LibraryLivingJT

I look forward to meeting you. I think you'll really love UD.

The faculty were incredibly friendly and engaging, the current students were very kind and welcoming, and the other students in my cohort already began to feel like friends even after only spending two days with them. The campus is beautiful, the downtown is welcoming and has many shops and restaurants, and I love the library - great archival research opportunities. And great job placement (about 80%), and good teaching training. It is everything I want in a program.

WOO! Congrats!

Awesome! Did you attend the accepted students visit?

Thank you so much! I'm so happy and excited!

Thank you! Have you narrowed down your choices yet?

Thank you! The faculty are INCREDIBLE

Still waiting on two programs, but that's fine, since I already accepted UD's offer. Good luck to everyone still waiting and deciding!

Will be attending UD for Fall 2018! The amazing campus visit sealed the deal!

However, in these gap years, I was still applying to PhD programs.

I didn't take any purposeful gap years (I applied for three rounds and this is my first positive response round). I did a two year MA program, so I was in a bit of a similar boat. In my gap years, I worked (and am working) as a Visiting Lecturer in the English Dept. where I got my BA, teaching both literature and composition courses. After this spring, I will have taught 11 courses on my own. So much teaching experience has really helped me decide what I want to focus on and the kind of program that would be a good fit for me (a program that emphasizes both pedagogy and research). While teaching I have been working on my own research, submitting articles to journals for possible publication, and attending conferences, as well as a summer institute. My biggest piece of advice would be to make sure you take time for your own research/academic pursuits - this has been easier for me to do, I believe, since my "gap years" have still be spent in an academic environment. In this gap year/gap years, be sure to attend conferences and/or institutes and make connections with faculty, even if those faculty do not teach at any programs you are applying to. Two of my POIs are faculty I met and worked with while at a summer institute, and I believe their letters of rec helped me in this application round.

My biggest piece of advice, and one that has greatly helped me, comes from my mentor from my MA program, and that is to "keep your eyes wide open." Meaning, you need to look at what would be the best fit for you, as well as learning to protect yourself in the field of academia - meaning not being taken advantage of labor-wise, etc.

Still waiting on SUNY Binghamton and U of Arizona (but DGS at U of A, when I emailed, said to expect results next week).

UCLA and USC English require it - those are the only two schools I applied to this season that required it. I am very glad it is falling out of fashion, as the focus (both times I took it), was largely British lit, which is not my forte. I bombed the subject test both times I took it (once before my MA and once after). As far as retaking goes, I suggest retaking the regular GRE to improve scores on that rather than retaking the subject test - it took me three times (for three different app seasons) to get decent scores in writing and verbal (third time I took it I had taken a prep course beforehand). However, I am terrible at standardized tests and believe the subject test and general GRE should be optional rather than required. Good Luck!

Also got the expected rejection to USC ASE. And with that, I'm no longer waiting on any American Studies programs, just English. Good luck everyone!

I emailed since I was curious! No official rejection letter yet, but the email said I'd be getting one soon.

Just waiting on three more schools before I can make my official decision, but it is looking like U of Delaware

HUGE CONGRATS! That is FANTASTIC!!!

There's no harm in asking. I've emailed for updates and both responses I have received on that end were very polite.

I say go for it! Not only will it look great on your CV, but I bet that it will be an incredible experience.

Huge congrats to you both!

Also, I know it is a HUGE longshot, but if anyone is not going to accept USC ASE, kindly let them know. Still waiting on a rejection or waitlist from them, but holding out a tiny smidge of hope that I am waitlisted.

I emailed USC ASE for an update, but nothing yet.