imogenshakes

Yay! Congratulations!! I'm in there, too, as of yesterday. The weird archaic mail acceptance threw me for a loop. My mentor also found it odd, but said it didn't surprise him, coming from U of SC...whatever that means, haha I also just got a strange evening email from UC Riverside! Another of my top choices. I was offered a Eugene Cota Robles Award on top of a TA stipend, so that's pretty fantastic! I'm stoked. My brain hurts trying to think of which option is going to be best at this point, though. I know it's such a privileged problem to have, but man.

hahahaha this is like one of my greatest (and most irrational, I'm sure) fears. When I got my call from Davis, I barely said two words, and my POI was like "Well, I'll let you go and digest the news, here's my contact info if you need anything." I emailed her like an hour later and thanked her profusely and apologized for being so awkward. She was fantastic about it in her reply. I think she was worried my inability to respond meant I wasn't interested. I was like...NOOOOOOO Introverts + phones = the worst combination

Awesome! When I wrote on it, I used Stacy Alaimo's theory of transcorporeality to argue that Maurice's absence from the narrative at the end of the novel was a "becoming with" his environment and an ultimate acceptance of himself as a natural being. There's that whole crazy primrose thing at the end where Clive perceives him to have dissolved into a pile of its petals...I just got obsessed about the novel from that point. I'm just so excited other people have done work on this. Every time I ask my colleagues they're like "What now?" haha

It is certainly at the top of my list at the moment, so that would be fantastic! That whole UC partnership thing is totally dreamy! haha

Can I ask which Forster novels? I wrote two papers on Maurice during my MA, one of them was a queer eco reading of it and I think we'd probably have similar approaches, from the sounds of it.

For some reason the post wouldn't let me start a new line to congratulate the other acceptances today, so here I am, making another post. haha Congrats to EVERYONE! Here's to hoping there's more good news across the board today!

I don't if this is helpful or if it makes things worse, but I checked my portal this morning and mine just says "submitted" too. I have only official word from a phone call and an email from the DGS - no other letters, emails, anything. I hope you hear soon! And man, congrats, @claritus! I'm sorry they put you through that, though, geez. I can imagine getting an email so late would be quite a shock.

It seems to me that unorthodox methodology means you like to think outside the box and push boundaries, which is a necessary component of scholarship. I bet you'll be great!!

This is fun! My WS is the seminar paper that I wrote during my second semester of my MA. It argues that the A-text (1604) of Marlowe's Doctor Faustus was not published for any of the reasons scholarship has claimed to this point, but instead because it's publisher had developed a specialization in publishing religious/satirical/moral works and recognized DF as fitting within that framework. The play was actually the only playtext he published, so I figure there must have been a reason why he'd publish a bunch of religious pamphlets and Middleton and then randomly choose a Marlowe play.

...yeah.

Umm, no. There are so many weird teaching stories, guys. We could probably start a thread of them or something. When I was in UG, one of my classmates in my favorite class with my favorite professor told me that she wrote a...let's just say inappropropriate, add your own details at your peril...story about said prof. I had to walk away and not care about her feelings. I don't know why she told me, to this day, but it's seared in my memory. Students, man.

I'll definitely do some digging, you've sparked my interest ? I do think my research interests place me in a similar spot. Between book history (hot topic,) eco (really hot topic) and DH (...enough said), I have kind of a weird combo of things but somehow it works great in my mind. I guess I got lucky that what I found myself excited about are really popular and rapidly developing fields! re: the pepper, what makes ME most uncomfortable is that, because my uni is a commuter and transfer-heavy school, most of my students are around my age. So it's not like it's totally irrational (though age rarely matters in situations of attraction), but I have a hard enough time commanding respect and then I realize that some of them don't even care what I'm talking about, they just like my looks. I even had a student reviewer on there, after a pretty nice and thorough evaluation, say "plus, she's SMOKIN HOT." ..... As if that matters. I didn't know how to react except I'm glad it's anonymous so I'll never know which student said it. I think I'd turn a million shades of red if I ever saw them in the halls. ? I really should just write a strongly worded letter to RMP and tell them to remove the pepper. Haha

Ha, I wouldn't say I mastered it, though fit has to be what it is. I was not confident with my application at all. I thought for sure I'd just get into my backup schools and that Mad/Davis/etc were super long-shots. Especially considering the state of my WS, as confirmed by my mentor (who essentially said "it is what it is, there's not much time to do what needs to be done to it."). I don't know who this infamous hypervodka is, but if it means I get eight for eight I'll take it! haha This is also one reason why I'm antsy to get the rest of the info...I don't want to hold onto spots that need to be opened up to others! Especially those who are anxiously waiting. I feel quite guilty about sitting on offers but I also don't want to give them up until I have enough info to make an educated decision. Ugh. Yes. Yes. He is basically the reason I applied to Iowa. That, and that wonderful Book Studies certificate! Thanks for the well-wishes! Fingers crossed! Well, I DID get a hot chili pepper on Rate My Professor that one time...soooo... (that is not bragging, btw. I hate it so much. I felt gross when my colleague told me about it. haha)

Thank you! I'm so glad things are picking up for everyone! Re: Iowa, I'm excited about the program. I'd be going for their strength in book history, for sure! I'll definitely message you if I am accepted there! I'm really glad to hear that you had a great experience, both in the program and in IC. I know basically nothing about Iowa, haha. Thanks for the offer!

Hooray! Congrats to all of the acceptances today! Things are finally starting to pick up. I hope everyone starts to hear positive news soon! I got an acceptance letter today from South Carolina. Back when I was limited geographically, they were my top choice, but the offer of funding really confirms my decision to apply more broadly. I was offered tuition remission and a TA-ship, but it's not guaranteed funding; it's renewable, and it depends on the needs of the English Department and my standing in the program whether or not I'd be able to renew it. Needless to say, I'm glad I applied other places, because I've gotten much better offers elsewhere! In other news, I heard from the DGS at Davis again today, who told me UC schools are in a partnership and students can take courses for credit at other UC schools. So....maybe, if things pan out, I'll see some of you lucky Berkeley admits in the next few years??

Seconded.

Ugh. I had a couple that were "no more than 2000 characters, including spaces." That's what, 400 words? I thought for sure my 500-word SOP with no introduction and little elaboration on fit (and also my WS, which I MESSED UP MY WORKS CITED PAGE ON. So badly. It was terrible) would shut me out of Madison, but they must take into account the lack of space or something. Anyway, I know my longer SOPs are much stronger, so I'm much more confident on those, but that's what...only half of the programs? The thing that worries me most about my Santa Barbara application is my Writing Sample. They required 10 pages max, but my WS is 17, and not really a paper conducive to "cutting" and still retaining a coherent argument, if that makes sense. So I just chopped off the last 7 pages and noted that it's an excerpt, but I've heard that they'd rather have a cohesive, finished 10-page paper.

Alright, that's three up for Riverside in the past two days. Someone claim them...and...more info? Please?

Amazing news! Congratulations!

I've heard this, too. And remember, adcomms also look at the application as a whole, so if you have strong recs, writing sample, SOP, etc. there's a good chance it will balance out.

Oh my god, I know. I'm so angry. I don't know how to channel it into something productive. Sooo...add this to the list. - Find a way to channel anger at government into something productive.

FANTASTIC! Congratulations, guys!

Exact situation happening over here. When I told my parents I was going to apply to non-regional schools (which was not my initial plan), they were like "Well, it's only two years and then you can come back here and get a job at [current uni] here!" I mean, didn't I already explain a million times that academia means a nomadic life? How tenure works? How the job market sucks and you go where the jobs are? Also...idk where they got that PhD programs are 2 years long. I wish. haha I still don't think my mom understands how rankings work. They don't know why I'd elect to choose a cross-country move over a 1.5 hour commute when the result (another diploma, some letters after my name) is the "same." I'm sorry too. Mondays are already the worst. Take care of yourselves today, and remember there's still time!

Agreed! I'm not sure how many early modernists they have at a time. They have a really strong program, so it seems like there would be quite a few. Best of luck to you, as well! I hope you hear soon. Meanwhile, I see two more UCD acceptances on the results page...anyone care to claim? hahaha I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who does this. I'm on the east coast and most of my top choices are out west, so around lunchtime I get all anxious and then remember that they're just getting to work (maybe, if they're not still at home drinking coffee).

Ha! I was appalled by my quant, but my partner kindly reminded me that I haven't used algebra since my freshman year of undergrad, and again, nobody seems to care. I do agree, though, this is weird. Where all did you apply? Have you heard anything yet?