jillcicle

*waves*. I do 12th/13th c., paleography and codicology, dig. hum. (Python corpus analysis), and medievalism studies. Been shifting gear to the latter two since my MA, so I just finished Medievalism: Key Critical Terms and can't recommend it enough. I am currently reading pulp fiction and hiding in bed from my crippling certainty I will be rejected from all the programs I applied to. ?

Here to vent about UCLA rejection like many of the rest of you - tattoos sound like such a good form of therapy! I just went and ate too many apps at Denny's instead and like... not the best now I just feel gross in a different way. *shrug*

Definitely the best Thank you so much for the update! That's really heartening re: the Latin and the supportive faculty. I'm feeling more excited than ever to start now.

YMMV, but what I found out was that my idea of a "good" GPA was higher than it needed to be. Full disclosure, I finished with a 3.86, so that might be a lot higher than you're talking about. (And I hope that doesn't sound braggy - I only had two years to muck it up during since I transferred from a CC.) Anyway, I was worried that I'd be competing exclusively with 3.9 and 4.0 students in the top programs, but my adviser told me that a 3.86 is actually quite good and she would consider anything over a 3.6 to be a mark in favor on an application. I think outside of the writing sample/grade balance, that publication is going to go a long way in making up for whatever your GPA might be. There's also the question of if you have an upward trend in GPA to offset a lower number, or if you end up with great GRE scores. Basically I wouldn't write off your application ability based on any one factor unless it's below an actual cutoff.

Thanks for all the fantastic info! Someone else mentioned looking at the Summertown and Jericho neighborhoods for proximity to my college (Lady Margaret Hall). Could you tell me a little bit more about the rental timeline? For example, I know in my undergrad town here in the States you had to have your lease tied up by February to be able to move in in September. (Hopefully that's not the case or I'd have already missed the window.) How soon should I aim to be signing a place? What's the usual lease term? Month to month, year long, something in-between? Also, I noticed a lot of listings show the weekly cost not monthly cost - is rent still paid monthly? (Sorry if that's stupid.)

@dani8023 Hi, I stalked you here from the Oxford, UK thread and was excited to see you had a lot of similar concerns to me going into the MST at Oxford. Mine is medieval English, not history, but I am also looking to acquire Latin and prepare for PhD. Would you be willing to follow up? How's your Latin now? How are you feeling about PhD applications?

Thanks so much! That's all very comforting and helpful information. I especially appreciate the neighborhood tips - I tried for university accommodation and was told demand has already exceeded availability. Also, I did my undergrad at UC Davis, known as the bike-iest college in the US, so that is something I should be able to handle easily

This thread is very, very dead - anyone else around who is interested in reviving it? I am accepting at Oxford, no form of university housing was available through college or DGS, I live in California now, and I've never been on an airplane before. If anyone has any information I am so beyond interested. Basic wardrobe items I need to acquire to not die? Essentials that people moving from the states need? Tips on finding housing when I am 5,000 miles away (timeline, everything says not to enter in contract without viewing, etc)? Also, does anyone know of a contact point for grad students from the US who will be attending Oxford?

@Concordia and @redjacobin thanks so much for both of your thoughtful, in-depth answers! I am happy to say I will be accepting my offer at Oxford. ^^This was (on top of an extensive conversation with my adviser, who did a Cambridge MPhil) the tipping point/deciding factor for me. I had forgotten it until you referenced it, but that is the thing I was most excited about when researching programs and it was really a standout against the other MAs I was looking at. Sort of a non-answer here, but I thought I'd chime in as well for posterity: I put no preference on my application because I was filling it out last minute and didn't feel I understood the system well enough to blindly pick one. I was accepted at Lady Margaret Hall, which is the college of one of my course convenors as well as another very strong Medievalist, so I am happy with that placement even if LMH isn't as old or highly ranked on the Norrington Table as others. For bonus charm, it suits my secondary interest in women's lit that it was the first women's college. I felt like putting myself in the hands of the system had a very satisfactory outcome, more-so than expected. Of course, my actual experience there remains to be seen. (Also, no housing available )

Hi everyone, As we roll toward decision day, I'm trying to compare my two MA options with the MSt at Oxford and feeling short on perspective. Oxford is Oxford, and the 9 month program is going to be a lot cheaper for me. (None of them are funded.) But here are the things I'm struggling with: Academically: How is a PhD program going to perceive the MSt? It has a thesis, but I'll obviously be less-developed than I would from an MA. If I wait until I've finished the MSt to apply to PhDs, is that gap going to look bad? Would I need to find some sort of research work from idk where to fill between June and October? Grades - I've heard UK grading looks a lot harsher. Do American PhD programs know this enough that it wouldn't slaughter my application? Oxford has the shiny reputation, but it seems Columbia was actually harder to get into based on the numbers I've seen. This might not even matter but the high(ish) acceptance level at Oxford has me questioning how this degree is perceived. Professionally: Part of the reason I wanted the MA (other than I basically have to have it to get into decent PhD programs, due to my lack of languages and community college transfer) is because I felt like I would then have a qualification that I could use to bail out of academics and into other fields if really desired. But "MST English 650-1550" seems like it would look pretty meaningless on a resume, since it's so specific and not that recognizable of a degree name. Is this a professionally useless degree, as opposed to the English MA which might qualify me for things? Thanks for any thoughts! I also have a phone call scheduled with my undergrad advisor, but I'm stressing.

Thanks!! I wonder if they're rolling out the financial aid stuff gradually. Enjoy your visit! If I could afford to fly across the country for it, I would just to see the cherry blossoms.

Okay, so an update: no funding for me. I got an email from SFS this morning telling me my application for financial aid had been reviewed, prompting me to login to MyAccess. There the federal loan amounts were broken down. Not at all surprising at this point and I'm leaning toward other programs anyway.

Which deadline did you apply for? They do 3 rolling ones if I remember right. I didn't actually apply but filled out the application (lol) and have been keeping an eye on the results board out of curiosity. I don't remember seeing anything about the MA. The last rolling deadline doesn't close until the end of this month, and it says they review applications after each deadline but isn't really clear about when, if I remember right. Sorry - must be nerve-wracking!

Just received an acceptance letter (via email) to the Mst in English (650-1550) at Oxford! For others who are waiting to hear - I know someone mentioned it is expected to take through April - my last name starts with K. No scholarships or funding. I also submitted the application within an hour of the deadline, not early. Those are the only factors I can think of that might influence their order of notification.

Haha, yes I did! I still can't quite believe that one, actually. Thank you! So far my severe procrastination habits haven't yet caught up to me - I'm sure when there are actually consequences they will be fierce! I made a joke once to my undergrad thesis adviser that the teachers probably talk about me at department meetings as "that girl who has submitted every single paper late." She laughed way too hard, and said "well, we don't phrase it quite that way." Awkward.

Took the GRE Lit, having guzzled a cup of coffee on the way there (I know you aren't supposed to, but it was that or caffeine withdrawals) and didn't know there were bathroom breaks allowed. Almost peed my pants - like was actually debating the merits of leaving the test early vs just peeing myself and getting a better score - when, to my shock, someone got up and went to the bathroom. Crisis narrowly averted, half the test done with mad fidgeting and super-crossed legs. Not my proudest moment. Submitted my Columbia application at 12:14 am EST when the deadline was midnight, due to major procrastination and underestimating upload times. When I submitted my Oxford app, their payment system was down, so they had a temporary voucher and you were supposed to pay later. 2 weeks later, I checked my email and saw a 4 day old message telling me there were only 24 hours left to pay. I paid and sent them a panicky message that they answered somewhat noncommittally - but I think, think, they were still going to consider the application. Still very possible that money was straight down the drain. With all that, I'm too afraid to check my documents for typos

I think "hybrid" style bikes are the absolute best option. They're light and move fast, like a road bike, but tend to have a little bit of suspension and added comfort in seat, handles, etc - and you can sit upright. They're targeted at bike commuters. I had a Specialized Ariel (until it got stolen) and it was absolutely perfect. There are other brands that make something similar. Also key - let someone at a bike shop fit you to the frame. If it's the wrong size, your wrists and legs will kill you.

Just got an email telling me to check my application status for Columbia, and am shocked (and excited) to see I was accepted! I submitted my application about 15 minutes after the deadline closed, and I thought for sure that would be a serious black mark against me.

In a similar vein, I took it specifically because I transferred from community college and wasn't able to take a large breadth of courses in my two years of undergrad. (Especially as a double major, I didn't take anything over the absolute requirements for degree.) My transcript was probably ~70% Medieval and Early Modern because I doubled in MEMS. I feel that the GRE lit demonstrated a better range of knowledge than my transcripts and CC background might have suggested. With that said, I really took a gamble by sending the free score report to all my top choices without knowing how I was going to score. I don't know if I'd recommend it if you aren't trying to patch some sort of "hole" in your academic experience. Also, it was expensive and stressful. Hm, just realized you were asking about sending not taking. I only applied to MA programs and have only heard back from 1 so far. I can't picture it hurting you in any way to not send if you don't love your score (presuming you don't need it to show breadth of knowledge, as I mentioned).

Hi all. I know that a few people here were already notified of funding acceptance from GU, but it seemed that they were still rolling notifications out? I was wondering if anyone had heard after the letter. The letter of recommended admission said this: " Students to whom we decide to offer funding packages will hear from me directly by phone. Please know that we were very impressed with your application, and wish we could offer support to all of our admitted students. We will be happy to discuss with you strategies for supporting yourself while you do your work with us, and to put you in contact with current students about these matters as well. You should wait to hear from the Graduate School before contacting Student Financial Services regarding alternative financial arrangements for attending Georgetown. " This gave me the impression that if I didn't get a call (which I haven't) before the official admit letter cleared, funding wasn't happening. But my admission letter says this "You are presently being considered for merit-based financial aid in the form of a graduate assistantship and/or scholarship, or a non-service fellowship. If you are selected for such an award, you will be notified by separate letter." Any ideas? Am I waiting on the letter, or the call, or should I assume it's not happening and reach out to SFS? Has anyone else who was waiting to hear gotten an update? This is the only program I applied to where funding is even a possibility, and I already have $40k of undergrad debt under my belt. Needless to say I am anxious to hear.

Oh, that's good to know! The suspense continues, then. On a side note, what's the etiquette with this "recommended for admission" email. Should I reply? What should I say? I don't just want to be like "OMG thank you!" or bother an important person unnecessarily.

For Lit in English test: I prepped with the Princeton review book (which made me feel calmer and more secure, but seemed totally irrelevant come test day), flashcards of authors and works with distinctive lines from said works, and found some free audiobooks that I listened to during my commute. I'll see if I can dig those up. On test day, I showed up almost late, ran through the rain to get there, and spent the first 2 hours in a painful fog because I thought we weren't allowed to take bathroom breaks and was this close to peeing my pants. (They phrased it weird, but we totally were. I cannot emphasize that enough. BATHROOM BREAKS ARE ALLOWED - at least in US testing centers.) Felt like I knew the the answers to nothing, and afterward everyone was chatting about the right answers to questions, none of which I had known. I cried in the car on the way home. Then, scores came in, and I got a 700. *shrug* Basically, the curve is a nightmare, and even if you feel like you missed half the questions (or literally do) it means nothing about your score. I only did about a month and a half of prep. I don't know if more or less would have changed things that much. I think studying is much more for your peace of mind than its impact on the test, although there were some things on the test that I specifically remembered studying. Found the audiobooks! Peter Whitfield's Introductions to World Literature. Don't listen when tired, cause this guy will put you out. Henry Beers' Brief History of English and American Literature. This doesn't cover anything modern, because it's entertainingly old. Also, there's a faint high-pitched feedback noise on some of the tracks. Still, very helpful for studying on a budget. For the General: This was so much easier and less stressful! I recommend Vocabulary.com, and Khan Academy to brush up on your math if it's been a while. For the essays, go in with a game-plan and don't stress too much about picking a side on the issue analysis. Grab one and go with it, even if you don't hold the belief you're arguing for.

The Arbors is also small dog friendly. I lived there both years and was very happy with the distance to campus, the amenities, and management. Karen (the manager) is the best, and the maintenance guy was actually really, really friendly as well - always asking how I was doing, got sad when he found out I had graduated and would be moving,etc. It also has a reputation as being a quieter, more grad student targeted complex. And no roaches!

"Recommendation for admission" email Friday for Georgetown as well- the consensus seems to be that this is basically admission, right? And seems like funding offers have all probably been made? I feel like deciphering the rhetoric in the email is almost as stressful as waiting. Congratulations to everyone, though! OH, and I thought I would pass on, my undergrad email that I am still using tagged that email this way: " 8.8/5.0This incoming message has been identified by the central filters aspossible spam. This attachment is provided so that you can review thereasons the message was tagged, and to assist with additional filteringif you wish to supplement the central filters with your own local rules. " Double-check your spam folders, everyone!