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Pezpoet

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Posts posted by Pezpoet

    OK, let's talk about UChicago's MAPH. I need some advice...

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    FWIW, I know people who have done MAPH and it doesn't sound worth it. Expect a cohort of nearly 100 (imagine how many acceptances they initially sent out) and the above-articulated issues of timing (gap years). During my first round of apps I was offered a spot in the MAPH program and the money (plus moving and cost of living) just made it a hard pass for me. Like truly, that tuition tag is criminal. Next year I applied after bettering my application and got in to my top choice. I think nine months is better spent garnering zero debt and bettering your app. I also think MAPH preys on shut-outs, tbh. Sorry, OP. 

    Last minute funding offer, need help with decision

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Hey @bigfluffybearcat! Nothing like making a major life decision right at the wire, eh? 

    From what I can tell from your post, Penn still seems like the best option for you. The biggest indicator to me has less to do with timing and money then it does with your feelings about the program. It sounds like UW doesn't offer the classes, support, and environment you need. And those are the most crucial deciding factors. Like, hands down. Plus, Penn allows you to keep the prestigious government-aided funding and take the year to transition. 

    It seems like all UW has to offer is the same amount(ish) of funding and its Seattle location. Personally, I am leaving the Pacific Northwest and also moving to Pennsylvania for my program. The change of landscapes will be so, so hard. But I assume I'll hardly notice with how busy I am.

    Those are just my thoughts. You do you, and best of luck deciding!

    What makes research compelling?

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted · Edited by Pezpoet

    15 minutes ago, clinamen said:

    I just want to jump in here to advocate for the importance of words like "intersectionality," especially in the case of "intersectionality." In fact, without intersectionality, concepts like feminism are not inclusive and actually isolate women of color, the LGBTQ+ community, etc. By making the move from just plain "feminism" to "intersectional feminism," these "certain types of people" are actually included in the conversation and welcomed into academic space rather than kept out. So, in some cases, what some might consider jargon is absolutely important and shouldn't be shrugged off as meaningless. 

    this.

    Post-Acceptance, Pre-Visit

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Question for y'all! 

    My Pitt visit is all planned and in the books. Since it's a top choice, I was pretty confident I would accept, but decided to wait on one other school. Well, I heard from said school today (a no go). So, now I'm 100 percent on Pitt (yay!). Is it a faux pas to go through the formal acceptance before visiting? Or should I hold off until after I visit, since that time/money is usually allocated as recruitment. 

    Thanks for your help!

    2018 Acceptances

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    10 hours ago, bumbleblu said:

    Aaaand that's a waitlist for University of Pittsburgh! 

    I'm accepting Stanford as a rejection (tbh, I knew when I applied it was a bad fit), so that means all the results are in! (Well, except for funding offers...) 

    Now, just to decide...

    Congrats on the Pitt waitlist! And for having all your results in. Do you know which way(s) you're leaning?

    Perhaps one of us should start a decisions thread...

    Self Care in Grad School

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Re: dog. Can confirm. I got an 11 week puppy mid-application season. It was rough city. There was, of course, little sleeping. But mostly, it was the constant disruptions that wore me down. There was never a time to sit and write for a couple of uninterrupted hours. She ate my GRE study book (good dog) and a bee sting on a sunday meant a 1k trip to the emergency vet. Dogs are expensive. 

    That said, I wouldn't have changed a thing (except maybe rid our house of bees earlier).

    Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) / Projected Rejections

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, chellyfish_ said:

    Is anyone else stupidly holding out hope for a non-rejection from University of Oregon, based on the fact that the couple results that came in yesterday are a few weeks ahead of their usual, and past admissions seem to span 3 or so days?  Tell me I'm not the only stupidly-optimistic-against-all-odds person here :wacko: (Even so, this felt most appropriate to post in projected rejections :/ )

    I think you can hold out hope. I have a friend currently in the program and word is that they just started making decisions. I think more's to come. I'm hanging with him tomorrow and will get the scuttlebug. 

    Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) / Projected Rejections

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    11 hours ago, la_mod said:

    This is really nice to hear, thank you. I’m definitely rooting for you. I’m also very glad I reapplied this year, but am unsure I can do a third round if I need to, for a lot of reasons. Are you only applying to PhD programs?

    wait, never mind. I just saw you were admitted to Pittsburgh! Congratulations!

    I'm rooting for you too. There's a lot of February yet! 

    And for what it's worth, I did apply to one MA. I thought if I didn't get into any PhD programs then it would give me the opportunity to strengthen my application over two years. It is also an unranked MA and that didn't really matter to me. If I was going to gain solid teaching experience, write a well-advised thesis, and earn good grades, then all the better. 

    Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) / Projected Rejections

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, la_mod said:

    I wish I would have looked into more funded MA options, tbh. However, I’m also curious about what y’all think about school prestige. I had professors from my (not very well-ranked) undergrad institution tell me that I pretty much needed to distance myself from the name of my school by way of an MA. There are a few people who got their MAs at my univeristy last year who were accepted into UCR, OSU, and Wisconsin, so maybe times are changing, but I’m really wondering what options we *do* have. 

    I don’t want to pay for an MA. It’s expensive and risky and I’m not sure it’s worth it. BUT. Is the best option then to just already be a great student at a great undergrad institution? 

    I guess what I’m trying to get at is this: I feel like academia really benefits those with the means to “make connections” at expensive schools, and I’m not sure how any of us can break that cycle. 

    EDIT to add: also. I don’t want this to come across like I’m defending MAPH, because I’m not. I think it seems fishy. Not because it’s nine months is too short (as I stated before, I’m all for short terminal MAs in Canada when the cohort is small etc etc), but because it’s so expensive. More so, I’m wondering: what can I / we do besides getting an MA to make ourselves “more competitive” applicants? I know this is turning into a rant and is partially fueled by a comment implying that there’s no shame in giving up if I don’t get in this round, but like. Idk. I’m annoyed with this process and feel like it’s rigged against a lot of the people I’ve met who also want to go into academia.

    So here are my two pennies. I went to a nameless undergrad. And when I say nameless I mean like less than 1k students, off the beaten path, and totally unranked. There were no gender or queer studies classes (which I had to explain in my SOP), and the opportunities were just so limited. Also, for what it's worth, my GPA was 3.5. I really thought I stood no chance with such a background. But it's totally possible. I do think schools and programs take a more nuanced look at applications, and that it's not totally rigged. But, who knows, I'm not yet in the nitty gritty of it. 

    To make up for my subpar undergraduate experience I took an advanced course at my local university (a gender studies class so I could put something on my CV). I reached out to faculty members at each school I applied to. I took that damn GRE twice. This is my second round of applications after my shut-out year last year. And I'm so glad I reapplied. Don't lose heart. 

    Let's Distract Ourselves!

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Anyone else losing their mind while knowing full well it could be another 4 weeks before admission decisions? What are y'all doing to stay sane? What are you binge watching (or eating)? Travel? Sports? Leisure? 

    I for one adopted a puppy in the fall. (Super cool idea to get a dog when applying to grad school.) So now we're finally working on heeling. 

    GRE Literature Subject Test: A Discussion

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted

    Woof. I loathed the Subject Test. Here's my thinking, and please take it with lots of grains of salt. If you scored over 50 percentile, don't retake it. Even if you scored under, I'd warn against a retake. I mean, if it won't require a lot of stress or distraction from other parts of your app, then go for it. But I found it to be a huge waste o time. I tracked my study hours (thanks Toggl!) and came in around 100 total hours. I took the usual route of study, with notecards and timelines and reading important (short) texts. 

    Come game day, it did no good. There was very little on the test that had to do with recognition. It was, instead, 230 comprehension questions. Ok, that's probably hyperbolic. But truly, I was only asked to name an author or text a handful of times. I bet at least 180 questions were the kind of reading comprehensions comparable to the general GRE. SO. If you do decide to retake, focus on reading quickly but thoroughly. And answer every single question. I thought I'd have time to do at least two passes (shakes fist at Princeton) but no such luck.

    As for what schools require it, I'm sure there's a list already floating around this forum somewhere. But, UVA, Stanford, USC, Indiana (?), are the few that come to mind. 

    Best of luck!

    2018 App Crunch Time

    in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition

    Posted · Edited by Pezpoet

    18 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said:

    Can I ask the group: what are opinions on the "hook" for the SOP. I'm not gifted in the art of gab and most of my SOPs have tight word limits that I'm already meeting.

    As my SOP stands now, I have an opening statement about what time periods/areas I'm interested, including a relevant quote to add some personality to it. A professor and a peer have suggested however that I either flesh out the use of that quote or cut it. In looking at it, they're right - I just kind of throw it in there.

    So - would you all lean toward crafting a short/succinct "personal touch" narrative at the beginning? Or would you be OK with just stating what you're interested in studying and moving into an explanation of how you've developed those areas academically (not personally.)

    Everyone has their own opinion on it, but the best advice I got was to do what feels best/most natural to you. So, if you're throwing a quote in just to have it, then maybe heed the professor and peer? But, I'm interested to hear what others say. 

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