty much the only school I'm waiting to hear back from at this point, and it seems like every schools acceptances are more delayed than usual this year. ?
For whatever it is worth, PSU does rolling admissions.
On 2/15/2020 at 6:41 PM, dorabot said:They told me it's not a ranked waitlist, per se. I don't know if I'd go there, but probably. I'm waitlisted at other schools I'd like to get into too.
If it is not a ranked list, it is likely sorted by area of interest.
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On 2/12/2020 at 12:29 PM, meghan_sparkle said:
Well, one reason a lot of places might not be updating placement statistics is because there ... aren't jobs?
I think how universities decide how to respond to the job market will ultimately decide the success of a program. Different universities have responded in different ways. I think one of the best ways they can respond is by decreasing cohort sizes and increasing the number of resources they have to put everyone in the best possible position they can be in. Decreasing the sizes also allows for more time for committees to spend with each individual that they're trying to mentor.
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On 2/9/2020 at 2:26 PM, solana said:
Would anyone be interested in having a list like this for Canadian English/Comp Lit PhDs? I could definitely start one!
There were Canadian Universities on the original list. I think someone deleted it because there was confusion on the stipend's overlap with the tuition payments. Feel free to re-add it.
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5 hours ago, punctilious said:
Many top universities are in super expensive cities (especially the Bay Area, followed by New York and Boston, those are probably the worst cost of living in the US) so make sure to factor that in when making your decisions. I believe @Warelin's spreadsheet has a cost of living column.
There is indeed a cost of living column. It accounts for the living expenses of one person. It also doesn't account for taxes on stipends which might have a bigger cost of living impact on schools already significantly below "1".
Two people might be slightly more. I think it's also important to consider opportunities within the city if you're moving with a significant other. Alternatively, one might also want to think about if they''re comfortable living with another person. Living with a roommate or two might be the norm in some cities.5 hours ago, meghan_sparkle said:After federal, FICA and state taxes
Full-time grad students are exempt from FICA taxes on their stipend. This article will help to explain it more: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/why-it-matters-how-you-are-paid
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3 minutes ago, meghan_sparkle said:
Does anyone know whether visit dates tend to be roughly the same year to year, or are they liable to change?
I think most try to make visit dates roughly the same year to year. It can change based on university reservation space, faculty availability and other events happening around the same time.
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1 hour ago, meghan_sparkle said:
In at Chicago. First notification of season. Holy mother of...
(For some reason my content is still moderated so this probably won't even be approved by mods for hours but .... !!!!)
1 hour ago, ja.col said:I've been a long time lurker on this forum, and used it for some great advice earlier in 2019. So I thought, you know, good time to post that I got my first decision of the cycle, and it was an offer from the University of Chicago. !!?
Congrats to both of you!
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3 hours ago, Indecisive Poet said:
I've updated the stipend information for Boston College (it has increased by a considerable amount since it was last updated for 2017) but I'm not sure how to calculate the new wage index. @Warelin?
Thanks for the updated info!
To calculate the Living Wage Index:
1. Visit https://livingwage.mit.edu/
2. Type in the name of the city
3. Look at the living wage under 0 children
4. In the living wage box, type in the following: Your Stipend amount/ (Living Wage/*2080) - The 2080 is the number of hours you'd work if you had a full-time job. MIT updates their numbers every year or so. -
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2 hours ago, NinaM said:
Would it be really weird if I email Notre Dame asking them if there have been any developments with my application? Cause I haven't gotten a rejection nor an interview, and my anxious brain has somehow convinced itself that they haven't even gotten my application which doesn't make sense, but now I can't stop thinking about it. UGGH.
They might have an invisible WL?
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36 minutes ago, Wimsey said:
Just learned by phone that I have been accepted to Washington University in St. Louis! I am absolutely thrilled!!!
28 minutes ago, VincentH said:Oh my goodness!!! I just got a phone call from WashU, too! My first acceptance... I'm over here ugly-crying. Congratulations to you! Who knows - maybe we'll be future cohorts!
Now off to update my signature! haha
Congratulations to the both of you! Perhaps, I'll be seeing both of you around in the future.
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4 hours ago, VincentH said:
Re: WashU - Just received a friendly but neutral email encouraging me to apply for the Chancellor's Fellowship (didn't think I was eligible)... Said they had "read my application with interest" but as of yet have not made any decisions. The email was signed off with "best wishes, and you'll hear more from us in the coming weeks." Hopefully that helps piece the puzzle together a little clearer? Seems like we've got a bit more waiting... but soon!
English Admissions Committee is meeting tomorrow to finalize their selection. I'm not sure if that means they'll be notifying tomorrow or if they'll wait until next week.
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4 hours ago, Wimsey said:
Hmm, that's good to know. I thought Chicago was a solid fit, but I guess not.
I think figuring out fit is very tricky despite how hard we try. Programs with large faculty might make it seem like most people are a fit. But some big names might not be taking on new students. Programs with a smaller faculty might make it seem like the fit isn't there even if it is. We also rarely ever know who's being hired at what time for any upcoming position which may also showcase what a university might be interested in.
- S_C_789, Wimsey and rhetoricus aesalon
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8 minutes ago, Indecisive Poet said:
Edit: partner and I both just received interview requests!!!!! We are international so they've requested Skype interviews rather than inviting us to recruitment weekend.
Congrats to both of you!
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2 hours ago, Rrandle101 said:
I JUST GOT ADMITTED TO OSU!!! No email, check the website
Congrats! You also get the honor of starting the Acceptance Thread. The first English PHD acceptance has had that honor for a long time.
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6 minutes ago, HPurple said:
I reread one of my SOPs, and realized a sentence early on is a bit clunky. It barely works grammatically and I think that I should have omitted an extra word. Uh oh.. I hope this doesn't kill my chances .... :/. I spent so much time on the final half I may have missed a correctable error in the beginning.
I would try not to worry about it. Programs are here to make you a better scholar and writer. If your SOP was perfect, you wouldn't need their training. I think most universities are interested in the ideas you have and your thought process behind the ideas. It might be a different story if there were a lot of typos or if there was a bad fit. However, I think an extra word or two won't be used against you.
- Cryss, vondafkossum, Regimentations and 3 others
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I think it's also a good idea to consider how or if stipends increase on a yearly basis to account for cost of living adjustments. Some departments do adjust for these; others might not have revised stipends in a while. Some cities (Nashville and Austin come to mind) used to be cheap to live in but in recent years have faced increased demand and decreased vacancy rates which have caused prices to skyrocket. Depending on when you move might also be the difference of several hundred dollars of what rent will be.
I'm currently on a stipend which pays ~$26,000 over 11 months. The University provides free transportation passes which gives you unlimited use of the buses and city trains which also give you access to other parts of the county. The University also pays for about 90 percent of health insurance and dental insurance costs. The overall cost of living here is very affordable. Due to some city initiatives, there are a lot of startups here. There are also a lot of nonprofits that call this home.My current stipend is enough to afford me to live in a ~1700 sqft house with my partner and a pet. We live about 1.5 miles away from the university. My stipend changes every year to adjust for cost of living which in the past has generally meant an increase of 3 percent or so per year. It was also enough to support us to pay all our expenses while my partner job searched. ( If I were living alone, I would still be able to afford the house here and be able to afford going out with my cohort twice a month or so. I do hangout with my cohort twice a month currently as our schedule allows; often we take turns between hosting and going out to eat elsewhere. I think everyone has had the cohort and their partners over at their house at least once. Most people live by themselves; some people in cohorts above us have chosen to live with each other by choice.I don't know anybody here who is struggling for money; but there are additional opportunities to teach both in other departments and at other colleges during the summer or school year if one wanted to.
The first two years here require no teaching and the last year also doesn't require any service. Otherwise, the teaching load is 1-1 which means you either help with a course or teach a course per semester. Additional teaching opportunities also become available after year 3/4. Some people have taught at different departments; others have taught at nearby universities or have worked as tutors after they have completed their coursework.
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11 minutes ago, ts-groovy said:
Two of my Profs. haven't uploaded a LOR and the deadline has passed. I don't know what to do now. Any suggestions are welcome.
Professors are often allowed to submit letters beyond the deadline. Schools understand that you don't have control of when professors submit letters. They also understand that professors have many things which demand their attention. I would try not to stress over this.
2020 Applicants
in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Posted
According to https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution:
Several CGS members have asked whether the April 15 Resolution will be changed to account for the impact of the coronavirus disruption on educational testing and student mobility issues. CGS’s position is that the April 15 deadline should continue to remain in effect for 2020. Because signatory institutions and programs may be affected differently by COVID-19, and may adjust their admissions and funding decision timelines accordingly, we believe that it is not feasible for the community to agree to a different deadline this year.
We provide a few additional points of clarification based on questions we have received: