Oklash

This may seem random but I just realized one of my prospective schools does not have an MFA program. Only lit and rhetoric. It's not that serious, but in my experience an adjacent MFA program and classes with non "academic" students have been incredibly valuable. But maybe I'm just nitpicking

This definitely. I finished a fairly intensive MA program and while there, the social environment was really made the grad school experience. Everything from faculty to students on a personal level. That support is really important. I had a pretty similar experience with a school's welcome days. I met one of the professors and he gave me some really bad vibes. And I've just made a mental note to maybe stay far away from him. So maybe we should make an "avoid at all costs" list. But I sympathize with your frustration since the other school is better "ranked." Overall, I hope you end up happy at whichever program you choose!

I don't know if this helps but my brother was also deployed for a year in the navy reserves. It's tough but it is fairly silent as in there is not much communication from the deployed person. So if you start the program, by time your husband returns, you will have completed one whole year! If you defer admissions, that is also a whole year. So maybe, while he is gone, you don't fully relocate. And while the year passes, you will have more time to weigh your options. In the mean time, does your university have any plans in place for military/navy spouses? Child care? Etc... Did he get the job in new york? Congrats to you both!

I can go first! I am down to two offers and can't decide. UW-Madison is my dream school. Wonderful faculty and perfect for my interests and it suits my needs as an academic perfectly. But as a person...I'm not sure. It is a very far move, especially considering my other offer. SMU is geographically closer to my current location. The stipend is also significantly higher (31k vs 24k) and they provide a moving fee. My friend also lives nearby and owns property we could live on, which means I'd have no rent for at least the first year. I mention location and funding a lot because my mom is getting a heart transplant. It's a fairly long process and in all honesty, it's a gamble on whether we can survive the waiting list. And if we do, then things would move quickly. (As in an organ will be donated and the transplant would happen within the next couple of hours). And I know it sounds simple, but we're looking at 4-5 years of waiting, surgeries, and recoveries. So considering my finances and family, SMU would be better. And even though the faculty is great, incredible even, they aren't UW-Madison, my dream school. So like I guess I feel like I'm trying to pick between my dream school and my family. Like a dream school that's far away with a weaker stipend or a different school with an incredible stipend and more reasonable 'real life' compromises. And one of the worst parts is that I really don't have anyone to really talk about this with. Everyone who isn't an academic says "just go to SMU" like its a no brainer because its closer and pays more. But every tenured academic advisor is like "just go to UW" like its a no brainer because they don't have to worry about money as much as I do.

I haven't seen many threads for people who are struggling making a decision so here's one now! Are you having trouble making a decision? . Does faculty make you nervous? Does your cat like warm weather and not cold weather? Any reason...big or large is welcome. If you don't have decision anxiety, how did you make your final decision?

I was accepted into Fordham a while back and just declined. If they don't have an official waitlist and instead a few pending applications, maybe a spot will open up soon.

I haven't seen Fordham mentioned here yet, but I just declined their Phd offer. Hopefully, a waitlisted student will be notified quickly because their open house/welcome days begin March 23rd. They're really nice people!

Still, I don't mean that there will be a change in the literal sense. But instead suggesting that the application process will never go back to normal or back to the way we've grown accustomed to. And just giving potential reasonings as to why and how. The academy itself is changing and so are the expectations for incoming students and their role in it.

Nope! I sent an email to DGS but no response yet. I’m a bit worried....

Yea definitely after the move for me too. But I am looking at the 15 inch Cambridge Satchel in Oxblood

Email sent! And will do. I feel like i’m going to throw up now!

I’m about to just bite the bullet and email Emory. They are my only application left pending. ? I shouldn’t be surprised by thier long response time though. I applied in 2018 and didn’t get a rejection till April.

This is random but I am from the deep south and talking to departments that are definitely not in the deep is jarring. ? I suddenly feel very self-conscious of my voice and speech patterns.

yea, you’re right. i was just rambling a lot of nonsense! i have a skewed perspective because i am very specific and have a distinct scholarly goal. And committees were “impressed” by the tangible the goal was. So maybe I assumed that that is what committees are starting to want. I put impressed in quotes because it wasn’t that impressive. I just talk too much.