northwestnative
-
Posts
38 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by northwestnative
-
-
Will mention again, since Berkeley’s cancelled our visit weekend, I’m happy to answer questions.
-
Congrats to the Berkeley admits! I’m happy to answer any questions about the department: don’t hesitate to reach out.
-
Hi, all—jumping in here to offer best wishes, solidarity, and good luck as deadline season and ends-of-terms arrive. Be kind to yourselves!
- CanadianEnglish, Cryss, vondafkossum and 4 others
-
6
-
1
-
1 hour ago, indoorfireworks said:
On this subject, how much of a difference does name recognition of previous institutions make? I have a bachelor's and MFA from an R1 in the south that's pretty low on the USN rankings, but I have some good things going for my application, including two scholarly publications. Is it worth it to apply to top 30 schools if I didn't graduate from one in that tier?
EDIT: I'm definitely applying to the upper-tier schools because the respective faculties align with my interests, not out of a sense of prestige.Given what I've seen and what I've been told by professors and other students, not nearly as much as you might fear. My understanding is that the most advantageous thing about degrees from significant schools is that your letter writers might carry some name recognition. Of course, a top-tier R1 or Ivy/Ivy-adjacent won't hurt.
For what it's worth, my BA is from a tiny, tiny PLBC and my MA is from a good, funded program but not a school with particular renown.
It shouldn't, by any means, stop you from applying to certain places.
-
11 hours ago, mandelbulb said:
hey y'all. just want to pop by and offer myself up for anyone with questions about 1) applying during the last year of your MA, 2) applying after your MA, 3) applying again after being rejected the first time, 4) applying to MAs after being out of school for 5+ years/being older and applying, or 4) UCSD! if your research interests overlap with mine at all, i may have time to take a look at your SOP
just DM. otherwise, i'll be lurking in case there's any question i can help answer.
Can second this, although mandelbulb's advice will probably be better than mine. Any questions about the application process, applying from an MA, applying after a year off, and American lit/pomo/religion stuff, please feel free to reach out!
- mandelbulb and karamazov
-
2
-
Was writing email to withdraw from Stanford's waitlist when I received an email offering me a spot. Be on the watch, Stanford waitlist people.
- Musmatatus, StamfordCat and mandelbulb
-
3
-
Declined UT Austin today—hope it opens something up for someone!
-
9 minutes ago, Anonymouse124 said:
Begun to make initial offers? Didn't they inform people weeks ago?
If it helps: yes. I received my acceptance email a few weeks ago, and my portal updated a week or so ago.
-
Am I having some sort of moment, or have all the UC schools vanished from the sheet?
-
I feel this. As a deeply anxious person, talking about myself and my success is terribly awkward, so I've downplayed and dismissed the well-wishes of friends and family, but then I feel bad about doing so. I guess I'm still sort of numb: I wasn't expecting anything at all, and now suddenly it's all here. I guess my celebration has been . . . grading more essays? Ha!
You all, by the way, are great! Well done to everyone!
-
1 hour ago, ana21 said:
I'm seeing myself in this spot this year, the plan was to go straight for the phd(as someone who plans everything in life ) but I don't see it happening the way that things are going. if I get into the MA that I applied would you recommend me to accept it? I would have to get loans to be able to afford it and I don't know if that is a wise decision, or if I should just wait for the next cycle and work on my applications and GRE. I know this isn't my post but if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it.
I did a fully funded MA at Oregon State—if you can swing a similar program, I recommend it. I grew considerably as a scholar at OSU; I wasn't ready for PhD work then, but I feel much better now.
I'd avoid loans if at all possible. Having escaped undergrad at a private, lib-arts college with below-average debt, I can't imagine taking on much more. Just my opinion, though.
-
5 minutes ago, Warelin said:
I'd like to add a note here: There are some schools that have 'invisible waitlists'.
Last year, for what it's worth, I was sent an email informing me I was on UVA's waitlist, and my portal did not update until April with the final rejection.
-
I was a shutout last year—didn't make it off of either waitlist. I had finished my MA, so I've spent the year adjuncting. I stayed in close contact with my MA advisor and letter-writers, and I attended another conference and added a couple more reviews to my publications. As others have said, spending a year revising SoPs and writing samples is so helpful: my first-cycle SoP was cringeworthy, but this year's was, I think, far better. I also expanded my apps a little, from four to six, and did more background work: emailing PoIs, reading their work. As @kendalldinniene astutely said, find a community. Share letters and writing and anxieties. And keep your head up! It gets easier the second time around!
-
1 hour ago, FiguresIII said:
@kef5@eekemelye Did you receive funding info? I'm still waiting on that...
I am too, Figures; my email said specifics would arrive soon, if that helps.
-
Howdy, helpful folks. A pretty niche question that I thought someone might have a clever response to: I'm on a panel at ALA in Boston this May, but my adjunct work will already be over, and I won't start a PhD program until August. Anyone know about any lit- or adjunct-specific grants or opportunities that might be able to help me fly across the country?
You all are stellar. Many thanks!
-
10 hours ago, FiguresIII said:
Woooooh congrats see u at the visits??
Indeed! See you there!
-
Geez—I just got into Berkeley. Did not think that would happen. What even.
-
Also waitlisted at Stanford!
-
Hi, all! Another UTA admit here: literature and religion, postsecular studies, aesthetics and ethics. Looking forward to meeting everyone who flies out for the visitation day!
- lindsey372, spatial_person and dreid
-
3
-
Only read one Faulkner, Light in August, and, well, meh? Never did Frankenstein or Wuthering Heights. Never read Paradise Lost or Chaucer.
-
12 minutes ago, kendalldinniene said:
Thank you for this! I'm pretty hopeful right now.
The coolest thing (besides the validation, of course) is that my favorite classmate from undergrad also got waitlisted there. It would be beyond awesome to have classes with her again!
Same here—I was waitlisted and admitted a few weeks later.
-
10 minutes ago, placeinspace said:
Really?? Maybe this varies program to program then.
EDIT: The internet tells me that if you stipend comes from an assistantship, then it is already taxed. If not, like from a fellowship, then you need to disclose the amount as income to the IRS on your tax return.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for looking that up.
-
1 minute ago, placeinspace said:
Grad school stipends are not taxed, so each spring you will have to pay back your relevant taxes to the IRS. I'm not sure what the rate of taxation is.
At Oregon State, at least, our stipends were distributed monthly and were already taxed as normal working income.
-
Got an email to check site, said a decision was made. My site's link is gray, says "Decision Not Ready." Waitlist? Glitch?
EDIT: lol no it's a rejection
2021 Applicants
in Literature, and Rhetoric and Composition
Posted
Berkeley PhD here: last year we released in mid-Feb, if I remember correctly. I think it was late-Feb, my year. DGS says there's a backlog this year, so could be later. Best of luck!!