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Everything posted by victoriansimpkins
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Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
theconferencealerts.com is pretty good too! -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
My last two panels I was the first presenter, so I got to actually focus on everyone else's papers and ask intelligent/semi-intelligent questions! My first conference ever i went last and by the time I went, I had no moisture in my mouth at all....and no more water. -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
i feel this in my soul. I'll see your '30 minutes beforehand' and raise you 'while the person before me is reading' -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
i do this too. I (likely too often?) bring my digital humanities experience into my presentations on romantic and victorian literature, even if/though some people in my field are definitely much more rigid! I also personally like being in the audience for a more visual presentation, because I lose my train of thought listening to a paper riiiiight around page 5 -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
It will honestly make me feel better to say he didn't? ? (just because i don't want to think a mentor would lead someone that far astray) -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I felt horribly (imagine my anxiety having to stop someone in front of a room of people checking their watches waiting for me to stop them), but I was 50-50 angry at his mentor who did not tell him a single-spaced paper is batshit. It's not good for any of us if we have mentors who won't tell us the real deal when it comes to conferences and publishing! -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I had a first-year MA student on my panel last year, and he brought 8 SINGLE-SPACED pages. He knew he wasn't going to finish so I had to cut him off (he was 1 out of 4 and took a full 20 minutes before I cut him off), and let's just say he was pissed that he was embarrassed. There is room for learning, but the time for learning isn't WHEN you are presenting, it's when you're practicing (also, he should have had an advisor/mentor tell him not to bring a nearly journal-length paper to a conference). When you're at a conference, you're a scholar and not a student anymore. This is only one example, and it's a super worst-case scenario, but it happens all too often. -
Basics of conferences
victoriansimpkins replied to Indecisive Poet's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I just have to say that you don't actually get 20 minutes for the presentation. Most panels are an hour long, and if all 4 people got 20 minutes, we wouldn't have time for questions/answers at the end. You should stay in the 15-minute range because conference panel chairs will cut you off (I've done it before) because it's so rude to take up more time than you're allotted because persons 2-4 won't have enough time for their papers. Roughly 7 double-spaced pages should be enough (8 is often too much if you speak slowly or have to edit yourself as you read), but most panel chairs ask that proposals are around 300-words. This year will be my 5th year chairing panels at SCMLA and the past 4 years, I've been on panels where people are cut off, and had to cut off people, and it's as embarrassing and frustrating as you can imagine. I also remember the names and affiliations of people who have been cut off (if you notice, they are rarely asked back for that panel in subsequent years). -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
no word from any program yay or nay, but i did just hear that I'll be teaching a class for VA's gov. school this summer and possibly a second class -
2019 Acceptances
victoriansimpkins replied to Englishtea1's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I wonder if this should be considered an implied rejection if we didn't.. -
2019 Acceptances
victoriansimpkins replied to Englishtea1's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
congratulations to all accepted so far!! -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I applied to WSU -- they have the digital humanities component I long for. -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I have spoken with SIU Carbondale more times than I can count (they were very very nice about everything and as frustrated as I was). First, my references never received the "upload your letter" emails, THEN their portal said they required subject test (they don't btw just general), THEN their portal never said they received ANY of my documents or transcripts or tests etc etc (they did), but their graduate secretary and DGS were very nice and have assured me via phone and email that they have everything they need from me....even though the portal still says I have only 1 letter uploaded and no documents. Here's to hoping they remember my name and say "damn she was really persistent about her documents; let's give her a shot!" -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I FEEL THIS IN MY BONES! The waiting game is trying to murder me (though I do have to say I feel terribly for my partner for having to go through this with me a second time) -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
@flungoutofspace @dilby I have the same desire as you both, though I continually put the book down in favor of Irish women... though I'd go for a good adaptation of Portrait. -
From what I've heard and experienced, the GRE subject test is nearly impossible to nail down. I have a friend - in a PhD now - who bombed the test the first time (it was comprised of nearly all Greek poetry, of which she only knew 3 works confidently). She retook and every question was different (the new focus was on obscure Bible quotations) and she still did poorly. That being said, she got in to several programs who require the subject test (with a not-so-stellar score) but was waitlisted or rejected from others who didn't even require it. On the other hand -- I have a friend who earned a 170 on the GRE general, did fairly well on the subject test (his focused on canonical works which he had read most of), and was shut-out this past year. There are many other factors which I've heard adcoms focus on more (writing sample, SOP, LORs). I'm not personally taking (or worried about) the subject test any more, as none of my programs of interest require it. I know this probably doesn't assuage your nerves, but I feel confident in saying that there are ways around the subject test if you really don't want to take it, and a lot of programs don't seem to be requiring it anymore (jury is still out on what they truthfully mean by "recommended but not required").
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I've reached out to a DGS about the vitality of digital humanities projects in their department. Their last update about DH was in 2015, and that, clearly, makes me wary of applying to their program (even though they have a professor I'd *love* to work with). They told me that DH is largely student-based and all blogs, projects, etc. depend on the students of any given cohort and their interests. Basically, my wariness is still there - especially since, if I were to get in, I could be potentially the only student in my cohort seriously interested in DH. On another note, I reached out because one program I'm interested in has connection to the school's women's and gender studies program, but they don't have a graduate certificate or minor. I asked about this specifically, because they have an undergraduate minor, and I found out that their PhD students can take classes in WGST, and if you do take coursework, you have the opportunity to teach WGST classes along with composition/literature for your teaching assignments. TL;DR I've basically just reached out to DGSs about the vitality of certain programs, centers, projects, their willingness to allow interdisciplinary coursework, etc.
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ISO Statements of Purpose
victoriansimpkins replied to MaoistTowelette's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
@MaoistTowelette Not examples (sorry), but here are a couple of great resources: https://honors.uiowa.edu/sites/honors.uiowa.edu/files/wysiwyg_uploads/Personal Statement Invitation to Frustration.pdf and https://ctl.yale.edu/sites/default/files/basic-page-supplementary-materials-files/writing_personal_statements_for_graduate_school.pdf I wish I had an example to send -- I'm still working on my own. Though honestly, looking at my friends' statements who are in programs hasn't actually helped much, just made me question my own gut instincts. -
2019 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to WildeThing's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I'm applying again this year, after being (thankfully) shut-out in 2016. I've taken the last two years, post MA, to teach, research, and present papers. Though not ideal, being an instructor has given me so much more freedom than I thought with incorporating my research and teaching. It helps that my chair (along with a shit ton of composition courses) has entrusted me with upper-level undergrad World literature, Romantic lit, and Victorian lit courses. Teaching these upper-level courses just cemented in my mind why I want to continue studying and teaching at the college level. I'm in the process (post-peer review) of having one of my thesis chapters published as a stand-alone article, which is going to be my writing sample. It's in my field and fits all of my chosen programs' W.S. page limits (except for one, and I'm contacting them about what they suggest I should do about the 4 pages above their requested limit). I've had my CV looked at by too many faculty members (ironically their comments often contradict one another), and so I'm feeling good about that document. My statements of purposes are coming along a bit more slowly, because I'm determined to individualize them for each program. With any luck, I'm hoping to have another draft soon. After SOP, I need to work on my "personal history statement" that a few schools require (in addition to the academic SOP), where they want to know what "in my personal and life experiences motivates my decision to go into a PhD program." I'm torn on how pathos-heavy this document should be, though. Any notes?? I've decided to apply to 12 programs. My interests are in long-18th and 19th century British literature, history and culture, so many of my chosen programs explicitly encourage interdisciplinary projects. I'm also interested in Digital Humanities, and have done a bit of work with DH and the Victorians in my MA, so I'd like to continue with that work at the doctoral level. At least half of my programs have DH graduate certificates, which will be helpful. My GRE scores were..so-so, but good enough for the schools that require the GRE at all (especially since I probably won't be able to afford to retake again). None of my programs want the subject test, so I'm not even going to bother with that one. Sorry for the book -- I've been talking about PhD applications in a bubble with people who aren't on the same path, so they can't really relate to the stress that one 2-page document causes. -
I know that U New Mexico, Washington State U and Nebraska-Lincoln don't require the GRE at all now! It helps that UNM is my *dream* program and my so-so GRE score won't stand in the way of my research and work.
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"Optional" Subject Test
victoriansimpkins posted a topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Hi all, After taking two years to teach, research, go to conferences, and publish, I've decided to once again apply for PhD programs. I've narrowed down my list of schools where I want to apply, and two have an "optional" subject test requirement. I've been studying, but haven't taken the test (was going to register soon for it). What has your experience with the "optional" subject test? Should I bite the bullet, per say, and shell out that money for only two schools? I will probably (definitely) retake the GRE in September, so if I don't have to pay for another test, that'd be great. -
Writing Sample Advice??
victoriansimpkins posted a topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Hi all, I applied Fall 2015, wasn't successful, took a year off to research/teach/go to conferences, but I'm ready to apply again this fall, and need some advice on my writing sample. I am applying for mainly 19th-century British/Irish/Transatlantic (or programs that are a combination of the above) and, depending on which programs I decide to actually apply to (I am still narrowing my list of potentials, but have 4 definites), I want to make sure they get the **right** writing sample that matches their programs/my interests. I have a really good paper that concerns Transatlantic monstrosity, but I'm worried that using a Transatlantic paper will worry the committees that I'm not "focused" enough. However, nearly every program that I am interested in says that applicants can submit a portion of their Master's thesis for their writing sample, but I'm not sure if this is a direction that will work. I know which chapter of my thesis I would like to use as my sample, but the chapter is still nearly 25-30 pages (sans bibliography and without me adding portions from the thesis introduction/conclusion). Those of you who are applying/were previously successful, what do you suggest? Each of my writing sample choices have been through revisions either in classes, by professors/advisers, or in graduate writing circles, so each is of roughly the same caliber and I'm not what the right move is at this point. Thanks in advance! -
Fall 2017 Applicants
victoriansimpkins replied to Dr. Old Bill's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
So, no luck this round. I was 0 for 7, but that's okay. After a few days weeks of feeling dejected, I think I've finally accepted my fate for the next year or so. I graduate with my MA in a month, and have applied for several jobs around my current institution. I've been accepted to several conferences this year, and I'll be chairing panels at each of them, so hopefully that will look even better for the next round of apps. I'll be working with people from my MA program to strengthen my materials, reaching out to professors in my area (19th century British, Irish, and American) from US and EU schools, retaking the GRE as many times as I need to (I saved up several hundred dollars so I could retake at least twice). My only problem is I cannot seem to get a high score on the verbal. Does anyone have any suggestions on strengthening this part? -
2016 Acceptance Thread
victoriansimpkins replied to BarAndFrills's topic in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
I knew a few were notified, but my application hasn't changed at all, and I wasn't sure if they were still reviewing applications? Probably not though by now..