WildeThing

I am pretty sure offer letters are signed by someone in the graduate school, at least in my experience. That said, I am sure there are mechanisms in place to change binding contracts in case of financial necessity. It would be up to student representatives/unions to fight against them, though it sounds like the Chicago thing was probably negotiated to some degree, since some groups gained money. Also, re: 2008 crash, is this the same magnitude? I am not an economist so I don’t know but either way, if we’re talking 2008 crash then everything is fucked for years anyway (my country was still not fully recovered from 2008...) so while academia will certainly suffer it will suffer no more than other sectors (in fact, it will probably suffer less).

I would be very surprised if schools just cancelled incoming classes, though none of this is exactly normal. My guess is that things will return to "normal" for the fall, perhaps starting a bit later or earlier to accommodate changes. Alternatively they might push for another semester of online classes. That said, I am trusting that authorities will get their shit together and shut everything down so we can wait this out and that that will allow for everything to get going during the summer. Anyone with any familiarity with politics, national or local, will know that that trust is probably really fucking stupid and naive. Don't stress yourselves out just yet, basically.

Honestly? I would say no. A lot of people do this and a lot of people jump from paid MAs to funded PhDs (and I assume some then make the leap to paying jobs that would not have been available otherwise). But, given the academic world and job market, it does not seem like a good idea to put yourself further and further in debt. That said, this topic has been discussed here before and perhaps others have expressed the various views more eloquently than I, so I would search through this forum.

Yes, completely understandably, which is why I want to preach for calm. This is similar to the situation many international, late-off-the-waitlist, and low-income applicants find themselves in: unable to visit, needing to gather information late and second-hand, etc. And those students usually make it work, as will most people here be able to. Things are going to take longer but faculty and students will adjust to the new normal at some point and lines of communication will flow again. The housing situation is tough because it’s something beyond the university, but I have seen students find places to live very late. They might not be ideal, but if you have some flexibility hopefully you will be able to find something good/decent/manageable. I signed my lease May 1st and some of my cohort-mates found places later, for what it’s worth (very little, admittedly).

It would be great if all schools pushed the deadline back and gave people more time. It would certainly cause problems for some people because now you’re arriving late to the housing market and if you’re overseas you need to rush for visas, but overall it would be for the best. But that is not happening. So if some schools decide to give more time but others don’t, how does that play out? Not all programs can actually still continue to give offers because the internal mechanisms need more processing time, so if someone rejects their spot late, it might not move to the next person. If someone is able to make a decision in May, the trickle effect could mean that many students lose spots that would have been available otherwise. Or what if school X does not budge so you accept but May 1st you get an offer off the waitlist for another school? This introduces a lot of chaos and while the flexibility is certainly great for those who hold multiple offers, if you are not those people I think this is more likely to affect you negatively than positively. I hope this all works out for the best and everyone can make sound decisions and have enough time to make them but I am always wary when a mechanism that is meant to equalize the playing field and keep schools accountable can be nullified by particular schools. That said, I do see the point that perhaps the chaos and loss that might be effected is a lesser evil or worth it if it means reducing stress for others during this trying time. It’s hard to say, we can just hope for the best.

I honestly cannot think of a worse move than individual schools allowing for extensions. This is going to really mess with waitlists and force students to make decisions they might not otherwise make.

I would not expect this at all. You’d need all (or most?) of the graduate schools to agree on a course of action and they currently have their hands full. Frankly, who knows if things will actually get back to usual this semester. I’ve said this before but many of us have made decisions over the year without visiting. Visits are great, but ultimately the main thing is talking to faculty/students, which you can do anyway (faculty are likely busy now, but in a week or two you should be able to get answers). It is what it is, try to make the best of it and trust yourself that you’ll make the best decision you can. If you even have a decision to make it is likely a matter of picking between two great situations (and if not, how likely is it that you would figure that out from a visit?). It sucks that visits are cancelled, it really does, but I hope you can also make the best of a bad situation.

I would try and skype with current students and faculty, several at different stages if you can. Get multiple answers to the same question.

UVa is also shutting down the campus for the foreseeable future with a shift to online classes (at least April 5th). The visits have already happened but this is just to warn that I assume notifications will slow down a bit over the next few days. In fact, I'd assume that the cycle is going to constrict a bit this time around, since the loss of visits might mean people take longer (or hey, shorter!) to make a decision. That said, again, if anyone has any questions about UVa, feel free to PM.

Visits are so important, I would have loved to visit during the process and was very disappointed that I wasn’t able to. BUT, I will say that many candidates select places having never visited and many of them turn out fine. Of course you want to make the best decision possible, but keep in mind that if you applied to a place it’s because it’s a good choice. So seeing as visits are an issue, definitely do all you can to supplement the information but all of the important information can be obtained virtually anyway (skype with students/faculty is a good call). Whatever choice you make after all of that deliberation will be a good one. I am not saying this to diminish the importance of this change in the process but just to calm everyone and say that everything will work out. Trust yourself to make the right choice.

It's really impossible to say. All of the things you mention are things you can't really improve, other than maybe retaking the GRE (which many programs are doing away with anyway). You could try for more publications or conferences or teaching experience but all of those have a negligible impact anyway. Get your WS, SOP and LORs as strong as they can be. Get them vetted, write and rewrite them critically. There's nothing much anyone here can say to help you beyond guessing at what sort of things might work for the SOP/WS based on their own experience. With that in mind, the only thing I would say personally is that I think personal life anecdotes don't really fit with what the SOP is meant to do so I would omit that (but I'm sure someone will come along and say that they used anecdotes and were very successful).

That's tough and ultimately your decision to consider. You say that funding is less of an issue though a 3000+ difference per year is nothing to scoff at so my first thought would be to really examine the finances of each school and how they relate to cost-of-living, moving, your jobs, etc. (also you mention 4 years, are you not being offered funding beyond those years?). I don't think the US News ranking will matter much between 57 and 60, though if you're thinking about prestige you can always ask professors which place seems more prestigious and if they would pick one over the other because of this. That said, as someone astutely pointed out in another thread, schools have different regional prestige, so, if you know you're going to want to stay in the School B area because that's where you have family/history, perhaps School B is actually better for you. As for the the topics, there's no inherent value in any topic, so I would go wherever you feel you could do what you're most interested that. That said, note that you might (and probably will) shift your topic around once in the program and that people might leave or might not be a good fit for you, so basing your entire decision on the topic is risky and might not pay off, even though it's an important consideration. I'm not sure if doing all of your education in one school will negatively impact you on its own. However, what this means is that you won't have a variety of backgrounds, contacts, sources, and faculty to draw from when on the market. Going to different schools means you know a variety of people, who can offer varying perspectives and knowledge-pools that can be helpful later on. That said, there's also something to be said for forming very strong connections with fewer people, too. All of your comments seem to suggest that School B is a better fit for you as a person (rather than, perhaps, as a scholar). When I was looking at schools, where my partner would be comfortable was a huge consideration, but it's really up to you to think which of all these (and more) considerations sway you more and what is more important.

I believe the visits are happening later this week. If you'd like any info on anything related to the city/program/whatever, feel free to DM, though of course it won't make up for not visiting (I don't know what the policy is on waitlist visits, perhaps you can email the director of admissions if you're interested in that).

Definitely negotiate if you're in a position to do so. Just make sure you're not just saying "I want more money" but framing it in the right way. So, you can say that X school is offering more money, or that because of the cost of living, you're concerned about how much this school is offering whereas Y school's package is better. Perhaps your stipend itself can be hard to adjust, but perhaps you can ask for more conference travel funds because Z's travel packages are better. Even if one school is offering you less money, if they're offering a perk that your preferred choice isn't, mention it. If they're offering summer funding, first-choice on TA topic, more fellowship time, additional years of funding, independent research funds, etc., always see if the other schools can match or better it. What I wouldn't do is lie. If your first choice is also offering you more money in every possible way, I wouldn't say that a different program is offering more in case they ask a follow-up that will show your lie (e.g. "oh, how much is X offering, maybe we can match it?" or "we know that Y's funding package is XXX"). BUT, if you legitimately have other concerns, perhaps non-financial ones, perhaps by expressing them they can offer something to sweeten the pot. They might not, they might just try to explain things, and they might refuse/be unable to improve their offer, but if you're in the position to negotiate you should do so.

Rest. You got accepted, you're ready for this, you deserve to enjoy some time off because while grad school is fun and interesting, it's also a lot of tiring work and I think avoiding burn-out is more helpful than perhaps reading something you might or might not ever use. That said, if your program has a language requirement you're concerned about fulfilling, maybe think about it (not obsessively). And if you're worried about finances, perhaps a summer job would be a good idea. Might I also recommend reaching out to maybe one person from your cohort or from the department so you have someone to talk to and maybe meet up with the first week? It can be soothing to feel like you know someone in this totally new space, especially since orientations can be spread out weirdly and you can feel a bit isolated the first few days.

I wouldn't assume your grades would differ in the different schools, other than because you have less time to work because you need TA/work to cover expenses. If your main concern is admissions into a PhD (so the experience of a TAship is less important, though it could be useful in the future on the job market) then I guess school B sounds better? Prestige is probably not a huge concern for MAs but if the funding is equal and you'll have more time to work (and perhaps can apply for more funding through a non-guaranteed TA) on top of possibly more name-recognition and whatever comes with it, I guess that makes more sense. Funding would be my main concern with an MA.

For simplicity, I'll use bullet points: Being waitlisted IS good, no matter where it is or the size of the waitlist. Waitlists are dynamic, no one person can really affect the waitlist authoritatively, not even the director of admissions. So, be patient. I understand that it's frustrating but let me say that at this point last year I had not even heard from UVa yet, and my prospects only really materialized the days before the deadline. There is nothing the admissions committee or chair can do right now other than wait to hear back from admitted students, so I wouldn't send them too many emails asking for updates. Last year I emailed in March, then again on April 1st, and then on the 12th, and the response were basically the same each time because, ultimately, if there's movement and it falls to you then it will fall to you, but they can't give you any more information because... The waitlist, I think, is not hierarchy-based. UVa, at least last year, tried to get a mix of students so technically, several students might reject the offer and it never fall to you because you're in different fields, but then again you might be the next one up if X person drops. So there's no way for anyone to give you more information. it's just very unpredictable. Even if you're the next Victorianist up and the accepted Victorianist goes somewhere else, you MIGHT get the email, but maybe that Victorianist also did digital humanities and now another digital humanist has also back out so they might prefer not to fill the Victorianist spot at all. Note that I have no idea how the decisions are actually made and this is not about any particular example but just to illustrate how a waitlist is not necessarily a list and the best thing you can do is be patient (you can request updates every once in a while, but I don't see much point in asking about movement before April rolls in). I am very much on the side that thinks that if you know you're not taking up an offer then you should notify the school ASAP, but let's remember that this is still February, some schools have not notified yet, many schools still have rejections pending, so until most of that clears up it would be unfair to expect anyone to make the call. I was definitely in your shoes, hoping UVa admits would just decide already, but people need to take their time so, again, patience is key here. Note that the UVa visits have not happened yet, I believe they are taking place next week, so I wouldn't expect much movement before mid-March, anyway. But yes, 4/10 of us in the current cohort got off the waitlist, but ultimately each applicant is a universe onto themselves, so perhaps everyone accepts their spot (or no one does, who knows?). Sorry if long but basically: be patient, breathe, you will find out sooner or later, hopefully sooner. Good luck to everyone (and as always, if you have UVa-specific questions feel free to PM)!

I agree with the previous poster that it's not the rankings but the reputation, so these programs might be 30 spots away from one another but considered equal, I don't really know how they're perceived by faculty. I know more about UConn because I applied there last year, and there has been at least one doing the Villanova MA here I believe, and maybe they can help you. I personally don't think POIs matter THAT much for the MA, because you're going to be doing mostly coursework and so outside of class and maybe a final thesis you're probably not talking to professors that much (you definitely can though, of course, but a professor who has not worked with you will not write a convincing LoR). Point being that if you went to a school because of a POI and they happened to not offer a course in your time there, you might not gain much from that POI. I'd look at recent course offerings and see how often the faculty you're interested in teaching (different schools have different ways of alternating teaching, sometimes profs teach a course each year for 2-3 years then stop for a while, others have a set rotation, others might not have certain professors teach grads ever). More important than either prestige or POIs, I think, is funding. Where will you be able to live most comfortably? Are you being fully funded at any place? Those would be my top considerations (the others are important too, though). As for UConn's teaching load, it is a lot, and I was honestly kind of scared about it when I first heard it last year, BUT, I believe those 2 classes have less students than some classes in other institutions because of recent changes they've made. Also, teaching experience is unlikely to help you for PhD applications, but the experience could be good for the job market. Having experience teaching similar courses at different institutions with different environments will give you a leg-up on some of your fellow applicants. It's definitely a lot of work, but it's not for nothing at least (as to whether that is worth perhaps having less time to work on your scholarship and make it as good as it can be, I dunno (perhaps not, depending on your capability to put up good work under time constraints).

Yes, especially to the part in bold, and this is my main gripe with academia (and, I believe, the public's gripe with academics). As for prestige vs. talent issue, I definitely think prestige has likely played a (big) part. There are certainly better and worse applications, and there's the question of fit, but if you're getting waitlisted/accepted (and being waitlisted is more of an acceptance than a rejection), then that means your application is perceived as marking you as ready for this level. I don't think there is really that much of a difference between the level of work you do or the level of graduate students at the program you applied for. The faculty might be more famous, and you might get more time and support to help you do good work, but if you're good enough to be waitlisted at UConn/Buffalo you're good enough to do your PhD at Harvard/Berkeley. Fit, extenuating circumstances and, of course, prestige, will play a role but never put yourself down because you are more than capable to do this work, even if you get shut out.

Are any schools pressuring you to commit? Do not accept an offer if you have decisions pending (unless you know you would not accept, but even then, you could leverage the offer). Moving on and starting the process is enticing, but you don’t want to have any regrets about this situation.

@MedievalIllusions @Wimsey @tinymica My understanding is that there was a lot of movement on the waitlist last year (which is not to say it will happen again). I believe 40% of the matriculating PhD cohort came off the waitlist. At least 3 of were informed of our acceptance in the last week of the decision period, and I personally was informed I had a spot on a Saturday before the deadline (which was Monday). So things CAN happen very quickly and I definitely would have felt more comfortable with more time and more opportunities to talk to people. Of course it would suck to get that info and then not get accepted, but feel free to PM if you DO want to ask stuff (even if it's an emergency PM on April 15th).

Similar to what @EM51413 just said, my only note, as you're thinking of which type of program you would like to apply to and prepare for, is about the market. My first cycle I applied to both Comp Lit and English programs (as well as Berkeley's Rhetoric) and one of my professors (who has been a leading scholar in comp lit for years yet teaches within an English department) told me to keep in mind that comp lit PhDs have a harder time getting hired. Of course, being interdisciplinary means you're not limited to a single market, but the perceived lack of specialization can make it tough when a hiring committee is looking at you and wondering if by hiring you they will cover a teaching area or period. This is not to say that you should follow the market (in fact the market changes). I wound up applying anyway, because that was the work I wanted to do at the time, but I did so knowing that I might have a harder time finding an academic job in the future (this can be mitigated (to what degree? who knows) by applying to program that successfully place candidates, of course.

I’d be very surprised if all adcom members at all programs read every single word of every single application. I am sure some do, but I believe it has been reported before that in the initial rounds samples and statements are skimmed or only the introduction/conclusion is read (when applying I was told to make the first two paragraphs the best ones (with all the crucial info when it came to the SoP) because those are the only that will definitely be read). In later rounds I assume they read things over carefully but when you have hundreds of files? Not saying an abstract is necessary, but it does sound like a good idea if you can make it fit (assuming you work it as much if not more than the rest of your materials).

I don’t mean to detract from what you’re saying because I agree that it is possible (but definitely not probable) to get good offers from top schools coming from no-name schools but the anecdotal evidence (of which there is a lot because there are SO MANY of us from no-name schools who apply to these schools) should not outweigh the trends. BUT, you did spend a year at Oxford, which is one of the biggest names out there and that will certainly counter this no-name issue.

Before I answer the original question I want to address this, knowing that (in my experience) my stance on this runs counter to general consensus. I think where you got your education is very important, (mostly) for all the wrong reasons. You'll find that though there is of course a lot of variety and people come from different backgrounds, there is less and less variety the higher up you go in the prestige list. There are more Ivy and "public Ivy" students at the top schools than there are students from smaller schools. I'm not going to get into the why of this, it's been discussed before, but I do think that where you study will have an effect. That said, and I say this as someone who came from no-name schools, it's not the only factor. And it is one of the things you have no control over so there's no point worrying about it. Give it a shot and apply anyway, you never know. That said, I definitely think the MA first route is a good idea (not to say you shouldn't apply to PhDs out of undergrad). I did several MAs in different fields on my way to a PhD program and doing graduate work is really helpful in setting your ideas straight. In fact, it is now when I'm doing my coursework that I sort of wish I had done a straight English MA before applying because from the things I am learning and the perspectives I'm developing now (and the scholars I'm learning about) I know that my application could have been that much better and more competitive. I also think it makes sense to do an MA if you think your profile might seem weak. You can definitely "jump" from a "middling" program to a bigger program through the MA.