AnimeChic101!

Hi gradcafe, I have a few quick questions. I currently have a well-written, thought out paper that I was originally going to use as my writing sample for my grad apps. It only needed minor edits and I was going to reduce it by about 5 pages (condensing a paper isn't too difficult for me due to having to do this process numerous times for conferences...thank goodness for that lesson haha). Here's the issue: it is within my area of desired speciality but it is a bit off from what I talk about in my SOP. I have another paper that is already within my 15 page limit, falls directly into my area of intended expertise and aligns with my SOP, but the issue is that it needs major edits (like reconstructive surgery). The good thing is that I will (hopefully) have time to edit prior to my early December due dates. The other issue is that I may not be able to edit this paper to be as good/strong as the one that resides a bit away from my SOP's description. I can: A) Edit the shorter paper extensively B ) Submit a lightly edited version of the longer paper C) do some major edits to the longer paper so that it includes more of the intellectual interests that my SOP describes (maybe even splice in some elements of the shorter paper that fit with my SOP...) D ) Explain my rationale for submitting the original essay in my SOP E) Drink tons of coffee and watch Netflix until i figure it out Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

I can't stress this point enough. I wish that I had done this when I entered my MA program, but at least I know exactly what I'll have to do when I'm in a PhD program. In a MA program, you have such a little amount of time to get to know your professors. You really need to hit the ground running. It took me two semesters (into a 3 semester program) to figure out what professors I should work with. Not everything is on a faculty bio, so make sure to as around and see who you should really be working with.

Yep. I've been prepping for it. The scores are a few years old. I last took it as a junior in college, and now I'm finishing up my masters so hopefully i'll do better . Summer is for prepping.

Yes. You'll need to learn French at some point. Most of Cesaire's work (and the articles that speak about it/ accompany it) are in French. I also have to learn it on top of another language. Kaipha, we have similar interests. I'll send you a PM about my program. It's fully funded (or at least most receive funding).

When I look at grad programs, I first look for POI and then funding. No funding, no education. It's that simple for my currently broke self. I can barely afford applications,, so a ton of money for a two year program is a no-go lol. However, I must state that somebody else on this site stated that going to an unfunded program was the best thing they ever did because they made contacts that got them into a highly ranked, fully funded program or something like that. With that being said, is your main interest theory? Or are you still trying to find an area of specialty? Most areas involve a bit of theory, so it's good to have the basics down and then a few that you really know inside and out for you area.

Let me hijack this thread for a second lol. I'm applying to about 15 programs. About 5-6 of them require the Lit Gre (1 just wants it b/c the grad school requires it, but they don't care for it). My scores are actually abysmal. And no, this is not like some type-A stating that their B or C is destroying their GPA, my Lit score actually stunnnkkkk even though my regular GRE score was decent (80th percentile or so, higher for the writing section because it's just a formula). Should somebody like me retake the subject test? My SOP and writing sample will be good. I'm not too sure about how my rec's will be (I am in a 1.5 years Master program and I only really got to know 2 professors really well, so the 3rd letter may be a bit off). I would much rather spend time publishing, writing, reading and prepping for my conference presentations that I have over the next few months. Oh, and OP, I got into a fully funded MA program with my terrible Lit score, but I had amazing recs (my prof's showed them to me when the application season was over and the program I got into told me that they loved the recs) and a really great SOP (the funded program told me so). Just throwing that in there.

You both shared great points. Thanks! Also, if the school lists the adcom or has somebody that people should direct questions towards, wouldn't it be weird that a student emailed somebody else? I would just fwd the message to the correct person if I was the prof.

Reviving this thread to simply ask if all of this advice should/can be used for Lit programs? I read elsewhere that STEM programs like potential students to contact POI's more than Lit/Humanity fields.

Thank you all for your responses. My professor did tell me that the paper in question was rather good. They gave me some general advice for minor tweaking, and I have been encouraged to publish (I was actually told to submit it to a specific journal which is really well known). I am the furthest thing from a "know-it-all" and I am kindly encouraged to verbally assert my ideas a bit more so that people will know it when I speak rather than when I just write. Thanks for the advice!

I was having this conversation on another thread. Rather than continue to hijack somebody elses thread, I thought that it might be best to create a new one. Somebody gave the advice that if you're looking to apply to a PhD program then you should not publish any work. It might be considered as premature, or that you think you think you know it all already. My MA advisors have actively encouraged me to publish, stating that it will help me get into programs. During graduate caucus meetings at academic conventions I've attended, the conveners encouraged grad students to publish and get their ideas known at an early stage (even going as far as to make contests for it). I also looked at the cv's of PhD students at the programs I'm applying to and i noticed that about 1 /3rd of those who had an MA prior to the PhD were published at least once in their final year. Is there a general rule about publishing while a MA student or early PhD? Does it actually look bad? I do have some work in really small journals, but I have 2 more being reviewed at more prestigious journals. Is this something that is not recommended? Should I not include publications on my CV when I am applying for my PhD?

I never took a language class in college or during my MA, but I am listing the languages I am a novice or proficient at on my CV.

Is this a real thing? My MA professors have actively encouraged me to publish so that I can up my chances of getting into a fully funded PhD program. I feel like presenting in the humanities is much easier than getting published (at least from what i've noticed). So getting published would be more in your favor, right?

I actually attend a fully funded MA program at a pretty decent institution. This is great because I'm a good student but I'm broke (aren't we all, haha), and there was no way I could have taken on the debt of a graduate degree (I was about 80% funded via academic awards in undergrad as well). That being said, it is in the top 80 Countrywide but top 20 for New England (and that's when it's up against places like Harvard, MIT, BC, Williams etc). That program has given me a space to really find out and hone in on my area of study. I've been able to attend academic conferences and I am currently in the process of submitting a few articles to some top journals. It has been a great academic place for me. I agree with Rising Star, a MA is really what you make of it (same thing as undergrad).

Hey everybody I'll be applying this coming fall as well. During my first round, I applied to about 17 schools fresh out of undergrad. I had NO idea what I was doing lol, but I am happy that I got into a fully funded MA program which I'll be graduating from next May. I plan on applying to about 15-16 PhD programs this coming fall