modernecho

Well, like I said it won't hurt to think ouside the South if you've no obligations/problems/commitments. Always take the advise with a grain of salt. Ultimately it's you who is going to spend the time in grad school. Sure others can help you make the decision. It's also helpful to keep in mind that you're going to have a life outside the dept, so location/environment/folks everything is going to matter to an extent. If you have profs who are willing to supervise you in your area and you're okay living in Oxford (in your case) I don't think it's much of an issue. Did you ask your mentor the reason behind her dislike of Ole Miss? In any case, apply broadly and wisely. Hope this helps.

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” ---Faulkner Need I say more? But let's see. If expanding your school list is not a problem definitely go for 'em top ones. But more than ranking or location, as you may know, it's the fit that matters. Like you've been suggested Duke, Emory Vandy are good schools in the South. You could definitely study Southern lit let's say at Harvard, UChicago or even Columbia. I second what echo449 has mentioned that you might not be able to attend seminars specifically for Southern lit in schools outside the South. In any case, it's good to at least apply outside Dixie and see what's on offer. You might know that Prof. Jay Watson (Ole Miss) went to Harvard, Leigh Anne to UChicago and Adam Gussow to Princeton. Can't say much about the job market but it's definitely hard to get one, especially in academia. But don't let that dissuade you from dreaming big! Good luck!

Although our areas are different, I'd suggest you to look at articles or journals in your interested field (as suggested by other members) and look up the profs. whose work intrigues you. During my own research about the programs I came across few names. Take a look at Ohio State University, Uni of Colorado (Centre for Asian Studies). Your area of research has lot of names, both Indian and American. It's also helpful to know what sort of jobs you'd be applying after grad school. And of course, the most significant advice---your fit, whether there are profs who'd be willing to supervise you in your area of interest. A good match is at least 2-3 names. Also, look at the graduate students profile and recent courses. Hope this will give you a start. If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Good luck!

Hi folks, I'm an international student interested in pursuing PhD in English and American literature. I will be applying for 2018-19. Is there any specific way to prepare for GRE? There are sample questions that I've been looking at. I still have confusion regarding the pattern of test. I've few questions: 1. As a student who is applying for PhD in English lit. should my scores be good in all 3 sections i.e. verbal, quantitative and analytical? Do I've to attempt all 3 sections? I'm really not good at Math! 2. Do I've to take general and subject test on the same day? 3. How long does it take to get the scores? 4. Is there a provision at the time of registering for the test to include the name of institutes you've been applying at? Any other tips/advice/info regarding the test is welcome. Thanks!