Jump to content

JessicaLange

Members
  • Posts

    86
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

Everything posted by JessicaLange

  1. If the school does offer to consider your application as an MA after you've been rejected from the PhD, there will probably be a box that you can check on their application page. I had two schools do this. One contacted me to let me know that I had been rejected for the PhD and my application was being sent on (I think this was NYU). Another one contacted me and told me that I was rejected and my application would be sent for MA consideration; they asked me to submit a new Statement of Purpose for the new program (I think this was Columbia). Still another program did not have the box on their application, but they contacted me to tell me that I had been accepted into their MA even though I had only applied for the PhD. So, if the school does not specifically state it, I would contact them. And, as other posters are saying, examine the MA funding before making that decision. It was such a tease to have an NYU acceptance but only 50% tuition remission.
  2. This definitely depends on the program. A lot of programs won't even accept every MA credit. I would contact the schools that you plan to apply for and see what their policies are. But, I think as long as you can explain in your Statements of Purpose/Academic Statements how your experience in your MFA program will contribute to your further studies, you'll still have a chance.
  3. Absolutely! Living in Bloomington is pretty easy. If you have a roommate, you'll be able to find rent for less than $500. Mine was about $560, but I lived right next to campus in a nice house. It's definitely different from city living. Plus drinks are $3-$8 at most of the bars, which is nice because there's not much else to do there.
  4. Just have to say that I went to IU and it's a really great school. But, I'm pretty sure they don't offer much money for stipends, so I might ask around about that.
  5. I'm kind of repeating what has already been said, but working in a Writing Center really helps you with your own writing. It's like a crash course in grammar, sentence structure, citations, and paragraph flow. I have a much stronger grasp on concepts, because I have to explain them to students every day. I can finally point out active/passive voice (which always confused me) and having the burden of explaining rules to students means that you actually must understand the rules. Sometimes you have to say "uhh this part needs a comma, because....that's just uhh how English works." Generally speaking, though, there is a logic behind the construction of the English language and it's so helpful to examine those principles. Obviously, you aren't just a copyeditor; you're more like a 5th grade grammar or logic instructor. "How does this fit into your main argument?" "Here you say this, but you contradict it in the paragraph before." "Okay, I explained this rule in the previous sentence; what do you need to change here?" Sometimes students need you to explain APA citations and you've never done them either, but you figure it out. Sometimes I'll turn to a colleague and ask how they would explain the difference between gerunds and present participles. You just re-learn so much through the sessions. It can be frustrating that you can't just grab it from them and fix it, but I think writing center work is invaluable.
  6. You might want to consider Indiana University Bloomington. I went there for my undergrad and I took courses that covered all of the playwrights you mentioned as well as courses on psychoanalysis. The best way to do it would probably be through a joint or dual program between the Theatre program and Gender Studies program. I'm not sure if you can do that, but it's worth looking into.
  7. It completely depends on the program. I'm sure you know that each school takes different factors into consideration, but I think that having a higher score definitely gives you a leg up. Also, having a higher score means that you don't have to wonder what could have been if you'd just had a higher score. I will say, that when I took the GRE the first time I also got a 157 and then I went to visit a bunch of PhD programs and got the general sense that they wanted you to be at least in the 90th percentile (these were all top 20 schools though). One of them actually read me the scores of everyone that got in to their program for that semester and the person with the lowest score had a 157. Those were PhD programs, so take it with a grain of salt. But, I would say it won't completely take you out of the running. You'll just want to make sure the rest of your application is great, because other applicants will almost definitely have a higher GRE score.
  8. Just to clarify, I just heard someone say this and I thought it was an interesting topic in a general sense. I have thoughts about Chelsea Manning, but would not personally make any decision about a school based on their positive or negative treatment of her. She was not my point. But I think you need to look at a school and assess its values and see if any of them really contradict your own. It's not about safe spaces as JKL said. I've never experienced safe spaces the way TV hosts and columnists discuss them. But, I understand that I am not always welcome and I don't want to waste my time, money, and effort applying to or attending a school that does not support me. I'm lucky to be applying in 2017/18 when most of the big/top schools are LGBT friendly, but if any of them were systematically mistreating queer individuals, I would cross them off of my list. Anyway, I thought it was an interesting topic. Sorry to see how sarcastic and rude the comments got.
  9. Don't do that. If you've taken the time to look up the grievances against Manning, then you've seen that she uses feminine pronouns. But, I understand your point and I tend to think in the same way. It makes a difference if it's an institutional issue or if it's a smaller division of the university.
  10. My first two paragraphs only had minor changes for each school. I spent months fine tuning those parts. The next two or three paragraphs were personalized for each school. But, there were some sentences that ended up in every SOP. You're background is the same and your goals are the same; it's just the program that changes, you know?
  11. So, I'm sure you guys saw that Harvard took back their fellowship offer to Chelsea Manning. One commentator I was listening to said that we should all stop supporting Harvard, stop applying. They said that Harvard was effectively controlled by the government, because they listened to the criticism of the CIA. It got me thinking. Are there any schools you won't apply to because of something controversial they've done? Is it right to blame an entire institution? For example, with Charlottesville, are any of you not considering the University of Virginia because of the Neo-Nazi demonstrations? Or, have any of you decided not to apply to Penn State because of the years that the school spent covering up for Jerry Sandusky?
  12. So I'm heading into my MA program next month and I was wondering if anybody has advice about preparing my PhD application for next year. This past year I only applied to PhD programs and I was only accepted into MA programs. So what should I be doing/participating in/working on to improve my applications for next year. Thank you! And good luck to all of you getting your materials together.
  13. I will be attending Fordham's MA program in the fall! I kind of made the decision a month ago, but had to wait to hear from a couple of places.
  14. I'm a Victorianist undergrad at IU, so my experiences are really limited to the professors I've had/I've interacted with. Professor Kreilkamp and Professor Morgan are amazing, both working on interesting topics. Professor Kriegel is probably the one you would want to connect with. She's the head of the Victorian Studies program I believe, and she would be able to match you with faculty that are working on issues that you're interested in.
  15. I just saw this! I'm working with Frankenstein, The Island of Doctor Moreau, Carmilla, and Dracula. My thesis/writing sample is mainly concerned with procreation and how these characters create monsters or 'children' without heterosexual sex.
  16. As an IU Hoosier, I feel compelled to agree that Purdue sucks lol. But, I'm glad you asked this question, because I've been wondering the same thing. My acceptances have big differences in rank. It was even more difficult because they're in the same city so it's more or less the same out of school experience. But, when I really looked at the programs, the lower ranked school fit my needs better (and offered more aid). Ultimately, I realized that choosing a school that will help me grow is the most important part. Rank is sort of irrelevant if you're not doing your best work or studying what you want to study. From what you've said, Alabama seems to offer the best program for you. So, visit PU and see how it feels, but Alabama seems like the right choice.
  17. So, when is it appropriate to contact a program? I just want final decisions before I commit to the program I think I'm going to.
  18. JessicaLange

    New York, NY

    So, I'm almost definitely moving to NYC in the fall. How do I go about finding a roommate? I got an account on Symbi, but I was wondering if you guys have other suggestions.
  19. I would definitely do School Y. Having somebody you are already deeply interested in working with is really important and a great thing to have right away. Yes, I understand that being LGBT often informs decisions; it was definitely a concern for me. But I think you'll find that most universities are accepting and excited by diversity of thought and identity. And if some aren't, your presence and scholarship might change their opinions. Overall, I think School Y sounds like a better fit, which is the most important aspect for your education and future.
  20. I applied to Columbia's PhD, but I was rejected and sent on to be considered for the MA. They're asking for a new Statement of Purpose. How different should my new SOP be? Obviously, the first SOP didn't work and this one can be more focused on the MA. But, I worked on my SOP for months and my Columbia one was maybe my best. Of course, if it's the same adcomm, I want to show them something new. Thoughts?
  21. My sister is the only one that's outwardly critical, but I think all of my family is skeptical. My sister has said "Remember when you wanted to be a lawyer [I was 14]? I think you should look into that" and 'You know mom plans to support you for the rest of your life, right?" and after I told her that some people end up as adjuncts on food stamps, she said "I'm not going to feel pity for you if that happens" Generally speaking, she's been fine and is really interested in where I want to go and what my plans are and stuff. But, she definitely has said some shitty things. My friends have been soooo supportive and pretty jealous. I got into my first school really early so I knew right away I had some sort of future plan. Meanwhile, they're still unsure about next year.
  22. Sorry, yeah that was unclear. I got into Fordham's MA and NYU's MA. I'm trying to figure out fit now. I mean, they both have a good focus on what I need, which is why I applied. But I'm trying to sort through and compare their relative strengths and weaknesses.
  23. Okay so I was accepted to NYU's Masters program (denied from the PhD) and I'm really freaking out! NYU was my number one choice--it was actually my number one choice for undergrad too, but I didn't get in then. The problem is that I was also accepted to Fordham and they're giving me sooo much money, full tuition and a generous stipend. NYU I think is offering me 50% tuition (it was kind of vague so I'm waiting for the official letter to get more details). I don't know what to do guys! I told myself that I would absolutely choose Fordham if I got into NYU, but I honestly didn't think I had a shot of getting in so it was easy to say before the decision was made. Help.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use